Safety Awakening – “Deadly Distractions”

March 28, 2014 No Comments

“Deadly Distractions”  

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A few weeks ago I was shocked by what I saw near my home!   On the side of the busy road, a woman with a sign was waving at drivers as they drove by.  She was attempting to get their attention so they’d read her sign and visit her employers’ retail store.

Luckily none of the drivers she distracted got into an accident.  What a foolish thing to do. Didn’t this woman and her employer realize that  a driver she distracted could easily swerve to the left and strike an oncoming vehicle, or veer to the right and run over the lady holding the sign?

Having spent 41 years in factories and construction sites, I’ve seen accidents and near misses that were caused by distracted employees.   Here’s a few cases that might sound familiar to you …

• Factory visitors walk right up to an employee to ask a question and startle them
• Employees goofing around (horseplay) distracts a fellow worker who is injured
• An attractive office worker walks through the plant and distracts the workers
• There’s a loud “bang” in the plant that startles employees
• A manager, supervisor, or even the safety person walks up behind a working employee and startles them

What can you do to prevent such “deadly distractions” in your plant?  Here’s a few suggestions:

• Tell all visitors to the plant (vendors, officer workers, contractors, etc.) never to talk with workers without the permission of the supervisor
• All plant visitors must wear “high visibility vests“
• All plant visitors (and workers too) must wear appropriate attire and PPE.  No provocative attire will be allowed
• Approach working employees from the front, and make eye contact with them before getting close
• Tell everyone in the plant to never bother (or try to talk with) employees while they are operating dangerous equipment (unless an emergency)
• Tell employees not to jump (or be startled) by loud noises or bangs in the plant.  By the time they hear the bang, the danger has already past
• Establish and enforce a work rule that forbids horseplay

Awakenings