SAFETY FIRST!

Building Material Suppliers Association
PO Box 18667
Charlotte, NC 28218
Phone: 800-849-1503 ~ 704-376-1503

JUNE 2015

T op Ten OSHA Violations for the Lumber and Building Material Industry
  1. Forklifts
  2. Hazcom
  3. Respirators
  4. Wiring
  5. Guardrails/holes
  6. Electrical
  7. Fire Extinguishers
  8. Woodworking
  9. Exits
  10. Machinery

(Source: NLBMDA)  
 
Multitasking - An Impossible Skill


You might think you have the ability to multitask, but this may come as a surprise, you don't. Scientists have learned that our brains don't process more than one stream of information at a time. During the time your mind wanders from focusing on driving to focusing on a distraction, your vehicle may have traveled hundreds of feet.  Employers whose employees drive on behalf of the company have a responsibility of ensuring their employees are safe drivers. 
  

Explain the three kinds of distractions to your employee drivers, then work together to devise ways to avoid them.

 

Visual - anything that takes your eyes off the road, both inside and outside the car.

 

Manual - anything that takes your hands off the wheel. Two hands are much better than one for making corrective maneuvers.

 

Cognitive - anything that takes your  mind off driving.

 

(Source: Federated Mutual Insurance Co.) 
How to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers

 

What is heat illness?

The body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating isn't enough. Heat illnesses range from heat rash and heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke requires

immediate medical attention and can result in 

death. Click here to see how to prevent heat related illnesses.   

 

 

Quick Links 
 
June is National Safety Month. Find out what the National Safety Council says about preventing injuries and saving lives.

Tips on how to Promote Safety Awareness In The Workplace
  • Have monthly safety meetings. This is a great time to cover the safety protocols of the company. Also it gives people an opportunity to ask questions and get answers about their safety concerns.
  • Hang safety related posters in common areas such as break rooms.
  • Pick safety leaders that can check all equipment for malfunctions and also answer questions or show an unsafe worker how to do the job safely.
  • Make sure any employee that uses a machine while working is trained to use it properly. They should also know what to do in an emergency.
  • Set an example. Show your employees that you are a safe worker.

(Source: workplacesafetyexperts.com ) 

Handling, Lifting, and Storing Lumber Safely

 

Handling, lifting/carrying, and storing lumber can be a difficult and dangerous job. Even a small mistake in dealing with lumber can cause employees to trip, slip, fall, get hit and/or trapped by the lumber itself. There are several safety measures and precautionary steps in order to maintain safety at the workplace.
 

Safety measures for handling lumber:

  • Keep hands free of oil, grease, and other kinds of dirt before handling lumber.
  • Inspect lumber for jagged edges and rough or slippery surfaces. Wipe off wet, greasy, and/or dirty parts of lumber before handling it.
  • Keep your fingers away from pinch points.
  • When handling lumber, keep a firm grip on it.
  • Secure handles and holders to the lumber to minimize the risk of getting your fingers smashed or pinched.

Simple tips on lifting or carrying lumber safely:

  • Ensure workers are physically fit or suited to lift lumber before performing this task. Always wear the proper shoes when lifting lumber.
  • A safe lifting load for every person is 50 lbs. That's why it's best to have two or more workers lift a single piece of lumber.
  • Before lifting lumber, ensure that the work area is free of debris, clutter, or scrap materials.
  • If you need to lift used lumber, watch out for nails and other sharp objects.

The following are a few tips that should make storing and stacking lumber safer at your workplace:

  • Before transporting or stacking lumber in their storage area, inspect everything in the site first. Pay particular attention to the flooring, base or object that should support or contain the lumber.
  • Know the maximum load that the object/material can support or hold.

To learn more about lumber safety visit Safety Services Company. 

Slips, Trips, and Falls

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were over 200,000 cases involving falls, slips, and trips in 2012, and that's not counting the ones that went unreported. This issue affects companies worldwide. Attention lapses and distractions may account for many of these incidents.

 

A noted psychologist sees attention as having two dimensions: width and direction. Width means what you see and/or hear or smell or feel can be too broad or too fine. Direction refers to where you focus, either internally (proper procedures, a chronic pain in part of body, etc.) or externally (your surrounding or environment). We may be so focused on our task that we fail to see that we could have walked around that slippery area, or are trying to be so externally aware that we didn't notice we were holding our breath when walking on a slippery surface. To read more visit safetyservices.com. 

 

 

 

New and Updated Rules for OSHA in 2015 

 

OSHA now predicts that by the end of this summer, businesses will see three new or revised regulations. Click here to see OHSA's upcoming new and proposed regulations.