Waldsafe stands by its tagline, “Safe People. Safe Facilities. Safe Food.” This month, we are focusing on Safe Facilities and what it really means to operate safely.
Safe Facilities: Safe facilities are well-maintained, have properly functioning equipment, are staffed with First Responders, have storm shelters in place, and are quick to remove or successfully mitigate any hazards.
- Well-maintained facilities are timely in making repairs, ensure exits are clearly marked and unobstructed, and always keep things in their proper place.
- Properly functioning equipment is achieved via preventive and predictive maintenance programs. Parts are not robbed from one machine to fix another. A thoughtful inventory of replacement parts is on hand at all times.
- Well-trained First Responders are dispersed evenly among shifts and areas of the facility. They know how to quickly retrieve and effectively use the first aid kit and AED device.
- A storm shelter is a safe place for employees to gather during dangerous weather. It should be easily identifiable on maps throughout the facility.
- Any facility hazards that can be removed (slip hazards, trip hazards, etc.) should be solved by the first employee that sees them. Other hazards, such as chemicals (locked up), forklifts (slow down), and machines (lock-out, tag-out) require mitigation.