Safety: a practical guide.

The following article is a digest of practical safety tips contributed by readers of Occupational Health & Safety E-News, an electronic newsletter from Stevens Media Group. Reprint permission is granted courtesy of Stevens Media Group. To subscribe to Occupational Health & Safety E-News, visit www.ohsonline.com/enews.

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MOCK CASE SCENARIOS

"In addition to providing annual CPR/first aid/AED training for our first aid responders, I meet with the team on a monthly basis. During these meetings, we do a mock emergency case scenario so that the first aid responders get more experience in responding to emergencies. This helps our first aid team feel more prepared and confident to respond in the event of an actual emergency."--Karen M. Spafard, LPN, health and safety coordinator, SWS Inc., Binghamton, New York, USA.

"HIDING" SAFETY PROBLEMS

"We recently had a week-long safety event at our plant. One of the activities involved practicing observational skills. We hid little Tiki statues throughout the plant for associates to find and 'planted' people safely violating safety rules. (Example: We have a plant-wide 'no jewelry' policy, so office associates wore a watch or ring.) The associates who noticed received a note pad stating, 'Thanks for Taking Note of Your Surroundings.' Everyone had fun, and the activity reinforced taking note of your work surroundings and challenging unsafe behavior."--Katherine Sitler, strategic planning and operational support manager, Dunlop Slazenger Manufacturing LLC, Westminster, South Carolina.

THE TAP TEST

"We teach our employees to treat every box as if it is heavy when they approach it. This encourages them to use a corner tip or the foot tap test to see if it is heavy. To test with a corner tip, you tip one corner up to see if the box is heavy. To check an object's weight before you bend down, tap the box with your foot. If it moves, chances are it is not too heavy. If it stays in place like it is glued to the floor, then the employee should get help or use a mechanical aid to lift the object safely."--Eric Clouthier, safety coordinator, Robbins Auto Parts Inc., Dover, New Hampshire.

LABELING DRILL

"In an effort to get across the importance of labeling at work and at home once a chemical has been removed from its original container, I brought in six small plastic bottles. Three were filled with clear liquids, and the other three were filled with white powders that were found in my home. I asked if anyone would be able to identify what the substances were without opening the containers. We found that although there were several guesses, nobody could identify what was in the bottles. It really made an impact, reminding everyone that once someone removes something from the original container, we can never be sure what it is without proper labeling."--Phyllis Blankenship, safety and training coordinator, Cormetech Inc., Durham, North Carolina.

FOCUS ON ERGONOMICS

"Ergonomics remains a key focus area for our business. One approach that has been very well received for us is our loaner program for office work. We purchased 12 different ergonomically designed mouse types and four different keyboard configurations, and made them available for our employees to try for four weeks (it takes at least 2 weeks for muscles to adjust to the new equipment). They can play with each option in their office and decide what to trial. If they like the equipment, they keep it--if not, they try something else. It has been very effective in reducing shoulder, wrist and neck pain complaints. Once people feel they have a choice, they are happier."--Graham Moore, safety, health and environmental leader, FMC BioPolymer, Newark, Delaware.

A TRUE PICTURE

"Digital cameras can make things appear to be true when they are not. In England, a tabloid editor had to resign when so-called photos of prison abuse were found to be fabricated. For safety and accident investigations, the best type of camera to use to document what happened would not be a digital but an old-fashioned point and shoot for this reason. Such a camera can be shown to really tell it like it is. If a digital is used, a backup point and shoot or even a disposable camera can help convince others that everything that is photographed actually took place."--Howard Egerman, Oakland, California, a health and safety representative for the American Federation of Government Employees.