A Carpenter was injured during a horseplay incident that occurred when employees were returning from their lunch break. He exited his vehicle to approach employees who were engaged in a water fight, and neglected to turn off the ignition and place the vehicle in park.
When the truck started to roll forward, he attempted to enter the vehicle from the passenger side door which was locked. He then ran around the front of the vehicle to the driver’s door.
As he reached the door the vehicle pinned him against a large water tank, breaking his arm. Another employee stopped the vehicle by breaking the passenger window with a rock and turning off the ignition. The vehicle was then pushed back into a position that allowed the pinned employee to be freed.
Our working environment is potentially dangerous and anything that unnecessarily increases the chance of an injury must be eliminated.
Horseplay includes;
- Scaring someone.
- Air hosing someone.
- Wrestling with someone.
- Boxing.
- Goosing, pinching, grabbing, back slapping
- Dropping objects next to someone to startle.
- Throwing water on someone.
- Throwing objects or tools at someone.
- Discharging a fire extinguisher.
Imagine horseplay, which you are involved in, resulting in an injury to a co-worker. It’s easy enough to get hurt on the job under normal conditions.
Don’t increase the chance of injury by unnecessary distractions; horseplay is a hazard to all fellow employees who are trying to mind their own business and do their jobs well.
Worksite foolishness should not be tolerated. Such acts as tripping, pushing, throwing tools or other objects and water fights, have no place on the job.
