Recently there have been two fatal accidents that crossed my desk.  The first occurred when a worker was using a skid steer to push a flatbed truck which had unsecured pipes on its bed.  One of the rods flew off the back of the truck and impaled the worker.  The other incident, which certainly hit closer to home, involved a younger worker (25 years old) who was kicking a rotating auger in an effort to remove dirt.  His loose shoe lace got caught by the rotation and he died from the head injuries he suffered from the fall.  When these tragic accidents were discussed with my colleagues, the overwhelming thought was ‘where was the common sense?”

Webster’s Dictionary defines common sense this way; “Sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts.”  I have been a H&S instructor for 22 years and have had over 10,000 people in my classes.  Without hesitation I can state that you just can’t teach commons sense.  You can however, demonstrate its use, mentor the younger less experienced workers, reward positive actions and learn from damaging actions and incidents. The winter months are notorious for accidents.  Wet leaves, ice, shorter hours of light, ailments associated with the cold damp weather, mud and many other factors all make construction activities of any kind more precarious.  Here are some tips for keeping safe and healthy.

Practice common sense.  If it looks unsafe, it probably is.  Let the younger workers learn from the experience of the seasoned professionals.

Slow down.  Not only on the road, but in all your tasks.  Working faster seldom has positive outcomes. Take your time and do the job right.

Clean up your work area.  Slip and trip hazards are responsible for a large number of injuries each year.   Eliminating the mess not only decreases the potential for an accident, it says a lot about the quality of your work.

Don’t remain silent.  If you see someone or something that is unsafe make it known.  Too often do we become complacent and think that “someone else will worry about that.”  If you see a problem, initiate the resolution.

Ask for help.  You can act tough on your own time.  If you really could use a hand with an activity, especially lifting, than get the help.  Sitting at home with a back injury is no fun and it won’t pay your bills.

It is an unfortunate fact that our industry has many dangerous activities.  But working smart and using your head before your body can decrease the possibility of getting hurt by 90%. The odds are in your favor, it’s up to you to make it work.