Tag Archives: appreciation

General Safety Issues, Head Protection

VFW ASKS US TO “CELEBRATE OUR VETERANS ON THEIR DAY”

VFW invites all Americans to celebrate the service of our nation’s heroes

“On Veterans Day we honor every man and woman who has proudly worn the uniform of the United States military. We celebrate all those who have bravely defended our nation from the forces of evil and tyranny, and helped free countries around the world from the grips of despair. 

This Veterans Day weekend, patriotic Americans will gather to remember the countless sacrifices our veterans have made. As we honor them, we should also reflect on the price paid for our victories, as well as the many liberties we enjoy today because of the selflessness of our nation’s heroes.  

Our veterans cherish the values and virtues upon which our nation was founded, and generations have bravely answered the call to preserve them. We owe them so much, and we must not forget the thousands who are deployed all over the world defending our freedoms at this very moment. We pray for their safe return, and the VFW stands ready to support their families while they are away.  

Over the course of America’s history, it has been those who have worn the uniform, those who have tenaciously defended our way of life, who we will be forever grateful to: America’s proud Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Coastguardsmen, and National Guardsmen.  Today and every day, we thank you for your service. ”

This year, Veterans Day, as designated, will be observed on November 11th.  Because the date falls on a Sunday, persons will also observe the holiday on Monday, November 12.

Listening to friends and family who  served in World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, Desert Storm, Iraq and/or Afghanistan bring us closer to the realities of war.  Many of these men and women lived through such terror we cannot imagine what they faced on a daily basis.  It continues, and our prayers and support should be given to them every day of the year.  If you know a veteran, please say “Thank You for your service to our country”!  Hopefully, someday, somehow, we will be at peace with the world.  Let’s make that our goal.

The employees of Texas America Safety Company and Blog4Safety are very grateful for your service, past and present. 

 

General Safety Issues

TEN TIPS FOR KEEPING THE PEACE AMONG SIBLINGS (GUEST POST)

This weekend, we are going to feature various articles about child care that are important to all parents and caregivers.
This article from BabySitters.net gives us some insight into the mystery of peace among brothers and sisters.  I could have used this when my three were growing up! pb

For parents and caregivers of multiple children, keeping the peace among siblings can seem like a full-time job in and of itself. Siblings may fight for a parent’s attention, they may fight over a toy, or they may fight because their developmental levels are so different from one another that it’s hard for them to relate to each other. If siblings have opposing temperaments, such as when one is laid back and one craves a rigid routine, they may also bicker constantly because they are simply wired differently, making it hard for them to connect.

Fortunately there are things parents and caregivers can do to help keep the peace among siblings.

These include:

Allowing them their own space. Siblings spend most of their time together, and often it is not by choice. Allowing each child to have their own space and to play independently can help defuse feelings of resentment. While siblings should of course learn to play nicely together, allowing children to play alone at times gives them permission to take a much needed break from a sibling when needed. When a child says he wants to play alone, insisting other children allow him to do so provides an opportunity to teach about respect.

Allowing them their own things. While most of the toys in your home will be available for any and all children to use, each child should have a few cherished toys that they aren’t required to share. When children have their own things they are forced to take responsibility and ownership of them. Having a few toys that are share-free can help children to feel like individuals, which is important for their self-esteem.

Laying the ground rules.When it comes to acceptable and unacceptable treatment of siblings, the rules should be clear and few. Your rules may read something like this: “In our home we are kind to our siblings. We don’t hurt our siblings with our hands or our words.”  Make a simple sign and hang it on the fridge so everyone is reminded of the rules.

Staying out of it. At all costs, parents must avoid taking sides. Trying to assign blame or figure out who did what only makes the situation worse. When safety isn’t an issue, stay out of it for as long as possible to give the children a chance to work it out on their own. If you do need to intervene, instead of trying to referee, insist that both children stop doing whatever they’re doing wrong.

Teaching them to talk it out.For a child, learning to communicate their feelings with words, rather than fists, doesn’t always come naturally. Get out a paper towel tube and give it to one child at a time. Encourage them to use “I and when” statements to communicate their feelings with words rather than fists. “I feel hurt when you won’t let me play trucks with you.” While you may have to model and coach them through their dialogue at first, teaching them to talk it out is a life lesson that’s worth the time invested in instruction.

Insist they kiss and make up. When the children fight, encourage the instigator to apologize and say something nice to his sibling. When you do this, it forces the child to consider something nice about his sibling and allows the child who was hurt to hear something nice about himself. Teaching children to never go to bed angry is another life lesson worth teaching.

Appreciate each child. While it can be tempting to compare siblings, don’t. Appreciate each child for the unique being she is. If one child loves dance and the other baseball, encourage them to each pursue their own interests and passions. Don’t expect all siblings, even twins, to be cut from the same mold. As each child is unique, so is each sibling.

Spend time alone with each child. Carving out one-on-one time for each child every day can significantly reduce sibling rivalry. Each child wants to know that they are special to you and valuable enough to have your undivided attention. Whether it be giving each child a bath, reading a book to each child before bed or going for a short walk with each child after dinner, spending time with each child individually is vital to helping siblings to get along.

Foster a friendship. Your children are siblings by blood, friends by choice. Encourage your children to become friends. Provide opportunities for them to help and support each other. From attending school events in support of each other, to getting a diaper for a baby sibling, adopting an “I am here to help and support you” attitude in your children will foster lasting friendships for life.

Praise good behavior. When you see your children treating each other kindly and with respect, call them out on it. “I saw how you shared your last piece of candy with your brother. That was so kind and something a good friend would do. I am so proud you made the choice to share.”  When you call attention to desirable behavior, you naturally reinforce it.

While almost all siblings will bicker and argue from time to time, with a little planning and support from parents and caregivers, the overall relationships between siblings can be peaceful. 

It is a wonderful gift to be able to see your grown children truly become best friends, and be there for each other. pb

General Safety Issues

DOES YOUR SAFETY LEADER INSPIRE YOU TO BE SAFE?

Back in January, we presented an article, “How would you grade your safety leader?”  We listed the attributes that we felt described good leaders – ones that led by example.  A great President and leader, Dwight Eisenhower said, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”  If you want to see real safety improvements, you need to motivate your team to want to be safe – even when no one is looking.  You must add leadership to your safety training. 

Although some people are born leaders, the rest of us can learn from them and gain leadership skills through the right training.  We have now completed the first five months of 2011, and have you wondered, how is our training program progressing?  Safety is learned through both training and experience.  A goal that everyone should live with, is “Nobody Gets Hurt.”  This must be the mantra of every company, being committed to rigorous safety programs that ensure that every worker is motivated to work safely so they can go home to their families every day, without injury. 

Safety leaders must have the safety of every worker in mind, which is sometimes a hard task.  Here are some goals for good leaders:

  1. Communication.  Learn all you can about your style of communication and how it affects others.  Do you have a positive reaction from those around you?  A course in interpersonal skills can help.  Being able to accurately convey your thoughts and ideas to those working for you is a key element of leadership.  Remember, your employees are not mind-readers; they have to understand exactly what you are wanting.  When you communicate well, employees can give good feedback to you.  Be sure you present the complete “big picture.”
  2. Teamwork.  Become a part of the team.  Encourage employees to make certain decisions without you, so you can exhibit your trust in them.  Great leaders can accomplish great things, and show appreciation to the people who made those things happen.
  3. Motivation.  Do not try to give instructions through intimidation: “If you mess up, something bad will happen.”  This can cause much resentment, and little success with the job.  Rather, challenge them with an assignment that is just a tad bit out of their range and let them try.  If it hits a snag, coach them back until the situation becomes right.
  4. Appreciation.  It’s always better to give someone a pat on the back.  A little bit of praise for a job well done, goes a long way.
  5. Organization.  Leaders must be able to organize teams and motivate them toward the goal: A Zero-Injury Workplace!  Wouldn’t it be great if the whole team led each other to meeting that goal? 

Some workers still may not completely understand.  They sometimes take chances with safety, and may endanger other workers.  Most workers assume that their workplace is free of hazards.  These unrecognized expectations can lead to job frustration, substandard safety performance, decreased job safety commitment and even high turnover.  This is the time that leaders must learn what expectations the individuals have and work with them to meet and adjust those expectations.  For leaders, being rigorous about workplace safety is not an easy job, but it is very rewarding.  Leadership means looking for workplace hazards, not leaving it up to the safety department.  First , looking for any hazards and starting the day with a short group safety meeting might just remind everyone to work safely, so they can go home at the end of their shift.  It’s a two-way street, however, with each worker meeting the safety leader half-way.

Thanks to all the safety leaders in the workforce!  Let’s hope that the remainder of 2011 will be a “safe workplace” year!

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

A SALUTE TO AMERICA’S FARMERS AND RANCHERS

Our farmers and ranchers are a hard-working society; we owe them our thanks for all they do to feed our country.  At times, we may wish we lived on a farm or ranch, away from city life and its’ congestion, noise, and stress.  But our farm and ranch workers are also exposed to many types of hazards:

  • Machinery and equipment, causing hearing loss; hearing loss is prevalent among farmers who are exposed to loud and continuous noise from equipment, or when hearing protection is ignored.
  • Ultraviolet rays from the sun;
  • Respiratory problems caused by toxic gases and dusts from silos, livestock confinement facilities.
  • Agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides and anhydrous ammonia, which can cause health problems.
  • Safety and health standards are not enforced on family farms, due to special exemptions provided to agriculture. Therefore, as unregulated small businesses, farmers and ranchers are unintentionally exposed to hazards.

Even though they face these and many other hazards, farmers and ranchers have immense pride in what they do.  Many work land that has been in their families for generations; they have consumers depending on them to furnish food and dairy products and animals that depend on them to keep them healthy.  They don’t punch a time clock – their schedule usually goes from sunrise to sunset.  Long ago, windmills were the farmers’ way of pumping water, and they used solar energy long before it became the “green” thing to do.

Recently, there was a news report that a group of dairy farmers were in danger of losing their farms due to the economic situation.  They created a new co-op type of farm, working together to keep things going.  That’s they way our American farmers are, determined and tough. We need to think about their contribution to our way of life and let them know they are very much appreciated.