July Safety Meeting

1. July Safety Meeting Nuclear SUMMER (WHEW!!) Defensive Driving Reminders Discretionary Exposure & Close Calls Fall Protection Awareness

2. Nuclear Summer – Get Used To It! • You should never feel thirsty. That means you’re borderline dehydrated • Be aware of your hydration level and fatigue exposure • WATER with a trace of electrolyte (i.e. Gatorade, Squincher, etc.) is best refresher • Avoid a big lunch on hot days. Eat light to slake hunger, but try not to over- do it at the buffet • Heavy, greasy food will cause the ‘Post Lunch Dip’ to be more pronounced • Avoid direct sun exposure when possible. Long sleeves, nape protector, wide brim hat, sun screen application, any other barrier will help • Use Witch Hazel on sunburn for relief • Check for ticks after work in high grass, vegetation

3. Summer Traffic Safety Reminders • When schools are out for the season, we basically have more unpredictable traffic. This is similar to Saturday traffic, which is statistically the worst day of the week to drive. • Long days = marathon drivers = fatigue = leave a lot of room • Out-of-State tags = disoriented, unfamiliar, aggressive = leave a lot of room • Large trucks, lumbering, hot day, heavy load = tire separation = ________(Fill in the Blank…) • Signs of a poor driver: heavy brake dust on front wheels; doesn’t use directional signals; sudden lane changes; drive too fast/too slow; beat up vehicle; fogged or dirty windows; etc. • Danger sign: stopping or slowing on an entrance ramp. Failure to merge properly. • Do not get ‘caught’ in a squeeze situation by this kind of driver. Protect yourself with distance.

4. Defensive Driving Forever!! • Top Ten List of Road & Driver Issues • Intersections of all types • Distracted and/or impaired drivers • Improper lane changes; failure to signal • Two-lane Roads, large animal hazard, (Remember: Do not swerve!) • Night driving – watch for drunks • Day time – use running lights • Amber warning lights – Do not rely on people adhering to a ‘Move Over Law’ • Minimize stationary exposures on paved surfaces • Gators, large truck avoidance, keep a protective distance • Wet roads, standing water, hydroplane, tire pressure, tread depth, vehicle loading and traction

5. Discretionary Presence & Exposure on the Right of Way (ROW) • Remember: a PAVED Surface is a DRIVEABLE Surface • ‘AVOIDABLE EXPOSURE’ should be part of our job planning. • The Law of Probability governs our safety. • Get OFF the ROW to a protected area whenever possible. Paperwork or communications are not justifiable reasons. • THINK! Do you really need to be sitting on the shoulder? Define your reasoning using very strict criteria. • This is the question that will be asked in any accident investigation: Where SHOULD you have been parked? Why were you there in the first place? • Vehicle warning lights do not give you an automatic ‘pass.’ • Yes, there is a new ‘law’ that talks about vehicles with warning lights. We will recite this to you in your hospital room at your bedside. • Protect yourself with distance & location.

6. Fall Avoidance - Awareness Level • OSHA considers a fall from a 6-foot height to be potentially fatal – use a short yardstick to judge this distance; remember, you can be severely hurt in a 4-foot drop • LOOK for fall hazards on the ROW. They may not always be obvious • Drainage structures; outfalls; slopes; bridges of all types; abutments; drop-offs; culverts; sign structures; working from the back of a vehicle; flatbeds; loading docks; ladders; elevating equipment; etc. • “Change in elevation” is the lead element in ‘safe’ or ‘not safe’ • There are a lot of situations that fall in the ‘grey area’, hard to define • Identify & protect; warn; keep a protective distance • If in doubt, use a fall protection harness; however, that should be the last line of defense