Two weeks ago, a SafetyXChange member asked: "We have several employees who move pallet jacks by pulling with both arms behind their backs. It looks like this could strain the back much easier than pulling with one arm. Is this safe?"

My SafetyXChange colleagues quickly offered sound advice as to whether this is a safe practice. And they were all great answers. What I'd like to offer are suggestions on how to find the answer for yourself.

There are at least 8 ways to determine the safest method to perform any task, including moving pallet jacks.

1. Look at the Entire Task

Ask for volunteers - preferably among workers who use pallet jacks on the job - to help you evaluate the task and see if safety improvements can be made. Making workers demonstrate their techniques should enable you to identify problem areas and bolster safety - not to mention overall efficiency.

2. Conduct a Group Hazard Identification

We think of hazard analysis as an individual task. But it doesn't have to be that way. Have the group do a hazard analysis of the task and identify all the hazards and risks they spot. During the analysis, have your workers consider:

• How far was the material moved?
• What was the weight of the material moved?
• On what type of surface were the materials being moved?

Back strains aren't the only hazard associated with pallet jack use. What if workers using pallet jacks should slip and fall? Could the pallet jack run into them? And what if the pallet gets caught on something? Could it strain or pull the worker's shoulder out of socket? You may be surprised how many other hazards the group can identify.

3. Conduct a Group Risk Management

Continue the group conversation and take it from hazard analysis to risk management. Discuss options available to eliminate each hazard the group identified and how each step of the job can be performed safely.

4. Read the Instructions

If the group agrees that a pallet jack is the preferred tool, be sure to review the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations on the proper use of the pallet jack. There are many styles and it could be different for each one.

5. Develop a "Best Practice," Not a Procedure

The recommended best practice that you develop is a start. It will help you establish and maintain control over the matter. But it should not be an inflexible or unchanging procedure. Encourage workers to continue to identify risks and watch for ways to improve the best practice.

6. Conduct Training

Now it's time to share the group's findings with everyone affected. If necessary, provide training as part of the follow up. By sharing with everyone, you create an expectation that this is the preferred way to handle pallet jacks.

7. Conduct an Audit

Audit your expectations. Since you have shared your expectations with everyone, they can help you audit when they walk through the area. Using a bit of diplomacy, everyone from management to hourly can have the courage to intervene and help reduce the risk of an injury if they observe an unsafe behavior.

8. Review Regularly

Based on your audits and feedback, continue to look for corrections or additional improvements.

Conclusion

This may be information you already know, but it has worked well for me in the past. And it's a process you can apply to almost any task in the workplace.

HOLIDAY SAFETY

Oh, Christmas Tree!

By Barbara Manning Grimm

As the holidays draw near, decorative lighting and special effects become important components of the festive season. Christmas trees, in particular, are a traditional part of the season. And although they are special, trees pose a definite safety risk.

If you're using a natural tree this year reduce the risk of a tree fire by taking the following precautions.

• Choose a freshly cut green tree, not one that has dried out through weeks of storage. If you are buying one from a tree lot, tap the trunk on the ground; if several needles fall off, it's too dry. Needles that bend and are not easily pulled off indicate a fresh tree.
• Consider a potted Christmas tree so you can plant it in your yard once the holidays are over.
• Before setting up your tree, cut two inches diagonally off the butt. The tree will draw water more easily from a fresh cut.
• Stand the tree in a tub or bucket of water and keep the tree butt immersed to prevent the tree from drying out.
• Select a safe location for the tree, away from drapes and curtains and from drying and heating sources such as registers, radiators and television sets. Don't block doors or windows which might be used to escape in an emergency and never put a tree near a fireplace!
• Use a tree-stand with widespread legs for better balance and a large water reserve in which to immerse the tree butt. Check the water level every day and add more as required.
• Check your Christmas lights for defects. Spread them out on a non-flammable surface before installing them. Make sure there are no broken bulbs, all electrical cords are free of cuts or frays and the plugs are in good condition.
• Extension cords should never be placed under carpets or where they could be a tripping hazard.
• Don't leave the Christmas tree lights on if there is no one in the room.
• If the tree begins to lose an excessive amount of needles, remove it immediately.
• Never burn your tree in the fireplace!

These safety tips will help prevent your Christmas holiday plans from going up in smoke!

FROM THE VIDEO FILES

Yes, Virginia, There Really Is a Danger

By Catherine Jones

Having trouble convincing your workers that there's much difference between a dry Christmas tree and a well-watered one? Show them this demonstration conducted by the National Fire Protection Association and Underwriters Laboratories.

Click here to watch the demonstration video.

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