How Do You Handle the News of an Accident?

By Victor Shell
Director of Safety & Transportation

Almost every time a driver reports an accident to a dispatcher or safety manager, the first question the manager asks is, “Are you all right?”

If the driver is injured, the supervisor will need information to handle the medical response. How serious is the injury? Can the driver be treated at the scene? Does he or she need to be taken to a clinic or hospital?

After dealing with the driver’s health, the supervisor will need to know the nature of the accident, if there were other injuries, what information was collected, what law enforcement officers were on the scene, and if a citation was issued. Stress can run high for both the driver and the dispatcher and make decision-making harder than normal, especially if injuries are involved.

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Is Your Shop Prepared for Emergencies?

By Victor Shell
Director of Safety & Transportation

Victor Shell

What would you and your staff do if an employee ran into your office or store and yelled, “Fire! Fire!"

Would you call 911?  Run to the parking lot? Or run to put out the fire? Would every employee know their role in an emergency? Do you have an organized plan? Is your plan documented and reviewed periodically?

OSHA standards require emergency action plans to ensure employee safety in the event of fire and other emergencies, and further require such action plans must be prepared in writing, kept in the workplace, and reviewed with all affected employees. Employers with 10 or fewer employees, however, may communicate the plan orally to employees.

The plan must include the following elements: escape procedures and routes, critical store/yard operations, employee accounting following an emergency evacuation, rescue and medical duties, means of reporting emergencies, and persons to be contacted for information and clarification.

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How to Beat the Summertime Heat

By Victor Shell
Director of Safety & Transportation

Victor Shell

Now that summer is here, I’ve noticed something consistent in my visits to your stores and lumberyards — two minutes into the visit I am drenched with sweat. With temperatures already climbing into the 90s, I want to remind CSA members to make every effort to provide adequate heat protection for your employees.

Here are some tips to beat the heat:

  • Have meetings about the danger of high temperatures and the importance of staying hydrated.
  • Pay attention to the high temperature each day.
  • Make sure you have plenty of fresh, cool drinking water in the work areas.
  • Designate someone to check the water throughout the day and refill as necessary. 

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