John Meola’s ‘Safety First!’ Bulletins

We regret to report that John Meola passed away on March 19, 2023. We couldn’t be more appreciative of the Safety First! reports that John provided to WSA as a courtesy every month starting in 2014. John agreed at the 2014 National Pavement Expo, where we met, to provide the bulletins at no charge. Since we have such a large archive of previous alerts from John, we’re continuing to provide relative info each month.

John’s mission was to do whatever he could to keep people as safe as possible, both on and off the job. Along the way we became fast friends and exchanged all manner of items in our personal lives. RIP, John.

— Ranger Kidwell-Ross, WSA Director

When it comes to the issue of contractor safety, John Meola was one of America’s top experts on the topic. This monthly series for WSA Members is sponsored by Pillar, Inc., where John Meola was employed as the company’s Safety Director.

Note: We also have on the WSA website a link to two complete 1.5 hour video seminars on safety presented by John Meola. The one he presented in 2015 is entitled “Top 10 Safety Issues for Pavement Contractors.” The video presented in 2016 is entitled “How to Set Up and Run an Effective Safety Program.” Both were presented at the National Pavement Exposition and are available exclusively to WSA Members.

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December’s Safety Message emphasizes actions to take in this season:

• Traditional Seasonal Safety Reminders
• Cold Weather Safety Reminders 
• Cold Weather Ergonomics Reminders
• Mindfulness for a Safe Year

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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November’s Safety Message emphasizes actions to take in this season:

• Heaviest travel volume of the year coming up!
• Cold weather is here: Dress and prepare accordingly
• More cold weather tips
• Report accidents and close calls
• Thanksgiving: Stay safe in the biggest traffic of the year!
• Doing non-standard operations? Review safety/operations prior to using tools

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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October’s Safety Message emphasizes actions to take with the change of the season:

• Deer season also means glare season
• Halloween safety
• Ergonomics of lifting and movement
• Cold Weather Reminders & Tips
• Remember to Drive Defensively!
• It’s Flu Season: Tips to keep from getting it
• More tips as the season changes

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Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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September’s Safety Message emphasizes actions to take with the change of the season:

• Watch Out For School-Related Traffic!
• Hurricane Cleanup Reminders
• Deer Season Info
• College Back to School Reminders
• Preparing for Glare
• Ladders, Climbing, Slip & Fall Prevention

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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August’s Safety Message emphasizes actions to take given extreme heat conditions… and more!:

• Watch Out For Labor Day Changes!
• The Heat Usually Breaks in Mid-August
• Recognize: Better Health = More Safety
• Accident Records Show Most Were Preventable
• Intermediate Level Defensive Driving Reminders
• Zero Incident Philosophy

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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July’s Safety Message emphasizes actions to take given extreme heat conditions:

• Change routine in extreme heat
• Extreme heat relief mechanisms
• More heat cautions and relief methods
• Defensive driving in heat
• Ergonomic effects of high heat
• Heat illness progression warning signs

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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June’s Safety Message discusses the following:

• ‘HOT WORK’ – Summer is Now
• High Temps + Humidity = Fatigue
• Workers: Maintain your Free Space!
• Work Defensive Driving in Opioid Conditions: Prevention Tactics
• ‘HOT WORK’ – Summer is Now
• Risk Factor Analysis: Hand – Finger – Arm Soft Tissue Injury Prevention
• When  Did ‘Safety Regulation’ become a bad word?

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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May’s Safety Message discusses the following:

• Memorial Day – Summer Kick Off = Start of Accident Season
• Hot Nuclear Summer May be on the Way!
• High Heat & Hydration Reminders
• Work Zone Accident Prevention Tactics
• Hurricane Season Starts June 1st; Be Ready
• Seasonal Safety From Insect, Reptile, Avian, Critters, Poison Ivy
• Slip-and-Fall Avoidance

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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April’s Safety Message discusses the following:

• Emphasizing Work Zone Safety Week
• Spring Creates Upswing in Incidents — Focus!
• Prepare Ahead and Report Incidents/Near Misses
• Defensive Driving
• The Weather: Don’t Take It For Granted
• Hand & Finger Injury Prevention

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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March’s Safety Message discusses the following:

• Spring Fever and March Madness — Not Just Basketball!
• Ergonomics 101
• Footwear and Back-Related Items
• Please Think About These Items

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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February’s Safety Message discusses the following:

• Nuclear WINTER continues
• ICE & Cold – SLICK roads – Defensive Driving 
• Hydro-Plane Advisory
• Ergonomics for cold – hand & finger, shoulder and arm strains common
• Flu Season Advisory

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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January’s Safety Message discusses the following:

• Dealing with Extreme Cold: General Arctic Safety Tips & Advisories
• Winter Vehicle Prep Reminders
• Reminder to Mitigate Ice/Snow Around Offices and Client Offices
• Dressing and Other Tips for Cold Weather
• Practice Ergonomics in Cold Weather
• Defensive Driving – Two Pages of Cold Season Best Practices

Available as Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF file.

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SAFETY FIRST! 2024 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2023 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2022 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2021 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2020 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2019 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2018 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2017 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2016 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2015 ARCHIVES LINK

SAFETY FIRST! 2014 ARCHIVES LINK

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John Meola’s experience with providing contractors and others with advice on safety issues spans over three decades. John has provided loss control consulting for a wide variety of organizations, including insurance companies, trans-national corporations and associations. Through the years he has been a frequent contributor of articles to the WorldSweeper organization. In early 2014, Meola began providing his ‘Safety First!’ series of safety topics to WSA Members on a monthly basis as a sweeping industry exclusive. If you have questions or comments about any of these safety topic lessons, let us know via the contact form shown below.