Pressure Washer Safety!

Below is a toolbox talk on pressure washer safety which is a good reminder to everyone who uses one or works in the vicinity of one being used.

Pressure washers are used to clean equipment, materials and work areas on the job. At home, they may be used for washing automobiles, house exteriors and other uses. They can also cause injuries. Because the water is under pressure, it moves with enough force to cause damage to the eyes or skin and contribute to other types of injuries. Close contact with a pressure washer's flow to your skin actually abrades away the skin layer by layer rather than cuts and causes injuries that are hard to heal and scar for life. The noise can also damage hearing. For safer use of a pressure washer, follow these tips: Read your operator's manual and follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe use, maintenance and storage. Wear eye and hearing protection when you use a pressure washer. Avoid contact with the high pressure stream of water. Keep your hands, feet and body out of the way. Always wear good footwear and clothing (preferably long pants and sleeves) when using a pressure washer.  To keep control of the water stream, hang on to the spray wand with both hands. Never point the sprayer at another person, whether the pressure washer is operating or not. It could discharge unexpectedly. Maintain good footing. Do not reach so far that you lose your balance. Do not let children use a pressure washer. Do not use a pressure washer in an area where the water could contact electrical equipment. Make sure all connections & fittings are sound and secure. Inspect all hoses for wear & tear and do not use if a hose is found to be deteriorated. Ensure your electrical cord has no expoxed wires, is in good repair and always use a GFCI as you are working around liquids and/or water.  Pressure washers get the job done quickly and well. But they have the potential for causing injury, so use them safely at work and at home. Have a Safe Day!

I.D.I. Forming a New 2012 Field Safety Committee

As you all know, International Decorators has 2 Safety Committees.  One consists of management personnel and the other consists of field personnel.  Our 2011 Field Safety Committee is coming to an end and we are seeking field personnel to fill the vacant positions.  We are looking for a framer, drywall hanger, taper, painter and an acoustic carpenter to serve a 1 year volunteer commitment as a Field Safety Committee member.  This committee meets once every other month with the Safety Director (Safety Pete) starting in March of 2012 meaning that you would serve for 6 meetings during a 1 year period.  The meetings are typically held on Wednesdays at our office from 3:00pm – 4:30pm.    The meeting agenda typically consists of:

ü  A review of our safety goals.

ü  Recent injuries discussion & prevention methods.

ü  Updating and developing safety policies.

ü  Safety hazards that have been identified in the field and what we as a company can do to eliminate them.

ü  Future safety training needs, etc.

This is basically a safety brain storming session and we are looking for your input to help us to sustain and improve on our “Safety Culture.”  The main purpose of the Field Safety Committee is about ensuring that you and your fellow co-workers have a safe environment to work in.  If you are interested in making a difference and helping out yourself, your co-workers and your employer, please contact Peter Graham by e-mail at pgraham@4idi.com.  Here’s a little carrot – each meeting includes pizza, some comedy from Safety Pete and some end of the year recognition.

2/25/12 Quarterly Safety Meeting at Kropp Equipment in Streamwood!

***IMPORTANT - Please note the location of the meeting! ***

All employees are invited to attend our 1^st quarterly safety meeting for 2012 which will be held on Saturday, February 25^th from 7:00am to about 9:00am.  Please note that the meeting will not be at International Decorator’s office.  The meeting will be held at our aerial lift provider, Kropp Equipment, located at 1339 Yorkshire Drive in Streamwood, IL 60107.  Kropp Equipment will be providing aerial lift safety training including emergency descent procedures.  All employees who attend the safety training session will receive an aerial lift identification training card from Kropp Equipment.  We last held an aerial lift safety training meeting in August, 2009, so this will serve as a good refresher for the veterans and maybe some new safety training for new hires.  As far as parking at Kropp Equipment, we can park on both sides of Yorkshire Drive.  Kropp Equipment is also checking in with their neighbor to see if we can park in their lot.  We will provide more information on parking as we get closer to the meeting. 

Your field safety committee brought up an excellent point during our December safety committee meeting in regards to the emergency descent procedures from aerial lifts.  We have not provided training on this topic in quite some time.  Kropp Equipment is going to demonstrate the emergency descent procedures at the quarterly safety meeting.  Following their demonstration, we are going to look for volunteers to perform an emergency descent. 

We look forward to seeing everyone at Kropp Equipment on Saturday, 2/25/12.  In the meantime, keep looking out for each other and be safe!

Have a Safe Day!

Safety Pete

Clear, Shovel & Salt!

Good morning to all I.D.I. employees,

Hey, its Captain Obvious pointing out to everyone that it snowed last night. 

Obviously there are going to be some slippery conditions are your job sites.  If you are working on roofs, exterior scaffolding, exterior aerial lifts, etc., please ensure that you clear off your working surface before commencing work.  If you do have exterior roof work, think about whether you have other tasks you can perform and coordinate with your Superintendent if that roof work can wait until Monday.  If your job site entrances are extremely icy, please diplomatically point it out to the general contractor to see if he can assist in clearing/salting the icy areas where employees would tend to walk including to the portable bathrooms. 

It is difficult for general contractors to always ensure that the walking paths are clear of ice and snow, so please be careful.  If you are walking on ice, it is best to shuffle your feet instead of taking long strides. 

Have a Safe Day!

Answers to Monday's Ladder Safety Quiz

Below are the answers to Monday's ladder safety quiz.  So how did everyone do?  I would expect that all of the I.D.I. employees got an "A" on the quiz. 

Have a Safe Day!

I.D.I. - Ladder Safety Quiz - Answers

How many people are allowed on a ladder at the same time?

          1          2         3          as many people as we can get on it

What is the minimum height above the landing level that you must extend your ladder?

          1 foot          2 feet          3 feet         4 feet          doesn’t matter

What is the minimum distance that you must keep your ladder from electrical power lines?

          1 foot          5 feet          10 feet          25 feet          doesn’t matter

How often should you inspect your ladder for safety?

          Before each use          weekly          monthly          yearly

It’s O.K. to stand on the top 2 steps of a step ladder?

          True          False

What is a good recommended ratio to use for how far out from a building you should set the feet of a straight ladder or extension ladder when you lean the ladder against the building?  The pitch of the ladder should be:

          2:1          3:1          4:1          6:1

It’s O.K. to use a ladder on top of a scissor lift to increase your work height?

          True          False

It’s O.K. to use a portable A-frame step ladder in the closed position like a straight ladder?

          True          False

 

Does a ladder set up to access a higher landing level need to be secured to the structure to prevent tipping or movement?

          Yes            No

A ladder or stairs with handrails are required when there is a break in elevation of ____________ inches or more?

          12”        19”        24”        32”        36” 

I.D.I. - Ladder Safety Quiz

Good morning to all I.D.I. employees.  Test your own ladder safety knowledge.  Try taking the following ladder safety quiz to see if you know your ladder safety.  I will post the answers on Wednesday, 1/11/12.  Feel free to shoot me an e-mail at pgraham@4idi.com with your answers.

Have a Safe Day!

How many people are allowed on a ladder at the same time?

          1          2         3          as many people as we can get on it

What is the minimum height above the landing level that you must extend your ladder?

          1 foot          2 feet          3 feet         4 feet          doesn’t matter

What is the minimum distance that you must keep your ladder from electrical power lines?

          1 foot          5 feet          10 feet          25 feet          doesn’t matter

How often should you inspect your ladder for safety?

          Before each use          weekly          monthly          yearly

It’s O.K. to stand on the top 2 steps of a step ladder?

          True          False

What is a good recommended ratio to use for how far out from a building you should set the

feet of a straight ladder or extension ladder when you lean the ladder against the building? 

The pitch of the ladder should be:

          2:1          3:1          4:1          6:1

It’s O.K. to use a ladder on top of a scissor lift to increase your work height?

          True          False

It’s O.K. to use a portable A-frame step ladder in the closed position like a straight ladder?

          True          False

 

Does a ladder set up to access a higher landing level need to be secured to the structure to prevent tipping or movement?

          Yes            No

A ladder or stairs with handrails are required when there is a break in elevation

of ____________ inches or more?

          12”        19”        24”        32”        36” 



Happy New Year to all I.D.I. Employees!

Good afternoon to all I.D.I. employees:  I have been away from the office for the past 2 weeks so I have not been able to input any safety posts on this blog.  Now that I am back, I am working on safety matters that need attention.  I plan on posting a safety article by the end of the week.

In the meantime, I hope that everyone had a happy and safe new year with your loved ones. 

Thank you, Safety Pete