When preventing dangerous falls and saving lives, OSHA uses a three step process. The steps are: plan, provide, and train. This article will go over those steps in detail to give you a better how idea of how you can keep your work environment safe.
- Plan Planning ahead is the point here. When you are working a job that requires going up to great heights or working with high temperatures, or really any kind of hazardous or dangerous job, employers really need to have a plan in place to really make sure that everyone involved is kept safe.
Chain slings which are generally made of alloy steel and are also known as lifting chains are usually used as an overhead lifting mechanism for very or very hot products. If an industrial chain sling is not properly planned for, the product that it is lifting could end up severely hurting workers.
Planning for cost also falls into this category. When looking at the budget, something that is imperative to include is the safety equipment. The planning process should be the time where all the necessary equipment and tools are made available. For example, fall protection equipment should be in place for jobs requiring workers to go to certain heights. - Provide This one is about providing the correct tools, equipment, machines and safety feature for each job. OSHA states that any fall or arrest distant that exceeds six feet must have adequate nets and protection. Of course, for each job there will be different tools and safety equipment needed. Using our chain slings example from earlier, some simple steps can be followed to ensure providing the appropriate amount of safety tools such as pads for any sharp corners, a balancing mechanism to ensure the load is on the lifting slings properly, etc.
Regular inspection of all equipment is vital to providing the right things for your workers. - Train Lastly, is training all of your workers to be able to use each piece of equipment, each machine and each tool in the way it was designed. Again, using the chain slings, seemingly small actions like not jerking the machine when lifting and lowering loads; knowing that applying the load to the chain can offer safe slack removal can go a long way.
Worker injuries and illnesses are going down and I believe it is because employers are really following the plan, provide and train forum. In fact, injuries have gone from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 3.4 per 100 in 2011. That’s a great different.
OSHA can provide some great material sand resources that can be used in training on safety in the workplace. Injuries can be prevented and lives saved if the simple steps of plan, provide and train and always followed.
