Sharon Koehler

Stone Industry Consultant

I originally had something much more exciting in mind to write about, but I have to go down the safety road this month. I absolutely have to.

Last weekend I was in a restaurant and a couple of tables away was the cutest little toddler, acting as toddlers will act. She did something very cute and I started laughing. In a split second I went from laughing to choking. And folks, I do mean choking. 

I learned that when you are choking, you can’t make any noise. All I could do was bang on the table to draw attention to myself. I felt like my eyes were popping out of their sockets. I was getting lightheaded and on the verge of passing out. My panic level was off the charts. 

A wonderful woman in a blue dress performed the Heimlich maneuver on me. The staff called the paramedics. It was a nasty scene. I had to take the next day off of work because I felt so bad.

But the next day, while I was lying in bed, I started thinking about the woman in the blue dress and how she was prepared for this emergency. I was thinking that if the situation was reversed, I would not have been able to help her. I know nothing about first aid, CPR or the Heimlich maneuver. 

We work in a dangerous environment, with saws, grinders, heavy equipment and of course the stone isn’t exactly light either. (In space maybe, but not on this planet.) Our trucks are loaded with hundreds of pounds of stone. We go up stairs lugging heavy pieces in slippery booties, all for the customer. We operate electric tools and forklifts in dirty, wet conditions. We as a collective group are “an accident waiting to happen.” I’m actually surprised that more accidents don’t happen.

But my question to you is, “If an accident or a medical emergency were happening right in front of you, would you know what to do?” I know I wouldn’t and I suspect a lot of you wouldn’t either. Would you know what to do if someone got a finger cut off by a tool, or what would you do if someone started choking in the break room? 

What happens if the clamp on the forklift fails and shards of granite fly everywhere when the slab hits the ground? What happens if you are in a customer’s house and they start having a heart attack or a stroke? Do you even know the signs of a heart attack or stroke? 

What happens if you are up on the back of the truck and you accidentally fall off? Does anyone around you know how to help you if you are unconscious, or if you have a concussion?

Now, I can hear the collective chorus of “CALL 911” and that’s great, but often what you do between the beginning of the event and the time the paramedics arrive is crucial. If the lady in the blue dress had not helped me, I shudder to think how that might have turned out. Do you know how to preserve that guy’s finger on the ground so it can be reattached, and do you know how to treat his bleeding and shock? 

All of that has to be figured out before the paramedics arrive. Now, I’m not suggesting that we all go out and become paramedic certified. But some basic first aid knowledge can make all the difference. As luck would have it, there are plenty of ways to get basic first aid training.

The Red Cross is probably the first thing that pops into your head and that’s a great place to start. They have great classes. And at the end of one of their courses you will more than likely be certified for whatever class you took (as long as you pass!). Some classes can even be taken online. 

Red Cross classes can start around $30 and go up from there depending on the class you want or need. They offer first aid for lay responders, first aid for sports coaches, babysitting classes, CPR classes, water safety classes and much more. The drawback is that unless it’s an online course, you have to go to wherever they are holding the class.

You can also check with your local rescue squad or fire department. A lot of times they will send someone out to your business to hold a basic class. It can be more customized to your needs– industrial accidents versus around the home accidents, for example– and you can get more people trained at one time. Their fees are often minimal compared to the Red Cross. The drawback is that you might have to get on a class list and wait until they have some available time and personnel.

Libraries and churches are good resources as well. Public Libraries will occasionally hold classes. Check with your church also and ask your church-going co-workers to check with theirs as well to see if you can get something lined up. 

Also, in your family or social circle or your co-worker’s family or social circles, you can ask if anyone knows a nurse, a paramedic, doctor, EMT or fireman. This is when a friendship can be unselfishly used to accomplish your goals, as well as helping others down the line. Sometimes family and friends are willing to do something for you that they wouldn’t normally do for other people. 

But, as nice as it is to know what to do in case of an emergency, there is the expression “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Translation: are you doing everything you can to keep yourself and your co-workers safe? Are there tools in the shop with nicked cords? Let that cord fall in the water while you use it and you are heading for a shock, a real one. Let your shop foreman know it needs to be fixed. 

Your trucks carry hundreds of pounds of weight, not to mention living, breathing people. If you know there is something wrong with a truck, say something. Don’t just ignore it. You or someone else could get hurt. 

Do you notice that your forklift needs maintenance? Tell your shop foreman so he can schedule it. If the lift has a slab in the air and the hydraulics let go, you risk not only damaging the slab but anyone standing nearby. 

We all do stupid stuff from time to time. If you see someone doing something unsafe - STOP them! Don’t just walk on by and say “It’s their life.” Claims on workman’s comp insurance can drive up the company’s premiums and make it more difficult to get new equipment, raises or personnel. One person’s foolish moment can affect everyone. 

Safety doesn’t just pertain to the shop. If you drive a company vehicle, or any vehicle for that matter, drive safely. Stop at stop signs; don’t do a “rolling stop.” Drive evenly. Slamming on the brakes and jack rabbit starts can cause the load in the back to shift, even if it is properly secured. You can damage the material, the truck and yourself, not to mention innocent bystanders that are simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

The other day I saw a pickup truck with a small quartz A-frame in the back with a huge slab of granite on it. I saw no strap on the A-frame and only one strap on the slab and the slab was hanging about 4 feet off the back of the pickup. One sharp turn or big bump and gravity and simple physics will take over. I’m not saying we all have to drive like Grandma Moses out there but think about what you’re doing. Better safe than sorry.

Jobsite safety is important too. You need to wear the proper safety gear to protect yourself and it’s up to you to protect your customer as well. We all have those customers who want to watch every move we make and peer over our shoulders while we work. You need to nicely explain to them that for their safety and yours, they need to observe from a distance. You are trained on the tools and equipment. They are not.

Here’s a final point for you all to consider. Safety is not the next guy’s responsibility–  It is everyone’s responsibility. Don’t wait for the next guy to help that person who has just had an accident or has become the victim of unsafe equipment or is having a medical emergency. The next guy may not know how to do it either.

Sharon Koehler is a 10-year veteran of the stone industry. Currently she is the head of marketing for Artistic Stone Design in Richmond, Virginia and has been a regular contributor to various trade magazines for several years. Any thoughts or comments may be sent to sharon@artisticstonerichmond.com.