Have you ever had a frayed extension cord, broken tool or busted ladder? What did you do with it once you realized and decided it was unsafe to use or -indeed- it was broken? We often have this discussion in my OSHA 10 hour and 30 hour Outreach Trainings. Most supervisors, companies and others in construction and industry just throw it away in the dumpster or trash can. DO NOT DO THIS! This video explains why.
In this video I show you several pictures of common household and work tools and equipment that gets broken or worn out, but that most people (perhaps even you) decide to keep using anyway!
How can you best use this safety video to its maximum potential in your toolbox talk or safety training? This is how:
- Set it up. Be sure to ask questions to draw people in and spark their curiosity whenever you show any videos. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ask a question. Also, you could tell them what to look for. Or say something goofy like “In this video Steve gets dangerously close to the street. Look for that.” And actually nothing happens, no close calls or anything. But, you can come clean in the debrief and say that you just wanted them to pay close attention. Or you could just leave it be. It depends on the mood of the class and the responsiveness of the group to your personality.
- Debrief the video. Always be sure to ask questions about what they saw, challenge them to make improvements or take action in their lives, and/or poll your audience. In this specific safety video, some questions or “polls” you could ask are, “Okay, raise your hand those of you who have an extension cord that looks just like the orange one in this video.” Also ask, “How many of you are still hanging on to that old beloved hammer or bench grinder that you inherited from your dad over 20 years ago? Come on! Come clean! Okay, it’s time to put those tools and equipment in a museum.” Become creative and learn to master the art of Debriefing a video.
Until next time,
Steve
Spanish OSHA Guy!