WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Careless handling of tools, equipment, vehicles and stock costs your company money in repair, replacement time and other expenses.

WHAT’S THE DANGER?

Carelessness puts all workers in danger. Examples of careless practices are as follows:

• Dropping a hammer. A chip of the weakened metal eventually breaks off on impact and strikes a worker’s eye.
• Failing to secure a heavy grinding wheel to a forklift. The package falls and the grinder wheel gets a slight crack, putting the user at risk if it is not inspected or tested properly.
• Tossing a cutting tool into a drawer where the blade can get chipped. When the knife is being used later, it catches during the cut and the user applies extra The knife slips and nicks his arm.
• Leaving a chopping tool out in the weather, weakening the handle. The next time it is used, the blade flies off upon impact and narrowly misses the worker’s head.
• Letting a power tool get wet, so the insulation gets matted and does not protect The next worker to use it has sweaty hands and he gets a fatal shock.
• Pulling on a kinked chain, weakening the link. When the chain is later used to pull
  a load, it snaps at the weak link and whiplashes through the air.
• Reeling a wire rope incorrectly, causing breaks in the metal and fiber. The rope
  breaks under load and a heavy object falls from a crane.
• Driving away before fastening the pulldown door on an empty truck. The excess
  movement and vibration damage the door so it cannot be secured.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

Treating company equipment and facilities roughly or negligently is not limited to the workplace or industrial plant. It also occurs in office situations. The best way to protect yourself is adhere to the “golden rule”. That is, to treat company equipment and facilities like you want to be treated as a person including your own property.

FINAL WORD

Maybe you are picky about other people slamming your car door too hard or using your own screwdriver for removing tile grout. Then treat company equipment with the same
care you would expect people to treat your own stuff. It is a matter of safety.