Toolbox Talk Carbon Monoxide Overview Carbon monoxide is a clear, odorless gas which is created by inefficient combustion emissions. The most common sources in industry are gasoline or diesel powered pressure washers, air compressors, forklifts or other petroleum fired machinery. The chemical makeup of CO is a carbon molecule linked to an oxygen molecule. Carbon monoxide kills by binding up the hemoglobin in the blood. Since CO has an affinity for hemoglobin several hundreds of times greater than the oxygen that is ever present, that being about 200,000 parts per million in normal air. Therefore it takes only a small amount of CO to bind up a large amount of hemoglobin. This decreases the amount of oxygen delivered to the tissues and without oxygen, you will slowly suffocate to death. What does this mean for workers? Carbon Monoxide will affect workers as follows: Slight headache and dizziness Nausea Drowsiness and an euphoric feeling Unconsciousness Death Signs and Symptoms of Exposure Acute exposure: Signs and symptoms may include headache, flushing, nausea, vertigo, weakness, irritability, unconsciousness, and in persons with pre-existing heart disease and atherosclerosis, chest pain and leg pain. Chronic exposure: Repeated bouts of carbon monoxide poisoning may cause persistent signs and symptoms, such as anorexia, headache, lassitude, dizziness, and ataxia. Toolbox Talk Attendance Record Carbon Monoxide Date: ___________________________ Presenter: _____________________________ Print Name Sign Name Job Title Toolbox Talk Preventing Caught or Crushed Injuries Overview Each year, workers suffer approximately 125,000 caught or crushed by injuries that occur when body parts get caught between two objects or entangled with machinery. These hazards are also referred to as “pinch points or nip points.” The physical forces applied to a body part caught in a pinch point can vary and cause injuries ranging from bruises, cuts, and scalping to mangled and amputated body parts, and even death. Prevention To avoid these types of injuries dress appropriately for work with pants and sleeves that are not too long or too loose. Shirts should be fitted or tucked in. Avoid wearing loose and dangling jewelry. Tie back long hair and tuck braids and ponytails behind you or into your clothing. Wear the appropriate, well-fitting gloves for your job. Look for possible pinch points before you start a task. Take the time to plan out your actions and decide on the necessary steps to work safely. Give your work your full attention. Don’t joke around, daydream, or try to multi-task on the job – most accidents occur when workers are distracted. Read and follow warning signs posted on equipment. Machinery can pose a hazard with moving parts, conveyors, rollers and rotating shafts. NEVER reach into a moving machine. Properly maintain and always use the machine and tool guards provided with your equipment; they act as barriers between the moving parts and your body. Don’t reach around, under or through a guard and always report missing or broken barriers to your supervisor. Turn equipment off and use lockout/tagout procedures before adjusting, clearing a jam, repairing, or servicing a machine. Caught/crush hazards are not limited to machinery. Vehicles, powered doors, and forklifts can pose a crush hazard unless they have been blocked or tagged out. Never place your body under or between powered equipment unless it is de-energized. Doors, file drawers, and heavy crates can pinch fingers and toes. Take care where you place your fingers. Test the weight before lifting, carrying, and placing boxes; an awkward or heavy load can slip and pinch your hands or feet. Get help or use tools to move large and/or heavy items. Toolbox Talk Attendance Record Preventing Caught for Crushed Injuries Date: ___________________________ Presenter: _____________________________ Print Name Sign Name Job Title Toolbox Talk Chemical Safety Overview Chemicals come in various forms and can affect those exposed in different ways. A chemical can take the form of a mist, vapor, liquid, dust, fume or gas. The type of chemical, the way it is used, and the form that it takes determine its effect and what should be done to avoid harmful exposure. Precautions Some basic safety precautions should be understood and followed including: Know what to do in an emergency. If there is a leak or spill, keep away from the area, unless you know what the chemical is and how to safely clean it up. Know where emergency protective equipment and supplies kept and how to use them. Use appropriate protective clothing and equipment (glasses, aprons, boots, gloves, etc.) as required or as necessary. If the clothing becomes contaminated by the chemical, shower or wash the skin areas exposed. Change and decontaminate clothing (or dispose of clothing if it is designed to single use). Do not take contaminated clothing home to be laundered because by doing so, it could expose family members to the contaminant. When working with chemicals, always wash hands thoroughly before eating. If necessary, shower and change clothes before going home. Never take food into the work area where chemicals are being used or stored. If work will be done in an area where there is a possibility of exposure to toxic substances, use a buddy system or establish an emergency communication system. A worker can be dangerously exposed or overcome by a chemical and need immediate assistance. Keep the workplace clean to reduce the risk of contamination. Where possible, wipe up and absorb the contaminant, using proper protective equipment as required. Clean up spills immediately and dispose of contaminated material properly. With some chemicals a vacuum is recommended for clean up rather than a broom or compressed air. The idea is to collect and confine the contaminant, not just spread it around. You should know the company's system for identifying hazardous chemicals. You must know and understand the specific health and safety hazards of the chemicals with which they work and follow the recommended safety precautions. All chemicals must be stored, labeled and disposed of in accordance with the hazard communication program Toolbox Talk Attendance Record Chemical Safety Date: ___________________________ Presenter: _____________________________ Print Name Sign Name Job Title Toolbox Talk Cold Stress Overview Working under cold conditions can lead to various injuries, which are collectively known as cold stress. Construction workers may experience cold stress under any of the following circumstances: Outdoors on a cold day. In cold water, rain, or snow. In a refrigerated room. While handling cold objects or In an unheated building. materials. Hazards The hazardous effects of cold on the body may include dehydration, numbness, shivering, frostbite, trench foot, and hypothermia. Hazards associated with cold stress are categorized into systemic and local effects. Local effects impact the part of the body where the exposure to cold is the greatest. Systemic effects impact more than just the local area and can affect the whole body. Numbness, frostbite, and trench foot are all local effects. Trench foot is the result of the skin’s having been exposed too long to cold and dampness. Trench foot can result in swelling, tingling, itching, loss of skin, or skin ulcers. Hypothermia is the most serious effect of cold stress. Once the body loses the ability to maintain its normal temperature, the body temperature lowers, and other symptoms such as violent shivering, slow or slurred speech, confusion, hallucinations, a weak and irregular pulse, or unconsciousness occurs. Certain people are more susceptible than others to cold stress. People who are not physically fit, have a chronic illness, drink alcohol or take drugs, are wet or damp from work or weather, are fatigued, are exposed to vibration from tools, don’t wear the right clothing, or are not used to working in cold have a higher risk from cold stress. Symptoms How can you recognize cold stress? Shivering is the body’s response to cold stress and serves as a protection mechanism by increasing the rate of metabolism. Be on guard for cold stress if workers are shivering because it’s a good sign of cold stress and possible hypothermia. Subjective responses of workers provide a good tool for recognizing cold stress in the workplace. Worker behaviors that may indicate cold stress exposures include seeking warm locations, adding layers of clothing, or increasing the work rate. If there is a noticeable drop in manual dexterity for workers, local cold stress may be occurring. Manual dexterity decreases with cold, which could result in safety hazards to the worker and coworkers. Prevention Employees can do their part to prevent cold stress. Proper insulation and good ventilation is critical for clothing worn during cold stress exposures. Better insulation is achieved by layering clothes rather than by wearing just one warm garment. Layering allows a person to add or remove layers to adjust for different insulation needs during the work period. Note that the insulation quality of clothing may be greatly decreased by moisture. Thus, water vapor permeability is also important. A waterproof shell may not allow sweat to escape. A water repellent shell may keep a worker warmer. Seek warm locations during breaks and replace lost fluids with warm, sweet, non-caffeine-containing drinks to avoid dehydration. By taking the necessary precautions, employers and workers together can minimize the potential for cold stress. Toolbox Talk Attendance Record Cold Stress Date: ___________________________ Presenter: _____________________________ Print Name Sign Name Job Title Toolbox Talk Working in Confined Spaces A "confined space" may be generally defined as any area which has limited means of egress and is subject to oxygen deficient atmosphere or to the accumulation of toxic or flammable gases or vapors. Examples of these are: Tanks Bins Sewers Vaults Vats Hoppers Pits Silos Boilers Process Vessels Deep Trenches Working in any confined space is a potential killer.