Capital Aggregates Ltd., San Antonio, Texas An injury occurred at the warehouse receiving dock at Capital Aggregates' San Antonio plant when a truck driver pulled away from the dock while the extension ramp was still extended. The employee that was spotting the truck was unaware of the driver's intentions and fell from the ramp. To avoid future accidents like this, the following procedure was put into place:

1. Turn truck ignition off.

2. Set truck brakes.

3. Install chocks in front of tires.

4. Extend ramp.

5. Carry out loading/unloading routine.

6. Retract ramp.

7. Remove chocks.

8. Restart truck.

9. Release brake.

Signs have been posted in prominent locations to notify drivers and plant personnel, and no accidents have occurred since this procedure was implemented.>CNCement Industry 1999 Best Safe Practices Awards>TIGENERAL F ACILITY

RMC Pacific Materials, Santa Cruz Plant, Davenport, California A project team at RMC Pacific Materials' Santa Cruz plant designed a motor blow-off station using an old feed hopper equipped with a dust collector. The enclosure was fitted with an observation port (window) and a pair of rubber sleeves (gloves). Motors are placed into the enclosure, and compressed air is used to clean the parts. The unit operation is clean and sits inside the electric shop, and employees do not have to wear respirators while performing this task. In addition, fugitive dust is not created inside or outside of the building. The project took about four weeks from concept to completion and was built from equipment located in a surplus warehouse.