Safety

Hands-Free Options are Not Always a Safer Option When Driving What is inattention blindness and why should you be aware of it? Did you know that handheld AND hands-free is equally risky? More than 50 studies show that any form of mobile phone use is unsafe while driving, but the majority of people still believe hands-free options are safe. Driving safely depends on the frequency drivers are scanning the area around them and the reaction time required to what is going on around the car. Like drowsy driving, being distracted (visually, manually or cognitively) has a negative effect on these skills. Drivers using mobile phones, whether handheld or hands-free, look but fail to see up to 50% of the information in their driving environment. This is called inattention blindness [...]

A Positive Attitude Keeps Safety A Priority Attitudes at work can positively or negatively affect our behavior. There are many ways to keep up a positive attitude at work, especially when it comes to safety.

Situational Awareness is an Important Skill to Keep Workers and Jobsite Safe Situational Awareness means paying attention and being aware of what’s going on around you. No matter what your role is at work, situational awareness is an important key to keeping everyone safe and eliminating property damage. View All Posts

Prevent Back Injuries at Work with These Lifting Techniques Despite all the equipment, tools, and machinery that is used in construction, manufacturing, in the warehouse or in the shop, manual labor is still needed to get most work done. What this means is that every worker is exposed to potential injuries to their back by simply doing the normal everyday tasks they often don't think twice about. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC): In construction, 25 percent of injuries are back injuries...[and] Every year, a back injury causes 1 in 100 construction workers to miss work - usually missing about 7 workdays, but sometimes more than 30. Tasks that can cause a back injury or aggravate an existing back injury include: Bending, stooping, or squatting Lifting [...]

Distracted Driving- Leave your Phone Alone Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 3,142 lives in 2020. NHTSA leads the national effort to save lives by preventing this dangerous behavior. Get the facts, get involved, and help us keep America’s roads safe. What Is Distracted Driving? Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system — anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving. Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. [...]

Rigging Safety As an operator or rigger it is your responsibility to insure that the load is properly rigged and safe to fly prior to it leaving the ground. Please take the time to look at the item rigged. If the customer rigged it assure that it is done right. Don’t hesitate to stop the lift and ask that it is done per your satisfaction. Just as a reminder, take a look at the following article which cover all the aspects of rigging safely. View All Posts

Ear Plugs are Part of Your PPE Being on the crane all day listening to the engine scream may be common place in our industry, but it could be effecting your hearing. Anything above 85db for an extended period is a factor in hearing lose. So grab some ear plugs from parts and wear them when you can. View All Posts

Recognize These Heat Stroke Symptoms Heat is a serious hazard to workers in many industries. Not only when workers are outdoors but also during indoor activity the body can build up heat and struggle to get rid of it. Here at Smiley everyone has access to bottled water and ice. Be sure to load your cooler each day. If you run out during the day, call me and I’ll get you re stocked. (480) 651-3977  Bob View All Posts

Recognizing What Makes You Stressed Out at Work In our industry of rushing to the next job, stress will creep in. The stress from the rush can cause us to overlook important step and can cause accidents. Take some time to stop and think about yourself for a minute and let the stress go. The article below can help you recognize it and help you to de-stress. View All Posts

Why Crane Operators, Riggers & Signalmen Require Specialized Training   Often our customer is rigging and signaling the load. It is important to confirm that the customer rigs the load correctly and knows what signals to give. It is the operator’s responsibility to ensure that the load is rigged correctly, and the signal person knows what signals the operator expects to see. Take the time to ensure that the equipment is rigged correctly, and signals are clear. Taking the time to ensure these items will make your job site safe, save time and eliminate a costly incident. View All Posts