All posts by pat brownlee

General Safety Issues

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER – IT’S NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK!

My deepest apologies – I have almost let National Volunteer Week slip by!  The observance began on the 10th of April through April 16th.  Hopefully, you were already aware of this special time that is set aside to recognize those who give their time and service to various good causes in their communities.  According to FEMA Regional Administrator, Ken Murphy, National Volunteer Week is all about inspiring, recognizing, and encouraging people to check out imaginative ways to engage in their communities.  This year’s theme in the United States is “Inspire By Example.”  Canada is also observing their National Volunteer Week during this week, with the theme, “Volunteers: Passion. Action. Impact.” 

It would be hard to find the proper words to express the debt we owe those persons who do various kinds of volunteer work, and the many who volunteer for duties at more than one place.  In the case of FEMA, their concern is knowing that there will be volunteers to plan for disasters, plan for elderly, those who do not have transportation, and others that may not be prepared for storms, floods, or worse.  We have seen numerous earthquakes, floods, and tornadoes this year, and in each case, volunteers have rushed to rescue the stranded, and start the recovery process.  Wildfires have been rampant in several parts of Texas; professional firefighters would be in a terrible fix if it were not for the area volunteer fire departments that do all they can to join them in order to save land, homes, and animals for property owners.  

The next time you enter a hospital, nursing home, school, shelter, or similar facility, look around, and you will most likely see a volunteer.  It may be a person simply reading to an elderly person in a nursing home, filing in a hospital office, helping a teacher in the classroom, or serving food in a shelter.  Persons who deliver food to the elderly or disabled contribute a very valuable service.

How about young parents, who volunteer to coach baseball, football, soccer, or other sports for the children?  Positions on most school boards and hospital boards are unpaid.  Those folks give not only their time for meetings, but have to take phone calls from concerned citizens much of the time.  Hotlines also require volunteers to be ready to answer questions and guidance. 

I am sure I have overlooked many other aspects of volunteerism.  I only know that it is important that we help others by giving back.  I served as President of our hospital volunteers, a group of dedicated workers that got along very well and raised a lot of money for equipment for the hospital.  We had fun, and I got to know some of the best people in the world, that I probably would never have known had it not been for belonging to that group.  There are so many ways to serve, and I hope you will look for your place.  Believe me, you will be paid back in ways you can’t imagine. 

May 7th is “Join Hands Day,” which is established to promote youth and adults volunteering together to improve their communities.  We need to work with our young people.  There’s no better way to inspire each other than by working together for a good cause.  Finally, thank you to all who serve!

General Safety Issues

FIXING WORKPLACE MISTAKES

There’s nothing worse than making a mistake at work, and having someone announce it to the whole world (at least, that’s the way I have been made to feel before).  When you are new at a job, it’s better if your supervisor comes to you in private and explains the error in a way that you understand and won’t repeat.  We are all human, and mistakes, errors, failures, and deficiencies are all realities and “facts of life”.   I have been fortunate enough in my many years of work to have had some excellent and very patient mentors. 

Fixing and preventing mistakes on the job is everybody’s business.  Teamwork is a way to combat mistakes.  Be honest with your co-workers and ask for their advice and feedback.  How do you treat others when they make a mistake?  Is it the way you want to be treated when you make yours?  Many successful persons have made mistakes and know that others will, too.  

Don’t blame others when you are wrong.  Take a step back when you mess up, and regroup.  Learn from this, and carry on.  After all, we are all human.  Don’t criticize others or constantly blame someone else.  Think about how you are going to take corrective action by: first, fixing it; second, keeping it from happening again, and third, sharing what was learned from the experience with others in your workplace. 

You hear all the time about foods, medicines, vehicles, and other items being recalled.  Someone, somewhere, made a mistake.  Thankfully, it can be fixed if we pay attention to those recalls.  Regardless of the reason, a product was not doing the task for which it was intended or designed, and continued use may risk life, quality of life, or property.   Oversight, even with computerization, can still occur.   Some occupational safety errors can be serious and may not be fixable.  We must all be vigilant about this type of mistake.

One of the reasons we falter is by taking on a workload that is too heavy to be accomplished successfully.  Don’t feel that you are a bad employee.  Ask your supervisor for advice as to how you can remedy work overload.  The tasks may be divided up with others, or done during different times – many times a new set of eyes will see things completely different than you do.  If you ask for help,  your boss will see that you are trying very hard to complete those duties.  Remember, when you make mistakes, you are doing something.  You will gain from them by not repeating them, and will try harder.  

In an excerpt from “CEO Material: How To Be A Leader in Any Organization,” by noted author and executive coach, D.A. Benton, this excellent approach to being a good leader is explained: 

  • I don’t care if people make mistakes.  I only care about what they learned.  Everybody, every day, makes mistakes or at least is imperfect.  If they avoid them, no one learns anything, and it causes everybody to be afraid to admit what they did.
  • I forgive them immediately and remind them of four or five things they did well.  My mentor taught me to reinforce the positive and de-emphasize the negative.
  • Employees who mess up are ultimately better employees because they had a second chance…like getting a dog from the pound.
  • Early on in your career, mistakes feel like a big deal.  They are seldom a big deal.  The quarterback doesn’t sit on the bench after a bad throw, does he?  No, he gets out and runs another pass.  Instead of thinking you need a machine to kick your own butt, go throw a touchdown!
  • Almost all mistakes are forgivable. 

I have certainly made my share of mistakes, and still do.  But I also have learned that most of them are “fixable” and I plan to keep on trying!  I hope you will, too.

General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Respiratory Safety

MORE ABOUT GREEN JOBS

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As countries strive to develop newer energy sources, “green” jobs have emerged.  We hope you have read our articles on wind energy, solar power, green roofs, and biofuels.  Two more fields that we will talk about are Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Geo-Thermal Energy.  Working in either of these jobs present the same risks that we see in many other occupations.  

Fuel Cells use hydrogen in producing electricity, and electricity is generated as long as this hydrogen fuel is supplied to it.  A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that produces electricity without combustion.  In 1839, Sir William Grove invented the first fuel cell.  Knowing that water could be split into hydrogen and oxygen by sending an electric current through it (electrolysis), he theorized that by reversing that procedure electricity and water could be produced.  His primitive fuel cell was called a gas voltaic battery.  Fifty years later, scientists coined the term fuel cell while attempting to build a more practical model to produce electricity. 

A fuel cell provides a DC (direct current) voltage that can be used to power motors, lights, and any number of electrical appliances.  Fuel cells compete with many other energy conversion devices, including the gas turbine in a city’s power plant, gasoline engines in cars and batteries in laptops.  Combustion engines like the turbine and gasoline engine burn fuels and use the pressure created by the expansion of the gases to do mechanical work.  Batteries convert chemical energy back into electrical energy when needed.  Fuel cells should do both of these tasks more efficiently.

Typical hazards that workers in the Hydrogen Fuel Cells industry are exposed to include:

  • Fire and explosion – hydrogen is flammable gas and must be handled properly.
  • Freeze burns – liquid hydrogen is very cold (-423°).
  • Electrical – arc flash hazard or electrocution. 

Geo-Thermal Energy is rapidly growing throughout the United States.  We recover the heat as steam or hot water  from within the earth’s core, and  use it to heat or cool buildings or generate electricity.  It is a renewable energy source because heat is continuously produced inside the Earth.  Certain geothermal energy systems pump water underground through piping, allowing it to be heated by the earth, and then use the hot water to create electricity.  Temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun are continuously produced inside the earth by the slow decay of radioactive particles, a process that happens in all rocks.  Other methods of recovering the earth’s heat is by drilling directly into the Earth’s natural geothermal reservoirs, using the resulting steam and hot water to create electricity.  Some systems use a brine or saltwater solution while others use glycol.  These solutions may pose hazards of their own to workers. 

Hazards associated with this growing industry include some very familiar safety issues that OSHA already has standards on:

  • Trenching and excavations – soil for heat transfer may not be best for stable trenches.
  • Silica – silica sand is a basic component of soil, sand and granite.  It becomes airborne as workers chip, cut or grind objects that contain crystalline silica.  Silica dust is a serious hazard.
  • Electrical –   Workers should use same safe practices as in other electrical fields.
  • Welding and cutting – the same hazards that welders face in any pipe-fitting or welding projects – burns from hot metals, and exposure to ultraviolet light from arc welding.
  • Fall protection – open trenches, excavations, and pits should have guardrails or barriers, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems. 

We understand that workers must have all the proper personal protective equipment needed to match the perils of each particular job.  Personal protective equipment required for these jobs include gloves, safety glasses, hardhats, particulate respirators, and other products, (including the proper gear for welders), as determined by the contractors’ safety engineers.  

While green jobs help to improve the environment and we are grateful for technology to develop other energy sources, some commonly known workplace hazards exist, while others are yet to be identified.  As green jobs progress into excellent energy resources, safety still must be a priority for the workers performing their duties. 

Sources: OSHA, Discovery

General Safety Issues

AMERICA’S #1 HEALTH PROBLEM – ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG DEPENDENCE

Sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Alcohol Awareness Month is observed during the month of April.  There are many sobering facts about the effects that alcohol and drug addiction have on individuals and their families and friends.  The cost and consequences of these habits place an enormous burden on American society, as well.  Addiction strains the healthcare system, economy, harms family life, and threatens public safety. 

Substance abuse is everywhere, regardless of gender, age, ethnic groups, and people in every tax bracket.  Alcohol kills six times more young people than all illicit drugs combined.  It is a leading factor in accidents, homicides, and suicides.  Most high school students say it is fairly easy to get alcohol.  By the time American youngsters reach the age of 18, they have seen at least 100,000 beer commercials on television. 

Here are some eye-opening facts from the NCADD:

  • Almost half of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related.
  • Between 48% and 64% of people who die in fires have blood alcohol levels indicating intoxication.
  • Heavy drinking contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: heart disease, stroke, and cancer. (And, untreated addiction is more expensive than cancer, heart disease, and diabetes combined.)
  • One-quarter of all emergency room admissions, one-third of all suicides, and more than half of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related.
  • Every American adult pays nearly $1,000 per year for the damages of addiction.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse costs the American economy an estimated $276 billion per year in lost productivity, health care expenditures, crime, motor vehicle crashes and other conditions. 

Diagnosis and treatment of this disease (yes, it is a disease) is of the utmost importance.  Treatment can save lives and also dollars that would otherwise be spent in other areas of social services and medical care.  For every dollar spent on addiction treatment, seven dollars is saved in reduced health care costs.   Many employers offer counseling to their employees who have problems with drug or alcohol dependence.  Studies have shown that when these workers  have been helped, work results showed less tardiness or absenteeism, problems with supervisors decreased, as well as less incomplete work and fewer mistakes in work. 

An individual that is hooked on alcohol or drugs is not only affecting his/her life, but the lives of family, friends, and co-workers.  If family and friends can get the assistance of a trained specialist to conduct an intervention, hopefully, the individual will want to stop.   Alcohol or drugs have the ability to alter ones’ personality to the point that they are completely different than when they are sober.   

Read the facts above  again, and know that there is no good reason to become addicted to anything.  Stay in control of your life for yourself and your loved ones.  Most of all, keep our future growing by ending underage drinking. 

Sources: NCADD, US Department of Health and Human Services

Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

PROTECTING OUR YOUTH FROM SPORTS INJURIES

There are two important April observances that we want to focus on today.  One is Sports Eye Safety Month and the other is National Youth Sports Safety Month.  First, in the United States, around 40,000 people suffer sports-related eye injuries annually, according to the American Academy of Opthalmology.  Their recommendation is that all athletes wear appropriate, sports-specific eye protection properly fitted by an eye care professional. 

Adults are urged to choose eyewear that will protect them from injuries while they engage in sports activities.  Eye protection is available for most sports, which include baseball, hockey, football, lacrosse, fencing, paintball, water polo, golf, and basketball.  This eyewear will not affect your performance in a game; however it may save your sight.  In most children’s sports leagues, eye protection isn’t mandatory, so it is up to parents to be sure they wear eye protection.  

Because April is National Youth Sports Safety Month, we want to encourage parents to ensure the safety of their children’s choice of sports by checking out sports fields and playgrounds for hazards.  There may be glass, rocks, debris, potholes, and movable soccer goals which are not secured, that could tip over if they are climbed on.  

As many of us have had children/grandchildren involved in sports, this is too good not to share with all of you.   It’s called the  Golden Rule of Coaching: 

  • If athletes are coached with criticism, they learn low self-esteem.
  • If athletes are coached with hostility, they learn to fight.
  • If athletes are coached with ridicule, they learn to withdraw.
  • If athletes are coached with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
  • If athletes are coached with patience, they learn to improve.
  • If athletes are coached with encouragement, they learn confidence.
  • If athletes are coached with praise, they learn to have faith.
  • If athletes are coached with fairness, they learn justice.
  • If athletes are coached with approval, they learn positive self-esteem.
  • If athletes are coached with honesty, they learn to trust.
  • If athletes are coached with modesty, they learn teamwork.
  • If athletes are coached with acceptance and friendship, they learn to find love in sport. 

We’ve probably all had tough coaches and softer-hearted ones; many times the way they treat their athletes has lasting effects.  Coaches must always keep the safety of their athletes foremost.  They should never take chances that could endanger their team.  Here’s some advice for the young athletes, and is also something  for grown-ups (parents) to remember, too:

  • Have Fun!
  • Remember this is a game designed for enjoyment.
  • Do your best while having a good time!
  • Learning how to play the game is more important than winning and losing.
  • Some kids grow faster and are better coordinated than others, but everyone catches up eventually.
  • Be patient.
  • Who you are as a person does not depend on wins and losses.
  • Treat other athletes and your coaches with respect.
  • Remember, everyone is trying their hardest.
  • Honor the rules of the game.
  • Be a good sport.
  • Support your teammates, be a team player. 
  • There’s no “I” in TEAM.

The National Youth Sports Safety Foundation encourages parents to support youth safety by calling or writing letters to athletic directors, school boards, and administrators of youth sports programs.  Encourage them as well to take a leadership role in advocating coaching education.  Be sure they have an emergency plan and an immediate first responder in case of injury.  If young people are taught how to participate safely in sports, their experiences and the bonds they make with others will remain with them for a long time. 

Sources: NYSSF, NIH.GOV

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

WORLD HEALTH DAY, TODAY, APRIL 7th

In 1948, the United Nations founded the World Health Organization.  Since  1950, World Health Day has been celebrated annually on April 7.  This observance is an opportunity to focus on key public health issues throughout the world.  Local, regional and international events are linked to the theme chosen, and these organizations sponsor events all through the year.  This year’s World Health Day is focusing on educating people of all ages to the dangers of antimicrobial resistance in microorganisms and its impact on a global level.  

The first antibiotic, penicillin, was discovered by accident by Alexander Fleming, after he noticed the substance repelling bacteria from a laboratory plate.  Before the discovery of antibiotics, persons were easy prey to infections.  By the 1940’s antibiotics had become commonplace.  After more than sixty plus years of antibiotic use, and increases in the use of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and agriculture, many microbes have developed a resistance to these drugs.  Many antibiotics (antimicrobials) now produce only a weakened effect or none at all.  We may be on the brink of a worldwide threat, as it has been discovered that more microorganisms are becoming resistant to these drugs. 

This type of resistance, or drug resistance, happens when virus, fungi, bacteria, or parasite mutate, or change, in such a way the medication that is being used is ineffective.  Some strains of microorganisms succumb to drugs and others survive and become resistant.  The resistance is passed on to their offspring and over generations certain microorganisms become resistant to most antibiotics or antimicrobials and become “super-bugs.”  An example of a “super-bug” is MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or Staph infection – a very difficult infection to treat.  “Super-bug” infection causes  major concerns, as it can spread easily or even be fatal.  Other diseases that have become increasingly hard to control are HIV, TB, influenza and malaria. 

The only way man can win this war against microorganisms is through the judicious use of drugs.  The World Health Organization will issue a call for action to halt the spread of this resistance on April 7, 2011.  They will ask everyone in all countries to combat antimicrobial resistance.  They will be asked to think, act, and take responsibility for combating drug resistance. These professionals  include: 

  • Practitioners and prescribers;
  • The public and patients;
  • Pharmacists, and dispensers;
  • The pharmaceutical industry;
  • Policy-makers and planners. 

Over the past ten years, here are other key themes issued by the World Health Organization:

  • 2001 – Mental Health: Stop Exclusion, Dare to Care;
  • 2002 – Move for Health;
  • 2003 – Shape the Future of Life;
  • 2004 – Road Safety;
  • 2005 – Make Every Mother and Child Count;
  • 2006 – Working  Together for Health;
  • 2007 – International Health Security;
  • 2008 – Protecting Health from Climate Change;
  • 2009 – Make Hospitals Safe in Emergencies;
  • 2010 – Urbanization and Health – 1000 Cities, 1000 Lives.

As you can see, every theme has important implications for the lives of humans all over the world.  We, as individuals, must be cautious about the over-use of antibiotics.   (Please note that the public and patients are on the above list.)  It is very important that the world pay attention to this year’s theme from the World Health Organization. 

W.H.O., U.S. Global Health Initiative

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

NATIONAL WINDOW SAFETY WEEK, APRIL 4 – 10

The Window Safety Task Force, under the National Safety Council’s Community Safety Division, works with the American Architectural Manufacturing Association, Window and Door Manufacturing Association, Screen Manufacturers Association, National Association of Home Builders and other organizations to educate North Americans on the importance of window safety.  This group has been presenting materials on this subject since 1997.  They know that the leading causes of injury and death in young children are fires and falls. 

Besides doors, windows are a secondary escape route in a fire or other emergency. They are designed as points of escape.  It is critical that the windows are placed in locations in both homes and businesses where they can provide a safe exit.  Families should have a fire escape plan.  Children should be taught to get out of a house that is on fire.  Hold a family fire drill often, and plan landscaping that can possibly prevent injury if anyone does have to jump or fall from a window. 

If you have bars, grills, or other types of security on your windows, they are useless in an emergency, unless they have a functioning release mechanism.  You might think you are keeping someone out, but you may be causing yourself to become trapped, and you can’t escape!  Never paint or nail windows shut. 

When there are young children living or visiting in your home, be sure the windows they may be playing around are locked.  If you need ventilation, open taller windows, and never have furniture close to an open window, where they might climb up and fall out.  Be sure to watch when they are playing on a patio or around sliding glass doors.  A fall through glass could cause serious injuries. 

Don’t count on insect screens to catch anything except the bugs!  Shortly after we moved into the home where we currently live, we left our sliding glass door open one evening, when our birddog, Lucy, heard something outside and ran through the screen!  That was the end of leaving that door open. 

We all must understand the importance of safety in the home, and be prepared to escape in the event of fire.  Years ago, a home on our block was totally destroyed by fire, resulting in the deaths of three persons.  A mother of a four-year old, broke a window in her bedroom to run for help – she couldn’t find her child.  Later, the body of the little girl was found under a bed, where she had crawled.  If we take the time to be prepared, hopefully, tragedies such as this, can be prevented. 

There is more excellent information on this subject at the National Safety Council website.  We are all asked to share this information with friends, family, co-workers, and communities, not only through the first week of April, and all of April, but all year long.

General Safety Issues

HOW ARE YOUR REFLEXES?

I was with a group of friends this week, and while driving in some pretty heavy traffic, a car suddenly whizzed by us at a high rate of speed, and was so close to us that my friend and I who were in the back seat gasped at the same time!   Our driver assured us that she saw the car coming, but the two of us experienced a type of “panicked” reflex at that exact moment. 

Reflexes are involuntary or automatic reactions that our bodies do in response to something that we aren’t even thinking about.  We are born with “hard-wired” reflexes.  Most are located in the spine, but some are in the motor centers of the brain.  These reflexes work to keep our bodies safe from injuries.   Have you ever felt that you were about to fall, when you started twisting your body and putting your hands out to regain your balance?   What if you were carrying something valuable, and you had to choose whether to drop it as you are falling, or hold on to it?  Your brain’s conscious motor centers will take control, and you can modify the reflex action and keep your grip on the object you are carrying. However, you are still probably going to fall. 

Babies have a vast amount of reflexes.   They stretch, grip your finger, yawn, suck, and blink their eyes, which are all involuntary actions.  When you tickle the bottom of their feet, see how they straighten them out, and then curl them up again.  They throw their arms up in the air swiftly when they are moved certain ways.  A physical therapist once told me to observe how a baby, cat or dog will stretch naturally, while we adults don’t, unless we think about it.  

If someone throws something at you at work, how quickly do you react?  If your concentration is broken by a sudden action of a co-worker, are you ready to respond?  Jobs that are high-stress, or ones that cause physical or mental fatigue can cause us to sometimes have a delayed reaction.  If you get too close to a power tool, though, your reflexes tell you to pull away pretty pronto!  We should keep ourselves fit and alert for our job duties.  There is no room for substance or alcohol abuse in the workplace; either would cause us to have slower reaction time, in addition to breaking the safety rules of our employer.  

Our reflexes must work well when we are behind the wheel of a vehicle.  Statistics show that texting while driving is as dangerous as driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  While you are looking at that smart phone screen, you are losing valuable time to react to a car or truck that may suddenly stop or pull out in front of you.  What if a child runs in front of you and you are so busy making a call or texting that you are unable to stop in time?  There are too many risks that aren’t worth taking, and you should never depend on your reflex time to save the day! 

Some people are born with faster reflexes than others.  Electrical impulses actually travel more quickly through the nerves.  Practice can speed up nerve conditioning – this is the key to reaction time, whether in athletics, learning skills, or work.  With much practice, a movement almost mimics a reflex, according to experts.  Also, our reflexes may slow with age.  These also vary from person to person, in regard to reflex and reaction time.  You can either slow down, or reverse  the effects of aging by staying physically active.  Remember, “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!” 

Source: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School

General Safety Issues, High Visibility Safety

“WALKERS” THAT HAVE UNSAFE RIDES

Individuals who hang advertising flyers on homes’ doorknobs, are known as “walkers.”  Before they can begin their distribution, many of them are picked up and delivered to the designated area in cargo vans that have no seats, let alone seatbelts.  Many times, up to 10 people ride in the back, along with stacks of flyers to be circulated.  On March 4th, three people were killed and seven others were injured when the 1995 cargo van they were in burst a tire and careened into a tree.  The ironic part of it is that Texas law, (as well as most other states), does not require seatbelts for adults in a cargo van that has no seats.  There’s no state or federal prohibition against carrying adults in the back, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.  And because there are no seatbelts, restrictions on capacity don’t apply, stated the DPS.  (Another ironic part of this is that the vehicle’s manual states that carrying passengers is unsafe.)

 

Pablo Alvarado, director of the Los Angeles-based National Day Laborer Organizing Network, stated, “tragedies such as these are a reminder that more needs to be done to protect the rights and safety of workers.  Day laborers, like those who lost their lives, go to great risks to humbly provide for their families.  Employers must be responsible for their safety during and en route to work.” 

Day workers gather around service stations, shelters, and boarding houses, hoping to have the opportunity to earn typically around $40 to $55 a day, walking approximately 10 to 15 miles.  Many of these workers are homeless, and although they realize that the vehicle they are climbing into may have bald tires, or be unsafe, they need the work.  Firms who furnish cleanup crews at sports stadiums also use this type of transportation.  Some of these vans have nothing more than floorboards for persons to sit on.  Hopefully, following this accident, things may change.  Two flyer-distributing services not involved in the accident said they are rethinking their use of such vehicles and may install seats.  Until recently, the industry has taken advantage of loopholes in state and federal road safety regulations to hold down costs. 

Advertising companies that furnish this type of labor face restrictions from many cities.  Several communities in the Metroplex – Bedford, Colleyville, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Rowlett, Murphy, Coppell, and Corinth, have passed city ordinances that require these advertising companies and each of their workers to be individually registered with their local police.  Companies must pay $50 for a six-month permit.   They also require all walkers to display their permit and wear an orange reflective traffic safety vest.  Solicitation ordinances suggest that permits are not issued to anyone who has been convicted or pleaded no contest to a felony or misdemeanor in the previous ten years.  Charitable solicitations, political literature, or distribution of religious tracts are exempted from the permitting requirements.  Police want to know who is in their neighborhoods. 

There are flyer delivery services that do not rely on cargo vans.  Some say they use minivans with factory-installed seats and seat belts.  Others say they limit riders to seven, not ten.  One owner said he uses a van, but it has seats.  As he said, “It sounds kind of unsafe not to have seats.” 

Let’s hope that this latest accident will get the attention of lawmakers in order to protect the safety of those persons who do this type of work.  They deserve better than this. 

Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

General Safety Issues, Health Issues, Uncategorized

MEDICATION SAFETY WEEK, APRIL 1 – 7

The Women’s Heart Foundation sponsors this April observance to promote awareness about the importance of keeping accurate records and understanding about the medicines that we take.  The U.S.F.D.A. estimates that $77 billion is spent annually on preventable medication-related illnesses.  Listed below are suggestions from the Women’s Heart Foundation for us to do on each of the seven focus days:

  • April 1: Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet
    Start with a clean slate. Discard outdated medicines and old prescriptions. Many drugs lose their potency over time. Store medicines in their original containers and in a cool, dry place. Locate medicines away from children and pets and from those who do not understand.
  • April 2: Know Your Medicines
    Know both the generic and trade names of your medicines. Know how to identify pills and what they are for. Make a list of all the medicines you are taking. Write down both the generic and brand names of medicines to prevent inadvertently double-dosing. Be able to identify pills by name. List prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, birth control pills, patches and supplements. Keep the list updated and keep it with you at all times.
  • April 3: Read Medicine Labels Carefully
    Are you taking what your doctor ordered and the way he ordered it? Note precautionary stickers on the label. Note the route, dose and frequency of your medicines. Keep medicines in their original containers. Pay attention to warnings. Note that some medicines can react with foods; others have to be taken on an empty stomach. Some lose potency quickly and must be kept in an air-tight container. The effectiveness of many medicines is dependent upon taking them at the correct times. How the medicine is to be taken ––the route–– is also important (i.e. by mouth, through the skin, under the tongue, inhaling. etc.)
  • April 4: Dietary Supplements Awareness
    Before you start taking a dietary supplement,  discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist.  Herbal medicines and other dietary supplements can react with medicines and have an unknown synergistic effect. All herbal preparations are contraindicated while pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • April 5: Organize Your Medicines
    Keep an updated record listing all medicines and supplements you are taking. Use of a medicine organizer box may be helpful, especially for those taking more than one pill several times a day, however, a medicine organizer box requires close monitoring, especially when there is a change in medicines. Also, be aware that use of an organizer box violates the rule of keeping medicines in their original containers. Managing pills with a medicine organizer box, while convenient, is not without risk. Take medicines as prescribed. New drugs with time-released action can offer some help with organizing with only once-a-day medicating. Ask your doctor about these newer medicines. Keep your medicine record up-to-date.
  • April 6: Transitional Care Awareness
    A change in medical regimen can be confusing and can place you at increased risk. Be diligent about communication with all healthcare professionals. Make sure you understand your medicines and how you are to take them before leaving the hospital or doctor’s office. Ask for written instructions. Be extra cautious whenever there is a change in your medical regimen. Double-check your medicines when picking up a new or refilled prescription. If in a hospital or nursing home, make sure the nurse checks your I.D. bracelet before giving you your pills. If a pill doesn’t look familiar, ask why. It may be a generic of the same drug you were taking however, if you don’t ask, you won’t know! Make sure you receive written instructions upon discharge from any medical facility and insist that both the generic and brand names of each drug you are to take is included.
  • April 7: Better Communication With Health Professionals
    Actively seek information from your pharmacist about the pills and the supplements that you are taking. Ask for print-out sheets on drugs and read them!  Discuss all risks and benefits with your prescribing practitioner. Share information about the medicines and supplements you are taking with all your prescribing practitioners and with your pharmacist. Discuss expected effects and possible side effects.  Report adverse drug effects promptly and never hesitate to ask questions when it comes your health and the use of medicines. Your doctor, healthcare practitioner and pharmacist are there to help…just ask!

We cannot be too careful when taking medications.   Communication is the key to the prevention of medication errors.  This excellent information is useful for individuals and sharing with co-workers.

Source: Women’s Heart Foundation