Submitted by Steve Winicker
LAST WEEKENDS SHOP ACTIVITY
Not much happening this week. I spent some time working on the Wabash Caboose with Joe Nesbit on Monday. Later did some painting and work on various caboose projects. Friday with the help of some 358 crew I put the handbrake section of platform railing up and spent most of the day drilling a couple of holes for the brake pipe bracket. Saturday Joe Knapke and Bill Martz took some buckets of rust out of the tender. Sunday I spent the day giving some shop tours and doing some detail work on the caboose hand rail and end beam.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Still need lots of work in the tender. That will be the focus of the work on the 765 in the upcoming week. I plan to be out Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but will be gone on Thursday and Friday. If you can make it out one of those days, we will work on the tender clean out. Saturday, I believe we are going to have a board meeting but work will continue on cleaning up the tender through the weekend..
SAFETY SENSE
Slips and falls are one of the most frequent causes of accidents, both on and off the job. Each year in the United States, more than 300,000 people suffer disabling injuries from falls. Slips and falls can be fatal as well; they rank second only to automobile accidents, causing nearly 12,000 deaths a year. To avoid getting hurt from falls, avoid rushing and remember the following….
WATCH WHERE YOU WALK
Be aware of where you are walking. Look down continuously for spilled liquids, materials, equipment, changing surface levels, etc. Make sure the area is well-lit or use a flashlight if lighting is poor.
WEAR PROPER FOOTWEAR
Make sure your shoes are in good shape and correct for the job. Discard worn-out shoes with smooth soles and other defects. If conditions are wet and slippery, wear non-slip shoes or boots. Avoid footwear with leather soles which have poor floor traction–especially on smooth surfaces.
CHECK FLOOR OPENINGS
Avoid unguarded floor openings such as our shop pit. The pit grates or barriers should be placed around the pit if it will be open for any extended period. Never jump over pits or other openings.
BE CAREFUL ON STAIRS
Do not run when going up or down stairs. Check to see that stair treads are in good shape, with no obstructions on the steps. Always use the hand railings. Avoid carrying large loads when going up or down stairs and ensure that stairs are well-lit.
MAKE SURE SCAFFOLDING IS SAFE TO USE
When working on scaffolding, make sure it is secure, stable and properly set-up. Do not work on scaffolding if guard rails are missing or the base is unstable. Check to see that planks are in good shape and not cracked. Tall scaffolds should be tied into a structure to increase stability.
Let’s strive to make 2020 a very safe year.
Remember….
SAFETY IS JOB 1
SAFETY FIRST ALWAYS
