Tag Archives: clothing

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Respiratory Safety

AID FOR THE PHILLIPINES

Following the most horrific typhoon to ever hit land anywhere,  last Friday, November 8th, almost two million people of the Phillipine Islands, were either killed, hurt, or left homeless, without food or clothes.  The hardest hit was Tacloban City, Leyte province in the central Phillipines.   The death toll remains unknown, because of the destruction and devastation thoughout the country.  President Benigno Aquino declared a state of national calamity.  Local military have been assisting citizens as best they can, passing out water and also trying to control looting. 

The people of the Phillipines are homeless, starving, and sick.  Twenty-one countries have pledged to send relief through food and sanitation products, as well as medical assistance, and money.  People are camping in the Tacloban City Astrodome, which brings back memories of the people of New Orleans, staying in the Superdome when Hurricane Katrina hit.  With thousands of people jammed inside the structure, one can only imagine the lack of sanitation.   Disease will take its toll on those who remain homeless. 

In Tacloban, a hillside mass burial was held Thursday, November 14th.  Bodies still remain in the streets.  Only few survivors have received water and food, due to the delay in reaching them.  Aid material is plentiful but because the airport was heavily damaged , planes couldn’t land, in addition,  destroyed and blocked roads had to be cleared.  Desperately needed aid has begun to reach some of the one-half million people that have been displaced by the disaster.  The U.S.S. George Washington aircraft carrier arrived on the Phillipine Sea near the Gulf of Leyte Thursday.  They will set up a position to assess damage and furnish needed food, water, and supplies.  Twenty-one helicopters aboard the carrier will be able to view and hopefully get to inaccessible places.  Six more U.S. ships are in the area, as well as the Marines.  

Over 4,000 persons have been confirmed dead, but those numbers are expected to far surpass the total.  It is going to take a long time to completely assess the damage and complete loss.  Medical aid and supplies are needed urgently.  Rescue workers and medical personnel will need personal protection, such as medical grade gloves, respirators, and other important gear to avoid disease. 

Worldwide charities will be gathering money, donations of food and clothing, and other items that can assist the typhoon victims.  Most of them have only the clothes they were wearing last Friday.  If you are able to help, please choose the charity you know will be dedicated to sending relief for the people of the Phillipines as soon as possible.

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

ANOTHER HOT SUMMER – DEFEND YOURSELF AGAINST WEST NILE VIRUS

One of the unpleasant parts of summertime are those blasted mosquitoes!   Not only do they bite you when you least expect it, if they carry the West Nile Virus, you may become very ill.  Less than one per cent of those bitten by infected mosquitoes are affected.  If you have symptoms that include high fever, stiff neck, or severe headache, contact your health-care provider immediately. 

Persons who have contacted the West Nile Virus have suffered debilitating health problems.  Just this week, our local news featured a man who was paralyzed from the neck down when he contacted the virus last year.  Through hard work and medical treatment, (a year later), he is barely able to pull himself up and stand for 20 seconds!  So this is nothing to ignore.  So if you are getting “buzzed” by a mosquito, get out the swatter and spray! 

Remember the Four D’s for your defense against exposure to mosquitoes: 

Dusk/Dawn are the times of day you should try to stay indoors.  This is the time infected mosquitoes are the most active. 

Dress in long sleeves and pants when you’re outside.  For extra protection, you may want to spray thin clothing with repellent. 

Deet (N/ N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is an ingredient to look for in your insect repellent.  Follow label instructions, and always wear repellent when outdoors. 

Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood –  reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, and birdbaths on a regular basis.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

  • Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside. Use your air conditioning, if you have it. 

Help Your Community West Nile Virus Surveillance and Control Programs

  • Support your local community mosquito control programs. Mosquito control activities are most often handled at the local level, such as through county or city government. The type of mosquito control methods used by a program depends on the time of year, the type of mosquitoes to be controlled, and the habitat structure. Methods can include elimination of mosquito larval habitats, application of insecticides to kill mosquito larvae, or spraying insecticides from trucks or aircraft to kill adult mosquitoes. Your local mosquito control program can provide information about the type of products being used in your area. Check with your local health department for more information. Contact information may be found in the blue (government) pages of the phone book. 

Texas Department of Health/CDC

General Safety Issues

NASCAR’S READY TO ROLL AGAIN!

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Sixty-three years old, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is ready to begin its’ new season with the Daytona 500, this Sunday, February 20th.  The 38-race season runs from February to November.  Sports fans are getting ready to watch their favorite drivers and race teams display fast speeds and daring driving. 

Little emphasis was placed on safety in the early days of racing, but following several high speed crashes that caused the deaths of beloved drivers, the industry has focused on every detail from building safer cars to outfitting the drivers with the safest equipment and protective clothing.   Racing safety has evolved rather slowly through the years.  Drivers began wearing crash helmets in the 40’s.  Roll bars were added to the cars in the 50’s, and roll cages came along in the 60’s.  When the HANS (head and neck system) device was developed in the 80’s, many drivers were adamant that they would not wear it.  Now, drivers are required to wear this life-saving piece of equipment.  Drivers wear fire retardant suits made of Proban or Nomex material.  Some prefer to wear full-face helmets, while others say a full-face helmet restricts their peripheral vision, and choose open-face helmets with goggles.  Most drivers wear six-point harness belts that wrap around their legs.  All belts are connected to a single harness that can be quickly released to exit the cockpit rapidly. 

In 2002, NASCAR built it’s Research and Development Center, a combination warehouse, lab, and machine shop.  The goal of the R&D Center is to affect all three areas – safety, competition, and cost – in a positive way.  This center is the equivalent of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.  A platform with a portable coordinate measurement machine checks each chassis.  This machine makes up to 220 measurements and is accurate to one ten thousandth of an inch.  It gives the car a unique serial number and installs about 10 small radio frequency chips. A record of this inspection is saved for future comparisons.  There is no expense to the teams, but allows NASCAR inspectors in the field to scan the chips to ensure the car is the one that has been certified.  In the event of an accident, the car must be re-certified before it can be raced again.  Other safety improvements in the cars include moving the driver’s seat closer to the center of the car, enlarging the cockpit area and adding crushable material in the doorframes.  

Just this past Sunday, NASCAR announced the addition of a pressure relief valve to the engine and small front grille openings in hopes of reducing the time two cars can remain in drafting tandems.  Tandem drafting has become a fine dance of two drivers connecting nose to tail at speeds over 200 mph to achieve an advantage over other race cars on the track.   But NASCAR’s recent decisions to decrease the airflow to the grill, limit the psi (pounds per square inch) in the pressure relief valves, and then Wednesday’s switch to a smaller restrictor plate, were designed to lower speeds and discourage the extended periods of two-car drafts that occurred in Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout, according to Fox News.  In the tandems last Saturday night, speeds exceeded 206 m.p.h.   NASCAR  reported Wednesday the size of restrictor plates will be reduced in an attempt to cut speeds before the season-opening Daytona 500.  The reduction amounts to 1/64” and possibly could cut 8 r.p.m.s from engines. 

Barriers called SAFER have been built to absorb crashes better than concrete.  These barriers contain crushable foam insulation behind a series of square steel tubes.  Since these have been in place there have been no fatalities resulting from incidents with an outer wall barrier in any of NASCAR’s three major series. 

By sharing this information about this popular sport, we hope you fans will appreciate knowing the many steps that are taken to keep the drivers safe.  Be prepared if you plan to attend a big race, by taking along some earplugs, sunscreen, and safety sunglasses.  Wear your team hardhat to support your favorite driver, at the race or at work!

As with any occupation, it is up to every individual to be safe.  These drivers make the decision to earn their living in a job that poses more danger than many others.  They know the consequences, but choose be involved in a sport that they love.  We wish them all the success in the world, and a safe season for 2011.  

Source: NASCAR.com

General Safety Issues, High Visibility Safety

“WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND” SAFELY!

It is tempting to stay indoors and work out at a local fitness center when the weather is very cold.  However, getting outdoors for a walk or run may be just the thing we need to boost our energy.  You don’t have to go as far as your warm weather outdoor activity, but knowing ways to be prepared for a cold weather walk or run is important.  Before you start winterizing your body, though, be sure to check with your physician if you have health problems such as heart, lung, or asthma.  Pay attention to weather forecasts, and if the wind chill is too low, opt for indoor exercise, or skip it for a day or two.  Wind chills can be extremely unsafe.  Don’t try to exercise outside if it is so cold that there is a risk of hyperthermia or frostbite. 

Because your body temperature will rise once you get going and you get warmer, you need to dress as though the temperature is about 20 degrees warmer than it actually is.  Wear layers, but avoid cotton; it traps moisture and draws heat away from your body.  We always advise you to wear high visibility clothing, even if it is daytime; it may be overcast, and you might not be seen by drivers.  You can find high-visibility gloves, hats, coats, and other clothing.  Also, wear sunglasses to block UV rays, which can damage your eyes.  Reflections on the snow and pavement can  harm your vision.   Also, be sure your shoes furnish good traction, as you want to avoid a slip or fall.  Consider wearing a slightly larger size shoe to accommodate thick socks.  Also, lip balm, earmuffs, or scarf, even a face mask to warm the air before it enters your lungs – all keep your body protected from the cold. 

The natural reaction to being outdoors, is to get to the end of the trail a little faster.  This will boost calorie burning, as well as get you back inside sooner!  Pumping your arms vigorously helps you burn more calories by speeding you up.  Take shorter steps, especially if you are on snow, or possibly ice beneath the snow, to eliminate falling.  Another clever idea is to use Nordic poles.  Plant the pole firmly at a 45-degree angle behind you, and push back forcefully against the ground to propel yourself forward.  In winter weather, it’s better to stretch after your walk/run because your muscles are looser.  To begin, start with a brisk walk or light jog to prime cold muscles.  Remember to drink fluids, as dry winter air can lead to dehydration.

My faithful personal trainer, Buddy, (Jack Russell terrier) and I skipped our daily walk last week because it was pretty nippy.  But this information makes me more determined to put his coat or sweater on, wrap myself up, and keep going, regardless of the cold.  We’ve been walking daily for 11 years, so we must quit slacking just because it’s quite a bit colder.  I hope this will encourage you to do the same.  Be sure to tell someone when you are going and give them your route, just to be on the safe side.

 

Sources:  Mayo Clinic, Health Magazine