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General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

HOT WATER SAFETY

A risk we don’t often think about is having the temperature in your home water heater set too high.  The ideal safe temperature setting is 120°F, or just below the medium setting.  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 3,800 injuries and 34 deaths occur in the home due to scalding from excessively hot tap water each year.  The majority of these injuries are to children and older adults.

Water temperatures of  150°F (66°C) can cause a burn in 2 seconds; 140°F (60°C) can cause a burn in only 6 seconds; 125°F (52°C) can cause a burn in 2 minutes; and 120°F (49°C) takes only 10 minutes to cause a burn.

Edward Christophersen, Ph.D. writes: “The best way to measure the temperature of your heater is to do it in the morning, before anyone in your home has used any hot water. Turn on the hot water at the kitchen sink and let it run for 2 minutes. Then, using either an outdoor thermometer or a candy thermometer, hold the thermometer in the stream of the water until the reading stops going up. If your water-heater setting is at a safe level (between 120°F and 125°F, or 49°C to 52°C), you don’t have to do anything. There is no advantage to setting the thermostat below 120°F (49°C).”

If your hot water setting is too high, and you are unable to reset it, call your electric, gas, or fuel supplier to adjust the temperature.  Never take hot water for granted.  Domestic hot water poses dangers of burns and scalds, so always be aware of this fact.

Because many burns happen to small children and infants, here are some rules to follow for safely bathing them:

1.    Hand-test water before placing child in the water.  Spread your fingers and completely go through water, checking for hot spots.
2.    DO NOT place child in tub while water is still running.  Their skin is especially sensitive, and it could only take seconds for a burn to occur.
3.    NEVER leave child unattended.  Besides the risk of drowning, children could turn the hot water on while you leave to answer the phone or door.

Remember:  The most painful burn is the one you could have prevented!

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

CUTTING COSTS, CUTTING SAFETY?

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“It seems that when hard economic times hit, comprehensive training and other safety initiatives are the first to go”, according to North Carolina Labor Department spokesperson, Delores Quesenberry.  This statement was included in a report that workplace deaths in North Carolina rose from 45 in 2007 to 59 in 2008, with 6 North Carolina workers deaths’ happening on the job in December.  Reports such as these are not uncommon in other states as well.

During hard times, there are some safety related testing and purchases that can be deferred for a while, but other purchases should still be made, such as employee personal protective equipment (PPE), i.e., hardhats, respirators, safety glasses, gloves, which are important to safe operations.  Proper training of employees in the care of PPE is important, as well.  Workers need to pay attention to safety training and how to properly care for the PPE that is furnished to them.  There also should be a system to keep up with safety glasses, reusable earplugs, and other equipment, making it more cost effective.

Employees may be carrying extra workloads, such as additional hours, or doing tasks that are not as familiar to them, due to cutbacks.  Therefore, safety training is imperative.  The most successful companies have the strongest safety performances.   Ineffective safety planning can result in expensive lawsuits when workers are injured or killed, due to not following safety precautions.

The American Society of Safety Engineers is the oldest and largest professional safety organization, (founded in October, 1911), with more than 31,000 members who consult, manage, or supervise on occupational safety and health issues in government, insurance, education and industry.  The President of A.S.S.E., Warren K. Brown, cautions employers about cutting back on workplace safety in times of economic difficulty.

Everyone looks for ways to cut expenses.  Sadly, safety seems to top the list.  But even in tough times, regulation plays an important role.  A lack of internal and external safety regulation usually results in preventable accidents.  Companies need to never stop doing the things that made them successful in the first place.

Safety is good business; it keeps the company reputation intact, their employees remain safe and healthy, which reduces health care, workers comp, turnover and training costs, as well as keeping customers, vendors, the communities, and employees happy.

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

JOB LOSSES

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Unless you have been hiding under a rock somewhere for the past several months, you know that we are at a very critical time…….surviving a massive amount of lost jobs.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the following report:  For 2008, there was a loss of 2.6 million jobs, with 1.9 million occurring in the past four months.  The unemployment rate is 7.2%, which is the highest since January 1, 1993.

For anyone who has experienced losing their job, whether because of downsizing, or being handed a pink slip, losing ones job ranks among the highest in stress-causing situations.  Typical feelings are: being overwhelmed, tense, resentful, guilty, angry, worried, trapped, and in a panic, just to name a few!

It’s hard to advise a person unless you have been through this, but for those of us who have, here’s some helpful hints:

  • Give yourself a little time to plan for the future.
  • If you have health insurance at your place of employment, there is a law that was passed several years ago, (COBRA), that allows you to continue your health insurance coverage for a certain period of time.  Be sure that this offer is made to you.
  • Don’t be embarrassed to apply for Unemployment Compensation.  Your employer has paid into that system, and you are entitled to it.  There are job postings at the unemployment offices that might be of interest while you are seeking another job.
  • It might be a good time to think about trying something new.  You know what your job skills are, and you might consider taking some courses to polish up on them.
  • Stay connected with family and friends.  They will be there for you, just as you have been there during times that they needed support.
  • Get out of the house and be around people.  Don’t sit in front of the computer all day, looking for a job.  Get dressed, go out there, and make connections with others.  You may find some of them have been in the same boat as you at one time or another.
  • Most of all, and probably the hardest, try to relax.  Find ways that help your body deal with stress, like doing deep breathing exercises and counting to ten.  There are many websites that help you deal with the emotions you are going through, and people to counsel you.

Take care of your health and well-being, and know that the next job may be the one that was waiting for you all along!  If you are among the fortunate to keep your job, or find a new career, do your job to the best of your ability and keep safety a #1 priority on and off the job!

General Safety Issues

BEING ENERGY EFFICIENT

Not only our health, but the health of our planet is or should be important to all of us!
There are tons of information on how we can do our part, and today, we will outline ways to be more energy efficient, at home and/or work.

Here are some no-cost and low-cost tips to save energy this winter:

  • Take care of your heating system through regular maintenance.  Know what type of maintenance is required to keep your operating system working efficiently.  Replace filters once a month, or as needed.
  • Look for and seal leaks.  There are utility cut-throughs for pipes (plumbing penetrations), recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets that may leak.  Be sure to seal all.
  • Around windows, caulk or weather strip to seal air leaks around doors and windows.
  • Lower costs of water heating.  By turning down the temperature of your water heater to a warm setting (120°F) you will save energy as well as avoid scalding your hands.  Water heating can account for 14%-25% of energy consumed in the home.
  • Turn the thermostat down.  For every degree you turn down the thermostat, you save up to 1% on your heating bill.
  • If you have south-facing windows in your home or office, allow the sun to furnish its natural heat.  Be sure to close window coverings at night to reduce the chill next to the windows.
  • Drafty windows should be covered with a heavy-duty plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of window frames during cold winter months.  Tight-fitting, insulated drapes or shades on windows help keep them from feeling drafty.  There are other window treatments that can be used to improve energy efficiency.
  • In the home, if you have a fireplace, keep the damper closed unless a fire is going.  Otherwise, it is just the same as keeping a window wide open during the winter, as it lets warm air go right up the chimney.
  • When you use the fireplace, tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room would be a good investment.

Either a professional energy audit, or a do-it-yourself energy audit would be a great way to find out exactly how much energy you are losing.  Your local utility company may offer free energy audits.  Small businesses may find state or local energy efficiency programs to assist them with an energy audit.

US Department of Energy

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

S.A.F.E.- A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

Did you know, when it comes to a healthy diet, calories do count?  For many, making a few small diet changes can make a big difference in the calories they consume.  This can help them reach a healthier weight.

Listed are a few facts you might not know:

  • An extra 100 calories a day can add up to a total of 10 extra pounds in a year.
  • It takes approximately 20 minutes after the first food enters a person’s mouth before the brain begins to recognize the stomach is filling up.  Eat slowly to be more satisfied.
  • It takes an excess of about 3,500 calories to cause a person to gain a pound.
  • The recommended weight loss is no more than a half to two pounds per week.  Take off extra pounds gradually.

Here’s a list of extra calories that could be eliminated with small changes: (from the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension)

  • Two pieces of chocolate from the candy jar: 50 calories
  • Mayo on a sandwich: 100 calories
  • Two teaspoons of powdered coffee creamer: 20 calories
  • A 20-ounce drink compared to a 12-ounce drink: 100 calories
  • Two tablespoons of butter or margarine: 200 calories
  • A handful of snack mix: 105 calories
  • A 12-ounce can of regular soda compared to diet soda: 150 calories more
  • One medium-sized cookie: 100 calories

Here are four simple steps for a healthier lifestyle:  S.A.F.E.

Skip or stop high calorie drinks.  Drink at least eight glasses of water each day.  Choose diet sodas instead or regular ones. Limit juice to eight ounces (one cup) per day, and restrict sports drinks.

Alter your snack habits.  Weight gain is caused by large snacks between meals.  Keep snacks small and healthy (fruits and vegetables).

Forget unhealthy fast food.  Limit eating fast food to no more than three times a week.  Reduce fried foods, and don’t supersize!

Exercise daily.  Use a pedometer and try to walk at least 10,000 steps.  Watch no more than two hours of television or video games a day.

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

PREVENTING HOME COOKING FIRES

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that in 2005, an estimated 164,400 reported U.S. home structure fires involving cooking equipment resulted in 480 deaths, 4,690 civilian injuries, and $876 million in direct property damage.

The kitchen is the main area in the home where fires occur. The following is good advice to follow to minimize the chances of one starting in your kitchen:

  • Never leave cooking unattended.
  • Keep towels, pot holders and other flammable items away from stove surfaces.
  • Loose clothing can catch fire.  Wear short or close fitting sleeves.
  • Plugging too many appliances into the same outlet may start an electrical fire.
  • Keep cooking surfaces clean to prevent food and grease build-up.
  • Turn handles of pans inward to prevent food spills, or small children reaching up for them.
  • Replace any cracked or frayed cords on appliances.

If you have a cooking fire in your kitchen:

  • Slide a pan lid over flames to smother a grease or oil fire, then turn off the heat and leave the lid in place until the pan cools. Never carry the pan outside.
  • Keep the oven door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler fire.
  • For a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug the microwave. Call the fire department and make sure to have the oven serviced before you use it again.
  • Make sure you have a multipurpose ABC rated extinguisher in the kitchen and know how to use it.
  • Evacuate the area and call the fire department immediately if the fire does not go out quickly.

NY State Office of Fire Prevention

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

EXERCISE MAKE IT FUN!

How many times have you heard someone say “Oh, go fly a kite!” or “Take a Hike!”
We’ve probably all heard that from a disgruntled coworker.  But if you look at it in another way, it’s good advice!  We all need to be physically active in one way or another.  This is a good time to think about changing our lifestyle and that of our family, as well.  With all the video games and electronic gadgets, it seems that times of outdoor entertainment are over.  What happened to kids going out and playing freeze-tag, jacks, hopscotch, hide and seek, and other fun games?  At school, when kids get to go outside for recess, you can hear them squealing and yelling and having all sorts of fun.  When they get home, they are usually in front of the computer or television.   (We live in an age where safety is foremost in the minds of parents, so we aren’t encouraging them to go outdoors unless they are in a safe, fenced area or supervised.)

Health professionals recommend that adults participate in moderate physical activity most days of the week for at least 30 minutes.  Kids and teens need 60 minutes of physical activity every day.  Just some of the fun things families can do together are:

  • Play with pets outdoors, or take them for walks.
  • Go on bike rides.
  • Spend time at the pool or tennis court in summer months.
  • In winter months, build a snowman, go skiing or sledding.
  • Literally, go fly a kite or take a hike!
  • Go camping.

Many companies have exercise programs or weight-loss incentives to encourage their employees to concentrate on exercise while at the same time performing their work.  Just how far is it to the vending machine?  You’d be surprised by how many steps you take just walking from station to station at your place of employment.  Workers can participate in programs by wearing pedometers, and they can actually see how far they walk in their daily regular work regimen.  (Competition between groups could make this a fun effort, with the winners being treated for lunch by the others, or some other type of award.)  Other companies have facilities where their employees can exercise during lunch breaks or before or after work.

Walking can be a simple choice for creating a more active way of life.  The average person walks less than 6,000 steps a day, while the recommended number of steps is at least 10,000 per day.   Just 15 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking one mile can burn approximately 100 extra calories a day.

Begin the process of becoming healthier and set the example for your family, friends, and/or coworkers.  Start by making a couple of small changes:  take the stairs instead of elevator, or parking at the back of the parking lot.  Anything that makes you take those extra steps will be to your advantage.

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

GELOTOLOGY

How many of you know what gelotology is, and what on earth it has to do with health or safety?  Gelotology is the physiological study of laughter.  If you will notice, there have been several articles published in magazines, newspapers, and on television describing health benefits from laughter.  Laughter is the physiological response to humor.

Laughter is our coping mechanism; it gives us a reason to feel good.  Thank goodness there are comedians whose job is to make us laugh.  We can enjoy a good chuckle when something unexpected happens, sometimes at the expense of someone else, but if it is in good spirit, and not belittling anyone, it’s good for everyone.

We can get an over-all body workout: laughter exercises the diaphragm, abdomen, respiratory system, and facial, leg and back muscles.  Have you ever laughed so hard you cried?  Laughter reduces stress hormones; it acts as a safety valve that shuts off stress.
More facts about laughter:

  • An adult laughs an average of 15 times a day.  A child, however, laughs an average of 400 times a day.
  • Clinical studies have shown that laughter strengthens the immune system.
  • Humor allows a person to forget about pains such as aches, arthritis, etc.
  • Frequent belly laughter empties your lungs of more air than it takes in, resulting in a cleansing effect, similar to deep breathing. This is especially beneficial for those who suffer from emphysema and other respiratory ailments.
  • According to a survey done by Match.com, “70% of 16,000 adults polled believe they’re more likely to fall in love with someone who makes them laugh than someone who makes them think.”  N.Y. Time Service, August 20, 2004

You never know how much you could touch someone by just making that person laugh.  Sigmund Frued theorized that laughter releases tension and “psychic energy”.  In the Universal Human Vocabulary, everyone speaks “laughter”!

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

STRESSFUL LIFESTYLE?

It’s hard to find anyone who isn’t stressed out in this hurry-up world of ours.  Signs of a stressful life that could be affecting your health are:

  • Feeling that your life is out of control
  • Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
  • Skipping meals or eating on the run because of lack of time
  • Frequent illness
  • Feeling run-down and/or too tired to exercise
  • Eating, drinking or smoking when you are nervous
  • Having difficulty saying No

Try these quick relaxation tips:

  • Laugh away your worries.  Keep humorous articles handy to read and share.
  • Massage your temples, shoulders and neck.
  • Get in a comfortable position.  Take a long, slow, deep breath to the count of 5.  Then exhale to the count of 5.  Imagine that you are breathing out excess tension and breathing in relaxation.  With each breath, say to yourself, “Relax”.  Repeat 10 times.

Do these simple stretches:  (You can even do them sitting or standing at your desk.)

  • Upper Back Stretch:  Sitting straight with your fingers interlaced behind your head, and keeping your shoulders down, lift your chest and bring your elbows back as far as you can.  Hold 10 seconds.
  • Overhead Reach:  Raise your arms over your head and interlace your fingers with palms facing up.  Stretch upwards, keeping your shoulders down.  Hold for 20 seconds.
  • Shoulder Rotations:  Sit up straight.  Bring shoulders up toward your ears and then back behind you.  Move them forward, making imaginary circles.  Roll shoulders forward 10 times, then roll shoulders in the reverse direction 10 times.
  • Waist Bend:  Standing, reach arms overhead with fingers laced together.  Face forward with shoulders down, bend to one side from the waist.  Hold for 20 seconds.  Repeat on the other side.  Repeat 10 times.

Now, don’t just read this; try it!  Hope it helps!

Eye Protection

FOCUSING ON OCCUPATIONAL EYE INJURIES

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According to Prevent Blindness America, 90% of all workplace eye injuries are preventable if proper safety eyewear is worn.  New employees should have vision testing and current workers should have regular eye examinations.  In work locations such as plants, it should be mandatory that 100% of the employees wear safety glasses that meet OSHA standards.

Workers must be responsible for the care of their safety eyewear; the company’s responsibility would be having eyewash stations readily available, and training their employees in first aid.

Employers should have written accident prevention policies for all type of on the job accidents, including a “NO EYE INJURIES” goal. Support from management should be foremost, with policies being reviewed and revised as needed, and displayed in prominent places where employees couldn’t miss seeing them!

For older workers, bifocal safety glasses are available.  Vision challenges are more common in workers who become frustrated by trying to focus on objects near at hand and switching between their safety glasses and prescription glasses.  Magnifying lens built into the safety glass lens perform just like standard bifocal glasses.  There are also safety glasses that fit over prescription glasses.

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that eye injuries from welding account for more than 15,000 per year, with power tool eye injuries coming in second, at 10,000 per year.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that more than 700,000 work-related eye injuries occur per year.

Protecting eyes from permanent damage should be on everyone’s high priority list.  It’s a simple thing to put on a pair of safety glasses, and not taking the time to do so could be very costly.

Gateway Safety
Prevent Blindness America
USCPSC
BLS