White Tape on All 3-Pronged Electrical Tools & Extension Cords on 1/1/17!

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

We begin a new quarter for our Assured Grounding Conductor Program on January 1st, 2017. To all Safety Advocates/Coordinators - please help keep our employees safe and help keep us OSHA compliant by following our assured grounding conductor program.  We need your help in overseeing that we inspect, test and color-code with white tape, all 3 pronged electrical tools and extension cords. All electrical tools and cords need to be visually inspected. If you see any defects in the cords such as bare wires, severe kinks, missing or damaged ground prong, the cord pulling away from the plug end housing, etc., then that tool or cord would need to be immediately removed from service and reported to your lead field supervisor. If your tool/cord passes the visual inspection, your next step is to test the cord with a receptacle tester. First, you should test the outlet that you will be plugging your cord into to ensure that it is properly wired. You should see 2 yellow lights lit up on your tester and the red light should be off. This means the outlet is working appropriately. Next, plug your cord into the outlet and then test the cord with the receptacle tester. Again, you should see the same light pattern as mentioned above and this would mean the cord passed the test and it is good and safe to use. Any other light pattern means that there is a problem with the cord and the cord needs to be removed from service and reported to your lead field supervisor. If the cord passes the visual inspection and the cord tester test, you should then remove the previous quarter's orange electrical tape and install the white electrical tape about 1" down from both plug ends. Your cord is now in compliance with our 1st quarter's Assured Grounding Program. The white tape shall remain in place from 1/1/17 through 3/31/17. You are not quite done yet! You now need to visually inspect all electrical cords and tools on a daily basis and if any defects are found, the cord needs to be immediately removed from service.

If you do not have white electrical tape, please contact your superintendent so we can coordinate getting the white tape to you.

Thank you for taking the time to ensure your electrical tools and cords are in safe working order. Your actions may prevent one of our family members from sustaining an electrical shock type injury or worse yet, an electrocution. If you have any questions regarding our Assured Grounding Program, please contact our Safety Director, Peter Graham, at (847) 417-1689.

Have a Safe Day!

Working in Extremely Cold Weather Safety!

Good afternoon to all I.D.I. employees:

It is dangerously cold out and working in the cold can cause several types of cold stress injuries.  People who are exposed to lower temperatures are at risk for injuries ranging from frostbite to serious loss of body heat (hypothermia) which could result in brain damage or death.

Dress warmly, in layers. Preserving an air space between the body and the outer layer of clothing will help retain body heat. Choose fabrics such as cotton or wool, which insulate but also allow sweat to evaporate. It is especially important to protect the feet, hands, head, and face. These parts of the body are farthest from the heart and are the hardest to keep warm. Almost half your body heat can be lost through the head, so cover it up as well. 

Keep dry. Wetness greatly increases the chance of cold stress. Always have extra clothing available if there's a chance you could get wet. Keep your feet dry, they are very susceptible to frostbite.

Take a break. You may think it's wise to keep on working in cold temperatures. After all, working makes you break a sweat and you feel warmer. But if you become fatigued during physical activity, your body loses its ability to properly retain heat. This causes rapid cooling which can quickly lead to cold stress. When you take a break, be sure to replace lost fluids and calories by drinking warm, sweet, caffeine-free nonalcoholic drinks and soup.  If you are getting overly fatigued in cold weather, developing frostbite or hypothermia discuss with your Field Supervisor and/or Superintendent about taking a short break.

Eat right. A proper diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs to withstand cold stress. A restrictive diet may deprive your body the ability to work well in cold temperatures.

Learn what to look out for. The effects of cold stress may not be apparent to its victim. The first symptoms of hypothermia are uncontrollable shivering and the sensation of cold. The heartbeat slows and may become irregular, and the pulse weakens. As the condition worsens, severe shaking or rigid muscles may be evident. The victim may also have slurred speech, memory lapses, and drowsiness. Cool skin, slow, irregular breathing, and exhaustion occur as the body temperature drops even lower. This is a serious condition requiring immediate medical attention.

Frostbite can occur without accompanying hypothermia. Frostbite occurs when the fluids around the body's tissues freeze. The most vulnerable parts of the body are the nose, cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes. Symptoms of frostbite include coldness and tingling in the affected part, followed by numbness; changes in skin color to white or grayish-yellow, initial pain, which subsides as the condition, worsens, and possibly blisters. Frostbite can cause irreversible tissue damage and requires immediate medical attention.

If you work in lower-temperature environments, always be alert for the possibility of cold stress. Follow these guidelines to help protect yourself from injury. Remember that it doesn't have to be freezing for cold stress to occur. Take steps to protect yourself.

If you are working outside or in spaces that are not protected from the exterior environment, communicate with your field supervisor and Superintendent of any cold-weather safety related concerns or issues that you may have.  Should you have any questions about working in the cold, please contact our Safety Director, Peter Graham at (847) 417-1689.

Have a Safe Day!

2016 Volunteer Safety Training Incentive Catalogs - In The Mail!

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

Just letting everyone know that our 2016 Volunteer Safety Training Incentive Program catalogs went out in the mail yesterday on 12/5/16.  Everyone who participated in the incentive program should be receiving a catalog in the mail over the next few days.  If you do not receive a catalog, that would mean that you did not participate in the volunteer safety training incentive program by attending a volunteer quarterly safety meeting in 2016.

The mailer that you will be receiving includes a letter that advises of your point total with instructions on how to redeem your points.  It also includes the 2016 catalog and order form.

The instructions advise to return the completed order form to our Safety Director, Peter Graham, by the end of the day on Thursday, 12/15/16.  You can take a clear picture of the order form and e-mail it to pgraham@4idi.com.  You can also fax it to (847) 526-7444 or you can mail it to our office at 28059 W. Commercial Ave., Barrington, IL. 60010 to the attention of Peter Graham.

Please remember that the incentive points cannot be carried over to the next year so use all of the points you can up to the amount of your point total that is on the letter that you will be receiving.  If you feel there are any discrepancies with your point total, please contact our Safety Director, Peter Graham.

We want to thank everyone who participated in this program as your volunteer attendance at our quarterly safety meetings is what helps us to create a safe work environment that enables all of our employees to go home to their loved ones in the same condition as they arrived at work.

Lastly, this year, all adult T-shirts will have our safety mission statement printed on the back side. "Everyone goes home alive and in the same condition as they arrived; your loved ones count on it!"

Again, thank you to all of you who attended our volunteer quarterly safety meetings!  You are what creates a positive safety culture.

Have a Safe Day!

Volunteer Quarterly Safety "Make-Up" Meeting on Wednesday, 11/30/16 at 4:00pm

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

As you all know, we held our 4th volunteer quarterly safety meeting of 2016 on Saturday, 11/19/16. We offer a volunteer make-up meeting for those that could not attend the regularly scheduled safety meeting either due to working for I.D.I. on the Saturday of the meeting or due to unforeseen circumstances, etc.

The volunteer quarterly safety make-up meeting is being held on Wednesday, 11/30/16 at 4:00pm at our Barrington office in our warehouse. The safety training topic is: "I.D.I.'s Safety Culture."

Included in this safety meeting is a follow up for our last volunteer quarterly safety meeting in which we trained on Behavioral Based Safety.  At our last safety meeting, we trained on the 4 mind states that are known to lead to injuries which are: Rushing, Frustration, Fatigue and Complacency which can lead to not having your Eyes on Task, Mind not on Task, Being in the Line-of-Fire or Loss of Balance, Traction or Grip.  We had asked all of you at the last safety meeting to keep the behavioral based safety training on your mind as you are at job sites and think about whether you noticed the above occurring to you or witnessed it occurring to others and then to be prepared to discuss it in our small group break-outs at our 11/19/16 volunteer quarterly safety meeting.  Maybe you were involved in or witnessed an incident, near-miss, or injury?  If so, what mind states and contributing factors were reasons for the incident?

  

Each field employee who attends this volunteer safety training session will earn 400 safety training incentive points for our current year.  

Should you have any questions about this meeting, please ask your Superintendent or contact           our Safety Director, Peter Graham at (847) 417-1689 or at pgraham@4idi.com.

See you at the meeting!

Final Reminder - Volunteer Quarterly Safety Meeting - This Saturday, 11/19/16!

Volunteer Quarterly Safety Meeting Notice

You are invited to attend our 4th volunteer quarterly safety meeting of 2016.  

Who is invited?   All employees

When is the meeting?  Saturday, November 19th from 7:00am to 9:00am

Where is the meeting?  At our Barrington Shop/Office

                           (28059 W. Commercial Ave., Barrington, IL)

What is the topic?  “I.D.I.’s Safety Culture”

                          

International Decorators is offering volunteer safety training for all of our employees.  Our next volunteer quarterly safety meeting will be on Saturday, 11/19/16 from 7:00am to about 9:00am at our office. The safety training topic for this meeting is: “I.D.I.’s Safety Culture.” Included in this safety meeting is a follow up for our last volunteer quarterly safety meeting in which we trained on Behavioral Based Safety.  At our last safety meeting, we trained on the 4 mind states that are known to lead to injuries which are: Rushing, Frustration, Fatigue and Complacency which can lead to not having your Eyes on Task, Mind not on Task, Being in the Line-of-Fire or Loss of Balance, Traction or Grip.  We had asked all of you at the last safety meeting to keep the behavioral based safety training on your mind as you are at job sites and think about whether you noticed the above occurring to you or witnessed it occurring to others and then to be prepared to discuss it in our small group break-outs at our 11/19/16 volunteer quarterly safety meeting.  Maybe you were involved in or witnessed an incident, near-miss, or injury?  If so, what mind states and contributing factors were reasons for the incident?  

  

Each field employee who attends this volunteer safety training session will earn 400 safety training incentive points for our current year.  

Should you have any questions about this meeting, please ask your Superintendent or contact           our Safety Director, Peter Graham at (847) 417-1689 or at pgraham@4idi.com.

See you at the meeting!

Volunteer Quarterly Safety Meeting Notice

You are invited to attend our 4th volunteer quarterly safety meeting of 2016. 

Who is invited?   All employees

When is the meeting?  Saturday, November 19th from 7:00am to 9:00am

Where is the meeting?  At our Barrington Shop/Office

                           (28059 W. Commercial Ave., Barrington, IL)

What is the topic?  “I.D.I.’s Safety Culture”

                         

International Decorators is offering volunteer safety training for all of our employees.  Our next volunteer quarterly safety meeting will be on Saturday, 11/19/16 from 7:00am to about 9:00am at our office. The safety training topic for this meeting is: “I.D.I.’s Safety Culture.” Included in this safety meeting is a follow up for our last volunteer quarterly safety meeting in which we trained on Behavioral Based Safety.  At our last safety meeting, we trained on the 4 mind states that are known to lead to injuries which are: Rushing, Frustration, Fatigue and Complacency which can lead to not having your Eyes on Task, Mind not on Task, Being in the Line-of-Fire or Loss of Balance, Traction or Grip.  We had asked all of you at the last safety meeting to keep the behavioral based safety training on your mind as you are at job sites and think about whether you noticed the above occurring to you or witnessed it occurring to others and then to be prepared to discuss it in our small group break-outs at our 11/19/16 volunteer quarterly safety meeting.  Maybe you were involved in or witnessed an incident, near-miss, or injury?  If so, what mind states and contributing factors were reasons for the incident? 

 

Each field employee who attends this volunteer safety training session will earn 400 safety training incentive points for our current year. 

Should you have any questions about this meeting, please ask your Superintendent or contact           our Safety Director, Peter Graham at (847) 417-1689 or at pgraham@4idi.com.

See you at the meeting!

Complacency is Dangerous!

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

As you know, our recent volunteer quarterly safety training meeting was on Behavioral Based Safety which included the 4 mind-states that are known to be leading causes of injuries.  The 4 mind-states are Rushing, Frustration, Fatigue and Complacency.  These 4 mind-states can cause or contribute to these 4 critical errors: Eyes not on Task, Mind not on Task, Being in the Line of Fire and/or Loss of Balance, Traction and Grip.  

I found a toolbox talk in regards to complacency and I wanted to share it with everyone.  Please see the toolbox talk below.  

Complacency can be defined as self-satisfaction, especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies. Complacency is extremely dangerous in the workplace.  We get so used to things being done the same way every day and we don’t always look at the hazards in our surroundings.  We may also underestimate the risk of tasks that we perform regularly, or fail to notice a change in our environment when we become complacent in our daily routines. When working on the job, there is danger when a person goes on auto-pilot.  All too often we don’t realize how complacent we are until we have a near miss or incident. When something like this happens, it jump starts our heart and then we refocus our attention.  Most incidents are caused by unsafe acts. Companies and employees work hard to create a safe workplace and eliminate unsafe acts.  But what happens to one’s own unsafe behavior?  If you read between the lines of incident reports, you may see that workers involved in the incidents had become complacent about safety.  When workers begin to work in auto-pilot mode, and stop paying attention to what they are doing, that can lead to taking short cuts and taking risks. If employees aren’t thinking about what could go wrong every day, all day while they work, they are not completing the task safely.  Workers need to be trained to think ahead as they approach each task and consider:

· What they are working with

· What they will be doing

· Where they will be going

· What could go wrong

Encourage employees to examine equipment, procedures and the hazards that may exist. They need to focus physically and mentally on their work, no matter how many times they have done the same job in the past. 

Keep an eye on each other and help each other to perform in a safe manner, your loved ones count on it!

Don't let complacency happen to you and to those working around you. 

Have a Safe Day!