March 31, 2020 | By Lauren Epperson

Worker safety should be one of the top priorities of any company, especially in a manufacturing environment. Safety meetings are a great way to build a strong safety culture and reinforce a company’s commitment to protect employees on the job. Regular meetings allow new safety policies and procedures to be discussed, as well as ensure that previously discussed safety measures are still in effect.

Under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) law, employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace. In a concerted effort to provide a workplace free from serious recognized hazards and comply with standards, rules and regulations issued under the OSH Act, Universal Tool & Engineering (UTE) has implemented monthly safety meetings for all employees. These monthly meetings have been dubbed Toolbox Talk and cover different topics that are critical to the manufacturing industry.

During the January 2020 Toolbox Talk, we began our discussion on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the Hazard Assessment which had been previously completed to determine which PPE items were to be required when performing various jobs in the shop. February’s Toolbox Talk discussion was on different types of eye protection required and available to all employees. Safety glasses, attachable side shields, brazing goggles, and welding helmets are all available and should be worn when performing tasks in the UTE shop. In March, we continued our topic of PPE in our Toolbox Talk by focusing on hearing protection and foot protection. Earplugs are available to all employees, and must be worn when performing stamping jobs, or any task that exceeds 85 decibels of sound for an extended period. Steel toe shoes and boots are always required when on the shop floor. In addition to scheduled topics, we discussed how employees can be proactive in preventing the spread of COVID-19 here at work and in the community. All CDC and government recommendations have been employed and followed at our location.

All our meetings have recordings that can be accessed on our company’s YouTube channel. Universal Tool & Engineering is dedicated to creating a safe workplace environment for all employees by complying with Federal and State regulations and requirements.