Tag Archives: cyber safety

General Safety Issues

BLOG4SAFETY THIRD WEEK IN A ROW! TOP 25 SAFETY ARTICLES, WEEK OF MARCH 8TH (GUEST POST)

 Top 25 Safety Articles of the Week: March 8

Posted by Erin Raub in Weekly Roundups

fire rope ladderSomething this simple can save your family’s lives.

It’s the little things in life, right? And while the phrase usually refers to life’s simple pleasures, “little things” can really be a lot of things. Like an inexpensive, compact fire ladder that saves a man’s life as he flees from a burning building.

Yes, it is the little things in life – little things that allow us to continue enjoying life. Safety measures are so important, not as a way to incite paranoia or fear but as prevention. We’ve all heard the maxim, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So this week, we’re focusing on not just the latest safety news but also on the latest ways to prevent data fraud, childhood illness, and more. Be safe!

Home Safety

  1. Lauren of Safety Source, the blog for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), shares with us a new tip sheet on outdoor electrical safety.
  2. If I haven’t yet convinced you of the importance of a fire safety plan, then you have to read this week’s story from John of the Culture of Safety on how a fire ladder saved a man’s life.

Family & Child Safety

  1. The Kids With Food Allergies Foundation shares evidence that certain airborne chemicals have been linked to immunoglobulin E (IgE) and asthma.
  2. The Huff Post and Moms Rising question the presence of questionably effective, possibly dangerous chemical flame retardants in kids’ products, like nap mats and pajamas.
  3. If you worry about your young driver acting irresponsibly in the car, KidSafe this week featured a new invention that stops teens from texting while driving. (I wish I could install in on every adult I ever pass while driving!)
  4. Tim from uKnowKids does it again, this time offering up some valuable info that is also heartwarming: check out his roundup of current anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying movements around the U.S. 
  5. Alison the SafetyMom hits the nail on the head with this week’s post, titled with the self-explanatory With Parenting Styles, One Size Does Not Fit All. You got that right!
  6. Free Range Mom Lenore always brings us the latest on all things preventing kids from being kids, and this week she has some uplifting news: a public call to ditch the “misguided security blanket” afforded by helicopter parenting policies, and focus on the real problem: red tape and lawsuits.
  7. Pets are important members of the family, but we don’t always apply the same precautions to our furry friends as we do to our kids. Jim Tedford, Director of Animal Welfare Initiatives and Alliances, gives us all the details on pet-proofing to prevent poisoning.
  8. And speaking of your four-legged family members, Natalie Lester, a PetSafe Brand Communications Specialist, shows us how one door + one containment system can = independence for your pup.

Mobile & Cyber Safety

  1. Last Watchdog Byron reminds us that being on a smartphone or tablet does not make us invulnerable to data stealing, especially with the latest scams that have you clicking on links you never intended.
  2. Brian of Krebs on Security warns that suspicious activity this week prompted a password reset for all Evernote users, while Oracle’s Java also issued its third critical security update in a month.
  3. If you’ve ever been interested in the online dating scene, don’t miss this article from Safe Kids (they care about parents’ safety, too!) on online dating safety tips.
  4. Tim, of uKnowKids, clues us in to the latest sex trafficking scheme – using Facebook to find victims – and how you can protect your kids.
  5. If you’ve ever lost or had your smartphone stolen, Scott from A Silver Lining reminds us that these little touch-screens are actually mini-computers – and need to be treated as serious security risks.
  6. David of We Live Security has some excellent points on how hundreds of thousands of Facebook likes can be deceptive (and completely wrong). The article reminds me of what my mom always asked: If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?
  7. Lisa, of Sophos Naked Security, peels apart the onion layers (it’ll certainly make you cry) of the latest debit-card fraud – scammers pretending to protect your from scammers.

Senior Safety

  1. Ryan of Inside Elder Care reminds us to really dig into the policies of our parents’ or other loved ones’ assisted living or nursing care communities. What will happen in an emergency? Will community staff perform CPR?
  2. Susan at Help! Aging Parents gives us some pointers on helping our parents make the best decisions for their health, like whether they should get life-changing surgeries.
  3. The Aging Wisely blog develops a debate about the work-family balance, and how it applies to work-at-homers and eldercare.
  4. Safety Mom Alison features a really cool infographic on the “communication lifeline” – the relationship between caregiver and seniors. Alison is also hosting a Twitter party on March 13 to discuss signs your aging parents need help.

Work Safety

  1. In the U.S., construction mishaps account for 17 percent of all work-related accidents. Carl at Blog4Safety provides 5 tips for a safer construction workplace.
  2. Blog4Safety gives us another good one on how to identify the dangers of asbestos.
  3. And speaking of creating a safer workplace, Kevin from the Safety at Work Blog discusses the lack of a “safety culture” for employers and employees.
  4. If you’re in the U.S., your time is going to change this weekend. Roy at The Society for Human Resource Management reminds us all to be careful that sleep deprivation doesn’t lead to workplace accidents next week.

Thanks, Erin, for including us in your top twenty-five list of safety articles.  You offer a whole range of reading for our supporters, and we are honored to be part of it.  Pat

General Safety Issues

ONE MORE OCTOBER TOPIC – NATIONAL CYBER SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH

This subject is very important to anyone who uses a computer.  With the vast expansion of digital technology, we must be more aware of cyber safety than ever.  This year marks the 7th year that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has observed National Cyber Safety Awareness Month.  We all must take precautions to keep our personal information secure, as there are many persons that spend their days trying to take advantage of others by accessing their privacy online.

It is important for everyone who has a personal computer, or businesses with many computers to have anti-virus software and update it often.  There are probably few people who write letters any more; it’s easier and more convenient to send an email or instant message.  But we should be wary of unsolicited attachments to emails.  You may receive an email from a family member or good friend, but something about the attachment just doesn’t seem right.  Be sure you check it out with that person before you open the email.  Also, there are cyber specialists that know how to imitate an institution that you trust, such as your telephone company, or bank; however, beware, as they may be phishing to try to retrieve your personal information. 

We must be cyber smart in order to be cyber safe, and that applies particularly to our children.  It is a good policy to monitor your children’s use of the computer.  Teenagers are tempted to chat with strangers, which could be dangerous.  Be sure you have set rules with them regarding their use of the internet.  Keep the lines of communication open with your teens.  They need to know you are interested in and paying attention to what they are doing.

You may remember the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!”   In more innocent times, we were taught to ignore cruel words or treatment, consider the source, and move on.  With young people, words do hurt.  Now, we are in the age of cyber bullying.  This is a disgusting action that is causing young victims to go so far as to commit suicide.  (Please see our website for several articles on “bullying.” )  It’s disturbing when teens send hurtful messages to others.  But kids that send text messages, instant messages, hurtful pictures, and create websites to humiliate and/or endanger them should realize that if those acts should lead to a victim’s suicide, they will  carry that guilt around with them the rest of their life.  Who would want to know they had caused that much grief  by such cowardly actions?

If your child is a victim of cyber bullying, be sure to contact his/her school and local law enforcement.  It is helpful to take printouts of the messages that have been sent.  There are laws against writing harmful or insulting things about another person –libel.  Internet Service Providers have Acceptable Use Policies that define guidelines for users and actions that can be taken against those that violate those guidelines.  Cell phone providers and ISP’s can help clients track down the approved service provider of the person responsible for cyber bullying. 

As part of this year’s cyber security campaign, the Department of Homeland Security has also launched a new “Stop. Think. Connect.” Website, www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect, which provides a variety of free, downloadable resources and materials to help the public increase their safety and security online.