by Ken Shifflett, NFC Steering Committee
In addition to the comprehensive, bilingual safety manual and site-specific fall protection template, the FrameSAFE program includes a variety of supplementary training tools including Toolbox Talks and Jobsite Safety Posters.
Toolbox Talks highlight common workplace safety issues and general tips for a safe, efficient jobsite. Pulled from the FrameSAFE Manual, these one-page training sheets cover a range of framing topics that supervisors can discuss in a short, concise manner on the jobsite. There are currently 47 separate topics in the series, with several more in development.
Retention of training is paramount in jobsite safety; you must have continuous training in order to have a training system work. Like the safety manual, the documents are bilingual and include space for employee documentation and are graphically oriented with descriptions underneath to summarize main points. Every subscriber to FrameSAFE has access to pdf versions of the series to use at their disposal.
The FrameSAFE program takes things one step further with its series of Safety Posters. These posters correspond with Toolbox Talk topics and can be printed out and displayed on the jobsite for daily reminders. Posters have plenty of pictures and also feature English and Spanish descriptions.
Our goal is to cover at least 52 separate topics in the Toolbox Talk series with supporting Safety Posters, so framers can have access to weekly training. FrameSAFE is more than just a safety manual; we’ve created it to be a training tool that workers and employers can use to find everything they need in one product.
FrameSAFE has clearly drawn the attention of framers around the nation and proved the industry needs this program. We’re listening to the needs of framers, builders, general contractors and suppliers. It doesn’t matter what part of the country we work in; we all have to deal with a lot of the same problems. Together, we can bring standards to our industry, and I can assure you, we’ve just begun providing support to the framing community.
Kenny Shifflett owns Ace Carpentry in Manassas, VA, and has been in the framing industry for more than 40 years. He serves on NFC’s Steering Committee and chairs the Council’s Safety Committee. For more information about the National Framers Council and the FrameSAFE program, visit framerscouncil.org. Samples of all available Toolbox Talks and Safety Posters are also available to view on the website.
Excerpted from SBC Magazine, March 2015. Copyright ©2015 by Truss Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
