Starting Over

We’re embarrassed. We had our first recordable accident after 909 days (over
500,000 hours). Just when everything was going so right. We had the toolbax safety meeting at start of shift to discuss the day’s hazards. We had the Job Safety Analysis for the task to be performed. We had top management buy-in and a dedicated and experienced Safety Director conducting random on-site inspections. But a mechanic was not wearing gloves when he knew he should have been, and he cut his finger. He may not have a scar on his finger from the incident, but the permanent scar on his soul gives evidence of the depth of the safety culture at TGM.

And we still had an accident. Take heed from our mistake:

Hands are hurt more often than any other part of the body. Your hands are your wage-earners. As talented as your hands are, they can’t think; they are your servants, and it is up to you to think and keep them out of trouble.

Be sure you wear the right kind of gloves for the particular kind of work you are doing. When you wear gloves, you aren’t trusting to luck and you’re not taking unnecessary chances. Wear gloves when you are doing a job that needs them, but not around moving machinery. Time spent in preparing your hands for the job will not only save trouble for you but will probably save time in doing the job.  Refer to your SDS (MSDS) sheets for gloves required for use with certain chemicals.