Safety manual

The Great Oz

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,265
Location
seattle
Name
bryan
With the number of employees we have the safety meetings are required. (We have one tomorrow). The rules are pretty simple though, you just need one employee more than the number of management types on the safety committee and in the meeting. You should be able to find forms and other documents on line, and the only time the meetings have import is when your company gains a history of employee injuries. If you have an OSHA visit, they're going to want to see records of your addressing whatever those injuries were and your plan for how to prevent them in the future.

During our last visit by the Washington State version of OSHA (WISHA) the inspector told me to throw out the Giant Safety Manual that our insurance company sold us. She said, "If it's in the book, you're responsible for knowing everything and training employees on everything in it. You do any excavating? No? that book has a chapter on excavation safety, and if you don't know and haven't trained for it, you're up for a walloping fine - for that chapter and every other chapter that has nothing to do with your business. Hide that manual now and I'll pretend you didn't show it to me. I'll give you 30 days to come up with a new safety manual, preferably no more than 14 pages, and covering the things that are your actual risks."

Our new manual is 25 pages, and covers chemicals, driving, slip and fall, lifting ergonomics and a voluntary respirator program. Since we don't get into any of that restoration lunacy, our biggest danger is driving. Three pages whole pages are devoted to driving safety.

PS: She also told me anyone that has an agent offer the Giant Safety Manual should fire them at once. They're just an easy profit center and they know those type of manuals put you at risk.
 

J Scott W

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
4,061
Location
Shelbyville TN
Name
Jeffrey Scott Warrington
ISCT and some of the other trade associations offer members free monthly meetings on-line for aspects of safety that concern cleaning and restoration. Those have been helpful.

Aside from that, what Bryan said is excellent advice. I found an outline on-line of what was needed in the safety manual. Wrote my own of less than 16 pages.

We started each Monday morning with a short staff meeting that included a safety topic. Different person each week assigned to present. Monthly meetings were a little longer and usually involved some snacks and fun activity so the crew would want to attend.
 

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