objective of this committee is to propose changes in the   battalion’s   safety   policy   to   eliminate   unsafe working conditions or prevent unsafe acts. It is your contact  for  recommending  changes  in  safety  matters. In particular, the equipment committee reviews all vehicle mishap reports, determines the cause of each mishap,  and  recommends  corrective  action.  As  a crew  leader,  you  can  expect  to  serve  as  a  member. Each  committee  forwards  reports  and  recom- mendations  to  the  safety  supervisors’  committee. SAFETY DUTIES As  a  crew  leader,  you  will  report  to  the  safety supervisor,  who  directs  the  safety  program  of  a project. The   safety   supervisor   is   inherently responsible  for  all  personnel  assigned  to  that  shop  or project.  Some  of  the  duties  include  indoctrinating new  crewmembers,  compiling  mishap  statistics  for the project, reviewing mishap reports submitted to the safety office, and comparing safety performances of all crews. The  crew  leader  is  responsible  for  carrying  out safe  working  practices.  This  is  done  under  the direction  of  the  safety  supervisor  or  others  in positions  of  authority  (project  chief,  project  officer,  or safety officer). You, as the crew leader, ensure that each crewmember is thoroughly familiar with these working  practices,  has  a  general  understanding  of pertinent  safety  regulations,  and  makes  proper  use  of protective   clothing   and   safety   equipment. Furthermore,  you  should  be  ready  at  all  times  to correct  every  unsafe  working  practice  you  observe, and report it immediately to the safety supervisor or the  person  in  charge. When  an  unsafe  condition exists, any crew or shop member can stop work until the  condition  is  corrected. In  case  of  a  mishap,  make  sure  injured  personnel get   proper   medical   care   as   quickly   as   possible. Investigate each mishap involving crewmembers to determine its cause. Remove or permanently correct defective  tools,  materials,  and  machines.  Do  the  same for   environmental   conditions   contributing   to   a mishap.  Afterward,  submit  required  reports. SAFETY TRAINING New   methods   and   procedures   for   safely maintaining  and  operating  equipment  are  always coming out. You must keep up to date on the latest techniques in maintenance and operation safety and pass them on to your crewmembers. One method of keeping  your  crewmembers  informed  is  by  holding stand-up safety meetings before the day’s work starts. As  crew  leader,  you  are  responsible  for  conducting each meeting and passing on material from the safety supervisor,  Information  (such  as  the  type  of  safety equipment to use, where to obtain it, and how to use it) is often the result of safety suggestions received by the  safety  supervisors’  committee.  Encourage  your crew  to  submit  ideas  or  suggestions.  Don’t  limit yourself  to  just  the  safety  lecture  in  the  morning. Discuss minor safety infractions when they occur or at appropriate break times during the day. As the crew leader, you must impress safe working habits upon your  crewmembers  through  proper  instructions, constant  drills,  and  continuous  supervision. You  may  hold  group  discussions  on  specific mishaps to guard against or that may happen on the job. Be sure to give plenty of thought to what you are going   to   say   beforehand.   Make   the   discussion interesting and urge the crew to participate. The final result  should  be  a  group  conclusion  as  to  how  the specific  mishap  can  be  prevented. Your stand-up safety meetings also give you the chance to discuss prestart checks, and the operation or maintenance of automotive vehicles assigned to a project. Vehicles   are   used   for   transporting crewmembers  as  well  as  cargo.  It  is  important  to emphasize how the prestart checks are to be made and how to care for the vehicles. You can use a stand-up safety meeting to solve safety  problems  arising  from  a  new  procedure.  An example  might  be  starting  a  particular  piece  of equipment just being introduced. In this case, show the safe starting procedure for the equipment. Then, have  your  crewmembers  practice  the  procedure. Because  of  the  variety  of  vehicles  that  may  be assigned to a project, there is too much information and  too  man  y  operating  procedures  for  one  person  to remember. You need to know where to look for these facts and procedures. For  specific  information  on prestart checks, operation, and maintenance of each vehicle  assigned,  refer  to  the  manufacturer’s operator/maintenance    manuals. In  addition, personnel  from  Alfa  Company  (equipment  experts) will  instruct  all  personnel  in  the  proper  start-up procedures  for  new  equipment. In addition to stand-up safety meetings, conduct day-to-day   instruction   and   on-the-job   training. Although  it  is  beyond  the  scope  of  this  chapter  to describe  teaching  methods,  a  few  words  on  your 1-7