“Don’t Fool Around On The Job”

An operator of an excavator struck a water line while digging a trench, causing water to spray around. A worker in the trench took his shovel and started tossing water back at the excavator operator. The operator was trying to close the window against the water when he inadvertently hit the lever controlling the bucket. The bucket moved, crushing the other worker against the wall of the trench.

Employee was standing on tractor battery box playing with the controls, the driver warned the employee stop ‘horse-playing’ and to get off the tractor. The employee while playing with the controls put tractor into reverse and lost his balance. He was then crushed when he fell underneath the wheel after his losing balance.

A victim reported as “playing” on scaffolding 4’ high. He was standing on a cantilevered plank when he lost balance and fell hitting the cross braces. He suffered fatal internal injuries from the fall.

An employee was elevated approximately 20 feet above the ground on the forks of a Yale forklift. He was crushed between a concrete overhang and the load backrest of the lift. According to several eyewitnesses he and his co-worker, who was operating the forklift, were “horsing” around when the accident occurred.

Horseplay starts in fun, but can easily end in tragedy. Don’t give in to the temptation of workplace pranks; they take everyone’s mind off the number one priority of working safely.

Horseplay is usually a friendly, physical way to let off steam. But that type of fooling around is dangerous on the job because:

• When you’re fooling around, you’re not concentrating on your work.
• Directing your horseplay at others is even more dangerous.

They’re not expecting the distraction and could easily have an accident such as falling into a moving machine part, slipping on the floor, dropping a tool, etc.

• Giving less than full concentration and attention to safety procedures makes you less likely to notice or account for hazards until it may be too late.
• Most accidents are caused by unsafe acts—and horseplay itself is an unsafe act.

You can prevent most workplace accidents by being alert to hazards and following safety rules. You can’t do either when you indulge in horseplay. That creates risks.

For example:

1. Running, chasing, or pushing can cause slips, trips, falls, and other accidents. You may:
2. Not notice spills or items lying on the floor
3. Lose your footing
4. Crash into, or push someone else into, heavy equipment or moving parts
5. Knock boxes or materials on to a person
6. Knock over open containers of hazardous substances
7. Throwing tools is a frequent cause of injuries. They may:
8. Stab someone with a sharp edge.
9. Hit someone in the head, eye, foot, etc., and cause an injury.
10. Bounce off a wall, table, or other surface and hit someone.
11. Fall from a height and hit a person below with tremendous impact

–Take every task and job seriously when working in any environment

–Do not distract or startle someone who is at work

–Stop it or report it. If you see horseplay, try to stop it. If the person is not responding then report it to your supervisor. This could save a life.

–Work defensively. Be aware of how unsafe acts cause danger to all employees on the jobsite.

–Explain to fellow co-workers the seriousness of someone being injured horseplay and not paying attention.

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to vessel in which it stands than to anything on which it is poured.” –Mahatma Ghandi