Monthly Archives: August 2011

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

SURPRISING HEALTH BENEFITS OF LEMONS

You know the old saying, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!”  There may be more truth to that than we realize.  Recently, I was sent some information on the health benefits of lemons.  Those beautiful yellow fruits may be little “cure-alls.”  At least, I may give it a try.  

Of course, we know that lemons are a great source of Vitamin C, which helps fight infection and heal wounds.  They also bolster the immune system with their absorbic acid.  Mix some lemon juice with water and taken regularly in the morning, it serves as a tonic to the liver by stimulating the production of bile in order to digest the day’s food.  Some theories about lemons are that they help dissolve gallstones, relieve symptoms of asthma, tonsillitis, sore throat and act as a diuretic to help clear up urinary tract infections.  Eating lemons are healthier than oranges.  Lemons will clean all your intestines, which oranges don’t. 

It’s always pleasing to drink a glass of fresh lemonade; however, you can eat them raw, and add a little sugar to cut the tartness.  Lemons will damage tooth enamel, so remember whether you drink the juice or eat one, brush teeth afterward to remove juice from your teeth.  From the Institute of Health Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland: Lemon (citrus) is a miraculous product to kill cancer cells.  It is stronger than chemotherapy.  Lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease.  It has a pleasant taste.  You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the pulp, juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries, etc.  It is credited with many virtues, but the most interesting is the effect it produces on cysts and tumors.  Some physicians say it is very useful in all variants of cancer.  Other health claims about lemons are that they are effective against internal parasites, regulate high blood pressure and even serve as an antidepressant, combating stress and nervous disorders.  The source of this information comes, ironically,  from one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world. 

Another health idea: lemon balm: used to reduce fevers, coughs, colds, hay fever, dizziness, headaches, high blood pressure.  It also seems to calm anxieties and supposedly helps memory storage and recall. Here is the recipe for lemon balm from ehow.com:

Things You’ll Need

  • 8 oz. lemon balm infused oil
  • 1 oz. grated beeswax
  • Double boiler
  • 8-10 drops tincture of benzoin
  • 8 oz. low tub or jar with lid
  • Labels
  • Combine the lemon balm infused oil with the grated beeswax in the top portion of a double boiler. Fill the bottom of the double boiler about halfway with warm water. Place over medium-low heat and stir constantly until the beeswax is melted.
  • Insert a metal spoon into the mixture and quickly pull it out. Allow the salve to harden on the spoon and then test the consistency. If using the salve on an open wound, a softer consistency is recommended. 
  • Add 1/4 oz. more beeswax if the salve is too soft, or 1/4 oz. more oil if it is too hard. Heat the mixture again and re-test. Continue this process until the desired consistency is reached.
  • Remove the mixture from the heat and add eight to 10 drops of tincture of benzoin. This substance acts as a preservative and keeps the lemon balm salve fresh for a longer period of time. Stir well to combine. 
  • Pour the salve into a tub or jar. Allow it to stand uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, at which time it should be completely set. Label the jar with the contents and store in a cool, dry place for up to one year. 

We are not making any health claims, only passing on this information, so you can make the decision to try it or not.  I know I could throw away lots of pills if it worked for me.  It certainly seems that it would be worth trying.   So, sit down, relax, and sip on that glass of lemonade.

 

 

 

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

SCISSOR LIFTS SHOULD BE HANDLED WITH CARE!

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OSHA describes scissory lifts as machines that are “movable scaffolds.”  They can lift large, heavy loads that are well balanced, as well as employees, and are capable of moving them safely to and from high elevations.  There are several different safety requirements that apply to the maintenance and use of scissor lifts, because they are classified as heavy equipment. 

OSHA issued a hazard alert about the dangers of using scissor lifts to film events and functions.  These machines are commonly used to film events and functions of colleges and high schools, such as athletic and band activities.  High winds or bad weather; overloading the equipment with heavy objects; removing the guardrails during operations; and driving the lift on eneven or unstable gound can cause devestating accidents.  The alert recommends precautions to reduce the risk of these hazards. 

A 20-year old University of Notre Dame student employee was killed during a football practice while filming the football team from a scissor lift that was blown over by high winds.  The worker raised the lift more than 39 feet into the air on a day in which winds exceeded 50 miles per hour.  After investigating the incident, the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the university $77,500, and cited it with the most serious safety violation allowable under Indiana law.  It was reported that the student employee was not trained well enough to properly operate the equipment.  Hazards can be further reduced by training workers on how to operate scissor lifts properly, making sure that the scissor lift has a guardrail system for fall protection, and operating and maintaining the lift according to the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Employers can minimize scissor lift hazards by establishing safe work practices, including inspecting them before use; safely moving, positioning, and stabilizing the lift; selecting safe work locations; and identifying weather conditions that might delay use.  Other key safety practices include putting the scissor lift on a firm level surface, setting brakes and stabilizing the lift before raising it, and maintaining a 10′ clearance from electrical power sources and overhead hazards such as tree branches. 

Although scissor lifts are not enclosed, they are required to obey the same safety standards as scaffolding to ensure that employees do not fall from the lift while in use.  Guard rails should be placed around the perimeter of the lift, slip guards, and a lock must be engaged on the entrance to the lift platform while the lift is in use.  It should also be designed with an emergency stop button, both on the lift platform and with controls at the bottom of the lift.  This will allow either the worker on the platform or the lift operator to stop the lift in case of an emergency.  There should also be emergency brakes on the wheels.

There is more guidance on the hazards and requirements for using scissor lifts on OSHA ‘s Scaffolding eTool and Safety and Health Topics page on Scaffolding.

Source: OSHA; eHow.com

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Hearing Protection

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT COMPLIANCE

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OSHA recently issued the Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry.  This is a directive that provides enforcement personnel with instructions for determining whether employers have complied with OSHA personal protective equipment (PPE) standards.  The directive was effective February 10, 2011.  Replacing Inspection Guidelines for 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I, the revised PPE Standards for General Industry which were issued in June, 1995, the updated standards include clarifying what type of PPE employers must provide at no cost to workers, and when employers are required to pay for PPE.  It also provides guidance that lets employers use PPE that meets current consensus standards and updates PPE enforcement policies based on court and review commission standards. 

These standards require employers to provide – at no cost to workers – protective equipment, such as goggles and face shields that fit properly without restricting vision; earplugs and earmuffs when they will reduce noise to acceptable levels, and are less costly than administrative and engineering controls; and respirators to protect workers from exposure to air contaminants.  The directive lists PPE and other items exempted from the employer payment requirements and includes questions and answers useful in clarifying PPE payments concerns.  The guidance can be downloaded as a pdf by visiting OSHA’s Safety and Health Topics page on PPE.  

Workers are not always compliant.

Many companies have a problem with workers wearing the PPE that is furnished to them.  In a 2010 survey of safety professionals attending the American Society of Safety Engineers annual conference, an exceedingly high 98 per cent of respondents said they had observed workers not wearing safety equipment when they should have been.  Even worse, 30 per cent of these respondents said this had happened on several occasions.  All survey respondents reported that workers’ compliance with PPE protocols was cited as the top workplace safety issue.  These findings reflect the fact that safety decisions relating to PPE use are not just made at the management level.  Individual workers make decisions on a daily basis to whether to follow PPE wearing protocols or not.  

Most of the reasons for PPE noncompliance were different; however, the biggest complaint was that is was uncomfortable, selected by 40 per cent of respondents, in addition to:

  • Not available near the work task;
  • Poor fit;
  • Too hot;
  • Unattractive looking. 

No matter the reason for not complying with the safety policies of wearing PPE, there must be things leaders can do to encourage compliance.  Some of the ideas are: purchasing more comfortable PPE; increased monitoring of employees; incorporating compliance to individual performance evaluations; buying more stylish PPE; and developing incentive programs to encourage greater PPE compliance. 

One of the complaints was that PPE was  not always available near the work task.  There are many products that make it very convenient for the employee – hardhats that have slots to accommodate hearing protection, winter liners, neck protection, and even a pencil holder.  Glove Guards are easily hooked onto the belt loop to keep gloves ready for use.  So this is simply a matter of looking into the detailed features of some ppe products, and seeing exactly what they provide.

Personal protective equipment products have come a long way to ensure comfort and looks.  Polarized safety glasses are as stylish as those one would pay several times more in an optical store.  Gloves are made in all styles for men, and also designed to fit the smaller hands of women –  and are available in pink!  Team and patriotic hardhats ensure compliance for those workers who enjoy showing team support.  Those who make the choices on what’s right for their employees should shop around and see just what all is available for workers to help them feel good about their PPE, as well as knowing it will help keep them safe (when worn). 

Source: Kimberly Clark Professional