AM Safety Ltd.

Safety meeting topic of the week: Fire Extinguisher Inspections - Portable fire extinguishers are often times our first line of defense against small fires and chances are you aren't too far from one right now. Like any lifesaving equipment you want to ensure that it is operable at all times so it will work when you need it most. With proper inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM) protocols fire extinguishers can be long lasting, reliable options for combating a small fire early on. This blog will address the NFPA 10, Standard on the Installation or Portable Fire Extinguishers requirements that help ensure your extinguisher is ready.

The requirements are broken down into three different sections on inspection, maintenance and testing. In each section there is information on what needs to be done (Procedures), who is allowed to perform the work (Qualifications), how often each step needs to be done (Frequency) and how to document the work (Recordkeeping).

Inspection Procedures

Performing an inspection is the easiest thing you can do to ensure your extinguisher can be used reliably and effectively in an emergency. At a minimum, inspection needs to consist of the following steps:

- Make sure it is located in its designated place
- Make sure the extinguisher is visible or that there is signage indicating where the extinguisher is located
- Make sure you can easily access the extinguisher
- Ensure the pressure gauge is in the operable range or position
- Make sure it is full, this can be done by just lifting the extinguisher or you can weigh it
- For wheeled extinguishers, make sure the condition of tires, wheels, carriage, hose, and nozzle are acceptable
- For nonrechargeable extinguishers, operate the push-to-test pressure indicators

Safety meeting topic of the week. Warmer weather means motorcycles are back on the road.

Motorcycle riders often travel in the left portion of their lane. This helps make them more visible to other road users. It does not mean they will be turning left.

Sometimes a motorcycle's turn signals can be hard to see. Watch the rider for clues. If the rider does a shoulder check, he or she may be intending to change lanes or turn.

When turning left, watch for oncoming motorcycles. They can be hard to see, especially in heavy traffic, at night or at dusk. It may also be difficult to judge the speed of the motorcycle.

Here are some tips to help you drive safely when there are motorcycles on the road:

Never share a lane with a motorcycle rider. A motorcycle rider needs the whole lane to travel safely.
Be aware that motorcycle riders will often move within their lane to avoid road hazards like pot holes and to maintain a space cushion from other vehicles.

When you are following someone riding a motorcycle, allow extra space between your vehicle and the motorcycle because motorcycles can stop very quickly.

Be aware that poor weather and road conditions and road hazards could make the motorcycle rider lose control.

Safety Meeting Topic of the Week.

Recordable Injuries – Why Employees Should Care

All injuries need to be reported, no matter how small. Not only does it protect you, but it also protects the company as a whole by possibly preventing a first-aid injury from developing into a recordable injury.

This safety talk looks at recordable injuries and the impact not reporting injuries can have.

What is a Recordable Injury?
OHS has guidelines that dictate what work-related injuries must be recorded. Severe injuries that are work-related are almost always considered a recordable injury. Some examples include injuries that result in days away from work, injuries that result in restricted duty, loss of consciousness, and death.

Recordable injuries are a negative mark on a company’s safety record.

Why Should Employees Care About Recordable Injuries

Companies, such as insurance companies or large contractors who are bidding out work, look at rates like the TRIF (Total Recordable Incident Frequency), which quantify the rate of workplace injuries at a company.

In the case of insurance companies, they base the costs of premiums and insurability of companies applying for insurance coverage largely on these numbers.

These rates can also be a significant factor in being awarded future projects from larger companies. If a bidding company has too high of an incident rate, then these companies won’t even allow the subcontractor to bid on the work. It is deemed too much of a liability for the company that is awarding the work, no matter how low the bid.

A high rate of recordable injuries has very real negative business impacts.

For example, the more money the company spends on insurance, or the loss of money from a lack of work, can cause the employees to be laid off, not receive bonuses, or receive less of the other perks that may be offered.

The goal of safety efforts is to prevent incidents and injuries in the first place, but when an injury does occur, employees need to understand that they need to report it immediately.