3. USE THE RIGHT TOOLS - if you need a hammer, get a hammer. It may be handier to use a pair of pliers, wrench, screw driver or even your fist. But you will have only yourself to blame if you break your fingers.

4. LEARN HOW TO LIFT - Lifting takes more than muscle; it is an art. Don't try to show how strong you are; you may end up in a hospital. Get help to handle anything that is too heavy or cumbersome for you.

5. DON'T BE A PRANKSTER - practical jokes and horseplay can be dangerous around machinery. If you feel the urge to play, resist it until after work.

6. BE TIDY - Good housekeeping reduces hazards in the workplace or your home. Always put away tools when they are not in use. Keep the floors clean, pick up scraps, wipe up spills. A slip or trip can be fatal.

7. REPORTING IS IMPORTANT - Never fail to report accidents, defective equipment, and unsafe conditions.

8. GET FIRST AID IMMEDIATELY - if you're hurt -- even if it is just a scratch. Neglect of the injury may lead to serious infection, weeks of lost time, even permanent injury.

9. BACK YOUR SAFETY PROGRAM - If you have an idea you believe will reduce accidents, tell your supervisor about it. Set an example by obeying safety rules. Cooperate with your safety committee.

10. NEVER TAKE A CHANCE - Next to sheer carelessness, the short cut is probably the biggest killer of all. To save a minute or two, you may lose a lifetime. Whatever you are doing, if you are not doing it safely, you are not doing it right!!

DEVELOP AND "SELL" YOUR SAFETY SOLUTIONS

The best ideas for improving the work environment often come from the people who are most affected by what happens in that environment-the workers. But how can employees effectively create solutions to their workplace safety problems, communicate their ideas for improvement to management, and have those ideas be seriously considered? Two tools are needed-a structured approach to solving problems and a way to submit formal suggestions.

A Five Step Approach to Solving Problems:

1. Identify the Problem.

Perhaps you already have a specific, perplexing safety problem in mind. It may be a piece of equipment or a process within your department that needs improvement. Define the problem as it now exists-the more specific the better. If excess costs are associated with this problem, knowing what these are will make it easier to explain the problem to management. This will also help you develop clear solutions.

2. Make a list of options.

What possibilities exist to fix the problem? What are the results you are looking for? Brainstorm a multitude of ideas which could effectively and efficiently eliminate the problematic situation.

3. List the consequences.

You can rarely do one thing without having it affect someone or something else. All ideas have pros and cons associated with them. Consider all sides of the issue and the effect each option may have on other departments or workers.

4. Compare the options.

How much effort will be required? How much time and money will it take? You may need some help from your supervisor in calculating time and costs.

5. Choose the best option.

Step 4 should help identify the proper choices. Again, discussing this with your supervisor or someone else higher up may help you see the bigger picture and aid you in making the best choice.

Submitting the Formal Suggestion

1. Describe the current safety problem in a brief, clear, and objective statement to decision makers. Explain the disadvantages of the present situation.

2. Outline your idea. Briefly detail your suggestion for improvement, avoiding negativity.

3. Show how much it will cost to execute your plan. Include the anticipated effect your idea will have on other workers or departments in your organization.

4. Estimate the cost savings. There must be some monetary benefit to what you are suggesting. If your plan improves safety, what are the expected cost savings associated with preventing an injury that old methods caused? Are there other benefits? Is it more efficient? Will it take less time? Try to state these benefits in terms of hard pounds which can be saved.

5. Finish with a more in-depth description of your idea. Break your idea down into its component parts. Use drawings and all other pertinent information to emphasize the importance of your idea. Get your plan across to the decision makers persuasively. If you use this twofold method to address safety concerns in your workplace, you'll be giving your management team all the information and tools they need to make an intelligent decision.