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Bi-Weekly Safety Meeting February 19, 2015
Bi-Weekly Safety Meeting
February 19, 2015
Engineering
Not all of our work is done in the field - as an
engineering company, a large portion of our
work is performed:
◦ in a Mangan office location, or
◦ for many employees, in a client ‘field office’
environment.
Identifying Hazards
So, what are some of the hazards
of working in an office?
Slippery surfaces Overloaded electrical outlets
Poorly balanced stacked
items
Cords with frayed insulation
Open file or desk drawers Cords, boxes in aisles
Top-heavy file cabinets Broken equipment
Construction: obstructions,
noise, chemicals
Stairs with poor lighting or
missing handrails
Blocked emergency exits Poor workstation set up
A Recordable
is a Recordable
• Office injuries affect our safety rating the
same as Field injuries.
• Neither OSHA nor our clients differentiate
between the two.
• Today’s training will look at the risks and
mitigation steps to prevent injuries in the
office.
Mitigating the Risks –
Office Clutter
• One of the best protections against office
hazards is good housekeeping.
• Keeping things in their place eliminates
many hazards.
Office Work and Fall Hazards
• Falling down is not only the most common
office accident, it is also responsible for
causing the most disabling injuries according to
the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC).
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/falls/
Office Work and Fall Hazards
The most common causes of office falls (according
to the CDC) include: ◦ Tripping over an open desk or file drawer, electrical
cords or wires, loose carpeting, or objects in
hallways/walkways.
◦ Bending or reaching for something while seated in an
unstable chair.
◦ Using a chair in place of a ladder.
◦ Slipping on wet floors.
◦ Inadequate lighting.
Mitigating the Risks –
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Here are some simple tips offered by the CDC
for preventing falls:
Close drawers completely
after every use.
Always use a stepladder for
overhead reaching.
Never use chairs as ladders,
especially rolling swivel
chairs.
Clean up spills immediately.
Report loose carpeting or
damaged flooring.
Never carry anything that
obscures your vision.
Mitigating the Hazards –
Electrical
Electrical safety procedures
also help protect against
office hazards.
◦ Minimize use of extension
cords
◦ Don’t overload outlets
◦ Make sure plugs match their
outlets
◦ Replace cords when their
insulation becomes frayed.
Mitigating the Hazards –
Equipment in the Office
Remember that "tools" used in an office can
cause injuries. Use caution with box
cutters, razor blades, scissors, and other
pointed objects.
• Cut away from your body
using box cutters.
• Work with paper cutter
carefully and slowly. Lock
the handle in place when
you’re done.
Mitigating the Hazards –
Safe Lifting
The majority of back injuries
and other musculoskeletal
disorders are the result of
lifting, often done improperly.
Practicing good lifting
technique significantly lowers
the stress placed on the back
and reduces the potential for
injury.
Mitigating the Hazards –
Safe Lifting
Ask for help from a co-worker or use a lifting aid, such as a
cart or hand truck
Avoid awkward positions, reaching, and twisting while lifting.
Squat first, and then stand to lift objects.
Remember the same good lifting techniques used for picking
up an object should also be practiced when putting it down.
Mitigating the Hazards –
Chemicals in the Office
Be aware that…
◦ substances can be hazardous, and know what
circumstances make them hazardous.
◦ information is available on container labels and
safety data sheets, including how to use and
store these substances safely.
Mitigating the Hazards –
Construction in or near the Office
You can count on encountering some sort of
maintenance or building repair activities on a routine
basis. Some offices experience intermittent
upgrades which will bring in tradesmen to remove or
add walls, paint, run communication lines, etc.
o Workers using ladders
o Staging areas for their materials
o Overhead work: if necessary, find a
temporary place to work if there is overhead
work going on such as changing light bulbs
or ballast repair
o Painting or work with any type of chemicals
Watch out for:
Distracted Walking
With “Distracted
Walking” accidents on
the rise, the safest way
to avoid workplace
incidents of this type is to
“pull over” and finish
whatever you are doing
on your phone before
walking on to your
destination.
Clean up after yourself
Wipe counters
Clean spills
Throw trash and used
paper towels away
Go the extra mile…
◦ Clean up after someone
else!
Community Housekeeping
Restroom Slick Surfaces
Grab the towels you will need
before you wash your hands to
avoid dripping water on the
floor.
Wipe counter of excess water
to avoid having it spill onto the
floor.
Office Hazards
Summary and
• If you notice an office hazard, whether it is at one of our company or client locations, complete a SMART card and make note of it.
• If you can safely fix the issue, follow through and
correct the unsafe condition.
• If you cannot safely fix the issue, contact your
supervisor, the safety department, or client
representative and have it corrected so no one
gets hurt.
First Aid
First aid can include cleaning minor cuts,
scrapes, or scratches; treating a minor burn;
applying bandages and dressings; the use of
non-prescription medicine; draining blisters;
removing debris from the eyes; massage; and
drinking fluids to relieve heat stress.
First Aid –
Reporting Although First Aids are
documented and reported to
OSHA for recordkeeping
purposes, they do not affect the
company’s safety rating or
ORIR.
For a work-related first aid
injury, please report it by
completing a First Aid card and
turning it in to
(you get credit for a SMART
card!)
First Aid –
Be Prepared
Know where the First Aid supplies and Spill Kits
are in your office.
Keep emergency phone numbers handy.
Know what to do and be ready. A first aid situation
can occur anytime, anywhere. Consider becoming
trained in CPR/First Aid.
First Aid –
Get Certified
Mangan hosts First Aid / CPR courses annually.
Notices will go out for each office during the
month of April with more information on how you
can be prepared.
Bloodborne Pathogens
Bloodborne Pathogens are pathogenic
microorganisms present in human blood that can
cause disease in humans. These pathogens
include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus
(HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Exposure to bloodborne pathogens can occur:
◦ During a workplace accident
◦ While administering First Aid
◦ During post-accident clean-up
Bloodborne Pathogens –
Universal Precautions
Universal Precautions is an approach to infection
control which treats all human blood and other
potentially infectious materials as if they were
known to be infectious for HIV, HBV or other
bloodborne pathogens.
Bloodborne Pathogens –
Hand Washing/PPE
Hand washing is the most effective means to prevent
the spread of contamination.
Wearing PPE such as gloves or a CPR shield during
the administration of First Aid is a simple precaution to
take in order to prevent blood or potentially infectious
body fluids from coming in contact with your skin.
To protect yourself, it is essential to have a barrier
between you and the potentially infectious material
◦ (CPR shields are provided in the Mangan-sponsored
CPR/First Aid classes).
Bloodborne Pathogens –
Spill Kit
Each Mangan office has a Spill Kit for minor first
aid clean-up. The kit includes gloves, antiseptic
wipes, and other materials for clean up of
potentially infectious bodily fluids.
For any spill:
◦ considered larger than a pie plate
◦ the employee cannot self-clean
◦ deemed unsafe for others to clean
◦ for which there are no volunteers to clean
a service will be brought in to clean the spill. In the
meantime, barricade the area to keep employees
away.
Resources
For more information, visit the Google Site
Safety – Resource Center where all safety
policies are posted, including…
◦ MSP-211, Emergency Medical Services
