Employee Safety Toolkit. Notes:

Transcription

1 Employee Safety Toolkit 1

2 Equipment & Power Washing 2

3 Working in a hog facility requires you to work with various pieces of equipment that can be very dangerous. Knowing how to use the equipment safely reduces the risk of injury.operating farm equipment can be a hazardous activity. Tractors cause the largest number of deaths on farms. The majority of tractor fatalities result from rollovers. This is where a tractor rolls either backward or sideways and pins and or crushes the operator. OSHA standards require that tractors be equipped with a rollover protective structure or ROPS. ROPS protect the operator if the tractor rolls over. Always wear your seat belt on a tractor with ROPS. Other types of equipment, including feed augers, fans, and PTOs can also be dangerous if used improperly. 3

4 Just because you know how to drive a car doesn't mean you know how to safely operate a tractor. Before attempting to operate one, you must have authorization and have been properly trained and will be retrained at least annually. When operating a tractor with an ROPS, always securely fasten your seat belt. Where possible, avoid operating the tractor near ditches, embankments, and holes. Reduce speed when turning, crossing slopes, and on muddy surfaces. Watch where you are going, especially on roads, and around trees. Never permit others to ride. Operate the tractor smoothly, avoid jerky turns, starts, or stops. Hitch only to the drawbar and hitch points recommended by tractor manufacturers. When the tractor is stopped, set brakes securely and use park lock if available 4

5 Injuries and accidents can occur when operating machinery. Guards protect the operator and others in the area from being injured by the machinery. The machine s moving parts, flying chips or sparks, nip or pinch points, and blades can all be hazards.keep all guards in place when the machine is in operation. Guards should be in place over the actual point of operation and over any moving parts. Take care when servicing, adjusting, cleaning, or unclogging equipment. Before you perform these procedures, stop the engine or motor, disconnect the power source, and wait for all machine movement to stop. Make sure everyone is clear of machinery before starting the engine, engaging power, or operating the machine. Lockout and tag out electrical power before performing maintenance or service on farm equipment. 5

6 One very common and useful type of machinery found on a hog farm is a power washer. Power washing enables you to clean a barn much faster and better than doing it by hand. It s a critical tool for hog operations. However, power washing can be very dangerous if you do not know how to do it correctly. When power washing, you re spraying water under thousands of pounds of pressure. It only takes a split second for water under that much pressure to penetrate your skin and result in serious injury. 6

7 To prevent injury while using a power washer, follow these safety guidelines. Use power washers only after you have been trained how to use them safely. Wear the correct personal protective equipment. You must wear safety goggles, earplugs or ear muffs to prevent against hearing loss, and gloves to protect your hands. Never aim the gun at another person or an animal, this can cause serious injury. Never rig the power washer trigger to remain in the ON position. Use only your hands to depress the trigger. If your hand gets tired from holding the trigger down, offset the fatigue by switching the wand from hand to hand every couple of minutes and taking frequent breaks. Make sure all the guards are in place before use. Do not aim the wand towards electrical outlets or power lines, this can cause electrocution. If you are using chemicals make sure you take proper precautions. This includes being familiar with the Safety Data Sheets for the chemicals you are using. 7

8 Gasoline-powered power washers produce carbon monoxide. When operated indoors, this can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you very quickly.even small gasolinepowered engines produce high levels of carbon monoxide that can be deadly. 8

9 Follow these do s and don ts to stay safe while operating a power washer. Do wear proper PPE for your eyes, ears, and hands when power washing. Place gasoline-powered pressure washing units outside the building. Don t aim a power washer wand at a person or animal. Don t aim the wand of a power washer toward an electrical source. Don t rig the power washer trigger to remain in the ON position. Remember farm equipment and machinery can be hazardous if used improperly. Never operate a piece of equipment until you have been trained how to do it properly. This will help protect you from accidents and injury! 9