Monthly Archives: September 2011

General Safety Issues

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “AGRESSIVE DRIVING” AND “ROAD RAGE”

Do you know the difference between “Road Rage” and “Aggressive Driving?”  I thought the two were about the same, but here’s what the AARP Driver Safety Program says: 

AGGRESSIVE DRIVING – Usually involves traffic offenses such as following too closely, unsafe lane changes, speeding, failure to signal intent to change lanes, and other forms of negligent or inconsiderate driving, such as yelling, cursing, repeated blowing of the horn, rude or obscene gestures, etc. 

ROAD RAGE – Occurs when a traffic incident escalates into a far more serious situation.  For example, a person becomes so angry that he or she overreacts and responds with some type of violence, such as getting out of the vehicle and threatening you with bodily harm.  These acts may range from verbal abuse to physical abuse, or even to an assault with a weapon or motor vehicle (such as using their car to run you off the road.) 

Studies show that eighty-five per cent of angry drivers claim they would not have escalated the situation if they had gotten some sort of apology from the other driver.  Even if you are not at fault, apologize in order not to provoke an angry driver further.  Be courteous and avoid cutting others off, and stay with the traffic flow.  You know that you were in the right, but sometimes it pays to a little contrite, as you won’t gain anything from a confrontation with an irritated and angry person. 

There are probably not too many of us who can honestly say that something hasn’t happened as we were driving along the freeway or local street that ignited our tempers  to the point of triggering such an emotion, especially aggressive driving.  However, I have never felt such anger that I would want to ram someone with my car, (with the exception of the infuriating experience with my first brand new car, and a lady ran a stop sign. I thought she was going to hit me.  Later, I felt ashamed that I could let a material item make me feel so mad. 

Road rage is a horrible thing to have happen, especially if there are children in the vehicle.  Parents and grandparents must hold their tempers at all times and set a good example for their youngsters.  If you drive that way, chances are they will, too.  Here are some tips from AARP that will help you avoid aggressive drivers and help prevent road rage behavior: 

  • Leave early in order to arrive at your destination on time.  Then you aren’t rushed.
  • Avoid eye contact with drivers trying to challenge you. (Keep your eyes on the road.)
  • Don’t block the passing lane.
  • Don’t abuse your vehicle’s horn.
  • Don’t make or return obscene gestures or words.
  • Use turn signals when changing lanes.
  • Don’t stop in the road to chat with someone.
  • Don’t “tailgate” or follow too closely.
  • Be courteous and remain calm.  Avoid conflict.
  • Don’t get out of your vehicle to argue or challenge another motorist or pedestrian. 

If you feel there is a chance of road rage behavior, and you are unable to avoid a confrontation, drive your vehicle to the nearest lighted public area (a shopping center, mall, hospital, convenience store, police or fire station), and call for assistance from store owners, the police, or security personnel or other people before getting out of your vehicle.  If you can get their license number, give that to law enforcement.  You may save someone else’s life.  Get out of harm’s way as soon as you can. 

Remember, drive defensively, and stay safe!

General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

SAFETY FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS

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Wildfires continue to make their way through the state of Texas, and the firefighters, both volunteers, professionals, and other firefighters from all over the United States are doing their best to contain them.  Thousands of persons have been left homeless, having been left with only the clothes on their backs.  The brave personnel who have been fighting wildfire after wildfire must be totally exhausted, but they keep going back to answer the calls for help. 

Workers are exposed to many obstacles, such as electrical hazards, carbon monoxide poisoning, lifting, extreme heat, respiratory problems, snakes, rodents and insects, and slips, trips and falls.  They also must bear the extreme weight of the protective clothing that they wear.  Depending upon the site’s job tasks, listed are some of the personal protective equipment that they must use:

  • Disposable cut/abrasive resistant work gloves.
  • Chemical gloves.
  • Fully enclosed goggles (best for ash) or safety glasses.
  • Ear protection in noisy areas.
  • Head protection.
  • Respirators. 

Fire fighters must be medically cleared to wear the correct respirator.  Other instructions per OSHA standard (29 CFR 1910.134), include:

  • Proper training.
  • Fit testing for respirator.
  • Inspect respirator each time it is put on and taken off.
  • Perform a user seal check every time it is donned.
  • Clean the elastomeric respirator at least once a day in accordance with manufacturers recommendations.
  • Store elastomeric respirators in a clean bag.
  • Stop work and retrieve a new one should the respirator become damaged or fail to function. 

Firefighters are also exposed to the fire retardants that are dropped by planes.  Desperate measures are demanded to try to extinguish or control the strength that these fires contain because of the extreme drought for the past eleven months of this year in the state.   So far, approximately 1,600 homes have been lost, (the count changes daily), and more than 3.7 million acres have burned.  Firefighters have saved countless homes.  Four persons have died as a result of the fires. 

Once the fire is over, firefighters and other workers may be involved in a variety of response and recovery operations.  Some, such as utility restoration, cleaning up spills of hazardous materials, and search and rescue, should only be conducted by workers who have the proper training, equipment and experience.  Because of demand, many other community volunteers will be involved with cleanup, and should take the same precautions as trained workers.

Please think positive and say a prayer for rain for those parts of our country that so desperately need it.  There are some states who have had too much rain, so it seems to be “feast or famine” where the weather is concerned.  The words “Thank You” cannot express the gratitude we owe our firefighters everywhere, every day – men and women who work so diligently to save homes, people, wildlife and land. 

Source: OSHA, NIEHS, NIH

Eye Protection, Home Safety Products

KEEP AN EYE OUT TO SAVE YOUR VISION!

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There are many things that we take for granted in our every day life, and our vision is one of them.  We wake up each day, and are very fortunate to see everything around us.  We depend on our eyes to guide us as we go about our routine existence.  September is the month to observe Sports and Home Eye Safety Month, so here are some tips to help protect those peepers. 

First, sports and recreational activities cause more than 40,000 eye injuries each year, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.  Most of these accidents are preventable.  In fact, Prevent Blindness America reports that 90% of sports-related eye injuries can be prevented.  Two sports that cause the most eye injuries are baseball and basketball, followed by water sports and racquet sports.  Safety goggles are advised for children and adults who play softball and baseball.  Children are the most vulnerable, as they often have underdeveloped depth perception, and may find it difficult to judge the position of a flying ball, resulting in a blow from a flying ball.  It only makes sense that when professional athletes or others wear eye protection while playing sports, that we all should consider doing the same thing.  You can get a finger in your eye, a black eye, or things such a tennis ball, racquet, fist, or elbow can cause sudden compression of the eye.  Penetrating injuries occur when a foreign object pierces the eye; BB pellets are a common cause of this type of injury.  Warning signs of potentially serious eye injuries include:

  • Tears in the outer ocular walls;
  • A foreign body inside the eye;
  • Visual loss;
  • Bleeding on the surface or inside the eye.

In any event, it is important to see a physician or ophthalmologist as soon as possible.  First aid would be to place a protective cover over the eye to prevent more damage, or tape the bottom of a paper cup over the eye if no shield is available. 

Another source of eye injury is right there in your home.  Accidents involving common household products cause 125,000 eye injuries annually.  However, 90% of these eye injuries can be prevented through safety practices and using proper eye protection.  When you are painting or mowing, be sure to wear safety glasses or dust goggles.  Keep tools in good condition; flying pieces of damaged tools can be hazardous to the eyes.  Do not mix cleaning agents.  There are many chemical ingredients in cleaning products that can irritate the eyes.  Understand that regular eyeglasses don’t always provide enough protection. 

As the old saying goes, “the best treatment is prevention.”  The best prevention of eye injury while involved in sports or working at home is to wear specially designed protective eyewear.  Eye guards may not completely eliminate risks, but can greatly reduce the chance of ocular injury.  Different types of eye protection should be considered to match the sport or tasks involved, such as: 

  • The standard eye guard designed for use in sports such as baseball, racquetball, and basketball is made of polycarbonate (plastic) and has closed lenses and sports frames.
  • Total head and face protection is essential for any collision sport, such as a helmet in football and a facemask in hockey.
  • Non-prescription and prescription safety glasses.
  • Shooting Safety Goggles.
  • Face shields.

Be vigilant about what type of eye protection you choose for your young athlete, and grown-ups, wear eye protection whether at work, play, or at home.  It’s not worth taking a chance on losing the precious gift of vision.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

A TIME TO REMEMBER; A TIME TO PREPARE

September is National Preparedness Month and this year’s theme is “A Time to Remember. A Time to Prepare.”  Sunday, September 11, was a very sad day, a reminder of the tragedy caused by terrorists who cold-heartedly took the lives of thousands of hard-working people.  It certainly was an event we will always remember with compassion.  This year’s theme of National Preparedness Month not only asks us to remember, but be prepared. 

Editor’s Note: I found this article, written by John Mintz, published in the Washington Post, July 29, 2004, regarding Family Emergency Preparedness.  As you continue, bear in mind the date this was written, and see if you don’t agree that public apathy toward being prepared continues today?

Are you prepared?

If you’re not prepared, which one of the following categories – defined by the American Red Cross – fits you?

  • Head scratcher – Doesn’t know where to find preparedness advice
  • Head in the sand – Believes preparation is unimportant
  • Head in the clouds – Mistakenly believes they are ready
  • Headset crowd – Too busy and can’t find time to prepare
  • Heady unawareness – People who “simply haven’t thought about preparedness”

Planning for your basic needs

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, www.dhs.gov  or www.ready.gov  lists six general categories of readiness for disaster. Begin your planning with:

  • Water and food
  • Portable kit
  • Supply checklists
  • Special needs items
  • Safe Indoor Air

To get preparedness information locally, pick up planning guides at local fire stations or American Red Cross.

The percentage of Americans who have created an emergency plan for a terrorist attack has dropped in the last year, along with the proportion of Americans who believe terrorists may strike near their home or workplace, according to two new studies released July 20, 2004.

Civil preparedness experts said these and other numbers are going in precisely the wrong direction, with U.S. authorities warning that al-Qaeda is determined to strike the United States this fall (2004) . The information was released at a conference at George Washington University.

“We need to narrow the universe of the unprepared, of those we need to worry about in a catastrophic situation, and it is not going to be easy,” Red Cross President Marsha Evans said in a speech outlining her group’s survey on emergency preparedness. “Every one of those unprepared Americans is a potential barrier to the effectiveness of our response to any disaster.”

The Red Cross survey, conducted last month by Wirthlin Worldwide, found that the percentage of Americans who have created a family emergency plan on where to meet after a terror strike has dropped from 40 percent in August 2003 to 32 percent today (2004).

The percentage of people who expressed concern that terrorists might strike near their home or workplace has declined more dramatically, from 71 percent immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to about half today, according to a separate poll also released July 20 by the non-profit Council for Excellence in Government.

Preparedness specialists believe that the number of people readying themselves for the aftermath of a terrorist attack has dropped as time has passed since the Sept. 11 strike without another attack on the United States.

U.S. officials and counter-terrorism specialists say encouraging Americans to stockpile supplies for an attack, prepare themselves emotionally and take action to ready their families is vital to both self-protection and bouncing back from any strike that does occur.The Red Cross poll also found that the percentage of people who had assembled home emergency kits remained stable between 2003 and this year (2004), at 42 percent. But only one in 10 families have taken all three steps considered crucial for preparation: creating emergency kits and family plans for reuniting after a disaster, as well as getting training in first aid, the Red Cross study said.

Some public-relations experts said stepped-up marketing efforts for such citizen involvement could ingrain terror preparedness into the popular consciousness just as the ad campaigns to buckle seatbelts in the 1980s had children reminding their parents to secure their safety restraints. Those ads are credited with increasing seatbelt use from 10 percent in 1981 to 79 percent in 2003.

 A recent poll (2004), found that about 90% of Americans doubt that they would leave their homes during a terrorist attack, even if asked by government officials to do so.

Do you think these figures are the same, better, or worse today?  Where do you stand?

General Safety Issues

TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF 9-11

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We just finished celebrating Labor Day, which honors America’s working men and women; now we are counting down the days to a completely different observance in our country: the ten- year anniversary of that terrible day in our history when innocent people in the World Trade Center lost their lives, in addition to firemen, police and other first responders.  Two planes being flown by Al Queda operatives deliberately hit those two tall buildings, full of people – just planning another routine day of work.  Two other planes also targeted important government buildings, one succeeding in hitting the Pentagon, and the other planning to crash into either the White House or Capitol building.  Brave passengers on the last plane fought to take over and lost their lives when the plane landed in a field in Pennsylvania. 

Do you wonder how much media coverage is too much?  The debate about how it should be covered this year has been discussed among magazines and television networks.  They have felt that it is a fine line between commemoration and exploitation.  Time magazine sold no ads at all for their issue that covers 9-11.  CNN is to show a joint HBO-Time special commercial-free.  How much time should be devoted to terrorists’ attacks?   It is a very hard time for those who lived through the events, or lost family members and loved ones.  If you have seen the program, “Rescue Me,” you know that it has been dedicated to keeping the memories alive of those firemen who gave their lives in 9-11.  Even though it is fiction, it is about a New York City Firehouse, and pays tribute to those they had worked with before the tragedy occurred. 

Are we better off now than we were 10 years ago?  In some ways, our homeland security, military actions, restrictions on civil liberties, and national politics may have improved.  It just seems that ten years of war in various countries is enough.  We know our economy is worse; there is too much unemployment. 

 Ronald K. Noble, Secretary General of Interpol, says the internet may be replacing Afghanistan as terrorist training grounds.  Cyberspace can be a means for planning targets of terrorism and crime.  Many terrorists still continue to travel by using aliases and fraudulent travel documents.  One-hundred eighty-eight countries approved the creation in Singapore of a global complex to better prepare the world to fight cybercrime and cybersecurity- Interpol. 

Quoting, Interpol’s Secretary General Noble:  “So as we honor the memories of those who perished 10 years ago, it is time to ask ourselves if we have done all that we can to prevent another 9/11 or other serious attack. A great deal has been done to make us all safer, but far too little to make sure that we are safe from the global terror and criminal threat.

If we act today, in 10 years’ time, we may not just be catching up after the latest attack, we may have prevented it.”

Source: N.Y. Times

General Safety Issues, Weather Protection

ARE WE PREPARED?

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This year, the United States has seen more than its fair share of natural disasters: the beginning of hurricane season, floods, tornadoes, and wildfires.  Sometimes, wildfires are natural, because they begin with lightning, or others acts of nature; however, they may be intentionally set.  If you ask all those thousands of citizens who have been affected by any of the above devestation, there’s the possibility that they were not prepared. 

This information from www.ready.gov supports how we and other safety sites have advised you on how to be prepared for these disasters.  Many of the suggestions are the same for each type of occurrence: tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes.  

Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms.  They can appear suddenly without warning and can be invisible until dust and debris are picked up or a funnel cloud appears.  You must be prepared to act quickly, by planning and practicing specifically how and where you take shelter.  Tornadoes are more common in the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest; however,  they can happen in any state and at any time of the year; therefore advance preparation is vitally important. 

Hurricanes are usually forecast ahead of time, which gives businesses and individuals time to get ready before they touch land.  Hurricanes are classified into five categories based on their wind speed, central pressure, and damage potential.  Category Three and higher hurricanes are considered major hurricanes, though Categories One and Two are still extremely dangerous and warrant your full attention.  

A hurricane or tornado watch means that this event is possible in your area.  Be prepared to evacuate, and listen to your local weather and law enforcement agencies  when they tell you to leave your home.  A hurricane or tornado warning is when this natural disaster is expected in your area.  Listen to NOAA Weather Radio for the most current weather developments. 

Flooding is the nation’s most common natural disaster.  This can happen in every U.S. state and territory.  Some may develop slowly during rain, or others, such as flash floods can occur quickly.  If you live in a low-lying area, near a lake, or downstream from a dam, it is always important to be prepared for flooding situations.  Never try to drive through flowing water in low places; the current has the power to push your vehicle off the road.

With any or all of these events possible, the same suggestions apply:

Have an Emergency Supply Kit:

  • Bottled water;
  • Battery-operated radio;
  • Cell phone;
  • First Aid Kit;
  • Flashlight
  • Important documents and prescription medications;
  • Sleeping bags and pillows and changes of clothing;
  • Three-day supply of non-perishable food;
  • Manual can opener and plastic eating utensils;
  • Avoid salty foods that make you thirsty;
  • High energy foods;
  • Food for infants;
  • Pet foods;
  • Crackers, nuts, peanut butter, dry cereal, granola bars, fruit bars. 

Have a Family Emergency Plan.  You may all be scattered if disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact each other, how you will get back together, and what you will do.  Plan places where you can meet.  Out-of-town contacts may be in a better position to communicate among separated families. 

Have a Business Emergency Plan.  Think about how you may keep your business going during times that your building is not accessible.  Consider if you could run your business from a different location or from your home, or develop relationships with other companies to use their facilities in case a disaster makes your location unusable. 

Hopefully, you will be spared from any of these disasters, but just in case, think seriously about how you and your family can best be prepared to handle any situation that may arise. 

Source: ready.gov/America/beinformed

General Safety Issues

SEPTEMBER IS CAMPUS FIRE SAFETY MONTH

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There is nothing more important to a parent than knowing that their children are going to live in a safe place when they go off to college.  Most  college students are currently in the process of moving into on-campus or off-campus housing.  The month of September is a good time to remind all of us of campus fire safety.  There are many things to know about fire safety, when it comes to relocating your student.   

In its’ seventh year, Campus Fire Safety Month reminds us that since January, 2000, 144 persons have died in campus-related fires, with four out of five of the fires occurring in off-campus housing.  Nationwide colleges and universities must make teaching their students about fire safety a high priority.  In a survey prepared by the Michael Minger Foundation in 2009, most schools showed a lack of a coordinated approach to fire safety.  Michael Minger was a college student who lost his life in a residence hall arson fire.   The survey showed that schools were inconsistent in how they educated their students on fire safety, and what would be done to ensure that students, faculty and staff, as well as disabled students were evacuated safely from campus buildings.  A number of fires on campus or in apartments started on porches where couches and other combustible furniture caught fire, either through carelessness, smoking materials, or impaired judgment from alcohol, which lead to ignition or inability to escape the fire. 

Parents need to ask these questions when helping their student choose where they will live: 

  •          Are there two ways out of the house?
  •          If they live on the upper floor, is there a way to escape, such as a working window?
  •          Do they have an escape ladder?  If not, purchase one.
  •          Ask the same question if it is a basement apartment: are there two ways out, and is there a window that works?
  •          Are there smoke alarms and do they work?
  •          Tell your student never to disable a smoke alarm!
  •          Are there automatic fire sprinklers?
  •          Find out about cooking safety rules, either in a dorm, or in an apartment. 

When it comes to fire safety on campus, there are three entities involved: (1) the school must ensure that the campus and building environment meets the applicable codes and requirements of state and local building codes.  Also that it meets the policies and procedure requirements regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), relating to fire safety for all students, faculty, and staff.  (2) The local Fire Department should be familiar with the floor plans of the campus and conduct inspections and fire prevention and training.  (3) Each student should be responsible for himself by having a basic awareness of his/her surroundings, and what to do in case of fire or other emergency.  One of the most important lessons all college students must learn is fire safety.  This lesson will stay with them the rest of their lives.  

Source: campus-firewatch.com