Machine/equipment-specific checklist

The DOE led to questions on why the safety message was not being retained by employees. Different concepts were tested for communicating the desired safe behavior. It was found that the best actions that improved information retention included verbal discussion and pictures with text coupled with preshift reviews, supervisor/employee one-on-one discussions to verily by demonstration that information was retained, and use of a machine/equipment-specific checklist. Supervisors were also asked to describe the at-risk behaviors they wanted to change. It was found that when risk identification was aimed at carefully selected areas, it brought into view peripheral issues of high risk that must be addressed. 

Area walk-through tours (housekeeping, hunting for hazards, etc.). Machine/equipment-specific checklists. 

The next component of ABSS is a machine/equipment-specific checklist. This is a checklist that is used to focus on specific identified safety issues for each piece of machinery and/or equipment in the organization. This checklist is developed and updated by the employees and supervisor who works with and around the specific equipment with the input from the safety staff. The key to this list is not to make it overly detailed. We suggest that no more than 15 of the most important items are listed on this checklist, which may cover specific inherent hazards of a machine or equipment. Refer to Appendix P, Operator General Observations and Machine/ Equipment-Specific Daily Inspection Checklist . For an overview, refer to Figure 11.2, Sample General Observations and Machine/Iiquipment-Specific Daily Inspection Checklist . 

In reviewing the checklist as described above, if there is a safety issue identified, an agreement must be reached between the employee and the supervisor as to the nature and type of the hazard and the potential risk before the equipment can be put into operation. Refer to Appendix P, Sample Machine/Equipment-Specific Checklist . 

The next component of ABSS is a machine/equipment-specific checklist. This checklist is used to focus on specific, identified safety-related issues for each piece of machinery and/or equipment in the organization. It is developed and updated by employees and the leadership team (Figure 11.9) (Appendix L). 

Discuss the implementation of a machine/equipment-specific safety checklist. 

Sample General Observations and Machine/Equipment-Specific Daily Inspection Checklist. 

Reviewing machine/equipment-specific safety checklists. 

Figure 11.9 Sample General Observations and Machine/Equipment-Specific Dally Inspection Checklist Development. Based on Roughton Crutchfield, 2013.

Conduct at random, five reviews of machine/equipment-specific safety checklists. 

Connection between nodes is a link. Your connection to other people is a link. For example, when you talk to another person you link with them. When you as part of the leadership team have a face-to-face discussion, hold a daily preshift review, a weekly or monthly meeting, area walk-throughs, and/or review the equipment/machine-specific checklist with your employees, you are directly linked with your employee(s). Refer to Chapter 11, Developing an Activity-Based Safety System. Through your links, your message is directly communicated to the employees in each of these activities. Where you are not directly connected is where information may not be flowing. In addition, the employees you are linked with are in turn linked to other employees. 

Machine-specific checklists to be completed by the machine or equipment operator, similar to the daily sign off required by forklift/powered industrial truck operators. 

Develop a machine-specific checklist to validate all equipment safe operating procedures. 

Review the equipment/machine-specific checklist with your employees. 

James noted how the machine-specific checklist can evolve over time. A load turner is used to turn a six-foot stack of paper and is designed with a 300-pound plate used to clamp the stack in place. An incident occurred in a plant where, while in a raised position, bolts broke and caused this heavy plate to fall. A machine/ equipment checklist was put in place and included checking for missing or broken bolts. The checklist was developed through employee discussions, and uncovered a number of other safety concerns and unknown hazards that has never been addressed and were added to the checklist. 

The collection of miscellaneous items listed in the various departments are recommendations and reminders of what to inspect for in a warehouse. There may be additional unmentioned items that should be a part of a specific inspection checklist. Checklists should be designed to be specific for a particular department and should not include items that do not exist in the area. Develop the checklist based upon knowledge of what, where, and how unsafe conditions have occurred in the past. An evaluation of departmental injury reports also provides a good source of ideas about which items require regular inspection. Employees are also helpful in recommending items that should be on the inspection list. When looking at a tool, machine, structure, or piece of equipment, direct the attention to those parts that are subject to developing unsafe conditions. 

Many OSHA standards have specific requirements for protecting employees from mechanical hazards. In this section, you will find action steps, tips, answers to frequently asked questions, checklists, and training exercises and handouts on a variety of topics related to mechanical hazards. All of these will help you ensure a safer workplace for those employees who work with powered tools, machines, and equipment. 

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