We had a great response to this blog post when it was first published last year. All the sentiments still apply and all the key points are still critical, so we're sharing it once again...
It’s the Friday before Christmas and the marketing department is trying to get one more blog out of me before the holidays. They wanted a Christmas themed blog that is somehow industry related so I’ll do the best I can.
This time of year most people will spend a little extra time with their loved ones. It is also a time to reflect on the loved ones we miss that are no longer with us. In the past year, some people I know in our industry have either been lost or have suffered through a loss. In those cases there was nothing that could have been done to stop it. However, there are things that we can do to guard against job related safety hazards.
I recently had the opportunity to spend a day in an OSHA safety training class. It was required in order to be present supervising a project at a chemical facility. Signing in at 6 AM, I’ll admit I was not looking forward to spending all day there. By the end of the day I was glad that I went.
In an intro video, the narrator said that every morning when you kiss your loved one goodbye before you go to work, keep in mind that someone, somewhere will not come home from work that day. Workplace accidents are almost entirely preventable. Investigations typically find the cause quite easily.
The class I attended contained a dozen or so modules, each one with a video case study followed by the teaching. Every case study module covered a different accident where people didn’t come home from work that day. All of them could have been prevented. I learned about fire, electrical and chemical safety; as well as confined space, ladders, scaffolds, and working in trenches. I have worked in the construction industry since my teenage years, so it was sobering to look back and think about some of the close calls I had.
If you're a contractor or industry related business owner looking for a good $100 investment, send your employees to one of these classes. It’s a good opportunity to learn safety principles that can protect you, your coworkers, and your business from being lost. It’s a gift that will keep on giving. You don’t need Christmas as a reason to do this, but in the spirit of the season, you may want to make it the reason.
Click here to find an OSHA safety class near you.
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