Favorite Safety Tips?

[MIEDRN]

How to start this thread is the question!

First, let me reassure you that I'm not near as ignorant as I may appear on this forum, let's just say that I'm a bit out of my element, that's all!

To be honest, I had a little mishap with a self-propelled mower vs. tree last weekend. Darn, those things can be dangerous! I thought I would help my son and his family out with some of the chores and I'll have to be doing my own soon after all!

Suffice it to say the thing can whip you around if you don't disengage it before trying to turn a corner or go around anything. I know that NOW! About knocked me silly.

Naturally, the doubts crept back in. So, do you have any words of wisdom for safety while building your own house?

[n74tg]

I'm sure you will receive a million tips, but here's a few to start.

1.  If you're working alone, keep that cell phone in your pocket, so you can call 911 if you get hurt and are immobilized.  

2.  Wear gloves and safety glasses ANY time you are working.  There may be a time when it's better not to wear gloves; but there aren't many.

3.  Keep a good first aid kit close to the worksite; one that includes a bottle of eyewash or saline solution.  Even wearing safety glasses you still will need it; at least once.

4.  Keep your tetanus shot up to date.

5.  Keep the worksite picked up.  There are about a million things you can trip over, and when you do fall there will be something sharp or pointed under you to land on if you don't.  

[harry51]

Don't be a trap-setter, and keep a close eye on others! I was building a deck that was 4' off grade. The deck was 8' wide, except at one end where a stair was going to be, which was to be 3' wide. My helper and I had our 8' deck boards laid out all the way to the end of the deck, including where they would be trimmed back to 5' for the stair. As helper and I were busily screwing down boards in the middle of the deck, DW strolled by, right out onto the 3' of deck boards hanging unsupported over space. Gravity came into play, and she landed shaken but basically unhurt sitting on the ground with several deck boards in her lap. Helper and I unwittingly set a trap, and she fell in, literally! We were lucky, but such experiences don't always end so well.

Take your time, keep your focus, and remember that many accidents and mistakes happen when you're tired. Know when to quit, or take a break. A good hat helps a lot with the sun, and keep plenty of cool water available, make it a point to stay hydrated. If you're not used to hard work out of doors, be sure to pace yourself. Start early, it's the best part of the day!

[glenn-k]

Thorough instruction from someone who knows, and read the instruction and safety manual for any machine you may operate if possible.  Some are similar and some are intuitive but even if you are around it all the time the above is good practice.  I also order all of the operator and mechanical manuals for any used piece of equipment I purchase -- I don't always read them cover to cover but I check out anything I have questions on.

If this is not possible get all the instruction you can and try it out in an area that is safe until you are familiar with what happens when you do certain things.  Note that differing backgrounds can make a great deal of difference in the time it takes to understand a machine and be able to safely operate it.  Physical strength is sometimes an issue in safe operation also.  If overly tired stop before you hurt yourself or someone else.

[bil2054]

Probably most industrial accidents are related to improper lifting technique. In your business I am sure that you have seen plenty of people who " put their back out" at work!  
Knowing about proper technique and using it are often seperate things until one has been sidelined a couple of times.  This IS the voice of experience!  [smiley=embarassed.gif] [smiley=wink.gif]

[Larry]

A couple of simple things.

I am usually working alone and strongly echo the comment about keeping the cell phone handy.

When I get to the work site it is very tempting to "work out of the back of the truck" unloading things as I need them.  Instead I have gotten into the habit of unloading everything and having the truck ready to leave quickly if I need to.  I'm about an hour from the nearest ER and it's comforting to know I won't have to make the drive with 16 ft. boards hanging out the back of the truck.

Take a moment to think about the worst case. "If this thing I'm lifting falls, where is it going to go and where am I going to go?"  If I'm halfway thru lifting or moving something and I run out of strength, what am I going to do.  Do I have a clear path or am I going to get tangled in air hoses and extension cords.

Almost every time I've had an accident it was at the end of the day - "I'll just do this one more thing".  Watch how tired you are getting, especially if your working in the summer sun, and know when to quit for the day.

[dave423]

I like the "two drink minimum" rule.  No, not alcohol, water.   When I take a break I drink two 16 oz. glasses of water, one immediately, and one or more additional during the rest of my break.  And I take frequent breaks.  I also pre-load with water.  Drink several glasses about an hour before you start work.  It's almost impossible to over hydrate, but very easy to dehydrate when you're working hard.  Some of my friends who backpack in the mountains say you need to drink enough to make you want to pee every 20 minutes.  Seems a little much to me, but if you're working all day and don't need to go, you're not drinking enough water.  I start the day with a three gallon cooler full of ice water.  A bag of ice is only $1.00 around here, sometimes cheaper.  Sometimes I'll mix up some Gatorade if it's going to be a really hot day.  I keep in mind a quote from a backpacker, "Hydrate or Die".

[JRR]

Dave423
Good advice!  And very significant for me ... I just had the joy of passing my first kidney stone over the July forth weekend.  Your words are almost a repeat of what I heard, just yesterday, from a urologist.

He made the point like this:  Most kidney problems occur in Summer.  We tend to think we're okay if we just drink more water than we usually do.  But we perspire also in warm weather ... and if we aren't careful, we drink just enough to cover the additional perspiration ... and the urinary trac is not drained properly ... "concentrations" and "densities" occur.  Not good!  He told me, and I have temporarily forgotten, the volume of what we adults should urinate per 24 hrs ... I think it was 2 liters ... I will get this info again and correct the post.

My attack occurred first last Thursday ... at the project, 150 miles away.  I wasn't sure what it was ... wasn't anxious to go to a hospital ... as soon as the pain subsided a bit, I took off for the drive home.  Made it OK.  Then the pain set in for REAL ... by Sat evening (Holiday Weekend!) my wife was canvassing the family for pain killers ... our doctor was unavailable.  Luckily one family member had some slightly old Hydrocodone (an opiate, ... I was ready for lead arsenic!) ... before taking it, I finally got in phone contact with the doctor and he gave his OK,  .... it helped me endure the night and the "passing" Sunday morning.

My point is: if we have projects that are far from home and our doctors, perhaps we all should add a measure of pain killer to our first aid kit  ... if our doctor agrees.. and only what he will recommend/prescribe!.  Not everyone should have access to drugs.  I never want, hope I never need, to take drugs again ... but if there's another "stone" .... or broken limb .....

[Amanda_931]

Around here I hear country people saying, "never use a chain saw alone.  Remember so-and-so, he....."

Unfortunately that's why I've never learned to use mine.  Because not only would I have to use one alone, I'd have to learn to use one alone.

I sprained my knee the other day.  Trying to stay out of both blackberry brambles and poison ivy while reaching for C.B. Barker's plastic squeaky bone.  Much better by now, thank you.  But that night it was extremely painful.  And I'm still not up to climbing ladders, toting stuff up to the treehouse to work on it.

But if I'd had boots and jeans on I might have said to heck with the brambles and poison ivy and just waded in and gotten it (it had gotten hung up too high for him to reach).

If you can, take Tai Chi, it is supposed to be good for balance.

A little bit of throwing weights around in a gym might come in handy as well.

[bil2054]

Good point about hydration.   I'm very careful about it, and still worked myself into early stage heat exhaustion a couple weeks ago.  I am not as conditioned as I used to be, and apparently don't feel things as well, either.  Apparently a thermometer will be a good safety item from now on.
Even the US Army has, or had, categories for working in the heat.  At Fort Benning on a "Cat. 5" day, it was T-shirts, trousers unbloused, sit in the shade, and drink 1/2  canteen of water per hour.

[Amanda_931]

I'm not as conditioned as I should be either.  And don't stand the heat as well as I did when I was younger.

It's probably not a bad idea to take a bit extra of the water soluble vitamins (e.g., B's and C) and maybe calcium and magnesium when you are pushing lots of water into yourself.  

[benevolance]

I almost always work alone....And I do not have a cell phone

But... I never get under anything without twice the necessary blocking... I never mess with electricity (scares me half to death after a bad 220 v experience)

And when I work with something like a saw, grinder... I work slow... I could go much faster when I cut down trees or cut a car in half...

I guess the best advice I can give is be afraid. If you respect the power of a saw or a grinder...and appreciate what it will do exactly to you should something go wrong....You will not take risks.

Sidenote...When I was 18 as a second job in the winter on week-ends I went to work cutting trees as a logger... I saw a guy cut off three toes through safety boots..... I have been scared half to death of the chainsaw to this day.

To this day I attest my never cutting myself to that gruesome incident...

My wife cannot watch me work...She gets too scared...Seeing me bang and lift...

The improper lifting advice is right on the money....

I do not have insurance...Maybe that is the other reason I do not kill or maim myself I guess. I do burn and cut myself all the time...My hands are beat half to death!

I go to a nice restaurant with the wife on saturday night and everything cleans up but the hands....Looks I am a homeless person with clean jeans and a shirt on...

[benevolance]

I dunno who posted the water and vitamin info...

I agree 100% I take two multi vitamins every day...and drink about a gallon of water every morning...

I do not take to the heat very well when I am working flat out.... I have to work outside all day without much shade....I dunno if I could handle living somewhere like Alabama.. where it is hotter than here with the gross humidity...

I try to wear a shade hat and keep my back covered...The sun is merciless

[n74tg]

This is not a safety tip per se; but it definately is a comfort tip.

In the summer heat I keep a small ice chest with water in it and one of those re-freezable ice packs.  I then dip a hand towel into it, wring it out some and wrap it around the back of my neck.  A small squeeze clip keeps it from coming off.  

It helps keep you cooled off, and it's very refreshing everytime you dip it in that cold water and put it back on your neck.  It also helps keep the sun from totally cooking the back of your neck.

One tip though - wring out the towel at least halfway each time.  If you don't, when you bend over to work on something, water will run down and out of the towel and drip on your work.

[Rover]

Here is a rule of thumb for ladders.  With the ladder set up leaning against ie wall.  Stand on the ground at the base of the ladder and face the ladder.  Extend your arms straight out parallel to the ground.  Your knuckels should be at the ladder; not more or less.
Ideally, the ladder should also extend up beyond the top if you are getting off the ladder at the top. Ideally tie off the ladder at the top.
Remember the 3 point contact rule.  3 points of contact should always be made to the ladder ie 2 feet, 1 hand.  Try not to carry stuff up, although I personally have a tough time following this rule.

Re other fall hazzards.  If there is a hole in the floor, its not good enough to cover the hole with plywood.  Spray paint the danger also.  I've heard the stories of people lifting the plywood thinking it is just scrap plywood and then stepping into the hole.

Use temp railing for large openings ie around stair openings.  I'm sure everyone has curious visitors to your projects.  Sometimes safety isn't in their mindset.  At my friend's multi level house project, another visiting friend stepped backwards to allow someone to walk by.  We caught her hand as she almost feel off a level.  That was scary. Doubly so because she was preganant.

Never step backwards while looking thru a camera or writing down notes.

Here in Ontario, the Ministry of Labour has put teeth into safety.  Site superintendents and project managers can be charged criminally and sent to jail.

[MIEDRN]

Thanks everyone. You would think safety would be second nature to me but if you can't anticipate the possible dangers, it's hard to anticipate safety measures! Who would have thought a self propelled lawn mower would be so dangerous? On second thought, it was probably the operator, not the mower. I should have really taken a break but just wanted to get that last little bit  done. You live and learn!

[glenn-k]

Well, MIEDRN, this reminds me of the story my dad relayed about my mom.

She used to drive horses on the family farm in Wisconsin plowing the fields or whatever it was that they plow back there.  I think they had a spaghetti plantation or something.

Her dad decided to modernize and get one of those new fangled tractor thingies he'd heard so much about.  In a short time it was her turn to drive the new tractor.  Insufficient training and behind the wheel -- the darn tractor headed straight for a stump.  As it was doing it's best to get over it she was yelling  "Whoa, whoa."

Dang thing just wasn't listening.  The horses never would have headed for the stump anyway.  Obviously the new technology wasn't all it was cracked up to be. :-/

or "Three heads are better than one."

[MIEDRN]

LOL

I tried that with the mower too........didn't work either!

(Your Mom wasn't blonde, was she?)

[glenn-k]

I think she was..

[hobbiest]

If it seems dangerous, it probably is.  What you have to decide is, are you willing to accept the consequenses?  Find some other, safer way to do it, or ask around if you can't.  There is almost always a better way.  For keeping cool, dump half of all the water on your clothes.  I learned this on my first construction job in 100+ heat everyday.