When Knowing Safe Isn't Enough

Eric Nelson: Technical Foreman during training

It’s one thing to know personally safety procedures to take with you on the job. Another too is to believe that such procedures are common knowledge. It is quiet another however to take that as enough in dealing with those procedures, even if they are pervasive around the workplace, and in handbooks. You have to go further.

OSHA requires that whenever known dangers exists in and around a function that you have a specific procedure at reducing that, procedures that are written out, reviewed and trained at, procedure known as lockout/tagout.

Toyota Lift of Minnesota just recently completed that review and training with our entire technical staff weeks ago.

An area of our shop was cordoned off so that each of the dangers we could define were on display, along with just how to reduce or eliminate that danger. From example to example [nine in total to date] our techs were asked to see how to best deal with the threats while following along in the written procedures they carry with them in their service literature.

Tools from simple wood blocks to chains and hood struts were in use, and when necessary they were provided. Most deal with the biggest concern we have which is gravity. Nobody around forklifts wants anything falling at any time, preventing that is a daily practice. Whether a lift truck has to be suspended, or you’re concerns are the force at play in hydraulics. You have to be aware of how such energies are dealt with.

Primary is protecting our employee, and if necessary advising our customers about dangers present if we have to relinquish control by leaving the work area. Lockout/tagout procedures spell out specifically how that will be done.

Do you or your service provider have these procedures? Or are you just running on the assumption that it is “common sense.” Hoping that everyone knows doesn’t work, and at some point OSHA will likely remind you of that. Get the procedures in writing, practice and review the procedures. It is after all the right thing, and the law.

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