Fire Chief Talks New Year’s, Workplace Safety

The end of 2016 will come this weekend, are you ready to move into 2017? How many remember Y2K or even further back in the years? Time moves on and we must go with the flow. Make sure the transmission into 2017 is a safe one.

While staying safe on the road must be a high priority for New Year’s Eve revelers, it’s certainly not the only safety issue that you may confront as you ring in the New Year. However, with a little care and foresight, you can protect yourself from some of the more common New Year’s risks.

Follow the tips below, and your biggest challenge on New Year’s Eve may be remembering all the words to “Auld Lang Syne.” Ensure that you have a designated driver for the night . . . even better decide to stay where you are celebrating New Year’s Eve. You may be in fine condition, but you don’t know about the driver next to you or around the corner.

If you are celebrating with champagne be careful with the corks. You can avoid eye injuries and broken windows if you remember the number 45. That is, you should chill your champagne to at least 45°F, as this will make the cork less likely to pop out unexpectedly, and you should hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle, pointing it away from yourself and others.

Then, after removing the wire hood, place a towel over the top of the bottle and grasp the cork. With the bottle in one hand, slowly twist the cork, applying gentle upward pressure. When you feel the cork about to pop out, reverse pressure to a slight downward tilt. If all goes well, you’ll have a cork in one hand, a full bottle in the other, and no injuries in sight. Every year we can hear or see fireworks at midnight in all directions around our house. When it comes to explosives, follow the same rules on New Year’s Eve that you would any other time of the year, leave it to the experts.

The best way to enjoy fireworks is to watch a public exhibition from a safe distance. If you feel you must light your own fireworks, never allow children to handle or light any kind of fireworks. Although this is not popular around this area, some people shoot firearms at midnight. It is a tradition for some to shoot firearms up in the air at midnight. This is a very bad idea, especially in populated areas; as what goes up, must come down. This is also the time of the year for New Year’s Resolutions. Let’s keep safety a top priority as the New Year approaches.

It’s a good time to reflect on the success of your Safety Program during the past year. Was safety a top priority for everyone in your organization? Did you manage to meet objectives, or do you perhaps need to undertake some new initiatives in 2017? One initiative that you might consider is to turn the spotlight on workplace hazards. Take a second look at the layout and condition of work areas. Examine tools and equipment to make sure they are safe for employees to use and review maintenance schedules to make sure they stay that way. Observe the way employees work, you might be surprised at how many unsafe behaviors you observe. Check to make sure that appropriate personal protective equipment that is in good condition is readily available to all workers. Identify potential fire, chemical, electrical, and other hazards throughout your facility and act to eliminate these risks.

Employee training is probably the most important aspect of any successful safety program. Check OSHA standards for training requirements, many regulations have very specific requirements. Make sure training sessions are interactive and provide plenty of opportunities for questions and discussion. Take advantage of available technology to enhance and expand training options. Provide lots of demonstrations and hands-on experience during training sessions. Don’t forget to provide training for supervisors and managers; especially when new regulations, policies, equipment, processes, etc., are introduced.

Encourage employees to make suggestions about how to improve workplace safety and then be sure to give their suggestions serious consideration. Involve employees in problem-solving when challenging safety and health issues arise.

Rely on Safety Committees composed of employees from all levels and functions to identify hazards, investigate accidents, and promote safe work habits among your workforce.Recognize and reward safe behavior.

Finally, don’t forget to show your gratitude for the efforts employees, supervisors, and managers are making to create a safer workplace. Use a recognition and reward program to reinforce safe behavior and positive safety attitudes. Talk up safety at every opportunity. Let employees know that their safety is your top priority this year, and ask them to join you in making it their top priority as well. Have a Safe and Happy New Year!

Until next week, stay safe

Chief Rindfleisch