Tools, Protection, Procedures, and Positioning
In any organization, an effective safety program is the combination of a comprehensive set of programs and expectations from regulation compliance, training, certifications, and PPE … to committees, policies, re-training, discipline, and recognition. But there’s a common sense side to safety that requires personal ownership and commitment prior to every task performed. At GSM, we call it T3P. In the world of a million acronyms, T3P stands for Tools, Protection, Procedures, Positioning. Let’s think about that for a second.
The T3P Concept
If you consider these four simple words prior to performing any task, you’re essentially performing a personal Job Safety Analysis. Ask yourself…
Am I using the right tool for the job, and using it correctly? How many times have you used a wrench as a hammer, or a screwdriver as a chisel; introducing an increased risk of injury. Use the right tool.
Am I protecting my body by wearing the appropriate PPE to protect my body for the task I’m performing? Forgetting your safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, steel tips, sleeves, etc. increases the risk of injury. Wear the proper protection.
Am I following the proper procedure for the task? There’s a right way and a wrong way, and every task has the “right” procedure, while the wrong way increases risk of injury. Follow the proper procedure.
Am I positioning my body correctly to “stay out of the line of fire” in the event that something goes wrong? Know where the line of fire is… and stay out of it. Position our body correctly.
Thinking about these four concepts reduces your risk, and can help you avoid your next injury. At GSM, working safely is the most important part of our jobs, and we take it seriously – from adding the T3P concept into every GSM employee toolbox to offering roof safety solutions for our customers.