Are you leaving your tools behind at your jobsite? Beware!

If you are leave your tools behind, do you secure them? Do you lock out or tag out (see more below) items like saws that could easily be used without your knowledge? What if the homeowner has some curious teenagers, who will not think twice of testing out the saw you left behind?

If there is an accident, even though you are miles away that evening, watching, say, the hockey game and having a beer, the legal consequences of your unsecured tools being used to cause a physical injury to someone who happens upon them, are huge.

Under investigation by a Ministry of Labour inspector, you’ll need to prove you protected the public, especially under the Occupational Health & Safety Act.

Don’t leave yourself in the open, get people trained, including sub-trades. Its about creating and maintain a written workplace lockout-tagout program and it needs to be add to your existing policies and procedures. This will be your only defence tool.

Its all about showing due diligence, making sure everyone working for you is on the same page and they received training under “lock out tag out” Invest a few dollars and get lock out devices etc, to secure electrical plugs on tools, meaning they cannot be used by unauthorized people.

CARAHS is here if you need help. Available online is our lockout tagout e-course and our specially designed package on policies & procedures for our industry can be obtained by contacting us.

Thank you.

By providing education and training, CARAHS reduces your risk of fines, job site closures and prosecution under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act. CARAHS is independent, non governmental and an non union organization

Commitment – Integrity – Protection

Toll free 1 866 366 2930