What can potentially go badly for service truck personnel in the field?
The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) breaks potential deadly mishaps into four main categories.
1. Falls: While industrial platforms and buildings can pose particular risks, so too can big trucks, says Joshua Franklin of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
2. Struck by: “This has everything to do with vehicle and equipment strikes,” Franklin says.
KatarzynaBialasiewicz Getty Images/iStockphoto
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Beware of electrocution perils and three other safety hazards.iStockphoto.com/KatarzynaBialasiewicz
3. Caught in/caught between: Can involve trenches, rotating equipment, rollovers and equipment maintenance.
4. Electrocution: Watch for potential exposure to poorly maintained cords, tools and other electrical hazards.
“The OSHA Focus Four are something to at least start with,” Franklin says. “They don’t cause the majority of injuries, but they do cause the majority of severe injuries. If you’re going to get hurt badly, it’s probably going to be one of these four hazards.”
— Saul Chernos