Ensuring a safe work environment

Ensuring a safe work environment is a duty a that all workers and management share.

The safety of those working around you is in your hands.  Unsafe choices can injure both you and your coworkers.  Everyone shares the defense against workplace incidents.  Management provides the training and equipment to do your job safely, but it is up to you to use that knowledge to keep the worksite safe.

Take an active role in safety

Everyone is responsible for his or her own safety, as well as those around them. Start with these simple tips:

• Learn about your safety programs and what is required by your employer along with the safety laws in Washington state.
• Learn the proper techniques to safely perform any job assigned to you
• Only use the tools and equipment you are trained and authorized to use.
• Only use tools and equipment for their intended purpose.
• Only use chemicals you are trained and have proper personal protection to use.

Remember help, respect, and report for workplace safety:

• Help your coworkers learn and use safe practices
• Respect guards, locks, tags, and other safety devices at the jobsite
• Report all missing guards, locks, tags, and other safety devices

Don’t take unnecessary risks

Here are some examples of activities to avoid in the workplace:

• Walking under suspended loads
• Not wearing fall protection equipment or using the equipment improperly.
• Removing a guardrail and not replacing it for coworkers in the area.
• Not setting up and using ladders properly.
• Using an ungrounded portable electric hand tool.
• Not setting up pump jacks and scaffolding according to manufacturer’s specifications.
• Overloading a scaffold or forklift.
• Chipping or grinding without safety glasses or goggles, and a face shield.
• Removing safety guards.

Ways to promote a safe work environment

Managers and supervisors can promote better safety in the workplace through the following:

• Discuss and identify hazards
• Report any dangerous behavior or hazards immediately
• Check to see that appropriate controls are in place
• Make sure a job hazard analysis and training are completed to build an awareness of risk for each task.
• Have different crafts perform safety walks of the jobsite and discuss results.
• Recognize people who perform tasks safety and demonstrate proper behavior!
• Re-train when needed and change the process as needed.
• Perform refresher training if needed to ensure that all employees remember safety procedures

The bottom line is this: if all employees understand the hazards and needed behaviors, and if everyone does his or her part, all accidents are preventable.

Safety is for everyone, you could save a life today!

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