Yearly Archives: 2014

General Safety Issues, Head Protection

MORE SAFETY INFORMATION REGARDING CONCUSSIONS (GUEST POST)

Last December, we featured an article about safety concerns in sports: http://www.blog4safety.com/2013/12/football-isnt-just-fun-and-games/.  In response to that article, we received a very interesting graphic on head injuries involving children through teens.  Because we are all involved in keeping our youngsters and workers safe from traumatic brain injuries, please see the following graph on the various types of injuries, of both girls and boys.  Our thanks to http://www.bostonheadinjurylawyer.com/youth-head-injury-prevention/ for submitting this guest infographic. 

Consider the head injuries that young boys suffer before they start playing football.  We are seeing more and more professional football players claiming dementia and other disorders as the result of repeated hits to their heads.  It is important that young persons play by the rules, and protect their head at all costs.  Training them on how to do this is very important.  Ensure that their schools provide the safest helmets possible.

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

HOW TO KEEP SENIORS SAFE AT HOME (GUEST POST)

Your mom is the best cook in the world. You could die for her bacon and eggs breakfast and chocolate cake for dessert! Even your friends come home for dinner sometimes because they simply love her cooking, and let’s face it, she loves to feed people too. Even though you think you’re a bit overweight and could do with some exercise, she thinks you look skinny and could do with some more food in your tummy! But all this aside, she’s a bit of a klutz and that scares you a little. She’s had some minor falls here and there—they didn’t hurt her too much but she’s still shook.

After some minor fractures, you realized that your house could do with some fixing. A little bit of adjustments could make your house safer for her. After all, at her age, you don’t want to be messing with physics! Because you never know when those frail bones of hers might fail her. You’d rather be prepared for the worst because klutziness might become her worst enemy! It’s not that difficult or expensive to make a home safer for seniors. Let me show you the ropes. Here are some things you could do:

1.       Make your house accident proof

Since older bones can be brittle, it’s important that the house does not have jutting corners or slippery surfaces which may cause untoward injury. You won’t realize but changing small things in your house may prevent your parents (or elderly people in general, or even kids for that matter) from being prone to small accidents. You need to be careful about small things like making sure that all electrical wires are placed along walls and no one can trip over them. The stairways also need to be in a good condition because a tumble down those steps may cause some serious hurt and you don’t want that, do you? It’s important for you to keep the smallest things in mind while you change things around in the house to make it safer. You should make sure that there is plenty of room to walk and there is no clutter (such as small pieces of furniture or your dog Max’s food bowl) to trip over. Clean up spills as soon as they happen!

2.       Lighting is really important

Everyone knows that as you grow old, your eye sight gets weaker. So, it becomes really important for the house to be well lit for the seniors. Be it the kitchen, the bedroom or the bathroom. The lighting is absolutely necessary. Nowadays you have the option of lighting with something called proximity sensors. This simply means that when you walk into a room, the lights will automatically come on. The elderly people in your family will love this feature and it will come in handy especially during the night. It’s also quite energy efficient so it’s good for your pocket too! Good lighting on stairways is also really important.

 House light

Source: http://www.viahouse.com/2010/08/modern-concrete-house-inspiration-space-saving-house-interior/decorative-lighting-concrete-house-designs/ 

3.       Handrails are the way to go

Hand rails next to the stairs and the tub are an easy option. They should be securely attached to the wall and will come in handy (see what I did there?) when you want to prevent falls. And as I said earlier, it’s important to protect those brittle bones!

 Wall Handrails1

Source: http://www.shawstairs.com/images/Wall%20Handrails1.jpg

4.       It’s also about security

You must have come across so many news stories where the elderly were targets of thefts and violence. Keeping that in mind, security from burglars and your amateur Jack the ripper becomes an important aspect of making the home safe for your folks. Make sure that your entry door is (almost) bulletproof. I recently replaced my door with this one from Champion Window– comes with a lifetime warranty! Porches and balconies should also be protected with fences or gates that cannot be climbed over. It’s important to secure the outdoor area as much as the indoors. 

These are some steps that you can take if you’re looking to make your home safe for seniors. It’s all about the little things that may cause injury and replacing them is easy and quite inexpensive. Take a good look around your house because these things can be extremely subjective. Good luck! Your folks are going to be quite happy with your efforts. 

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

WAYS TO INSPIRE YOUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE NEED FOR WORK SAFETY (GUEST POST)

Work safety and sound precautions against health hazards is indeed a major aspect of all kinds of businesses, big or small. It is necessary that employers provide all kinds of safety dress, equipment and head/body gear in order not only to ensure avoidance of work related accidents but also ensure maximum safety, security and hazard free working environment for employees at all levels of work.

The equipment that may be needed are helmets and hardhats, ear plugs,  goggles and eye care, body wear, gloves and hand wear, safety belts, care of limbs and both lower and upper extremity, stockings and boots, and so on. It is the right and privilege of each and every worker to gain protection from any kind of accident and mishaps and it is obligatory for employers to provide it to them. 

Thus employees need to be provided a safe and hazard free work place, devoid of any kind of occupation or work related risks. However, despite best efforts, accidents do occur, and some of them may be lethal and dangerous, not only involving loss of limb but also that of life itself.  Each and every work site must have medical and First Aid personnel and supplies commiserating with type, extent and degree of potential harm. Medical first aid services are addressed in specific standards for general industry, employment, terminals and construction industry. All businesses must have at least one first aid kit in office room and at construction area sites.  The presence of an Automated External Defibrillator could indeed be life saving in event of heart attacks, as well as the need for first aid kit, bloodborne pathogen kit, with gown etc, CPR pack, disposable towels, plastic use and throw gloves, facial masks for mouth, eye shield and one way face shield.
 
Most safety minded and hazard avoiding companies would need to use a regular first aid kit that would have basic first aid treatment aids like splints, gauze, antiseptics, bandages, alcohol pads and also aspirin, burn cream or burn spray containers, eye wash kit, plastic gloves, compress for head and swollen injuries and also other needed first aid supplies.  Each work environment has different safety and hazard intervention needs and requirements due to diverse kinds of injury potential and possibilities.
 
However, if the injury requires more treatment than just first aid, it is important that hospital numbers are called; meanwhile, first aid is administered as it should be done. It is necessary to research the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website for gaining best data on accidents and how these could be prevented.
 
The main idea behind OSHA is to offer safe and healthy working environment for working men and women by approving enforcement of required standards developed under the OSHA and by assisting and encouraging states in their endeavors to offer safe, reliable and healthy working environment by allowing research, data, education and training in the domain of occupational safety and health and for other purposes too. All field employees need these work safety even the essay writing factory workers.
 
Sent to us by Julius Kelty 
 
Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Protective Clothing

PROTECTING BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES FROM INDUSTRIAL WASTE RISK (GUEST POST)

If you live in an industrial community, it is understandable for you to be concerned about chemical spills and industrial waste. You would want a guarantee that public health is not being affected by industrial businesses. The Environmental Protective Agency has encouraged partnerships with environmental contracting companies as a helpful solution to reduce the risk of industrial waste and hazardous spills. 

If you own a business, especially a business that deals with chemical waste, there are many extensive environmental regulations that you must meet in your daily operations. Keeping up with the complexities and changes of these industrial waste laws can be a cumbersome and laborious process. However, if you ignore environmental laws, you could end up paying lots of money in fines. 

Even with the necessary precautions, chemical and petroleum spills can still occur.  When these spills happen, the law requires that specific steps be taken to protect the environment from pollution. Environmental contracting companies help safeguard industrial businesses from waste accidents. 

With the already demanding operations of construction, it can be difficult for  businesses and contractors to arrange and facilitate clean up in the event of a spill. With every passing moment, your business could be fined at a greater level when they are in violation of the environmental codes. This is where you could benefit from environmental construction companies.  They give you the confidence and assurance to operate your business freely and handle industrial waste management for you. 

These environmental contracting services are available to provide around-the-clock support for companies to help keep the environment safe from pollution and your company safe from disaster. These environmental contracting companies are highly trained experts at construction oversight, groundwater and soil treatment systems, industrial waste management and emergency disaster response. 

How Environment Specialists Serve the Industrial Community

Environmental contractors provide many benefits to contractors and communities with the expertise to clean up chemical spills and other hazards that could cost your company a fortune. 

An environmental expert is at the forefront of emerging technologies and has the latest equipment to help you keep the environment safe and construction companies protected. They will assess your construction project and the chemicals that you use in your business. They devise a customized plan based on their extensive knowledge to help you clear hazardous materials and safely and discretely dispose them off. 

This special industry is able to partner with companies in planning future projects, providing valuable expertise that can help save money and time. All of the legal aspects are already handled for their customers, and they are with you throughout every step of your project. Having an environmental contracting service by your side can also improve your chances of your work being approved your state and local agencies. 

Working with an environmental specialist will help you remain in compliance with industrial waste laws and focus on what matters to your business the most. You can take advantage of an immediate response any hour of the day and receive emergency assistance. Environmental contracting companies are a team of experts that serve the environment by partnering with industrial businesses to do construction right.  

The FGS Group is a leader in the petroleum cleanup program and a full service environmental engineering, remediation, and waste management company serving businesses in Tampa, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Orlando, Florida and the surrounding areas. 

Note: These professional companies are trained and equipped with all the proper personal protective equipment (i.e., gloves, protective clothing, eye protection, and hazardous waste protection.) pb

 
 
 
General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, High Visibility Safety

HOW TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE SAFELY (GUEST POST)

One thing is for sure that those who have ridden the bike once have become the fan of two wheelers forever because the fun and joy they get in riding a motorcycle is hard to get in any other type of vehicle. Therefore, it is often said that bikes are meant for people who do not like to go around in a steel cage, as they love to enjoy the thrill in the wind and embrace the natural beauty around them. However, let’s just face it -when it comes to safety, motorcycles do not offer the same protection that a four wheeler does. Moreover, a bike can go as fast as a car, but it doesn’t offer seat belts to the riders. On top of it, bikes do not have exterior frames like cars, so they cannot absorb the forces in case of a crash. 

Nevertheless, this does not mean that one should never ever ride a bike because today modern protective equipments and certain precautionary measures have made it possible to ride a motorcycle without endangering your life. The most important thing in this regard is wearing a helmet as it protects the most delicate part of the body, our head. For the reason that how dense our skull is, it still cannot protect our brain from getting damaged when it strikes against a footpath or concrete wall during a crash. Therefore, use of helmet for riders is a must, but alone it would not be enough to guarantee the safety of a rider. So professionals also advise people to wear right motorcycle gear that incorporates protective armours in it. 

In addition to  gear, motorcycle riders also need to wear proper gloves and boots for two wheels, which they can easily get from MotorcycleMegaStore.  They keep the skin of a rider from getting scratched and also save them from getting any serious injuries if a bike skids on the road. Apart from having all the personal protective equipment, a rider should also know about his or her riding skills, as it will define their limits. A riding skill is a thing which one cannot develop overnight because it evolves with the passage of time only. Therefore, riders should drive within their skills and do not test their luck by weaving in and out of the traffic or going through curves and turns at high speed. However, an advance riding course would definitely prove quite helpful in developing your riding skills.  

Besides improving riding skills a biker should also take care of the fact that they must look where they want to go otherwise they would either end up in a wrong lane or crash into a car or bike coming from the opposite side. One solution to avoid such a collision is that a rider must drop the speed before making a turn or leaning down because it will give them more control over the bike. Another big mistake that riders often make is that they do not leave enough space between their bike and the vehicle in front of them. As a result of that we often get to see bikers slamming into a vehicle from behind when the car or bike in front of them applies emergency brakes. 

For safe riding, bikers also need to look twice before switching the lane because cars can be easily spotted, but motorcycles are not that easy to spot. Therefore, a biker must keep his or her eyes open at all times, so they do not bump into another biker on the road. In this scenario, side mirrors on the bike would remain quite helpful, as they will give them a good view of any car or bike that is coming a from behind them at a high speed. Aside from taking these precautions, a rider should also take care of two more things, one – he should not drink and ride the bike; secondly, avoid all distractions. For instance, do not get lost in your little world, dream about tomorrow’s party or get busy on the cell phone with your friends or loved ones.

Hopefully, if a rider follows the aforementioned tips he or she would not only remain safe on the road, but they will also enjoy the ride more than anything.

Thanks to Gary Ardill for this information.  Many people prefer to ride their motorcycles to and from work, because they are more economic, as well as just getting the pleasure of being outdoors.  We highly recommend that if they do so, they add a high visibility vest over their regular safety gear and work clothes in order to be seen by drivers. pb

 
General Safety Issues

SEVEN REASONS WHY YOUR SAFETY COMMUNICATION GETS IGNORED (GUEST POST)

By Marie-Claire Ross

Your workforce will give you less than one minute to convince them to work safely.  Do you know what to say, or write, in those first 60 seconds? 

Employees quickly tune out when they hear bland, irrelevant safety messages.  Too often, they’ve heard boring safety communication that demands compliance.  What’s often missing in most safety communication is the human element.  The needs of what individuals prefer to hear are ignored, in preference for what the safety professional believes they need to be told.  Yet, this is key to getting buy-in. 

To get people to listen, you really need to know the psychology behind why people tune out to information.  Here are 7 safety communication techniques that will help you to get people to pay attention: 

1.      It’s not personal – Self-interest is one of the biggest human motivators of all time.  Tap into this by getting into the mindset of your target audience.  While writing, keep asking yourself all the time: “So what?  What’s in it for me?”  Let people know how the new safety information will help them.  Don’t assume they will know.  Give them a “why.” 

2.      It’s not interesting – Our brains have been designed to stop information overload, by constantly scanning the horizon for items that are different than normal.  Anything unusual or unpredictable causes us to stop and listen.  Some of the most successful advertising campaigns of all time include fear or surprise to get attention.  Ask yourself “What can I use in this information that people won’t expect?” 

3.      They’ve heard it before – Three of the most dangerous words in the human language are “I know that.”  These words almost guarantee that the brain will shutdown and block any new information.  Avoid this by asking people questions about what they do not know (but think they do).  Make sure they publicly announce their answer.  Humans hate to be wrong, so we’re more likely to learn something if we have been publicly exposed as being incorrect.  Again, this involves working out an unusual angle that is counter-intuitive to what everyone expects.  

4.      They’re preoccupied – Everyday we are bombarded with around 150 – 5,000 advertising messages.  And then there are messages from home that you have to battle with such as family issues, social networking sites and money problems.  Your communication messages also compete with messages from the production manager pushing for better productivity, the human resources manager needing forms filled out more accurately, and co-workers distracting each other.  Never assume people will listen to you, when their heads are filled with so many other things to deal with. 

5.      They haven’t seen it – In advertising, marketers recognise that people need to be exposed to a television ad 4-7 times before they will absorb the message.  This is why frequency of message equals success in advertising. 

To ensure that your workers remember your safety message, you need to get into their head – a lot.  This means planning on placing messages in multiple places (such as posters, screensavers, email newsletters, toolbox talks etc) to ensure exposure to your safety communication around 4-7 times minimum. 

6.      They don’t understand you – As humans, we have a tendency to provide people with lots of information.  But that literally hurts the brain.  Providing lots of data or lots of text contributes to people switching off.  Essentially, you need to focus on one clear message and remove redundant information.  Supply just enough information to grab attention and then provide a little more and then, a little more. 

7.      They don’t know what to do – Any safety communication is all about getting people to think about a safety issue, in order to make changes to their behaviour.  Getting the viewer to act and expend some sort of energy on the message is crucial.  Always end with a call to action that makes it clear what you want people to do. 

Being able to create clear, easy to understand and attention grabbing safety communication is a vital skill for any safety leader.  It’s also important that communication is easy for people to remember and motivates workers to change how they think and act, when it comes to safety. 

If you want comprehensive safety communication training, in order to improve your safety communication techniques, refer to the book “Transform Your Safety Communication.”  This highly acclaimed book provides five easy to use templates and frameworks to easily update your safety communication.  Get access to the safety communication secrets that hundreds of safety professional across the globe are successfully applying.  Find out more about the book and get your free sample chapter at: http://www.safetycommunicationbook.com 

Marie-Claire Ross is the author of Transform Your Safety Communication and the Workplace Communicator blog which reaches around 10,000 people per month.  Over the last 12 years she has helped over 30 medium and large sized companies improve their workplace safety communication, in her role as the Principal Consultant at Digicast Productions.

 

 

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

BEST SELF-DEFENSE COMBATS FOR PERSONAL SECURITY AT WORK (GUEST POST)

 

Violence, whether it happens within the workplace or outside of it, can cause considerable harm to employee morale, increase work-related stress, and decrease the overall level of workplace harmony, not to mention the potential human resources and compensation issues.

Employers should provide their employees with a safe work environment, and indeed, some provide pepper spray, automatic locking doors, or other devices to deter attacks. Most companies have taken at least some steps to ensure that their employees remain safe. Some even provide self defense programs to teach you how they would like you to handle such incidents. Apart from the primary benefits of educating a company’s employees in a practical, effective, rapid-learning self defense program which goes far beyond just teaching “techniques”, and includes Legal and Moral Rights and Responsibilities, and Physical Tools of Self Protection – there are many other very important and beneficial reasons why every company should offer such a program. Just as with most other types of insurance, one of the benefits found is in the peace of mind and knowledge that you are protected if something should ever go wrong.  

In this article you will find the list of the 5 best martial arts techniques that can be used for self defense in the workplace. 

1.      AIKIDO

Aikido’s followers learn how to use an assailant’s strength and energy against them. Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. Further, if thrown to the ground, aikido practitioners are experts at falling. Thus, they are good at avoiding injuries as a result. Once on the ground, or sometimes while still standing, aikido practices joint locks and choke holds to varying extents. Thus, practitioners are capable of fighting where the majority of self defense situations go. Weapon training is common in aikido, and followers are taught to defend themselves against staffs, swords and knives.

2.      KARATE

Karate is primarily a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands and ridge-hands. In most styles grappling, locks, restraints, throws and vital point strikes are taught. This martial art is supremely valuable because of not only its health benefits, but also its role as a self defense tool. According to the precepts, it can also be used, “… as a way of avoiding a fight should one be confronted by a villain or ruffian.” However, the karate based martial arts types are highly limited in their takedown defense instruction and grappling, so practitioners need to keep some level of distance in an altercation. On the flip side, since karate is a striking style that focuses on incapacitating strikes, it can be used against multiple attackers with a level of confidence.

3.      BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

Like traditional jujutsu and judo, the Brazilian form emphasizes throws and groundwork, making it a popular tool for today’s mixed martial artists. With more than 60% of any street fight ending up on the ground, Brazilian jiu-jitsu allows size and strength of the attacker to be taken out of the equation. Brazilian jiu-jitsu does not teach a fighter how to be a good stand up fighter. It does, however, teach people to avoid being hurt on their feet, take others to the ground, and then apply a submission. Further, through the use of leverage, it also teaches practitioners to take on bigger opponents and fight from their back via the use of the guard position.

4.      KUNG FU

 In martial arts circles, kung fu refers to a ton of Chinese martial arts substyles. Kung fu is primarily about striking. Thus, the majority of styles within this realm teach incapacitating strikes to vital areas. This is a good thing in a self defense situation, as speed is the key. What’s more, kung fu does teach a lot about distance control and moving in and out of harm’s way effectively, which limits the damage that can be done to you, the practitioner. Striking tends to be diverse; lots of kicks and punches, including unorthodox ones. As is the case with most martial arts, kung fu’s worth lies in both health benefits and self defense knowledge. 

5.      TAEKWONDO

In self defense, one wants to move in and out of harm’s way quickly, incapacitating an opponent along the way. This is especially true when up against more than one opponent. One also wants to inflict damage and not be hurt; taking chances isn’t always a good thing. Taekwondo teaches its followers to do just these things. Further, it teaches very powerful strikes designed to incapacitate. Taekwondo training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws and joint locks. Taekwondo practitioners are skilled in strength, stamina, speed, balance, and flexibility.

Self defense training has been shown to improve employee discipline, morale, and critical thinking; it can help to dissuade workplace violence before it starts; it improves creative problem solving skills and is excellent for building workplace unity and enhancing teamwork. Smart companies know that taking steps to keep their employees safe and healthy by implementing things like health and dental insurance, wellness programs, and on-the-job safety training is not only the right thing to do for their employees, but it’s in the best interest of the company’s own fiscal health, longevity, and success.  Furnishing them the proper personal protective equipment (i.e., safety glasses, gloves, hardhats, etc.) for their particular job is the front line of their defense. 

Author Bio: 

This article was submitted by UMA, Melbourne based Ultimate Martial Arts & Fitness school.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UltimateMartialArts

We appreciate this version of safety at work; it would pay if there were some employees on site that could be trained in any one of these martial arts. pb

 

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Protective Clothing, Respiratory Safety

STAYING SAFE IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY BY CLEANING YOUR TANKS (GUEST POST)

  Industrial accidents are more than just frustrating occurrences: they can be potentially disastrous and dangerous for employees and employers. In order to prevent these instances of injury, taking preventative measures and solving problems before they begin can help decrease the chance of problems and loss of profit. For those in the oil and gas industry, staying safe and maintaining the integrity of the product are the highest concerns. By having a regular tank cleaning and maintenance system will ensure the longevity of the product as well as the protection of the employee. 

1. Preventative Maintenance 

By regularly and effectively cleaning oil tanks, you can maintain the life and functionality of the tank. Tank malfunctions can cost companies huge losses in time, profit as well as employee attention to their other respective tasks. A tank malfunction can lead to leaks and more, which is not only time consuming to fix, but as the employer you are exposed to legal ramifications, and that’s where the real cost is going to be.

 2. Sludge Removal               

The material accumulation at the bottom of oil tanks is technically referred to as “sludge” and this accumulation can be potentially problematic if not properly and consistently removed. By using industrial tank cleaners, you can remove or regulate this sludge so that you can maintain the most product. 

3. Decommissioning 

 By cleaning oil tanks properly, the ability to decommission them can be done quickly and safely. If not, decommissioning an oil tank can be become extremely dangerous and will require more employee time and energy to take apart. 

4. Maximize Oil Recovery               

By maintaining a regular cleaning schedule for oil tanks you can also maximize the product you have. Many industrial tank cleaners can re-use the sludge by converting it back to the liquid so that there is no loss of profit. By keeping this sludge to its lowest and by using the best equipment, you can ensure that employees do not have to enter the tanks or expose themselves to harmful inhalation or accidental injury. 

5. Maximize Storage Capacity               

Maintaining proper storage space for materials like oil is crucial in keeping employees and businesses safe. If the tanks experience pressure or improper space requirements, the product risks becoming compromised and will require human intervention to correct. This is when safety becomes an issue and easily preventable.   Cleaning tanks is the key to maintaining the safe and good standing of your company. 

                This guest post was written by Steve Bronson in association with Waterline Tank Technologies. They have pioneered an inexpensive and effective method of crude oil tank cleaning.  More information can be found at http://www.waterlinellc.com/.

Note:  When workers are required to go into tanks for cleaning, much personal protective equipment is required.  Tanks are considered confined spaces, and there is the danger of fumes that can cause respiratory problems, in addition to the sludge and other hazardous materials they may have to wade through.  Companies should furnish the proper protection such as rubber boots, protective clothing, gloves, hardhats, respiratory protection, and eye protection. pb

 
General Safety Issues, Health Issues

WORKER SAFETY IN HOSPITALS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON NEW WEBSITE!

Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Worker Safety in Hospitals website.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has introduced a suite of online resources to support hospitals in fostering a safer workplace for employees and patients. The extensive materials include fact books, self-assessments and best-practice guides designed to help hospitals prevent worker injuries and illness, assess workplace safety needs, enhance safe patient handling and implement safety and health management systems. “These new materials can help prevent hospital worker injuries and improve patient safety, while reducing costs,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. In a teleconference held on Jan. 15, Dr. Michaels was joined by Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Dr. Lucian Leape, chairman of the Lucian Leape Institute at the National Patient Safety Foundation; and Dr. Erin S. DuPree, chief medical officer and vice president of the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare.

Every morning at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, staff from each department gather together in a conference room to begin the day the way they always do – by talking about workplace safety.  One staff member is designated the new “safety officer of the day,” and the agenda includes, as always, a review of recent safety inci­dents and concerns. As Health Director Alison Muth explains, “Starting the day without these meetings would be like pulling out of the driveway without your seatbelt on.”  What a unique idea – starting each day with a safety meeting.

It’s no coincidence that Cincinnati Children’s is generally acknowledged as one of the very best pediatric hospitals in the country. Both the current and previous CEOs have run non-health care companies and recognize the value of a safe workplace – to workers, to customers and to the bottom line.  There are many other hospitals across the country that do it right. There are even 14 hospitals – such as University Medical Center at Brackenridge in Austin, Texas, and Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., who participate in OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs, an elite group of companies whose proactive approach to injury and illness prevention have resulted in dramatic decreases in workplace injuries, accompanied by a transformed workplace culture that leads to higher productivity and quality, reduced turnover, reduced costs and greater employee satisfaction.

It’s important for all hospitals to follow suit. In 2012, U.S. hospitals recorded 248,100 work-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 58,000 of which caused employees to miss work. The good news is that injuries and illnesses can be prevented.

Hospitals have seen an unusual amount of flu this season, with many resulting in pneumonia, and even death.  Hospital employees are the first ones to be exposed to many illnesses, and are given preventive vaccines  to help them stay well.  By using face masks, gloves, and other protective clothing to combat the spread of germs, workers try to remain healthy.  Washing hands is important to healthcare givers and anyone else who has touched the surfaces or door knobs, pens, or anything else that a sick person has been in contact with.

The mission of all hospitals is to give the best patient care possible.  Handling patients in a safe way, having fall prevention on their beds (bed alarms), and monitoring them often is very important.  That is why holding daily safety meetings with department staff makes sense.  Their employees may report any incidents to them in order that they discuss this in the meetings and together come up with better solutions.

Nurses, aides, and other hospital employees that help patients to their wheelchairs or bathroom, should use a lift if the patient is too heavy, in order that the caregiver not be injured.  There are many ways that hospital employees must stay as healthy as possible;  management should ensure that they do.  Personal protective equipment is a big part of hospital attire. Lab coats, shoe covers, face shields, examination gloves, hair covers, surgical gowns, and other clothing you  see hospital personnel wearing is considered personal protective equipment.

Anyone connected with a hospital should check out this informative website. 

Source: Department of Labor