What is an inspection?

It is the means by which a worker observes, reviews and examines the good condition of a tool or work equipment and determines if it is in good condition for use. Regular inspection is a good safety practice.

The importance of inspection

In safety, the inspection of tools is one of the main activities that must be carried out before starting to execute the work entrusted by the boss or supervisor on duty, since it allows the early detection of possible problems or failures in the equipment, machines or work tools.

A good inspection can be key when seeking to reduce accidents and incidents at work.

What parts should be checked in an inspection?

When using equipment, machines or manual tools there are critical parts that must be inspected due to their importance. They are between them:

• Handles.
• Discs, sharp elements, rotating and moving parts.
• Electric cord, extension cord and plug
• Buttons or push buttons to turn on, turn off or lock the power tool
• Security guards or protective devices.

Also, just as important as inspecting a tool or piece of equipment is wearing protective equipment properly to prevent injury.

Recommendations for a good inspection

To carry out a correct inspection of the tools or work equipment, the following must be taken into account:

• Carry out the inspection attending to the search for possible faults or equipment problems. If possible, do it in a suitable place.
• Review one tool at a time to avoid making mistakes.
• Record the inspection in the respective format to record its completion.
• Inspect power tools while they are not plugged in to prevent them from being turned on or started unintentionally.
• In case the tool is of common use, it is recommended to consult who relieved the tool about the faults or problems that the tool presented during its use.

After the inspection, the unsafe conditions detected must be reported in order to continue with the activity.

Last conclusions

Inspections should not be evaded or eluded as they allow obtaining important information about the state and situation of a tool or equipment, and reduce the probability of occurrence of occupational accidents.

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Safety talks

The safety talks are talks prior to the start of work in which issues related to safety and health at work are discussed with the aim of reinforcing in workers the importance of complying with safety measures.

Why are safety talks held?

It is proven that receiving safety talks or instructions before carrying out work usually causes workers to:

• They feel part of the safety and health at work.
• Make fewer mistakes in operation, production or repair activities.
• Execute fewer work incidents that affect the company’s products and materials.
• Carry out your activities with the greatest probability of obtaining the desired results.

Likewise, in the safety talks, important information is also received from the workers about the activities that are going to be carried out, for example, their experiences, advice or recommendations regarding incidents or accidents in the work area.

Safety and health at work is not just one, and the more people who participate in it, the better solutions can be taken to avoid or control situations that are risky for the health of workers.

Safety talks, among other activities, encourage the participation of workers in safety within the company.

Final thoughts

The safety talks should be carried out frequently to form and correct some habits or behaviors in the workers, they should not be seen as a waste of time, since thanks to them good safety and health practices at work are reinforced.

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What is the culture of prevention?

They are the positive actions and affirmations adopted by workers to reduce the rates of accidents, incidents and occupational diseases.

The prevention culture seeks a greater commitment of workers in matters of safety and health at work.

The foundation of the culture of prevention

The culture of prevention is essentially based on 2 elements to achieve its objective in occupational health and safety:

• It requires the participation of all workers in the organization.
• It requires a voluntary (not obligated) commitment to wanting to perform tasks correctly and safely.

It is on the basis of these two elements that the culture of prevention can be carried out, and the reduction of accidents can be achieved effectively.

The importance of a culture of prevention

The reduction of incidents, accidents and occupational diseases is one of the major objectives of safety and health at work, which is why by adopting a culture of prevention and other complementary methods, compliance can be achieved.

As important as it is to establish prevention measures, standards or guidelines to improve safety management, it is compliance with these measures and actions by workers who must comply with the rules to avoid suffering workplace accidents.

The cult of prevention achieves that from the incorporation of good values, behaviors and work practices in workers, their risks at work are reduced.

The benefits of implementing a culture of prevention

The main benefits of maintaining a culture of prevention of occupational risks are:

• The decrease in incidents, accidents and illnesses presented in the organization.
• Improve the work environment and the confidence of workers.
• Reduce the costs of the organization due to absenteeism from work that lead to occupational accidents.
• Maintain a pleasant work structure that all workers feel proud to integrate.

Likewise, it is important to emphasize that the positive results of implementing the prevention culture will be seen and maintained over time.

Last conclusions

Improving the culture of prevention of workers is a task that requires time, since it must start from the worker himself as an initiative and the participation of all, but once achieved, a significant reduction in risks in the organization is achieved.

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What is an anti-spill kit?

In the environment, the anti-spill kit is the set of elements and materials stored together to be used as a means of containment and cleaning in the event of a chemical spill. The purpose of the kit is to obtain a rapid response to a chemical spill and minimize environmental damage.

The importance of having a spill kit

It is important to have an anti-spill kit since through it it is possible to control the spills of chemical substances that can occur in the work area, also, the environmental impact that they can bring as a consequence is avoided or reduced.

For example, an oil, paint, or oil spill is a situation that warrants its use.

A chemical spill kit should primarily have the following materials:

• Personal protective equipment : Gloves and glasses.
• Cleaning equipment : A shovel, brush and bag or container to store the hazardous material.
• Absorption equipment : Absorbent cloths, cords and materials.

How to use a spill kit correctly?

The use of the anti-spill kit should be as follows:

1. Identify the type and amount of material that has been spilled.
2. Use personal protective equipment: gloves to avoid contact with chemicals and glasses to protect the eyes from possible splashes.
3. Stop the source of the spill. For example: turning a faucet or lifting a bucket that is spilling chemicals.
4. Contain the spill. If the spilled chemical is liquid, absorbent cords should be placed around the spill to prevent it from spreading.
5. Clean up the spill. Using absorbent cloths, surfaces that had contact with the liquid chemical should be cleaned. If solid elements are formed, the shovel and brush should be used to clean the dangerous solids.
6. Deposit the contaminated materials in a bag and tear it up as a hazardous material.

The benefits of having a spill kit

Among the main benefits of having a chemical spill kit are:

• Correctly and quickly deal with a possible spill of chemical product.
• Have personnel predisposed to care for chemical spills.
• Comply with environmental protection standards.
• Minimize or prevent the environmental impacts caused by chemical spills.
• Avoid injury or damage to personnel from dealing with chemical spills without the proper materials.
• Improve environmental management in the organization by installing emergency points with anti-spill kit, and personnel trained in its use.

Last conclusions

Having an anti-spill kit and knowing how to use it is essential to act in the event of a chemical spill and reduce damage to the environment.

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Hands

The hands are one of the most used tools of the human body , it is said that they represent 80% of the activities carried out by a person.

Now imagine what you would do if you were missing one of them. The hands are one of the first parts of the body to be exposed during an activity.

Why is the hand so important?

A person uses his hand for almost all the activities he performs, such as holding tools, using a hammer to strike, unscrewing a screw, removing a bolt with a wrench, among others.

One of the main fingers of the hand is the “thumb”, this finger is considered the most important since it fulfills the main function of support and grip. Now let’s think that we are going to hold the handle of a hammer without having the thumb, we could not do it since we do not have the opposite thumb to do such a task.

How can I protect my hand?

In occupational safety and health, there are safety implements that serve to prevent or reduce the effects of an incident or accidents , such as leather gloves type bait, these gloves are used to hold items with rough surfaces or sharp edges so that cannot injure the hands.

Another implement is the hot work glove, it is used to hold, move or remove objects that are hot (at temperatures of more than 200 ° C). This requires a glove that insulates the heat emitted by the object and can be held by the worker without suffering a hand burn.

Protection and injuries

The protection of the hands should be one of the important activities that a worker must internalize and make their own care.

The most frequent injuries to the hands are:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Other Repetitive Motion Injuries.
• Cuts and amputations.
• Tendonitis.
• Burns from chemicals or heat
• Crush or entrapment fractures

Last conclusions

The prevention of hand injuries must start by oneself, since we use personal protective equipment, comply with safety regulations and report unsafe conditions we can reduce the probability of suffering an injury.

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