Be aware of dangers associated with all equipment, follow safety steps

  • Published
  • By Carolyn Morgan
  • 60th AMW Safety
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Just about everyone working at Travis uses some type of equipment to perform their job.

Whether it’s an aircraft loader, a table saw, an impact wrench, a forklift, a ladder or a motor vehicle, there are inherent dangers associated with all equipment. 

How many pieces of equipment do you use to perform your job? 

If you work in a shop, perform maintenance duties of any kind, or if your job takes you to the flightline, the answer to that question would most likely be “a lot.” 

Out of all the equipment you use, how many manufacturers’ manuals, operating instructions or safety warnings have you referred to prior to using a particular piece of equipment? 

Maybe a more pertinent question would be: Have you ever read those manuals, or do you even know where to find them? How confident are you that you know everything you need to in order to return home safely from work today? 

Mishaps involving equipment use is most often due to improper use, not faulty equipment. 

Unfortunately, many times, when injured individuals are interviewed after the mishap, they state they didn’t know or foresee how dangerous their actions were. 

Others became complacent and had been using the equipment improperly or taking shortcuts for some time. Some say that they knew something wasn’t right but failed to speak up before it was too late. 

Manufacturers publish user manuals, operating instructions and safety warnings to show us how to use their equipment, and more importantly, to prevent us from being injured while using it. 

Company CEOs know that in order to sell more equipment, they must keep their customers alive and prevent lawsuits against their company for failing to warn their customers of potential hazards while using their equipment. 

It is our responsibility to make sure we take the time to heed those warnings, and it is our job to ensure we use it safely. 

Technical orders do a great job of keeping us safe, if they are used. In conjunction with, or in the absence of technical orders, manufacturer’s manuals, OIs and AFOSH standards are used to determine the safety requirements for equipment use. 
If you do not know where to find these mandatory references, ask your supervisor to show you, and to explain anything that you don’t understand. 

Always inspect equipment before use to ensure it is safe to use. If you don’t know what to look for, ask your supervisor for an inspection checklist. 

Never use equipment which is damaged or has missing parts or safety guards; notify your supervisor and ensure it is tagged and removed from service until repaired. Never attempt to perform maintenance on equipment if you are not trained and authorized to do so. 

Knowing how to properly use equipment means that you have been trained to inspect it and recognize defects and hazards; how to service it, if required; how to use it safely and what personal protective equipment is required; what limitations the equipment has; and how to maintain it in good working order. If you don’t know these rules for equipment you are using, stop and find the information before proceeding. 

Trust your intuition and rely on what you know to be right. If you feel something is not right, call a “time out” and get more information, check with your supervisor and make adjustments. Arm yourself with knowledge to keep yourself and others from making an error in judgment that can result in lifelong consequences.