The real message of today's meeting is simple. In fact, I'm borrowing it from the Boy Scouts. The message is: Be Prepared. The University has put a lot of time and effort into accident prevention, but we all know that no matter what we do, accidents ar e going to happen. None of us is infallible. And even if we were, accidents can still happen as a result of things that are beyond our control.

That's why OSHA requires us to be prepared for many types of emergency situations. It's also why we're all here today.

Identifying Potential Hazards

As with most safety-related issues, the first step toward emergency preparedness is identifying the most obvious risks in your work area. For example, one thing that we can all be on the lookout for is electric hazards. Electrical problems are among the main sources of workplace fires. As a rule of thumb, always check electrical equipment before you use it. If you spot a problem, have it corrected immediately.

Some other common hazards are related to chemicals. Be familiar with any substance in you work area that might be:

Flammable - I f there are flammables in your area, make sure you know the circumstances which may cause them to ignite.

Explosive - Certain vapors and dusts can cause serious explosions when they come into contact with other substances you should know about them already, but let me know if you have any questions.

Reactive - Some substances are safe until they come into contact with others. Make sure you're familiar with the types of reactions that could cause problems in you work area.

MSDS's

One of your best weapons against the hazards we're discussing is the Material Safety Data Sheet. MSDSs, as well as chemical labels, can tell you a lot about what you're dealing with. But you've got to read them. In our facility, the MSDSs are stored ___ ___________ . Take a good look at them until you're very clear on all of the potential hazards as well as what to do should an accident occur. This goes for the chemicals you work with as well as those used by others in your vicinity.

If An Accident Does Occur

Because no two accidents or accident situations are exactly alike, I can't give you complete details on what to do in every emergency. Sometimes common sense applies. But what I can do is give you some general pointers about what to do in an emergency.

First, make sure you know how to report an emergency. This could be a fire, a chemical spill, an explosion or some other type of incident. According to the University policy, the procedure for reporting emergencies is the following:

(Provide details of your facility's emergency reporting process.)

(Provide information on where evacuation routes are posted and where outside meeting places are.)

Concluding Remarks

Remember - even if spills or fires are unlikely in your immediate area, these and other types of emergency situations can arise. If you have any questions or concerns about hazards in your area, let me know. Beyond that, you need to know how to prevent these risks from becoming accidents and know how to respond if prevention fails.