What's This in our Tool Box

All right, now that we are gathered around for our weekly Tool Box Safety Meeting , lets actually take a look inside the tool box to see what we might find. Is there a box of horrors waiting for us when we reach in? Field shop boxes, mechanics' chests in shops, the boxes on the backs of our pickup trucks, or the bucket we carry with saddle bags for our personal tools...do they contain accidents waiting to happen? Might you find something like THIS....?

Sharp Tool Edges: Yikes--a Box Cutter with the blade open! Could be reaching in to find something in the bottom--and coming out with a badly cut hand.

Frayed Power Cords: Oops, the drill's power cord pulled loose from the housing. In too much in a hurry to fix it--but an electrical shock might slow us down!

Scratched Safety Glasses: Someone just threw them in with all of the other junk. The lenses are all scratched and dirty. Probably can't see a thing with them...probably won't wear them. Probably taking a big risk!

Dirty Respirator: Looks like this spare respirator wasn't put in it's protective container. It's covered with some kind of white powdery stuff...stinks, and the filters are all crushed. I was going to use that today because I left mine at home. S'pose it'll do?

Misused Tools: I see a couple of screw drivers with the handles and ends all beat up. Looks like someone has been using them as chisels. Could I remove screws with these today without busting my knuckles?

Damaged Head Protection: Several of the hard hats here have torn suspension systems, and one hat is slightly cracked. Who wants to use these today? Someone with a really hard head?

Ruined Footwear: Yesterday I was in a hurry and I just threw my rubber boots in the box. Someone else threw a bunch of sharp stuff on top of them and they are all cut up. Looks like I'll have wet feet when I start working in that open trench today.

Sharp Wire, Rusty Nails, Cracked Tools....? Any of these in your tool box???

IF YOU CHOOSE to use a broken tool, or piece of safety equipment that doesn't provide adequate protection - you might not be at work tomorrow. You might be convalescing at home or in the hospital. Or worse yet, you may contribute to the injury of one of your fellow workers. Do you want to carry that burden today?

WHY NOT CLEAN IT UP? If you find that the box is a mess, the tools are in terrible shape, or "I wouldn't wear that," then take a few moments and get things right. Red tag defective tools or turn them in for repair to your supervisor. Replace broken or unusable safety equipment. Make your tool box a SAFE one. Let it reflect that Professional Attitude you take pride in.

Take a few minutes at the beginning of work today and look closely at the tool box where you keep your professional equipment. What condition is it in? Do you feel SAFE and COMFORTABLE using all of the stuff in there?

Put everything in it's PROPER place.

Each of you look at yourselves as professionals. You take pride in the work you do.

If you don't take care of the equipment you have to work with on a daily basis, your effectiveness will be reduced.

Looking for another tool because you didn't take proper care of the one you need, will cost you work time.