Contents

Introduction What's Inside?.
Training Techniques.
Tractor Safety Training Guide.
Motor Vehicle Safety Training Guide.
Chipper/Shredder Safety Training Guide.
Skid Steer Safety Training Guide.
Tree Trimming Safety Training Guide.
Aerial Lift Safety Training Guide.
Mowing and Trimming Safety Training Guide.

Chipper/Shredder Training Guide

Suggested Materials

• Chipper/Shredder Safety Manuals (English, Spanish)
• Sign-in Sheet
• Pencils
• Instructor Guide
• Training Overheads/Slides/Projector
• Blank Overheads/Flipchart/Blackboard/Pen for listing participant responses and outlining important concepts
• Chipper/Shredder and Tractor for Hands-on Exercises
• Ear Plugs and other protective equipment for Hands-on Exercises
• First Aid Kit for Hands-on Exercises

Sources of Background Information
Chipper/Shredder Safety Manuel available for download: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/Landscaping_Equipment_Safety.htm
Operator's manual for chipper/shredders (available from dealer)

Length of Time Needed for Training
Review and select the learning activities that are most appropriate. If all of the discussion and hands-on exercises are included in the training it may take up to a full work day. Without the hands-on exercises, the classroom portion will take about two hours.

Welcome and Introduction

• Introduce yourself.
• Remind participants of the topic of the training.
• Discuss breaks, locations of restrooms, ending time and any tests or evaluations.
• Tell participants you expect them to play an active role by relating their experiences and knowledge.

Participant Introductions
Find out:

• Who are they?
• What is their experience with chipper/shredders in the workplace?
• What do they hope to learn from the training?

Questioning/Discussion
Before beginning Lesson 1:

• Ask participants what types of accidents can happen while operating a chipper/shredder. List ideas on an overhead or flipchart.

Lesson 1 Take Charge of Your Own Safety

Suggested Objectives

• Name the most common types of accidents involving wood chipper/shredders.
• Interpret the meaning of common warning signs and labels.
• Identify appropriate protective equipment.

Discuss Accident Reports on page 4 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Discussion Items

• How well did participants' ideas for the most common cause of accidents match those in the Chipper/Shredder Safety manual? (Refer to the overhead or flipchart list made during the introduction.)
• Which of these hazards represents the greatest risk in your workplace?
• Have any participants known someone who has been seriously injured or killed while operating a chipper/shredder? Would anyone care to share what happened?

Discuss the Safety Signs on page 6 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

• What signs have participants seen on the equipment in their workplace?

Hands-on Exercise
Have participants inspect and wear any personal protective equipment that is required for their work. Discuss the importance of each item.

Try on hearing protection:

• follow manufacturer's procedure.
• demonstrate technique.
• provide feedback as participants practice.

Inserting Ear Plugs

Types of Hearing Protection

Ear Plugs
	Clean hands. Roll ear plug between fingers to compress it. Grasp ear from behind your head with opposite hand and pull up to straighten ear canal. Insert ear plug until it blocks sound, then hold in place while it expands. (Count out loud to 20 while it expands.) Ear plug must completely fill ear canal. Test fit by cupping hands over ears and then releasing. There should not be much difference in sound. Wash reusable plugs in warm soapy water after use/throw away disposable after each use.
Hearing Bands
	Grasp ear from behind your head with opposite hand and pull up to straighten ear canal. Use your hands to press the ear pads into the ear canals. Test fit in a noisy environment: Lightly press band inward and you should not notice much reduction in noise level.
Ear Muffs
	Make sure the cushions fully cover the ear and seal tightly against the head. Hold the headband at the crown of the head and adjust each cup. Test fit in a noisy environment: Gently push the cups toward your head and release. There should not be much difference in noise level.

Evaluation
As a group, answer the quiz items on page 8. Be sure to discuss each item.

Questioning/Discussion
Before beginning Lesson 2:

• Ask participants what safety items they check before starting their chipper/shredder every day? List items on an overhead or flipchart.

Lesson 2 Prepare for Safe Operation

Suggested Objectives

• Indicate features to be inspected before operation.
• Recognize safe operating procedures.
• Identify safe transportation and traffic guidelines.

Discuss the Accident Reports on pages 9-10 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Discussion

• How do participants' current pre-operation inspections compare to the one listed in their manual? (Refer to the overhead or flipchart list made at the end of Lesson 1.)
• Do participants always use a buddy system when working with a chipper/shredder? Why or why not? Why is it important?

Analysis
Ask participants to read information about Safe Startup and Shutdown on page 11 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual. For each numbered or bulleted point, ask participants to write in the margin if the item mainly protects them from being "caught in moving parts" or "struck by the hood." When everyone has finished have each participant read a point aloud and briefly tell what type of accident it will prevent and why. Be sure to discuss points that participants find surprising or difficult to comply with.

Discuss the Accident Reports on pages 11-12 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Hands-on Exercise
Have a chipper/shredder available. After completing a pre-operation inspection:

• Have each participant follow safe startup and shutdown procedures.
• Ask a participant to demonstrate safe fueling procedures.
• Ask groups of two or three participants to prepare a chipper/shredder for towing and hitching.

See the Daily Pre-Operation Inspection here.

Evaluation
Answer the quiz items on page 13 either individually or as a class. Be sure to discuss each item.

Visual Aid
Before beginning Lesson 3:

• Discuss the overhead "What's Wrong With This Picture?" provided on pages 98 of the Instructor Guide. Ask the group to identify the correct way to feed materials into a chipper shredder.

Lesson 3 Avoid Being Caught in Moving Parts

Suggested Objectives

• Develop safe feeding procedures
• Recognize how to protect yourself from moving parts.

Discuss the Accident Reports on page 15 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Ask participants to describe how a worker should safely attempt to unclog debris or make adjustments to a chipper.

Analysis
Ask participants to look over items under "Safe Feeding Procedures," "Moving Parts," and "PTO Safety." Have participants circle any items that are hard for them to do on the job. Ask participants to discuss the items they circled; why are they difficult to comply with and what can be done to make them easier to follow?

Discuss the recommendation in the Did You Know? box on page 16 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Hands-on Exercise
Have a tractor with PTO and chipper. As a group, inspect and discuss the shields and guards. Ensure the shaft is secured. Under careful supervision, have participants practice feeding materials into the chipper/shredder.

• Be sure all participants are wearing proper protective equipment.
• Be sure all participants are a safe distance from the chipper/shredder.
• Demonstrate the correct procedure.
• Have each participant practice one at a time.

Evaluation
Answer the quiz items on page 17 either individually or as a class. Be sure to discuss each item.

Lesson 4 Avoid Being Struck by the Hood

Suggested Objectives

• Recognize how to prevent injury from the chipper/shredder hood.
• Identify location of the hood on different chipper/shredder models.
• View different warning labels on chipper/shredder hoods.

Discuss the Accident Reports on page 18 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Discussion Items

• Have participants ever known of a situation like the ones in the accident reports? Would they care to share what happened?

Discuss the recommendation in "Prevent Injury From The Hood" on page 18 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

• What policies does your company have that relate to inspecting hoods and keeping them closed?
• What can be done to make compliance easier?

Review the warning labels information on page 19 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Hands-on Exercise
Break the class into small groups. Have each group examine a chipper/shredder and locate and inspect the hood. Have each group report back to the class regarding the condition of the hood and where it might strike a worker if it flew off.

Evaluation
Answer the quiz items on page 20 either individually or as a class. Be sure to discuss each item.

Lesson 5 Environmental Hazards

Suggested Objectives

• Identify environmental hazards.
• Recognize treatment and first aid for exposure to environmental hazards.

Discuss the Accident Report on page 21 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Discussion Items

• Have participants experienced or known any one who has suffered heat related illness? If so, would they care to share what happened and how the individual was treated?
• What could have been done to prevent the illness?

Discuss the Heat Symptoms in the column on page 22 of the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual

Visual Aid
Display and discuss the overhead "What Should You Do?" on page 100 of the Instructor Guide. As a group, discuss the proposed solution.

Contest
Divide the class into groups. Display the contest items provided on pages 101-105 of the Instructor Guide. In turn, ask each group a multiple choice or true/false question from the overheads. Each group gets one point for every correct answer. If a group misses a question, allow the next group to answer it for a point. Keep track of points and recognize the winning group. Use the questions as opportunities to discuss the training material. Answer key provided on page 106.

Hands-on Exercise
Using your company's first aid kits, demonstrate and have participants practice first aid for common injuries such as cuts and burns.

Evaluation
Answer the quiz items on page 27 either individually or as a class. Be sure to discuss each item.

Conclusion

Discussion
Ask participants to share any questions or concerns they may still have or want to discuss further.

Case Studies
Break the class into small groups of three to five participants. Provide each group with one of the scenarios from pages 107-109 of the Instructor Guide. Ask each group to answer the question in their scenario, using the information in the Chipper/Shredder Safety Manual. If there are more than three groups, have more than one group work on the same scenario. Monitor the progress of the groups. Bring the class back together and ask for a representative from each group to read their problem and explain their solution. Ask other groups what they think of the proposed solution.

Evaluation
Answer the quiz questions on page 29 individually or as a group. Be sure to discuss each item.

Hands-on Performance Evaluation
In a safe area with adequate supervision, have each participant complete a hands-on performance evaluation while operating a chipper/shredder. The evaluation may include completing:

• Pre-Operation Inspection provided on page 96 of the Instructor Guide
• Safe start-up
• Proper feeding procedures
• Safe shut-down.

A checklist for the performance evaluation is provided on page 97 of the Instructor Guide.

What's Wrong With This Picture? (Chipper/Shredder Safety Lesson 2)
(Roll over image with mouse to see answers.)

What Should You Do? (Chipper/Shredder Safety Lesson 5)

You and a coworker are operating a chipper on a hot summer afternoon, when your coworker complains of a headache. He is very sweaty and barely has the energy to feed material in the chipper. What should you do?

Contest (Chipper/Shredder Safety Lesson 5)

1. To avoid heat illness:
   1. drink at least a quart of water per hour.
   2. plan to do the most strenuous work in the coolest part of the day.
   3. both A and B.
      
2. It is a hot day, and your co-worker becomes light headed, dizzy and has clammy, moist skin. How should you respond?
   1. Move the person to a cool area and give fluids to drink.
   2. Cover the person with a warm blanket.
   3. Give the person salt tablets.
      
3. A broad spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor of at least 15 will help protect you from:
   1. cataracts.
   2. skin cancer.
   3. neither A nor B.
      
4. Sunglasses and a hat with a visor will help protect you from:
   1. cataracts.
   2. near-sightedness.
   3. neither A nor B.
      
5. It is a hot day, and your co-worker becomes disoriented, confused, and has hot, dry, red skin. How should you respond?
   1. Give the person a soda and wait for 30 minutes to see if s/he starts feeling better.
   2. Call 9 11 immediately and take steps to cool the person's body temperature.
   3. Keep the person warm until help can arrive.
      
6. Which of the following is the best practice to avoid being struck by lightning?
   1. Crawl under a vehicle.
   2. Lie flat on the ground under a large tree.
   3. Get indoors as soon as your hear thunder or see lightning.
      
7. Which of the following is the best practice for working in cold weather?
   1. Work alone.
   2. Dress in layers of warm clothing.
   3. Vigorously rub any skin that becomes numb and turns a pale white color.
      
8. You should consult a physician if:
   1. you are bitten by a snake.
   2. you have poison ivy on the face, mouth or a large portion of the body.
   3. both A and B.
      
9. How should you respond if someone working in cold weather becomes drowsy, has bluish-colored skin, and is shivering uncontrollably?
   1. Make the person warm and dry, and seek medical attention immediately.
   2. Tightly wrap the person in cool, wet towels.
   3. Give the person alcoholic beverages to drink.
      
10. Lightning can strike the same place twice.
    True/False
    
11. A person who has been struck by lightning retains an electric charge that can shock you.
    True/False
    
12. You are more vulnerable to heat illness if you have suffered it in the past.
    True/False
    
13. It may take a new worker anywhere from days to 2 weeks to be acclimated to working in the heat.
    True/False
    
14. You are more likely to suffer from a heat-related illness on days with LOW humidity.
    True/False
    
15. Use a cold pack on an insect sting during the first 24 hours to relieve pain and swelling.
    True/False

Answer Key (Chipper/Shredder Safety Lesson 5)

1. c
2. a
3. b
4. a
5. b
6. c
7. b
8. c
9. a
10. T
11. F
12. T
13. T
14. F
15. T

Case Study # 1 (Chipper/Shredder Safety Conclusion)

You are in charge of a work crew that will be working in a sparsely populated area 20 miles from the nearest town. You will be traveling to this area each day for about 2 weeks. Your crew will be using a PTO-powered chipper/shredder to grind branches as they are being trimmed away from power lines. What safety issues should you consider?

Case Study # 2 (Chipper/Shredder Safety Conclusion)

You have to operate a chipper near a busy roadway. What issues should you consider and how can you protect yourself, coworkers and motorists?

Case Study # 3 (Chipper/Shredder Safety Conclusion)

You will be operating a chipper in a popular public park. What issues should you consider and what precautions should you take?

Forms (PDF)
Daily Pre-Operation Inspection: Chipper/Shredder
Evaluation/Performance Checklist: Chipper/Shredder

Publication #: MF2716

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