Minnesota Telecom Alliance Safety Newsletter September 2016

MINNESOTA TELECOM ALLIANCE SAFETY NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2016

Inspection Results

As summer comes to close we have finished up another round of facility inspections. Below you will see a list of the top violations we found and how many times we have written up each item. Far too many accidents happen in the workplace because we become careless or complacent with simple day-to-day items or tasks. Many of these items are things we talk about in class all the time and in some cases are repeat findings. These are all easy things to fix at a very small cost and will prevent a potentially serious accident or injury which could cost your company much more in the long run. Please take a look at the list and see if you have any of these issues and take the steps to get them corrected. Our goal as your Safety Team is help you identify these items and get them corrected before that accident happens.

ITEM TOTAL Electrical 57 Items stored in front of electrical panel 22 Missing/Broken Outlet covers 8 Daisy chaining extension cords or power strips 7 Breaker Boxes and Junction Boxes properly labeled 6 Non-GFCI outlet near water source 5 Exposed wires/wiring 4 Electrical cords running through a doorway, wall or window 3 Electrical cords damaged 2

Emergency Preparedness 50 Eyewash Station Not Inspected Monthly/Expired/Missing/Blocked Access 15 Fire Extinguishers Not Check monthly 14 Emergency Lights Not Tested / Out 10 Exits blocked 6 Evacuation Maps not posted throughout the facility 5

Slips / Trips / Falls 27 Aisles and walkways not clear / tripping hazards 13 Tripping hazards protruding from floor 6 Stairs w/o hand rail or No guard rails where over 4' 4 Loose floor mats / Slip Hazard 3 Broken Table / Desk / Chair 1

Misc. 20 Plastic gas cans / Non Approved Gas Cans 15 General Housekeeping/ garbage/ trash 5

Storage 14 Mezzanine Not Marked w/weight limit / Missing hand rail or toe board 5 Haz Waste (used oil) not properly stored or labeled 5 Racks or shelving not secure / tipping hazard 2 Items stored on a shelving are a hazard 2

New Consultant.

Due to your commitment to the Safety Program our Safety Team continues to grow as Aaron Wilfahrt joined our team July 25th. He is in the process of retiring from the military and comes to us with a wealth of safety knowledge and training experience and has already been a great addition. During August he shadowed Dan and Jeff getting familiar with some of the companies and our procedures. For those of you who have not met Aaron he will begin teaching classes in September so give him a big welcome when he visits your company.

Please feel free to contact any of us if you have questions or need assistance.

Jeff Ulmen Safety Consultant

Nationally in 2012, pedestrian deaths rose to a total of 4,743 pedestrian fatalities. Minnesota had 40 pedestrian deaths and an additional 874 injured. Furthermore, pedestrian deaths now make up 14 percent of the total traffic deaths in the U.S.

Pedestrians are a fault for about half of crashes with motorists at fault the other half.

Pedestrian behaviors that primarily cause pedestrian-vehicle crashes include: inattention, crossing mid-block, walking along the roadway and ignoring signs or signals. Motorist’s behaviors that primarily cause pedestrian crashes include: failure to yield, inattention and distractions.

To combat the rise in pedestrian injuries and fatalities, state legislatures have been toughening laws regarding the circumstances when a motorist must stop or yield to a pedestrian crossing at a crosswalk.

There are slight differences in the law from State to State. In Minnesota, drivers must stop for crossing pedestrians at marked crosswalks and at all intersections without crosswalks or stop lights. In Iowa, Wisconsin and South Dakota motorists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing the roadway within a marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Vehicles stopped for pedestrians can proceed once the pedestrian has completely crossed the lane in front of the stopped vehicle.

Motorists

Stop for crossing pedestrians at all marked crosswalks and every intersection, even those without crosswalks or stop lights MINNESOTA TELECOM ALLIANCE SAFETY NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2016

Before making a turn, look in all directions for pedestrians

Leave lots of room between you and the pedestrian when stopping

Watch for people in wheelchairs and motorized carts, which may be below eye level

Pedestrians

Pedestrians must not enter a crosswalk if a vehicle is approaching and it is impossible for the driver to stop. There is no defined distance that a pedestrian must abide by before entering the crosswalk; use common sense. Make eye contact with drivers and ensure they see you and will stop

Clearly show your intentions to cross

Watch for turning and passing vehicles

Look across ALL lanes for moving vehicles before proceeding

Cross streets at marked crosswalks or intersections; don’t cross-mid block

Don't solely rely on traffic signals; look for vehicles before crossing

As you can see there are a number of precautions that motorists and pedestrians alike can take to reduce the number of accidents on the roadways. Pedestrian visibility is very important and the more we can make ourselves visible to motorists the better, especially with the days getting shorter.

Take Care, Dan Berg, M.S. MTA Senior Safety Consultant