Yearly Archives: 2012

General Safety Issues

BURGLAR REVEALS FOUR TIPS FOR HOME PROTECTION – Guest Post

Today’s guest writer is Kevin Raposo.  He has sent some very useful information that will help you protect your home and belongings.  Enjoy this article!

GUEST AUTHOR – KEVIN RAPOSO

Ever wonder what goes through the mind of a burglar? We got the chance to sit down with some burglary professionals and asked them. Here’s what we discovered:

A Tonka Truck left in the yard could invite a burglar to choose your home

Home burglaries may seem random in occurrence, but they actually involve a selection process. A burglar’s selection process is simple. Choose an unoccupied home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape routes possible. Don’t have a burglar alarm? Here’s a list of suggestions that will help you minimize the risk of a home burglary, and also make your home unattractive to potential burglars.

Before picking a home, a burglar will scope out your entire neighborhood to get a better idea of what he’s working with. To do this he will usually walk around with a rake, or even go as far as dressing up as the cable or electric or phone repairman. “I’ll even post a flyer on your door to get a closer look into your home” says burglar professional Cliff T.

Here’s how to make your home less desirable to burglars

  • Tear down the privacy fences—these give a burglar excellent cover from neighbors.
  • Trim your bushes—Any sort of high vegetation, like trees or shrubbery, covering your windows allows a burglar to break them without being detected. Burglars prefer lots of cover.
  • Put away the Tonka Trucks and Strollers—Toys or playground equipment in your yard are signs that kids live there…which usually means a mother lives there…“cha-ching” that means JEWELRY.
  • Create the illusion that you are home. By using timers on lights, radios and TV’s. Making your residence appear occupied, even when no one is home, will deter the bad guys.

Here’s a shocking diary entry from a convicted burglar that gives you a more in depth view into the mind of a burglar, and how he targets a home.

Homeowners should be looking at their home with the eyes of a burglar. In other words, consider the location of the home from various angles. Is the home isolated or surrounded by other homes? Does it provide secluded nooks and dark corners for a burglar to hide in or escape from? Is the house adequately lit or relatively dark? Is there a security system? Burglars will look at these things when identifying potential targets.

Kevin Raposo is a writer for SimpliSafe-Live Safely, and can be contacted at kevin@simplisafe.com. He will be featured in upcoming articles.  Thanks so much, Kevin.  We need to pay attention to his advice.  Do what you can to follow his guidelines.  Another tip is to take pictures of all your appliances, furniture, and other items that may be taken in a robbery, or destroyed in a storm.  This will help your insurance company estimate the value of lost personal property. 

General Safety Issues

SAFETY EXPRESSIONS WE USED TO SAY – GUEST POST

We know that you will enjoy this guest article, written by Rob Loose.  There’s more about Rob at the end of the piece.  Also, we bet you can remember several of the sayings he describes!

Recently I had a conversation with an elderly man at a church gathering where he affectionately referred to his wife as a “dame.”  Dame…  That’s not a word you often hear these days except in old Popeye cartoon re-runs.  Here’s another old saying: My wife’s grandmother described a pain she recently suffered as “hurting like the dickens!”  I’ve heard that expression many times before but on that occasion I wondered what in the world is “dickens” anyway?  Charles Dickens perhaps…  What did that legendary author have to do with pain?  Remember Wally in Leave it to Beaver?  He used to use the word “swell” to describe things as being good.  Doesn’t swell mean the same thing as swollen?  Anyway, I digress.  Though baffling and bazaar as these old sayings may be to us newbies, we can’t ignore the fact that these sayings once held real meaning and were commonly used forms of expressions.  I feel the same way about these old expressions when I speak with my friends in industry that proudly tell me their business has gone (you pick the number) of days without an accident.  Why in Sam Hill (Sam Hill – what is it and where is it?) Is it “swell” to count the days that nobody gets hurt?  Here’s my two cents (thoughts) about that!

The truth is, I get why people brag about nobody getting hurt or not experiencing any accidents for a length of time.  However, this so-called metric is quickly becoming a nostalgic achievement to current-day safety professionals that doesn’t really mean safety is achieved.  Now, when someone tells me their plant has gone 300 days without an accident, I often wonder if I’m just receiving an earful of nonsense and there’s more to the story.

A few years back, I visited a plant where one of my employees was struck by another employee driving a forklift.  The MAU employee was injured badly and I wanted to see the scene of the collision.  To be clear, the pedestrian in this incident was an MAU employee and the person driving the forklift was employed by my client.  As I entered the facility I noticed a sign on the wall boasting 197 safe days.  Didn’t this pedestrian/forklift incident just happen yesterday I wondered to myself?   Are they still counting safe days despite the fact a forklift hit a pedestrian?  I quickly learned they were!  I asked the warehouse manager why they were still counting safe days despite the incident and he literally smiled and said, “Oh yeah, our guy didn’t get hurt.”  To make matters worse, that same manager asked me a few days later to contribute to their safety celebration for achieving 200 safe days.  I didn’t contribute, if you’re wondering. 

There were so many things wrong with this situation but I want to focus on the idea that this plant used safe days as a metric and attached a celebration for achieving them.  All the while, they really didn’t achieve 200 safe days.  Management at this plant chose to ignore a very visible injury that took place under their own roof because their employee didn’t get injured in the incident.  Yet paramedics carried a person out of the facility on a stretcher and drove away in an ambulance.  I wonder how many other incidents occurred in which “their guy” didn’t get hurt or how many near hits/misses they experienced in which they got lucky.  How many people stuck a bloody hand in their pocket to hide their injury because they didn’t want to be the one that prevented the 200-safe-days party?  What kind of a message did their employees receive at the celebration when just four days previous a forklift seriously injured someone in the plant?  I venture (why would you “venture” to say anything? Just say it!) to say some in the room were confused and thought the steak dinner they were served tasted quite processed.  Hogwash (another confusing, old expression meaning who knows what)!

Ever hear the saying that “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions?”  Employer safety metrics and incentive programs are typically designed with good intentions not necessary leading to Hell but, again, an old confusing expression…  OSHA is paying very close attention to employer safety incentive programs and cracking down on employers they catch that still practice them in a way that employees may be encouraged to not report injuries.  Not too long ago I often would see jet skis, bass boats and even automobiles in plant lobbies that enticed employees to not get hurt because after a year without an injury they may be the lucky person to win this big prize in a drawing.  These bass-boat programs get on OSHA’s last nerve (last nerve? I didn’t know nerves were ordered)!  OSHA views this type of scenario as a disincentive to report an injury and possible whistleblower retaliation if injured employees are disqualified from employer safety programs as a result of a workplace accident.  A memorandum written by OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary, Richard Fairfax, on March 12, 2012 says as much:http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/whistleblowermemo.html .  I say that a safety incentive program based entirely on achieving safe days or a certain OSHA injury illness rate falls knee high to a grasshopper (meaning short) and may not properly motivate employees to be safe. 

If you’re reading this and thinking this stuff is all a bunch of hullabaloo (huh?), you may need to rethink your idea of what truly is safety success.  What safety metrics do you pay attention to monthly?  What safety achievement triggers your organization to celebrate?  Are you focused on lagging indicators of safety or what happened that you no longer control or are you focused on leading indicators or things you do that create/control safety?  If you’re more focused on lagging, consider revising your program to reward employees for completing safety audits or participating in safety activities or for coming up with an idea that makes everyone safer.  I bet you dollars to donuts (strange expression but I do like donuts) a revision to your metrics/incentive program toward leading indicators will make a big difference.  It’ll be a real dandy (what’s a dandy – dandy lion is a weed?)!  So what are you waiting for?   Get a move on and shake a leg (hurry up)!  Make safety happen and focus on leading indicators of safety.  Its 2012, time to get the right program that really encourages safety.    

Good luck and remember: never kiss a gift horse in the mouth!  Whatever that means??? 

  About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Workforce Solutions Safety Manager:Safety Professional with Manufacturing, HR and Health Care management experience, Rob has worked for MAU since 2006 supporting both HR and operations functions. A 1998 graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, Rob now calls North Augusta, SC home where he lives with his wife, two kids and dog.  He is proud to work for a company that values the health and safety of clients and employees alike.

      To put in my two cents’ worth, that was a very refreshing wake up article about safety incentives.  Thank you, Rob.  One of my past employers would reward their employees with a pizza party each month, if there were no lost-time  accidents.  Yet, some people didn’t want to bring attention to an injury they may have received because they didn’t want to knock the others out of the pizza party.  Forget about small rewards – Remember, when you gamble with safety, “you bet your life!”  (Anyone remember Groucho Marx?)

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, High Visibility Safety, Protective Clothing, Uncategorized

OFFSHORE DRILLING SAFETY – Joint Post

Offshore Rig Safety – Joint Post

Pat Brownlee writes for  Texas America Safety Company, (Blog4Safety), http://www.tasco-safety.com/ and David Beastall writes on behalf of Acre Resources,  who recruit for health and safety jobs.

Offshore drilling provides 24 percent of U.S. oil and 25 per cent of U.S. gas supply, but not without inherent occupational risks.

Personnel who work on offshore rigs normally work two weeks on and two weeks off. Their mode of transportation to and from platforms is usually by helicopter, unless situated close enough they can travel by vessel. As a result every employee must be trained on how to be deployed to and from helicopters.

The Gulf of Mexico has a constant flow of helicopter traffic, and the weather over the Gulf varies from fog to strong winds, thunderstorms, and hurricanes. In the United States, personnel safety for offshore drilling requires proper training in compliance with OSHA and American Petroleum Institute Standards.

The Health and Safety Executive in the UK recorded a fall in unintended oil and gas leaks in 2011 with the trend still present leading into the first quarter of 2012. However the HSE findings were that there are still further steps that need to be taken in order to reduce the risk of unnatural environmental disasters and occupational health and safety risks for drilling crews and energy professionals out in the field.

The number of leaks from hydrocarbons is seen as an important KPI and indication of how successful the offshore industries around the world are at managing major risks. Accidents and loss of life show a strong correlation to unintended sea oil and gas leaks.

So how is the offshore energy industry tackling health and safety responsibilities?

Rig specialists in safety are usually required to have a bachelor’s or associate degree in occupational health or public safety. These safety officers or advisors are responsible for emergency planning and implementation, conducting safety audits, and seeing that any safety-related problems are corrected. Offshore rig workers have a different kind of safety culture, as they not only must contend with the hazards of a land-based drilling rig, but the responsibilities that accompany working in a marine environment, and the costs of mistakes that might be made. They must be prepared on what to do in case of a fire or blow-out or other incident.

Demand for health and safety professionals who can provide foresight, analysis and manage the risks heavily involved and associated with high risk occupations and jobs are shown to be increasing demand. This is in part because natural carbon resource and energy suppliers are keen to avoid the potential fallout rather than investing in post disaster management. Such incidents that result in the loss of billions of dollars to put things back on the right track are often later revealed to have been avoidable in the first place were health and safety not ignored or corners cut in an attempt to squeeze down costs.

The last line of defense when something goes wrong on any job, is personal protective equipment, (PPE). Employers are responsible for training workers on how to use their safety gear and enforce the use of these pieces of equipment, which include hardhats, goggles or safety glasses, safety shoes, flotation devices, fire-retardant coveralls, and more.  The PPE any man or woman wears can be the difference between sustaining a minor injury to receiving a permanent disability. The protection it provides is limited, but the use of PPE is crucial.

Ensuring workers are comprehensively trained in how to use the personal protective equipment and potentially lifesaving resources available to them however can make a huge difference when the unexpected happens.

Nearly a year on from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the attitudes and corporate culture surrounding the offshore energy industry are now seen to be changing, partly in response to some of the worst man-made environmental disasters experienced within the industry. The Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico involved BP and one of their leased deep sea drilling rigs located within close proximity to the United States. When this exploded, 11 men were killed and many others sustained serious injury in the process alongside the consequences and environmental damage still being felt to this day.

General Safety Issues

NATIONAL DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS MONTH – PART II

Yesterday we talked about the efforts to end distracted driving, especially the use of cell phones, both talking and texting, which adds to the distractions that drivers already face.  New cars have such technological screens that drivers can access just about anything.  This would compound the problem of focusing on the road, not social media, or other diversions.  Commercial and public transportation vehicles are at risk, as well as personal and recreational drivers.  In 2007, 413,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes in the U.S. and 4,584 were involved in crashes that were fatal, killing a total of 4,808 people.  Of those killed in crashes involving commercial motor vehicles, 75 per cent were occupants of other vehicles.  

Although a company may not be directly liable for its employees’ actions, employers may be held vicariously liable for dangerous behavior and negligent actions of their employees while conducting company business.  Today’s Employers’ Vicarious Liability litigation is often aimed at employers who fail to prohibit their employees from using distracting devices for business purposes, such as cell phones, while driving.  Juries usually react unfavorably to employers whose employee drivers were found guilty of causing an accident while using a cellular device.  The most viable measure that we as a society can explore is an attempt to educate new drivers on the dangers of driving while distracted.  

Mitigating driving distractions in this country is very difficult, but mitigating a company’s exposure to vicarious liability is often manageable under the guidance and knowledge of the right insurance professionals.  They are able to work with the company to develop an appropriate policy regarding cell phones.  This policy won’t necessarily absolve an employer from any and all liability, but there’s no doubt that the employer with a policy in place will be in a better position legally than an employer who does not.  This helps the court recognize that the employer discussed with employees the importance of this issue. 

Twenty-one states in the U.S. have passed laws that ban texting and emailing while driving.  Others have banned talking on a cell phone altogether unless a hands-free device is used. (This has been proved to be no safer than hand-held ones.)  Federal employees are banned from typing on a mobile phone while driving.  It is interesting that other countries around the world have long prohibited the use of cell phones while driving, such as Great Britain, who made it a criminal offense to use a cell phone while driving in 2003, and Japan outlawed use of a cell phone while driving in 2002.  Japan even made it punishable by up to three months imprisonment.)  Statewide, there have been proposed over 200 new bills to combat distracted driving in the U.S. 

Under the legal theory of respondeat superior, referred to as vicarious responsibility, an employer is liable for the actions of an employee if the employee was acting within the scope of his or her employment at the time of the accident.  Thus, if an employee causes injury through negligent conduct, during employment, the victim is entitled to sue the employer directly for damages.  If an employee operates a vehicle negligently as a result of using a cell phone and injures another motorist or pedestrian, that victim may sue the employer directly.  Because detailed cell phone records are accessible, evidence of cell phone use at the time of the accident is fodder for plaintiffs’ attorneys. 

There are many things that companies can do to avoid litigation, such as the use of software that helps manage their risk of their employees’ negligent driving.  One such maker of software, ZoomSafer, has designed software that is easily installed on an employee’s smart phone to help prevent distracted driving.  It is activated manually by the employee at the time he/she begins to drive.  It can also activate itself by using GPS signals to automatically detect when the employee is driving.  It also manages inbound calls, texts and emails according to preference and can automatically notify others when the owner of the cell phone is driving.  (It’s like having your own personal secretary!)  

Also, this product allows each employer to manage the controls on an individual device level.  Rather than depending on individual employee’s compliance with the company’s cell phone policy, this enables the employer to directly manage an employee’s ability to access a cell phone while driving.  Software such as this helps companies’ safety and risk management by providing a cost-effective tool that enforces their paper-based safe driving policies.  In the event of an employee-caused car accident, this extra layer of control can be critical in insulating an employer from vicarious liability. 

Any manner that can protect drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and even animals from being injured or killed by distracted drivers is worth pursuing.  Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, recently declared,  “distracted driving has gone from a dangerous practice to a deadly epidemic.”

 

Source: ZoomSafer

General Safety Issues

NATIONAL DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS MONTH – PART I

Letting oneself become distracted while driving is one of the most dangerous things our highways are facing.  First, food and drink were the contributors to distracted driving.  Now, with cell phones being the main culprit, we are seeing more and more accidents being caused by not only talking on the phone while driving, but texting while behind the wheel.  New cars are being designed with technological advancements that require looking at the screen rather than the road, so it is easy to see why so many drivers today are guilty of driving distracted, often as a result of multi-tasking. 

According to studies on driving distractions, focus is placed on three major forms of distractions: physical, visual, and cognitive.  Using a cell phone while driving places cognitive demands on the user.  Talking on the phone requires concentration to listen, process and respond as opposed to just listening.  An even higher, more dangerous level of driving distraction is text messaging.  This affects all three major forms of driving distraction simultaneously.  It has been shown that hands-free phones are no safer than handheld ones. 

Almost every day we  hear a story about a child or innocent person who has been killed by someone talking on his/her cell phone, who ran a red light, or failed to see the other car.  Go to Focus Driven – Advocates for Cell-Free Driving and read some of the stories of how the use of cell phones while driving have impacted the lives of others, those who lost a child or family member.  There is no conversation that is so important that is worth taking the chance of hurting or killing someone.  It’s a simple thing to turn that cell phone off.  Your messages will be there when you arrive safely at your destination.  Just think how convenient it is to have your very own answering machine with you, taking your messages.  If you will get into the habit of turning your phone off, you will learn to appreciate a nice, quiet drive without disruption.  The experience of reading those stories has convinced me to turn my phone off while I am driving.  I have said it before, and then slipped back into the habit of setting it close by, but I don’t want to be guilty of hurting an innocent person because of some conversation with a friend, that could wait until I am out of my car. 

In the words of one of the guest bloggers on the Original Blog of Focus Driven-Advocates for Cell-Free phones: “Should connectivity be prioritized over safety?  Refraining from using a cell phone while driving may seem impossible to some.  Drivers using cell phones are four times as likely to crash.  Sending or receiving text messages increases crash risk by at least eight times.  No text, no conversation, no status update of email is worth putting your life, or another person’s life, in danger.”  This man was describing the devastation of losing his 12-year old son, who was riding with his mother when her SUV was hit on his side of the car by a woman ran a red light, talking on her cell-phone.  His son would now be 21, and, sadly,  his parents can only imagine what he would have been like at that age. 

If we are ever to change this problem, it is going to involve everyone.  If you receive a call from someone while they are driving, ask them to hang up, because you don’t want them to have an accident, and then ask them to call you when they get home.  Speak up if you are a passenger, and tell your driver to please stop texting while you are in the car.  It will take courage to tell your friends, family members and co-workers, who use their cell phones while driving, to ask them to take the pledge to drive cell-free.  Help change the social acceptance about cell phone distracted driving.  This should begin with new drivers, who need to get into the habit of not using their phones as soon as they begin driving, and of course, parents, who should have set the example for them. 

Tomorrow, we will continue with how distracted driving affects companies’ liability when their drivers use cell phones while operating company vehicles, and how they are correcting the problem.

General Safety Issues

TACTICS TO AVOID SEXUAL ABUSE

Although it is a subject that no one wants to discuss, we need to do all we can to help persons know how to protect themselves from sexual assault.  The month of April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month – a time to consider that this problem is one that is committed all too often.  Many times, assault victims don’t report it, because they become the one that is blamed for the act, rather than the perpetrator.  Rape, or sexual assault, is a violent crime, not a sexual act.

Listed below are good tips from the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault.  Please consider these ways to reduce your risk of becoming a victim: 

  • On Dates:  If you are on a first date with someone, and you don’t really know much about that person, meet in a public place, arriving and leaving separately.  If a situation makes you uncomfortable, speak up.  Don’t isolate yourself with someone you don’t know or trust.  Trust your feelings; if it doesn’t feel right, or you feel pressured, listen to yourself.  Once you say “No”, it becomes a crime if an assault takes place.
  • At Home: Have a door viewer and a dead bolt lock on your front door.  Never hide a key over a door or other obvious places.  Be cautious about revealing personal information over the phone or internet.  Keep your blinds and curtains closed at night.  Never admit strangers or unwanted contacts to your home under any circumstances.
  • In the Car:  Always lock your car when leaving and entering it.  Look in the back seat before entering your car.  Have your cell phone with you at all times.  Lock yourself in the car if you have car trouble, call for help, and wait for assistance to arrive.  If you think someone is following you, drive to the nearest public place and blow your horn.  If a police station or hospital is nearby, go there.
  • At Parties:  Go with friends and stay with your group.  Watch out for each other and leave together.  Never leave a beverage unattended.  Overuse of alcohol or drugs can decrease your awareness and make you vulnerable.  No matter how persuasive or attractive a stranger may be, never leave with that person.
  • On the Street:  Don’t walk close to alleyways and bushes.  Wear sensible clothing and shoes, which will allow you to maneuver or run.  Stay alert and aware.  If you walk or jog, take alternate routes or time on the street.  Predictable behavior is risky.  Keep your cell phone in your pocket. 

Other statistics pertaining to this topic, are the ones regarding Child Sexual Assault.  Between 75 per cent and 80 per cent of assailants are known to the family, or are family members.  Parents should know that young children do not make up stories about a subject as serious as this.  Children are never responsible for these assaults made against them; however, most children are afraid to tell their parents.  Children can be taught to use their own resources to protect themselves, such as kicking, yelling, running, getting help, etc.  The key is that they know to whom they can turn for immediate and unquestioning help.  Schools may do some instruction to children on ways to protect themselves. 

Again, we can’t turn our backs on subjects that are not pleasant to discuss.  Counselors encourage people to spread the word about ways to avoid becoming a victim.  It can happen to children, adults, seniors, any one, any age.  The National Sexual Assault Hotline, (800-656-HOPE) is available 24/7, offering free confidential services.

Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

SAFETY ADVICE FOR PARENTS OF YOUNG ATHLETES

All safety observances are important – one deserves as much attention as the other.  The month of April recognizes many, and today we want to focus on two of them.  April is National Youth Sports Safety Month, as well as Sports Eye Safety Month.  It seems fitting that we can talk about both of them today. 

Last September, the National Youth Sports Health and Safety Institute was launched.  The executive director of this institute is Michael Bergeron, Ph.D., FACSM.  Dr. Bergeron states, “there has been a disturbing trend in the youth sports industry – we are seeing an increase in injuries that have never been seen before in children and teens: over-use/stress-induced, and concussions.  Over the last two months, 14 kids have already died – half from heat-related causes, the other half from cardiac issues; it used to be that 2-3 kids died each year.  Something needs to change.”  The goals of this program include collecting research, developing new education strategies and educating parents, coaches, trainers, and physicians.  

Four “pillars” that will come under the Institute:

  • Unique Clinical Conditions in Youth Athletic Populations (e.g., Type 1 diabetes, eating disorders, sudden cardiac trauma)
  • Concussion/mild traumatic brain injury
  • Heat illness and injury
  • Overuse/overload and injury risk. 

Other Sports Injury Facts from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and Safe Kids USA: 

  • More than half of all sports injuries happen at practice.  Despite this fact, one-third of parents often do not take the same safety precautions during their child’s practices as they would for a game.
  • More than 3.5 million children ages 14 and under receive medical treatment for sports injuries annually.
  • Injuries associated with sports and recreational activities account for 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among children in the United States.
  • Overuse injury is responsible for almost half of all sports injuries to middle and high school students.  Immature bones, insufficient rest after an injury and poor training or conditioning contribute to overuse injuries among children.
  • Children ages 5 to 14 account for almost 40 percent of all sports-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments.  The rate and severity of sports-related injury increases with a child’s age. 

Sports Eye Safety Information: 

In the United States,  more than 100,000 physician visits per year are because of eye injuries from sports.  Basketball and baseball cause the most eye injuries, followed by water sports and racket sports.  The American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Opthalmology strongly recommend protective eyewear for all participants in sports where there is risk of eye injury.  Appropriate protective eyewear for sports should be chosen after consultation from an ophthalmologist, optometrist, optician, physician or athletic trainer.  Only two types of eyewear are satisfactory for sports protective eyewear:

  1. Safety sports eyewear that conforms to the requirements of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard F803 for selected sports.
  2. Sports eyewear that is attached to a helmet or for sports in which ASTM standard F803 is inadequate; those include specifications for youth baseball batters and base runners, paintball, skiing, and ice hockey.  Other protectors with specific standards are available for football and men’s lacrosse. 

Parents and athletes should know about the risks associated with playing sports and the availability of a variety of certified sports eye protectors.  

Important Advice for Coaches and Parents: 

Most coaches in youth sports are volunteers.  It is important that at least one coach has training in CPR.  There should also be a first aid kit handy, just in case of an accident.  It is important for parents and coaches to remember that first of all, sports should be fun for the kids.  Many times, too much pressure is put on kids to excel in their choice of sport.  Ninety-five percent of youths who play sports in high school are through with sports when they graduate.  Only five percent of student athletes go on to play college sports.  

Nothing pleases a child more than having their parents and grandparents watch them participate in sports, music, or whatever their chosen activity is.  Support them and be sure that if they are playing sports, all safety measures are taken;  most of all, have fun!

Sources: Fox News; National Eye Institute (Unite for Sight); National Center for Sports Safety

General Safety Issues

SEVEN BAD HABITS KIDS PICK UP FROM TWITTER – Guest Post

Today, we are featuring an article sent to us by Martina Keyhell, with becomeananny.org/blog.  Not too long ago, Martina sent us a some tips about bad habits that teens pick up from Facebook.  Here is her take on Twitter:

“Social media forums have some real up sides, we can’t deny that. When it comes to staying in touch with far-flung friends and family and being up to speed with all the latest and greatest in news and gossip, it’s been a real blessing to have social networking sites like Twitter. We just wish that some kids didn’t suffer from some side-effects of overuse. Don’t know what we’re talking about? We’ll explain. Here are seven bad habits that kids pick up from Twitter:

  1. Poor Grammar – We’ve seen this from chat room usage, text messaging, and IM’s; so it’s nothing that’s really new. The 140-character limit and Twitter’s wildly popular platform just seem to exacerbate the problem to a far greater degree.
  2. Time Management – Let’s be frank, this isn’t just a problem for kids, but it poses a greater threat to them, since they haven’t yet learned to balance their time between work and leisure to the extent they will need to as adults.
  3. Following Celebrities – On the surface, and with proper balance, there’s nothing inherently wrong with corresponding with celebrities. In fact it’s one of the great things about Twitter. The danger is in placing more emphasis on the posts of the famous, re-tweeting every little blurb as though it were sage wisdom, all just because of the person’s celebrity status.
  4. Public Venting – It’s good to have outlets for our anger and frustration, so long as they are safe and private. The trend these days apparently is to go to your profile and launch into a thoughtless tirade when the mood swings. Not a wise or healthy habit and one that can end up backfiring on you.
  5. Loss of Originality – This isn’t a widespread thing, but it’s something we are seeing more and more often. Re-tweets are another form of showing approval, like a thumbs-up or a like. Used in that way, they’re vaguely useful and certainly harmless enough.  The difference is that re-tweets at times almost seem like recitations, with RT’ers supplanting original thought in favor of aping whatever post happens to be popular at the time.
  6. Auto-Following – In this context, it’s more or less seen as a polite reciprocation of a friendly gesture. It can be done automatically with an app, or manually on a tit-for-tat basis. The thing is, following someone should be based on individual merit, as determined by the follower, on a case-by-case basis. Kids need to establish these parameters and values in their lives now, and not toss them aside in a social networking environment.
  7. Blurring the Lines – This is a virtually universal issue, in that it affects people of various ages, backgrounds and occupations. There seems to be little if any distinction for so many of us, between our personal and professional lives, as we embrace these social media sites.”

Thanks, Martina, and if I may add to your #7.  This issue does affect many different persons, in all walks of life.  It is very irritating to see a politician during session supposedly listening to the person speaking, (maybe the subject is important to the rest of us!), but during that time he/she is Tweeting!  This happens in all walks of life., as well.  We need to pay attention to things that are important to others, and then share our news on the social network of choice.

Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Head Protection, High Visibility Safety

SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR CRANE OPERATORS AND LIFTING CREWS

About the authors:
Pat Brownlee writes for Blog4Safety.com, a part of Texas America Safety Company, (tasco-safety.com), who wishes to share safety advice. Texas America Safety Company has been in the safety supply business for over twenty years, serving the world with quality safety products. Our phone number is 800-646-5346 or 325-646-5346.
Nathan Gladwin is the business development manager of Harold Potter Ltd.  They provide lifting equipment, heavy duty cranes and overhead cranes for construction, manufacturing and industry in the United Kingdom.  Their website is haroldpotter.co.uk.  Our phone number is  01159-838-111.  In this piece, two companies come together as experts within their respective fields to discuss the safety requirements and protective equipment that crane operators and heavy lifting crews should be deploying to reduce and minimise the dangers and inherent risks of working within heavy industry.

Accidents keep happening every day, often due to someone’s irresponsibility. It isn’t surprising to learn that cranes at construction sites, drilling rigs, and mines are popular places for serious injuries, and sometimes death. If Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, had been used, possibly these accidents could have been prevented, or at best, less serious injuries may have occurred.

Nathan: “One of the tasks I perform every Friday morning is to see what news and developments are happening in our industry, this often finds me encountering health and safety incidents and accidents at work involving cranes. It’s important to know the mistakes others are making so that we can adequately address the needs of our customers.  Due to the sheer number of silly accidents and fatalities I decided to seek out opportunities to speak about personal protective (PPE) and safety equipment that in our opinion should be issued to crane operators and lifting crews working within heavy industry.”

There is much responsibility for crane companies to train their operators and ground crews to go about their business as safely as possible. In the United States, OSHA requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce employee exposure to hazards. The lifting, maneuvering and moving of heavy loads means the chances of impact or collisions are quite likely at some point.

Pat: “Flame resistant clothing, gloves, head protection, eyewear and protective footwear are all examples of PPE. The particular job hazards will dictate the type of PPE that is needed for a certain crane project. All protective clothing and equipment should be appropriate and specific for the job and the potential hazards. Workers must always ensure that their PPE is clean and functional. In the case it is damaged, they should return it to their supervisor for replacement.”

Nathan: “It’s often not a question of if, but when it will happen. A hard hat will protect you from knocks or impacts that would cause concussion or may potentially result in a death. It’s not just swinging loads; people have been seriously hurt and injured from tripping into hardened or blunt stationary objects.”

Pat: “Yes, operators should wear a hardhat; most hardhats have the capability for face shields or other safety products to be attached as necessary.”

Can you give us an example as to how and why hard hats should always be worn? Do you find people are complacent about their own health and safety?

Nathan: “A particularly memorable example that comes to mind is that of a bizarre death involving a crane operator carrying out lifting at a cargo port. The straps that were used to secure a load of heavy steel were either not suitable for the job or were possibly fatigued and in a state of disrepair. In any case, the straps buckled under pressure and a metal bolt was projected at high velocity striking the operator in the head. This sadly concluded with the operators’ death. A hard hat may have saved his life.”

Pat: “…yes, it was too hot, or too uncomfortable, on and on. Now, manufacturers and designers have designed protective clothing, safety glasses, and gloves that fit small persons, large persons, and women, who usually require smaller clothing. So, there’s really no good excuse for not wearing your PPE.”

Nathan: “As a crane operator, there will be something to meet the specific environment you work in. PPE and hi-vis clothing comes available in everything from light waist coats, pants, coveralls to extreme all weather suits and jackets.”
Is some PPE more important than others?

Pat: “We believe all PPE is vital, so it’s hard to classify which one is the most important. First aid kits should be available – both in the crane and on the ground. Gloves that are good for gripping gears should be used, and if necessary, there are flame resistant coveralls, jackets, etc. Fire equipment should also be on board.”

Nathan: “…It can be heart sinking to discover missing kits or whereby they have not been replenished over time when they’re needed. It’s not really possible to answer what’s most important, as the risk will be different dependent upon the situation or project.”

Pat: “For eye protection, there are impact resistant safety glasses, goggles, and over-the-glasses safety glasses. Most workers want to wear good safety shoes, ones that have steel-toes, (unless they work around electricity), and that will equally keep them safe from slips, trips and falls.

What would you recommend for specific roles within lifting crews?

Pat: “For the signalers, who know all safety regulations pertaining to cranes and the work that is being performed, hardhats would be a must. Regulations allow only one person to be the signaler, being sure the operator acknowledges every signal, and maintains constant sight with the operator. Signalers are to stop the operation at once if communication with the crane operator is lost.”

The laws of gravity govern that what goes up must come down; the question of how to stay safe will be on many peoples’ minds when in close proximity to or involved in such activity.

Nathan: “Safety shoes, boots or trainers of the sufficient safety grade will prevent your feet from getting crushed, and it’s never nice to hear about how someone had to have a foot or limb amputated when simple equipment can make all the difference.”

Pat: “For those who are part of boom assembly or disassembly, and working on tower cranes, OSHA requires the use of fall arrest systems when working at an unsafe height.”

Cranes and lifting equipment are used in all sorts of challenging locations such as shipping ports, dry-docks, drilling rigs, building and construction sites or manufacturing workshops. I imagine being able to clearly hear a persons’ voice over the background noise can be challenging even when conditions are ideal. How do people stay safe in these conditions?

Nathan: “If you cannot be heard, then it’s imperative that you can be seen! Much of today’s modern and robust safety clothing and garments feature high visibility materials and fabrics, reflective surfaces and dyed in bright colours. They are of course the iconic sign that you work in industry and you’re to be taken seriously. You backup your chances of remaining safe in dangerous or hazardous conditions by ensuring if that you’re not always sharp to seeing a potential threat, that at least someone else can be looking out for you.”

Pat: “The rest of the crew should be wearing hi-visibility vests or jackets, hardhats, gloves, and safety glasses. The use of hi-visibility hardhats, vests, and gloves would be very important in these situations. There are gloves that have bright colors, and unless this interferes with the hand signals they give the crane operator, this would be helpful.”

What are your concluding thoughts?

Nathan: “We can be sure PPE isn’t an outright replacement for common sense, intelligence and foresight thinking; however it does in fact compliment this extremely well and will prevent companies from experiencing the negative repercussions.”

Pat: “Training is the main key to a successful crew. We are in agreement with the statement you made that PPE isn’t an outright replacement for acting properly.   In case of emergencies, the employer should know that the crews are well-trained in CPR, first aid, and emergency response. Operating any type of heavy equipment is a huge responsibility, with others depending on the operator’s skill and knowledge of safety.”

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

ADVICE TO HELP YOU STAY HEALTHY

Although this comes a litle late, we want to remind you that April 2nd through April 8th was designated by the American Public Health Association as National Public Health Week.  Because almost 1 million Americans die each year from diseases that could have been prevented, even small preventive changes and community initiatives can make a big difference in living healthier lives.  Here are just a few ideas from the APHA: 

Eating and Living Healthy – eating healthier and exercising regularly can go a long way toward helping Americans lessen their risk of preventable death from causes such as stroke, heart disease, and cancer.  Try eating more fruits and less fats and sugar, and also get into the habit of eating as a family.  Aim for 60 minutes per day of physical activity for children, and at least 30 minutes for adults.  Every one of us should have 30 minutes to spare for a short walk or exercise in the home. 

Preventive Care – also matters when it comes to the mind and prescription drug abuse.  Mental health and emotional well-being are focused on, as annual deaths from prescription drug abuse have quadrupled in the last decade.  The cost of preventive screenings differ, but there is advice on how to control your out of pocket expenses.  Companies may sometimes provide screenings for their employees, and this rewards those who may need some preventive care, as well as their employer, by keeping their workers healthy. 

An ounce of mental health prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Those who suffer from depression and other mental stress can be helped by screenings, as well as therapy, or some mild form of medication.  Don’t let depression get in your way of happiness.  Signs of depression may lead to suicidal thinking.  If you know someone who may appear to have this problem, encourage them to seek professional help.

Communicable Diseases – encourage everyone to wash their hands often, every time they shop, prepare food, or handle fruits, vegetables, and meats.  Also, when sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth.  Take advantage of vaccinations, such as flu shots during seasonal outbreaks.  If you become sick, stay home until you are well, in order to not expose others to your “bug”.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and other Drugs – identify alcohol and drug use disorders early to reduce high-risk alcohol and drug consumption.  A person who has a problem with alcohol or drugs is a hazard at work, as well as to themselves. 

Reproductive and Sexual Health – Practice safe sex, encourage responsible contraception behavior and promote access to preventive health services.  

Our communities can play a vital role to encourage their citizens on how to live  healthy, active life styles.  Many 5K runs and walks are beneficial ways to be healthy (you have to train), and know that you are doing it for a worthy cause, as well.  Work with schools to add more physical activity into the school day, including additional physical education classes, before-and-after-school programs, and opening school facilities for student and family recreation in the late afternoon and evening.  Community leaders can also ensure their city parks are safe and in good repair, and have a community center that enables young people to have a safe place to go for multiple games and activities.

Good health information is available at hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities .  Pick up some of the brochures and you may be surprised at the good advice they offer on preventive health care.  Have a safe and healthy Spring and Summer.