PHYSICAL PLANT SAFETY MANUAL

Safety Manual
1st Page

Introduction to Safety

General Work Habits

Clothing & Personal Protective Equipment

Work Area Houskeeping

Asbestos

Hand & Power Tools

Equipment & Machinery

Tag-Out Procedure

Fire Protection

Welding

Compressed Gas Cylinders

Electrical

Construction

Ladders & Scaffolding

Back Safety

Lifting

Vehicle Safety

Work Area Safety Awareness

Emergency Procedures

Off-the-Job Safety

Safety Equipment

Employee Statement

Updated April 2001

Vehicle Safety

It is your responsibility to closely follow the laws set forth in the Oklahoma Driving Manual as your rules of the road. It is also your responsibility to provide maintenance to the vehicle for which you are responsible. This means notifying your supervisor of braking or steering problems, lights or horns that have quit working, etc., as soon as the problem is discovered.

If you are in an accident while driving a University vehicle, follow the directions on the information packet in the glove box. Also notify your supervisor.

Motor vehicle traffic mixing with bicycle and pedestrian traffic is a major concern on campus. Even though bicyclists are required to follow the rules of the road, (the same as motor vehicles) many bicycle operators fail to obey stop signs or signal when making turns. Likewise, pedestrians are apt to step off a curb and cross the street at any location.

In either case, civil law favors the bicyclist or pedestrian because of the chance of serious injury being incurred by either when involved in an accident with a motor vehicle.

Drivers of motor vehicles should never park or travel in a bicycle path or on a sidewalk and should always look for a bicyclist that may be passing on the right.

Motor vehicle drivers should always stop for pedestrians on a campus street- -particularly those pedestrians in a crosswalk. Drivers of motor vehicles in a pedestrian-traffic-area not only have a responsibility to be legal in regard to statutory rules of the road, but also have a responsibility to "exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway." (Title 47, Sec. 11-504, Oklahoma Statutes).

Another rule of the road is that following too closely is unsafe at any speed, on any road, in any vehicle.

Materials or equipment to be moved on trucks shall be strapped or held down by ropes--not by workers. Never allow workers to ride on top of materials to keep them in place.

Red flags measuring 1 foot square must be placed on the end of loads that extend 4 feet or more past the end of the truck.

When transporting people in a truck, it is the driver's responsibility to insure that all of the people arrive safely.

• A safe number of people should ride in the cab of the truck, and any others shall be seated in the bed of the truck. (Riding in the bed of a truck is strongly discouraged.)
• Do not sit on the edge of a truck tailgate and do not ride on any truck with your legs outside of the bed.
• *Never* transport people while they are standing in the truck.
• Never ride on a piece of equipment if there is no place specifically designed for that purpose. Examples of this would be riding on a tractor fender, working out of a front- end loader bucket, etc.

Most non-collision deaths in the U.S. in 1994 were caused by falls due to swerving, braking or rough roads.  In one-third of these cases, the victim was standing up, sitting on the tail-gate or "horsing around."

When a trailer is to be pulled by a motor vehicle (including tractors) be sure the ball and hitch are sized for use together.

• The safety chains *must* be attached in the appropriate manner by crossing them under the tongue.
• When available, hook up the circuitry for the lights and check them after each hook-up to insure they are functioning properly before going into traffic.
• Place the heaviest part of a trailer load in the front of a trailer or above the axles, if possible.

To reduce the chances of swaying, large or heavy masses should not be placed at the ends of the trailer.

• Never allow anyone to be transported while in a trailer.
• Use a red flag on the end of a load that extends 4 feet or more past the end of the trailer.
• Practice backing the trailer in an isolated area and test trailer brakes, if available, before going into traffic.
• Learn to start slowly, avoid jerking, watch your speed, and avoid "fishtailing."
• Increase following distance and anticipate stops to permit deceleration without hazard.
• Avoid tailgating.

"I never knew how fast an accident could happen," he said quickly.