Captain Clyde’s Safety Pin #1: Stop and Think!

Today's Safety tip is: STOP and THINK 

Stop and Think about the job and activities you are about to perform. Did you know that the one task that causes the greatest of lost time incidents is "Line of fire/caught between/struck against"? Line of fire means being in direct striking distance of a foreign object that is released. Each day ask yourself the question, where am I in the line of fire on a job site:

• When you're climbing into a vehicle, perhaps you should watch where you place your hands. Your hand could be in the line of fire between the door and the door jamb. OUCH!
• How about where you're standing at a port or in a yard? Stay out between cargo containers unnecessarily. Think about where you place your body.
• While opening up a metal container lid, perhaps your hand could get caught between the container while the lid is being closed.
• What about placing yourself between a forklift, a car, a truck, and a stationary immovable object. I've personally investigated a fatal incident where an employee put himself between a running forklift and a pipe tub. The forklift jumped out of gear and crushed him.

Every day at our jobs, and sometimes in our own homes, we don't pay close attention to the tasks or activities we're doing. We become complacent and could be setting ourselves up as a victim of a senseless injury. Be anchored to safety by remembering to STOP and THINK.