Safety Policy & Responsibilities
All of us at First Choice Power Washing LLC have a key role in ensuring a safe working environment for our employees, customers, suppliers, and the general public. We are each responsible for the following:
Management
Management’s most important safety responsibility is to lead by example and set the tone for a safe working environment throughout our company. Management’s responsibilities also include:
• Making a full commitment to safety that starts at the top
• Communicating our company’s commitment to safety in a way that encourages all to share this commitment
• Establishing safety policies and procedures and ensuring that they are implemented
• Providing monetary and other support for our safety program
• Appointing a safety “champion” to lead our safety program
• Ensuring that all company safety rules are strictly enforced
• Complying with OSHA and other regulatory requirements
• Ensuring that supervisors are properly trained and are held accountable for their safety responsibilities
• Ensuring that all employees are trained in a language and manner that they understand
• Taking prompt corrective action on hazards and potential hazards and empowering others to take action
• Initiating prompt accident investigation, documentation, and follow-up, including follow-up on “near miss” incidents
• Regularly reviewing all accidents, on-the-job injuries or illnesses, and near miss incidents with supervisors and other employees
• Regularly evaluating the effectiveness of our safety program and making changes when needed
• Promoting our company as a safe company to customers and the public
Supervisors
Our supervisors (crew leaders and other supervisors) are a critical link between management and our non-supervisory employees. Our supervisors’ safety responsibilities include:
• Supporting and communicating our company’s commitment to safety
• Reviewing and understanding company safety policies and procedures
• Enforcing all safety rules in a fair, consistent manner
• Providing appropriate safety training to employees in a language that they understand before they begin their duties
• Ensuring that employees are properly trained and certified before operating vehicles or equipment
• Documenting (in writing) attendance at all safety meetings
• Regularly inspecting vehicles, equipment, and job sites to identify potential unsafe conditions and work practices
• Ensuring that workers use appropriate PPE as required
• Promptly investigating and recording all accidents, on-the-job injuries or illnesses, near misses, and reports of hazards
• Ensuring that all injuries receive prompt and appropriate medical attention
• Documenting in writing all disciplinary actions taken against employees who violate safety rules
• Ensuring that tools, equipment, vehicles, facilities, and job-site work areas are safely secured during non-use periods
All Employees
All of our employees are responsible for:
• Complying with all company safety rules and policies
• Working safely at all times and encouraging coworkers to do the same
• Always using PPE as required
• Promptly reporting any hazards or potential hazards to their supervisor or another manager
• Promptly reporting any accidents, on-the-job injuries or illnesses, or near miss incidents
• Participating in safety training sessions and safety meetings
• Complying with all hazard warning signs
• Keeping safety guards and shields in place and not operating equipment if safety devices have been removed or disabled
• Conducting pre-trip and post-trip vehicle/equipment inspections
• Maintaining vehicles and equipment in good working condition
• Operating vehicles and equipment in a safe manner — and only after being properly trained
• Practicing good housekeeping to reduce the risk of injury to others
• Making suggestions to management about how our company could be safer
Safety Rules
We are committed to maintaining a safe working environment and to reducing the risk of injury to our employees, customers, suppliers, and the general public. In an effort to do that, First Choice Power Washing LLC has established the following safety rules, which all employees must follow. This list of rules is provided for convenience and is not intended to cover all aspects of safety conduct and behavior. Disregard for our company’s safety rules is grounds for disciplinary action, including possible termination.
If you are injured while working, notify your crew leader or other supervisor. He/she will see to it that you receive proper first aid and medical attention. Your supervisor will ensure that records are kept.
All injuries, no matter how minor, must be reported so that they do not become more complicated or infected.
All employees must abide by the following requirements.
Before starting a job:
• Inspect work areas, equipment, and job sites for hazards before starting your work each day. Immediately report any unsafe conditions to your supervisor or another manager so that corrections can be made before you start work.
• Understand when hand signals are required. Make sure you thoroughly understand the signals before beginning a job. When in doubt, ask. Only one person at a time can give hand signals, and that person must be in a position to have a clear, unobstructed view.
• Do not work underneath or over others without first notifying them and seeing that the proper safeguards are in place.
Dress:
• Dress according to our job standards. This includes: long pants and long-sleeved shirts; socks; boots or shoes (depending on the activity) with sturdy, non-slip soles; chemical-protection clothing and footwear when handling chemicals; and a hat for sun protection during the hot summer months. Tennis shoes, sandals, and other lightweight shoes are not allowed at any time.
• Do not wear jewelry, drawstrings, or loose or frayed clothing when operating or working near powered machinery or equipment. Tie long hair back.
• Know that hard hats must be worn around all building construction and wherever a potential overhead hazard exists.
• Wear a safety vest where work zones include traffic.
General:
• Think safety at all times. Do not distract coworkers or engage in roughhousing, horseplay, fights, or similar activities that increase the chances of an accident.
• Do not take shortcuts and do not run.
• Do not allow children on job sites.
• Promptly report all accidents, on-the-job injuries or illnesses, and near miss incidents to your supervisor or another manager. Know the location of first-aid kits and who and how to call for emergency medical help.
• Always use appropriate fall protection if you are not working at ground level.
• Ensure that all loads are covered with a tarp and secured, and that the truck can handle the weight of the load.
• Report wet conditions on hills or other slopes to your supervisor for an evaluation before working.
• Follow our company’s no smoking signs and other signage warning of potential hazards. Never smoke in fueling areas.
• Only use chemicals if you have been properly trained in their use. Only store chemicals in original containers and in a properly locked location. Do not eat, drink, or smoke when handling chemicals or when working in areas where chemicals are stored.
• Know that our company has a drug-/alcohol-free workplace policy.
• Do not bring weapons of any kind onto our property, into company vehicles, or onto job sites.
• Lift correctly to avoid sprains, strains, and back injuries. Always lift within your limits and never lift or move an object that weighs 50 pounds or more by yourself. Seek assistance from a coworker for heavy loads. You also must comply with our company’s stretching program standards.
• Practice good housekeeping at all times. Keep your work area and job sites free of objects and debris that could be tripping hazards. Do not allow oil, water, or other substances to remain on floors so they become slip hazards. Return all tools and equipment to their proper location at the end of the day.
• Follow our company’s procedures in the event of an emergency. Become familiar with the location of fire extinguishers, emergency exits, and so on. Know how to call for outside emergency help. Do not block exits, fire doors, fire extinguishers, gas meters, or electrical panels at any time.
• Always use the PPE — safety glasses, goggles, earplugs, gloves, hard hats, etc. — that has been assigned for the particular task. If your PPE does not fit properly, immediately tell your supervisor so that it can be replaced.
Equipment:
• Do not remove or disable guards, shields, or other safety devices unless you have been authorized to do so. Never bypass a safety device.
• Promptly report any missing or damaged safety devices to your supervisor. Do not operate equipment with missing or defective safety devices until they have been replaced.
• Only repair equipment if you are authorized to repair it. Ensure that our company’s written lockout/tagout procedures are followed before any cleaning, adjustments, or repairs begin.
• Only operate vehicles and equipment after you have been trained.
• Know that the personal use of company vehicles or equipment requires prior written approval.
• Never ride or let a passenger ride in the bed of a truck,.
• Do not allow passengers on any equipment and do not allow unauthorized persons (non-company employees, relatives, friends, etc.) to operate company vehicles or equipment.
• Turn off vehicles and equipment when they are not in use. Take the keys with you. Do not leave equipment unattended.
• Never stand between two pieces of equipment or under any hoisted equipment or material.
• Do not use a cell phone when operating vehicles or equipment unless it is an emergency and you cannot safely stop to call for emergency help. Also, do not engage in other unsafe activities (such as taking notes, reading maps, etc.) when operating vehicles or equipment.
• Use cones, barricades, and other warning devices provided when working in traffic areas. Do not park vehicles or equipment where they are likely to get hit.
Motor Vehicle Safety
Motor vehicle accidents are a major concern to First Choice Power Washing LLC, in large part due to the amount of time that employees spend on the road. Vehicle accidents can cause serious injury or death, resulting in increased insurance and business disruption costs. Most of these accidents are due to driver error or poor operating practices, both of which can be controlled.
These concerns, in addition to our concern for employee and public safety, have resulted in the creation of our company’s Motor Vehicle Safety Program. Our motor vehicle safety policies include, but are not limited to, the requirement that all employees who drive company vehicles:
1) Hold valid driver’s licenses from the state(s) in which they will be driving and are fully insurable;
2) Immediately notify a supervisor if their license is suspended;
3) undergo hands-on training and pass a road test before being allowed to drive;
4) Hold a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) and meet all CDL requirements in order to drive large trucks that require CDLs; and
5) Undergo hands-on training before being authorized to pull a trailer or otherwise haul a load. Our company requires drivers to have at least three years of driving experience. If a driver under the age of 21 is accepted, he or she must have a clean motor vehicle record and driving history. An excessive number of incidents (tickets and accidents) and/or any major violations (such as driving with a suspended license, careless driving, or drug or alcohol violations) at any age are unacceptable.
Our policies also require any employee using a personal vehicle for regular company business to provide proof of insurance. In addition, we require all prospective drivers to sign a Motor Vehicle Report Release Form so that we can check their driving records and submit to a drug/alcohol test following any motor vehicle accident. Our insurance company makes the final decision for driver acceptance.
Our drivers have the following additional responsibilities:
• Know and comply with all local and state traffic regulations.
• Become familiar with the operation of the vehicle that is assigned to you. Know what it can and cannot do. If you don’t feel safe driving, let someone else who has been pre-approved to drive company vehicles take over.
• Keep your vehicle mechanically sound. Report deficiencies to your supervisor.
• Comply with our company’s cell phone use policy (no use of cell phones when driving, except in an emergency if you are unable to safely stop).
• Keep windshields and mirrors clean at all times.
• Visually check your vehicle, trailer, and load prior to driving. Inspect your vehicle each day, both before departing and after your trip. Document your findings.
• Make sure all loads are secure and are covered with a tarp if necessary and that the trailer tongue weight is correct.
• Make sure that trailers don’t have any rocks or debris that could fall off while driving.
• Know your vehicle’s weight capacity. Never haul a load heavier than the truck can handle.
• Have the right attitude. Be considerate and use common sense in protecting and respecting the rights of other drivers and pedestrians. Control your temper and be patient.
• Always drive defensively to avoid an accident.
• Adapt vehicle speed to weather, road conditions, traffic, and visibility, and never exceed posted speed limits.
• Allow at least one truck or truck-and-trailer length of space for each 50 miles of speed between you and the vehicle ahead.
• Avoid sudden stops to keep from being hit from the rear.
• Stop for school buses, then proceed at a safe speed. Comply with local school bus traffic laws.
• Give correct signals far enough in advance to be seen.
• Avoid making U-turns.
• Avoid parking on hills unless absolutely necessary. When you must, put the vehicle in the opposing gear, apply emergency brakes, contact the curb with the front wheels turned in if headed downhill (turned out if headed uphill), and put a chock on the downgrade wheel.
• If mechanical trouble develops and you must stop on the side of the road, immediately put out flares or other warning devices in accordance with regulations.
• When possible, exit the vehicle from the curbside while on public ways.
• Promptly report all accidents. You will be given instructions if an accident occurs.
• Keep your vehicle clean and be a courteous driver. Remember that First Choice Power Washing LLC image is presented each time you drive a company vehicle.
Safety Committee
First Choice Power Washing LLC has established a safety committee with the objective of ensuring a safe working environment for all employees. The committee includes representatives from all areas of our company.
Formal positions include: chairperson, an identified “safety champion,” who serves a two-year term; vice-chairperson, a safety champion, who is in training to become the next chairperson; and secretary, who assists the committee in preparing agendas and taking minutes at all committee meetings. Safety committee meetings are held monthly.
The committee monitors loss trends and insurance reports, identifies risks, establishes company-wide annual goals and objectives aimed at reducing hazards and injuries, and reviews all accidents, on-the-job injury or illness, and “near miss” reports with the involved employee(s), then suggests actions to prevent recurrence.
Additionally, the committee conducts job-site and facility safety inspections/audits, recommends changes to our company safety policies, conducts safety orientation for new employees, reviews and acts on employees’ safety suggestions, identifies needed safety training and implements training programs, and prepares an annual safety improvement plan for our company.
The committee also fills out and posts all required OSHA reporting forms and enters our company in local and national safety recognition and award programs.
Safety Orientation
First Choice Power Washing LLC requires all newly hired employees to participate in a safety orientation before beginning their duties. The safety committee conducts a safety orientation in a language and manner that the new employee understands. Safety orientations include:
• Sharing First Choice Power Washing LLC’s vision and commitment to safety
• Presentation of our company’s safety achievements and awards
• Complete review of First Choice Power Washing LLC’s safety policies and procedures
• Instructions on how to report hazards, potential hazards, accidents, on-the-job injuries or illnesses, near miss incidents, and safety suggestions
• Inspection of all vehicles and equipment and a review of the new employee pre-approval (certification) requirement prior to operation
• Demonstration of all PPE to which the employee will be assigned
• A tour of our buildings and grounds to familiarize the new employee with all safety equipment, signage, and other items (fire extinguishers, the location of emergency exits, etc.) that may be needed during an emergency
Safety Training
First Choice Power Washing LLC requires that our employees successfully complete “hands-on” training on all vehicles or equipment that they will be operating before they are allowed to operate it. We also provide the following mandatory training: hazard communication training and all other OSHA-required training; weekly “tailgate” safety training; refresher training for supervisors and other long-term employees; training on the importance and use of PPE; and on-site hazard awareness training at job sites to which employees are assigned.
Supervisors are responsible for regular on-the-job safety awareness and training for their crews. Our policy is to train our employees in a language and manner that they understand and to document in writing attendance at all safety training sessions.
Enforcement of Safety Policies
First Choice Power Washing LLC strictly enforces all safety policies and procedures and holds supervisors and other managers accountable for fairly and consistently enforcing company safety rules. Employees who violate company safety policies will be subject to discipline, up to and including possible termination.
Supervisors must provide management with written documentation of all disciplinary actions (including verbal warnings) taken against employees who violate company safety rules.
Supervisors will be subject to disciplinary action or dismissal for the following:
• Failure to control unsafe conditions or work practices
• Failure to provide adequate training prior to job assignment or vehicle or equipment operation
• Failure to enforce the use of required PPE
• Repeated safety rule violations by the employees they supervise
• Failure to report accidents or provide appropriate medical attention to employees injured at work
Drug-/Alcohol-Free Workplace
Substance abuse is a costly issue that impacts the safety and well-being of all of our employees. First Choice Power Washing LLC is committed to maintaining a drug-/alcohol-free workplace by:
• Prohibiting the use, possession, manufacture, purchase, sale, or distribution of alcohol, narcotics, other illegal or unauthorized drugs, “look alike” or simulated drugs, or drug-related paraphernalia on our property, on job sites, and in company equipment or vehicles at any time
• Prohibiting employees from reporting to work with the presence of alcohol or other illegal or unauthorized drugs in their systems
• Prohibiting employees from reporting to duty under the influence of any legally prescribed drug or medication that will adversely affect their working ability, alertness, response, or coordination, or jeopardize the safety of others
• Requiring employees using legally prescribed drugs to report such use to their supervisor so it can be determined whether the drug produces side effects that could be hazardous to their job performance.
Our drug-/alcohol-free workplace policy also authorizes our company to test job applicants and employees for the presence of drugs or alcohol in their systems at any time, in accordance with state and federal laws. Employee drug/alcohol testing may include random testing, post-accident testing, “reasonable suspicion” testing, or testing upon return to duty after a leave of absence.
Workplace Violence
First Choice Power Washing LLC is committed to providing a safe, secure working environment for our employees, customers, vendors, and other visitors. We strictly prohibit guns or weapons of any kind from being brought onto our property or job sites, or from being carried in company equipment or vehicles. We reserve the right to conduct unannounced searches for weapons in accordance with the law.
Additionally, our company strictly prohibits violent acts or threats of violence, including fights, intimidating or threatening behaviors, vandalism, arson, sabotage, and physical or sexual abuse. We require all employees to immediately report any violent acts or threats of violence to management so that they can be thoroughly investigated. Retaliation against employees who report violent acts or threats of violence is strictly prohibited.
Emergency Response
First Choice Power Washing LLC has a written emergency response plan that complies with federal, state, and local requirements. We have identified an emergency response coordinator and an alternate, and we provide regular training to our employees (including unannounced drills) on evacuation and shelter procedures and locations during emergencies.
We have posted emergency phone numbers throughout the company and have trained employees on the location of emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and other equipment that may be needed in an emergency. We have prepared an evacuation map for each of our facilities and a site map of our property, which includes such information as the location of gas and water lines and the location of chemical and fuel storage areas.
These maps are posted in areas where employees can see them, and copies have been provided to local emergency responders.
We regularly inspect all emergency equipment, entrances, and exits and have trained our employees how to call for outside help during an emergency. Our policy is that protecting human life comes first during an emergency.
Accident Reporting/Investigation
First Choice Power Washing LLC requires our employees to promptly report all accidents, including property damage accidents, and all near misses to their supervisor or another manager. Reporting near miss accidents is important in preventing possible future injury to one of our workers. Our company promptly investigates all reports of accidents and near misses and requires supervisors or other managers involved in such investigations to complete an accident investigation report.
We have specific written procedures that those involved in vehicle accidents must follow; copies of these instructions are located in the glove compartment of each company vehicle. We also have developed a form providing written guidance for our telephone operators or other persons who receive the initial report of an accident.
Our company reviews all accidents and near miss accidents with the affected employee, his or her supervisor, and other managers and employees in an effort to prevent recurrence. We also promptly report accidents likely to result in lost workdays to our workers’ compensation carrier. In the case of any accident, our highest priority is the lives of those involved.
Our specific procedures for all employees involved in a vehicle accident are as follows:
• Stay calm. Get in control of yourself and the situation.
• Call 911 for police or professional emergency medical help if needed.
• Direct traffic with flairs, cones, or reflectors, as appropriate.
• Attend to all injured persons. Start with the most seriously injured person first.
• Do not move the injured person unless he or she is in danger from fire, other vehicles, etc.
• Call the office to report the accident and get instructions.
• Do not move the vehicles.
• Exchange driver’s license and vehicle information.
• Conduct your own investigation. Get names, addresses, vehicle license numbers, and insurance information from all those involved; get the year, make, and model of all vehicles involved. Offer the same information to others who were involved.
• Do not admit fault and do not discuss the accident with anyone except the office or police.
First-Aid Policy
First Choice Power Washing LLC does all that is reasonable to assure that the best, appropriate, authorized care is provided for work-related injuries and illnesses. We provide first-aid kits in various locations throughout the company for our employees’ use and train employees on the location of these kits and their contents. First-aid kits are also provided in all company vehicles and must be kept fully stocked.
Our first-aid policy includes:
• Training employees in the safe handling of blood and other body fluids
• Providing protective equipment, including latex and vinyl gloves
• Publicizing to all employees the names and emergency phone numbers of employees who have been trained in first aid and CPR
• Training employees in how to call for outside professional emergency medical help
• Requiring employees to promptly report all work-related illnesses and injuries, no matter how minor
We also require our supervisors to make sure prompt medical attention is given to all work-related injuries and illnesses.
Return-to-Work/Modified Duty
First Choice Power Washing LLC has a return-to-work/modified duty program that is aimed at getting employees to return to work as soon as is medically possible after sustaining work-related injuries or illnesses. Return-to-work programs are an important tool to help control workers’ compensation claim costs, and they demonstrate to injured and ill employees that we care and are interested in their well-being.
We have identified certain modified duty tasks that may be appropriate for some injured employees, but it is important to work on a case-by-case basis with the injured/ill employee, our insurer, and a local medical provider to match the employee’s restrictions to the job task. All modified duty jobs are temporary in nature.
We require employees to promptly report any work-related injury or illness to their supervisor, and the company promptly reports these incidents to our workers’ compensation carrier. Employees must provide a doctor’s release to full duty before returning to regular duties.
Buildings and Grounds
We require our employees to take steps to eliminate potential hazards and to work in a safe manner throughout the company — including in our offices, the garage, and our shop — as well as on our grounds. We have posted speed limits in our equipment yard and in parking lots and have clearly marked parking areas. Special care must be taken when backing up vehicles or equipment in the yard and lots. We prohibit unauthorized persons from parking in equipment areas.
Supervisors must ensure that buildings are kept free of hazards and that daily hazard inspections are conducted in the garage and shop. All employees, including office workers, are required to participate in weekly tailgate training and to practice good housekeeping at all times. Good housekeeping practices include keeping floors free of debris and other tripping hazards, keeping aisles clear, promptly cleaning up spills, and keeping individual work areas free of hazards.
We strictly prohibit smoking in our shop and garage and prohibit any unauthorized persons in either area. We have placed multipurpose fire extinguishers throughout our company. These extinguishers are visually inspected once a month and receive an annual maintenance check. We also have set aside a special welding area in our shop; this welding area has a welding curtain, is adequately ventilated, and is located away from flammable materials.
Job Site Safety
Safety at job sites is critically important for our employees, our customers, and the general public. We require job site supervisors to conduct brief daily hazard awareness training and to ensure that each job site has been checked for any unsafe conditions before work begins.
Written documentation must be kept of any hazards that are found and the corrective action that was taken.
Our job site safety policies also include:
• Calling for utility locates before work begins; using the appropriate PPE and dressing properly (long pants, sturdy boots or shoes, etc.) for the work to be done
• Practicing good housekeeping to prevent slips and trips and other preventable injuries
• Using safety equipment (traffic cones and similar devices) when appropriate to help protect the general public
• Parking vehicles and equipment in a safe manner
Job sites must be maintained in a safe condition at all times. Additionally, before leaving the job, supervisors must ensure that any unsafe conditions have been corrected or that customers have been warned about any condition that cannot immediately be corrected and could result in injury. Our company also prohibits children from being on job sites.
Preventing Injuries Due to Handling Materials
Back injuries and other injuries resulting from improperly lifting or moving heavy materials are a major source of lost workdays and increased workers’ compensation costs for our industry.
First Choice Power Washing LLC’s program to reduce the risk of these often chronic and painful employee injuries includes daily five- to 10-minute (mandatory) warm-up stretching exercises for all employees, continual training on safe lifting and moving techniques, the provision of manual and mechanical lifting devices, guidelines on when to use such devices, and ongoing assessments for hazards that could result in injuries due to manual handling of materials.
We also require employees to seek assistance with objects that weigh 50 pounds or more and to promptly report any work-related back strains or other injuries due to handling materials.
Some common examples of how back injuries occur are:
• Lifting — heavy items or bulky objects
• Twisting — changing a flat tire or shoveling
• Jumping — off a truck or trailer bed
• Slipping — while getting out of equipment or on slick surfaces
Our training includes teaching employees these basic safe lifting procedures:
• Wear sturdy boots or shoes with good traction.
• Get a firm footing. Then part your feet and put one foot slightly in front of the other.
• Bend your knees, not your waist, and lift with your legs.
• Keep your back as straight as possible.
• Get a good grip on the object. Hold it as close to your body as possible.
• Don’t jerk the object or twist your body.
• Use mechanical or manual lifting devices when available.
Preventing Injuries Due to Repetitive Motions
Repetitive motion injuries are a concern to our company, both for our outdoor crews and our office workers. We train our employees to recognize and reduce the risk of repetitive motion and other ergonomic injuries. Our policy also includes providing the proper tools and equipment for the job, requiring employees to take breaks to avoid prolonged repetitive motion, regularly assessing the workplace for repetitive motion and other ergonomic hazards, and requiring all employees to promptly report all work-related ergonomic injuries.
OSHA Compliance
First Choice Power Washing LLC makes every effort to comply with all of the OSHA regulations that affect us. We post the required OSHA job safety poster in a conspicuous location where we post other employee notices. We maintain an OSHA-required injury and illness log for each calendar year and promptly record all OSHA-recordable injuries and illnesses. We post OSHA Form 300A Annual Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses as required from
February 1 to April 30 of the following calendar year.
We also notify the nearest OSHA area office or call (800) 321-OSHA within eight hours of any work-related employee fatality or incident that results in the hospitalization of three or more workers. We know that many states have state-run OSHA plans and have made our supervisors aware of whether we are covered by federal OSHA or a state-run OSHA plan.
Chemical Safety
The safe use of chemicals is extremely important to First Choice Power Washing LLC. In addition to complying with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, our company ensures the safe handling and use of chemicals by providing employees with the appropriate PPEs, as specified on the material safety data sheet (MSDS) and the product label, and by providing hands-on training on how to use it.
We also provide employee training on topics such as the safe use of chemicals, proper mixing and storage procedures, emergency and first-aid procedures related to chemical use, safe clean-up after chemical use, proper cleaning and disposal of chemical-contaminated clothing and protective gear, and what to do if a chemical spill occurs.
Our company requires all chemicals to be stored in their original containers and in a locked location. We also follow all regulatory requirements relating to the use of chemicals, including, but not limited to, record keeping requirements, re-entry intervals, transporting chemicals, and reporting spills.
Hazard Communication/Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Our company complies with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard by:
• Having a written hazard communication policy
• Maintaining current MSDS and properly labeled chemical containers for each hazardous chemical we use
• Maintaining a current list of all hazardous chemicals we use
• Providing information and training to employees as required under the standard
• Notifying outside contractors in person of any chemical hazards that they may encounter during their work for us
We have identified one individual to be responsible for our overall hazard communication program and have identified additional employees to be responsible for other required tasks. We ensure that any employees who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals receive the OSHA-required training in a language and manner that they understand. We also ensure that employees are trained both before their first assignment with a hazardous chemical and whenever a new hazardous chemical is introduced into their work area.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
First Choice Power Washing LLC conducts written hazard assessments to determine if using PPE is likely to be necessary in a specific work area. If we are unable to eliminate or reduce the hazard by other means (such as engineering or administrative controls), we provide PPE to protect our employees. We require our supervisors to strictly enforce using the PPE that is provided. Our PPE policy also includes training employees, ensuring that the assigned PPE properly fits, and requiring employees to demonstrate their ability to properly use the PPE before performing a task.
Safe Equipment Operation
We require all employees to operate equipment in a safe manner and to abide by our equipment safety rules. Such equipment includes, but is not limited to, pressure washers, sprayers, and any other powered equipment. Powered equipment can be very dangerous, so we require employees to undergo hands-on training designed specifically for each piece of powered equipment before being allowed to operate it.
No unauthorized persons are allowed on company equipment, and equipment must be operated in a manner and for the purpose for which it is intended. Company equipment must not be left running and unattended, and it must be kept in a proper, safe location when not being used. We also require pre-trip and post-trip equipment inspections to ensure the operator’s safety.
Lockout/Tagout
First Choice Power Washing LLC has a written lockout/tagout program aimed at protecting our employees and contractors from the unexpected start-up of machinery or equipment — or the release of hazardous energy — while the equipment is being serviced or maintained. Our procedures include isolating the powered equipment or machinery from its energy source, dissipating any stored, residual energy, then applying specialized locks and tags.
Our lockout/tagout program applies to, but is not limited to, such equipment as pressure washers. In accordance with OSHA’s requirements, our program includes general and equipment-specific lockout/tagout procedures; training for employees who operate the affected machinery or equipment and for those who may be in the area when the equipment is being serviced; authorization of certain trained employees to apply lockout/tagout devices; and the issuance of specialized locks and warning tags to those employees.
