Wouldn’t it be great to learn everything there is to know about preventing accidents at your worksite? Unfortunately, in these days of advancing technologies and new equipment and materials, it’s almost an impossible task. That’s why a supervisor should concentrate on acquiring, at a minimum, a good working knowledge of the following eleven building blocks of an effective safety program.
Supervisors should know:
1. The general principles of equipment and machine guarding, lockout and tagout procedures, and how to recognize a hazard against which reasonable safeguards can be built.
2. The natural operating hazards in their department from which workers should be protected. They should also be able to explain those hazards and guide employees in exercising proper judgment.
3. The types of personal protective equipment supplied by the company for use in their department, where to obtain it, and how and when to use it. They should set a good example by using the same equipment.
4. How to investigate an accident to discover the unsafe condition or practice that caused the injury. Also, they should know how to apply corrective action so that the same accident doesn’t happen again.
5. General principles of fire prevention: what to do in case of a fire, the general classifications of fires, and the specific types and locations of firefighting equipment.
6. The basic role of good housekeeping in preventing accidents and fires. Also, the importance of immediate cleanup of spills.
7. The identification of the toxic and hazardous chemicals in the worksite and what control measures should be taken.
8. Basic first aid, what to do in an emergency, and how to seek help.
9. What government safety regulations apply to their department.
10. The basic needs of workers and the value of proper and clear job instruction and training.
11. Management concepts of planning, organizing, training, and constant feedback and follow-up to enhance the safety effort.