Unbelievably, we are almost at that time of year again and you know what that means—Spring cleaning. I can hear the collective “sighs” from everyone reading this. Each March, I would have our maintenance staff go through their shop areas and get ready for the warmer months. No one likes to do it but organization and preparation are key to a successful year. OSHA spends pages upon pages listing out various housekeeping and preventative maintenance requirements for industry, but below are some tips along with a checklist of the most common deficiencies I see.

Electrical Cords:

Electrical tape cannot be used to fix an extension cord. Why? Electrical tape does not have sufficient strength or abrasion resistance to make a permanent repair. You can either make it into smaller cords by cutting the damaged section out and placing plugs on both ends or dispose of it completely. Electrical plugs, however, can be replaced.

In addition, electrical cords cannot be used as “permanent wiring.” If you leave the cord plugged in for more than 2 days, I would consider it to be permanent. However, if you remove it from the outlet each night, that is fine.

Tools & Equipment:

If you need to dispose of electrical tools or ladders, you cannot simply throw them away. Electrical cords need to be cut into three separate pieces and ladders need to be destroyed. Why? If a resident or “dumpster diver” was to get ahold of an electrical tool / ladder and got injured, who do you think they will come after? OSHA states that “no reasonable person would try to fix a cord cut into more than two pieces or re-assemble a destroyed ladder.”

Some general checklist items to consider when Spring cleaning:

□ Is the area in front of electrical panels and fire extinguishers kept clear for 36 inches?

□ Are chemicals in their proper storage container and correctly marked?

□ Has old oil / old fluorescent bulbs been disposed of?

□ Are walkways and doors kept free of debris?

□ Are rugs secured to the floor to prevent a corner from flipping up?

□ Are old rags / towels disposed of properly?

□ Are old pallets and scrap wood properly stored or marked for disposal?

□ Is the plug housing on electrical tools damaged at all?

□ Are any prongs on extension cords / power tools missing?

□ Is the insulating cord sheath on extension cords / power tools compromised?

□ Do all wheel grinders, drill presses, circular saws, etc. have machine guards in place?

□ Are the handles and heads of hammers and other striking instruments free from defects?

□ Are the blades changed on all utility knives?

□ Do ladders have any missing / broken rungs?

□ Do extension ladders lock properly and have rubber padding on the feet?

□ Has the oil been changed on gas powered equipment?

□ Are gloves in good condition or do they have holes everywhere?

□ Are safety glasses fogged / scratched to the point you cannot see out of them?

□ Do you have enough disposable ear plugs?

□ Do you have enough N-95 Disposable Particulate Dust Masks?

□ Are first aid kits restocked with non-expired products and easily accessible?

□ Have the saline bottles in emergency eye wash stations been replaced?

□ Do the soles of steel toe / composite toe shoes have enough tread?

□ Have you reviewed / updated your Safety Manual or Standard Operating Procedures?

□ Have you collected Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for new chemicals collected throughout the year?

□ Are the labels on your chemicals compliant with the new GHS (Globally Harmonized System) requirements?

Sean McCrimmon can be reached at (847) 439-5367 or sean@dakotaevans.com.