They eye is a very sensitive organ. An injury can be extremely painful and the loss of sight due to an eye injury is tragic. A stray spark, a piece of metal or a chemical splash can cause a serious injury. As with other injuries, it's easier to prevent them than treat them. The key to preventing eye injuries is to always wear the right form of eye protection. First aid techniques for some of the most common eye injuries encountered in construction follow below.

CHEMICAL BURNS - The longer a chemical remains in the eye, the more severe the burn. Eye must be flushed immediately and thoroughly with clean water or saline. Hold the eye open, pour water into the inner corner of the eye and allow it to spread over the eyeball and under the eyelids. The best solution is to use an eyewash station. Flush for 15 minutes and call a doctor.

FLASH BURNS - Apply cold compresses for temporary relief and see a doctor.

BLUNT IMPACT INJURIES - A blow to the eye area may cause a black eye. Immediately apply an ice pack or cold compress. If there is swelling bleeding or loss of vision seek medical assistance.

EYE IRRITANTS - Getting something in your eye can be merely irritating or painful. Dust or dirt may not injure the eye, but a sliver of glass or metal can damage the cornea. Gently flush with clean water or sterile eyewash. As you wash, lift the upper eyelid and roll the eyeball. Seek medical attention if irritation persists or vision problems occur.

PENETRATION INJURIES - An injury in which an object penetrates the eye is serious. Do not attempt to remove the object from from the eye. Protect the injured area (a paper cup works well) to prevent the object from being driven further into the eye. Cover the undamaged eye with a patch to prevent it from causing sympathetic movement of the damaged eye. Seek medical treatment immediately.

Weekly Safety Meeting
Monday May 6, 2013
Re: Scaffold Erection and Fall Protection

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/scaffolding/supported/frame/fallprotecti...

If you're working on scaffold and you're 10 feet off the ground you MUST use fall protection regardless the type of scaffolding.

1. Always inspect your fall-arrest equipment before you begin to erect any scaffolding. Look for rips and tears in the webbing. Check to be sure your lanyard snap hooks are working properly. If they aren't, remove them from service and use new ones.

2. Never use cross-braces as a means of access or egress. They may be handy to climb on, but they are not designed for that purpose. Always go up a ladder, internal stairway, or built-in ladder.

3. When erecting a scaffold check with the competent person to identify where you are going to safely tie off.

4. When erecting a scaffold, maintain effective communications with your co-workers. Look out for one another. When possible, keep your body inside the scaffold structure and work from fully decked floors or lifts.

The following script can be used to deliver a 10- to 15-minute training session to employees. The text emphasizes import
ant points related to back injury prevention. Ideally, you should demonstrate proper lifting techniques as part ofyour presentation.

Points to Emphasize
•Bend to lift an object - don't stoop
•Keep your back straight by tucking in your chin
•Lift with the strong leg muscles,not the weaker back muscles

Proper methods of lifting and handling protect against injury. Proper lifting makes work easier. You need to "think" about what you are going to do before bendingto pick up an object. Over time, safe lifting technique should become a habit. Following are the basics steps of safe lifting and handling.

1.Size up the load and check overall conditions. Don't attempt the lift by yourself if the load appears to be tooheavy or awkward. Check that there is enough space for movement, and that the footing is good. "Goodhousekeeping" ensures that you won't trip or stumble over an obstacle.

2.Make certain that your balance is good. Feet should be shoulder width apart, with one foot beside and the other foot
behind the object that is to be lifted.

3. Bend (he knees; don't stoop. Keep the back straight, but not vertical.
(There is a difference. Tucking in the chin straightens the back.)

4.Grip the load with the palms of your hands and your fingers. The palm grip is much more secure. Tuck in the chin again to make certain your back is straight before starting to lift.

5. Use your body weight to start the load moving, then lift by pushing up with the legs. This makes full use of the strongest set of muscles.

6.Keep the arms and elbows close to the body while lifting.

7.Carry the load close to the body. Don't twist your body while carrying the load. To change direction, shift your foot position and turn your whole body.

8.Watch where you are going!

9.To lower the object, bend the knees. Don't stoop. To deposit the load on a bench or shelf, place it on the edge and push it into position. Make sure your hands and feet are clear when placing the load.

Make it a habit to follow the above steps when lifting anything-even a relatively light object.

Team lifting must be coordinated
• If the weight, shape, or size of an object makes the job too much for one person, ask for help.
• Ideally, workers should be of approximat ely the same size for team lifting.
• One individual needs to be responsible for control of the action to ensure proper coordination. If one worker lifts too soon, shifts the load, or lowers it improperly, either they or the person working with them may be injured.
• Walk out of step

Lifting heavy objects
• Safe lifting of heavy items requires training and practice. For example, we've probably all seen a small person move heavy feed sacks with apparent ease.
• The secret lies in taking the proper stance and grip.
• When equipment is available, it should be used to lift and carry heavy objects.
• Loaders, forklifts, hoists, etc. are made for this purpose.

You don't plan on having an accident and you certainly don't want one to occur. However, even if accidents are avoidable, preventable we must always be ready on how to handle one. An accident is defined as an unplanned or unexpected event. It may include people, equipment, property or the environment. The reason we investigate accidents so that we can prevent them from happening again.

Accident investigation is the process during which we try to capture facts and details about the accident. One method is root cause analysis, in which the method defines the problem thoroughly by finding out who was involved, exactly what happened when the accident occurred, and where people and equipment were located. Evidence like pictures, test results and witness statements is collected to support these answers. The situation, contributing factors, and results are then tied together by cause and effect to create a complete picture of the accident. The investigator's final task is to propose solutions and changes that will prevent a reoccurrence.

The accident scene can provide a great deal of helpful information, so it's imperative to not move anything unless instructed to do so. It's a good idea to take a few notes and make a quick sketch of the scene or what's happening just before accident. If you witnessed the accident, you may be asked to provide a statement. Stick to facts and avoid hearsay, if you don't remember it's better to not say anything than to fabricate something.