Safety A must read for all

S

Schaeffer

Deck Specialist
Safety Safety Safety

Hi All,
After reading some of the post I thought I would write this as a reminder for all the pros and the new guys. Most of us on this board work for and by our self, we need to always keep one
thing on the top of our priority list. SAFETY

FIRE
Fire needs fuel and oxygen to burn, and we all carry fuel for are equipment.
As a minimum we should all carry or start to carry a fire extinguisher in our vehicle.
Now why do I say in our vehicle, for the simple reason that if a fire did start on your trailer you may not be able to reach it since it most likely will be to close to the fire.
But the Safest thing to do is to place fire extinguisher near ( but not to close) were fire is possible. Your fire extinguisher should be rated for the type of fire you may have.

Fist Aid
I can write a book about this being an EMT in the past. Here is my list for the basics.

Eye wash
Band-Aids various sizes
Tweezers
Large guise pads
First Aid Tape

These are just some of the basics, but there is more. I always wear SAFETY glasses or goggles when I work. An example of why I wear them. Once I filled up my pump spayer with sealer, but
for some dam reason I put just a little to much in the tank. When I put the plunger in, it shot a stream of sealer out which went right into my face. By wearing the SAFETY glasses it gave me
the fraction of second to close my eyes without getting the sealer in directly in my eyes.

Refueling
How do I write this? Basically, I wet down what I need to clean NOW, to buy time. I take a short break at this time. Always always wait 5 minutes minimum before refueling.
Yes it is possible to fill your tank without spilling it on your muffler but that is not the only problem.
The problem is that when you refill your tank right away, it is not only a problem spilling gas on a hot surface put you also have to wary about the vapors. Keep this in mind.

Shoes
I wear steal toed rubber boots when I work. ( I don't want to loose any of my little piggies.)

Ok time for bed. This is my two cents on SAFETY. PLEASE add your two cents.
 
The steel toes rubber boots was a good tip. I was wondering what should be worn when doing a deck for example.
2500psi can hurt!!
 
Wallmart has some good prices on these.

They are in the shoe dept. hehehe
 
Great Idea

The Fire Extinguisher is a great idea I haven't really thought of that before but I'm going to look around and find one. One thing I have always carried that some of you might consider is Baking Soda it works great on small fires and I keep it in tool box of my truck so I can reach it like you said even if fire in trailer. I am going to get a fire extinguisher though in case of a fuel fire, it burns faster and hotter than smaller fires and the baking soda probably would no completely extinguish.

Great Idea Thanks!
Andrew/Safe Clean:cool:

Oh Yeah the steel toe shoes Always!
 
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Safety

One thing I would recommend as an EMT to include in any medical kit is over the counter Benadryl. This will stop, or at least slow down, an anaphylactic reaction to insect stings and could be a life saver. If you have ever had a strong reaction to insects, have your personal physician write you a prescription for an Epi-Pen.
 
As to the fire extinguisher suggestion. This is a FED-OSHA requirement. Use at least a 2A10BC (5 # ABC) mounted where it is accessable, using a vehicle bracket. Buy a quality, rechargable unit, not one with a plastic valve assembly. Mine is mounted by the driver's door. Mount it at the entrance/exit so you do not have to go past the fire to get the extinguisher. Get it serviced as per NFPA 10-1998, by a qulified service agency. You should also have extinguishers in the shop, office and home. Let your insurance agent know you have extinguishers, it may make a difference in your rates. train your people in how to use an extinguisher, and when not to use and extinguisher and just run like hell. If you cannot get within 6 or 8 feet of the fire, an extinguisher will do no good, the fire is already to large for an extinuisher to control. When we do a class on extinguisher use, we have a list of actions to take.
1. RESCUE. Get everybody away from the fire scene. Meet at pre-designated location.
2. Notify the fire department. Identify self, give the address, what is on fire (garage, house, vehicle, wildlands) type of fire (flammable liquids, hazardous material), location of fire, directions to fire.
3. Stay on phone, untill directed to hang up. Give a call-back number.
4. Use fire extinguisher only if doing so will not endanger yourself.
4. Do not go back into the fire, for any reason.

Several years ago, the Oregon State Fire Marshell published a report about the effectiveness of portable fire extinguishers. 93% of all fire reported had been controlled by use of a fire extinguiser.
Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastrn Oregon, Inc
 
excellent words to live by. I hadn't thought of the extinquisher. Will add that to the budget for next season as well as "other stuff":)
 
I must agree I never thought of a Fire extinguisher until just recently. I now have on on my traier and one in my truck. Along with first aid kit and Vinigar. I work with caustics and the vinigar seems to nuetralize the burning. Plus I know we all wear safety glasses but it is always good to have an eye wash close by in case of chemical falling into your eye. That is my 2 cents worht of info.
 
Be Prepared

Some great ideas here! I've been in a position to help others out with first aid supplies, fire extinguisher, and eye-wash. Helping others makes you feel good, and so does being prepared. Glad to see the interest in this topic. When I first started cleaning roofs I had trouble finding info on safety equipment and methods, so I know these hints can be helpful to us newbies and masters alike. Still lookin' for that sky-hook a fella tol' me about!
 
In case you ever need to use a lift be sure you wear the proper safety harness. If you are using a lift inside , like in a warehouse OSHA requires a hard hat if you are above six feet off the ground. Also keep ear protection in mind, especially if you are cleaning inside. Everyone also needs a burn kit, especially if you use hot water. When spraying stains and sealers don't forget to use the proper respirator. A cell phone should be on your person at all time. If you were injured it won't help you in the truck! Motrola makes an i700 that is water resistant, that is what I use and keep it on me when cleaning. It is just a suggestion.
 
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