As we settle into the Holiday season and we celebrate with those holiday parties, keep Safety a priority. Traveling with family and friends exposes everyone to risks of bad weather, bad conditions, busy traffic, frustrated and impaired drivers.
The roads are a dangerous place on even the nicest day, but in the winter the dangers of driving increase dramatically. According to the Department of Transportation, winter weather conditions are responsible for over 192,000 injuries and 2,200 deaths each year. Outside injury and loss of life, winter weather conditions are responsible for millions of dollars in property damage incidents.
We have certainly been facing the most challenging of times. Most of us can handle a crisis or other unusual events when it is a short-term incident, we go through it, grieve, feel fear, deal with our emotions and then we recover. However, in the time of a long-term, continually evolving huge stressor, our normal ways of coping are not always enough. They get old, fall short or we just get worn down. We are seeing increased mental health disorders and drug and alcohol abuse.
Festive celebrations, flickering lights, and winter decorations are hallmarks of the holiday season. That also means a great risk for fire. Following a few simple tips will ensure a fire-safe holiday season.
Hearing Loss: Heredity, aging, and exposure to loud noises are the main factors that contribute to hearing loss. Chronic exposure to high levels of noise can cause permanent hearing loss that cannot be reversed. Much of the hearing loss suffered later in life is related to damage caused at a younger age. Now is the time to prevent and protect.
The holidays may look a little different this year. Please take these tips into consideration when holding / attending Thanksgiving gatherings. We’re all in this together. Let’s have a healthy & safe Thanksgiving. We can share this day with loved ones, but let’s play it safe.
During times of extreme stress, being aware of declining mental health is really important. Many people are able to see others decline much sooner and more clearly than they may see themselves. It is normal during stressful events to feel some sadness, fear, and anxiety however, if these feelings are left unaddressed for too long, they can lead to more significant problems such as suicidal thoughts, violence, and addiction. It is important that we learn as much as we can about the signs to watch for because we are more socially isolated and people are not spending time with us to help keep us in check.
Healthy hands are needed for just about every job and to get through daily life comfortably. We use our hands for virtually every task we do at work. Because of this fact, they are commonly injured on the job. Keeping our hands and fingers out of harm’s way at work is critical. A serious injury to an individual’s hands or fingers results in a huge negative impact on their ability to work and overall quality of life. While gloves are the most common form of PPE found in the workplace, hand injuries are still one of the leading types of injury on the job.
Daylight Saving Time will end Sunday, November 1. After getting an extra hour of sleep, our internal body clocks can take up to a week to acclimate to this schedule shift.
In light of current events, millions of people are now telecommuting. This presents unique challenges and safety concerns that affect us all. Whether you are newly working from home due to COVID-19 or seasoned telecommuters, you are ultimately responsible for your own safety. Below are some tips to help make your telecommute safe:
I was recently asked what ESH & S is and what it means. What it stands for is Environmental, Safety, Health, and Security. To many of you, that may seem like “overkill”. To others it is “wasted money”. Governmental agencies require codes, standards, and regulations to ensure that workers and the public are safe and both employers and employees must follow them.
October is National Fire Prevention Month, a time when we all should be aware of ways to help learn fire safety.
Bicycling is one of the best ways to get exercise, see the sights, and reduce your carbon footprint. However, bicyclists face a host of hazards. They often must share the road with vehicles, and injuries can happen even on a designated path. With about 80 million bicyclists sharing the road with motorized vehicles, it is vital bicyclists – and drivers – take some safety precautions.
Do you take chances at home, work, or play? Have you ever cut corners and done something at risk? Are you a gambler and willing to take chances?
Every year, thousands of people are impacted by severe weather and natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, floods, hurricanes, and ice or snow storms. We can’t control when or where disaster will strike, however, we can be prepared by knowing what to do before, during, and after a severe weather event.
It is natural to want to be outdoors, especially in the sun, but it all comes at a cost. The #1 cause of skin cancer is exposure to Ultraviolent or UV rays. Aside from cancer, too much exposure to UV can cause sunburn, eye damage, and premature wrinkles. So what can you do to protect yourself? Wear sunscreen with a high Sun Protection Factor or SPF, wear a hat that covers your face, ears, and neck, use sunglasses that offer protection from UV light, wear UV block or SPF clothing, but the best option is to limit the time outside during the greatest exposure to UV and that is between 10am and 4pm.
Labor Day 2020 is Monday, September 7th. Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers and is observed on the first Monday in September. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894. Labor Day weekend also symbolizes the end of summer and the start of the back-to-school season for many Americans and is celebrated with parties, parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, and other public gatherings.
No matter where you are celebrating, help make this holiday safer for everyone by following these safety tips.
Deciding to follow every single safety rule or procedure does not come natural to us. We constantly have to work towards making the right decisions every single day. Many times individuals find ways to rationalize not working safely. It is important for each employee to recognize this error trap and address it when it arises.
Hand sanitizer is a great alternative to soap, however recently some have been found to be dangerous. According to the FDA “Methanol is not an acceptable active ingredient for hand sanitizers and must not be used due to its toxic effects.
As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the country, it is important to take additional precautions to help protect yourself, family, and the local community. Even if you are considered low risk according to the CDC, it’s important to be cognizant of the effects that this virus may have on individuals who are considered high risk by the CDC. Many people do not believe in the risk, use of masks, or even the virus itself but we need to follow the local, state, and federal guidelines. It is imperative that we all do our part to avoid further spreading of the virus, it is the right thing to do.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested that people wear face coverings in public settings, where other physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain. In some states and cities, masks are mandatory in public. The primary role of face coverings is to reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when an infected person speaks, coughs, or sneezes. Face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing, frequent hand washing, and other everyday preventive actions. As there is a resurgence of COVID cases, we must take every precaution to protect not just ourselves but others, by simply wearing masks and social distancing. Do your part for Safety Always!
What is Coronavirus?
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person through droplets made when people carrying the virus cough, sneeze, or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby or be inhaled into their lungs. It is possible that a person can get the virus by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes. To help with understanding more about the virus, remember the acronym TRACKS.
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
A near miss is an occurrence where the elements of an accident are present but, due to the timing of events or an indirect interaction of a current safety control measure, no injury or physical loss occurred.
The term “line of fire” in safety is very common when talking about the hazards of a work task. Depending on the work being completed, there could be many different lines of fire or there could be very few. It is important to understand what the line of fire is and how to avoid being in it to avoid injuries. What is line of fire? A simple definition is being in harm’s way. Line of fire injuries occur when the path of a moving object, or the release of hazardous energy, intersects with an individual’s body.
Summer is full of fun activities. Here’s how to have fun and be safe.
Your body depends on water to survive. Every organ, cell, and tissue in your body needs water to work properly. Your body uses water to regulate its temperature, remove toxic substances, and help the absorb essential nutrients.
You are traveling and exiting an interstate when the car in front of you stops suddenly causing you to rear-end that car. The airbags deploy and there is significant damage to your vehicle. You were not distracted at the time of the crash, but obviously was too close to the other vehicle. You were not injured in the accident, but was sore and bruised up from the crash. Thankfully you were wearing your seat belt. You were cited by law enforcement for failure to maintain an assured clear stopping distance. Don’t forget to document the crash with details of what happened, any photos, witness statements, and a police report. If this occurs during your workday, did you file an Incident Report with your company?
Every year, thousands of people are impacted by severe weather and natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, floods, hurricanes, and ice or snow storms. We can’t control when or where a disaster will strike, however, we can be prepared by knowing what to do before, during, and after a severe weather event.
Complacency can be defined as self-satisfaction, often combined with a lack of awareness of hazards. Complacency is extremely hazardous in the workplace. We get so used to things being done the same way that we do not always look at the hazards that may surround us. We also may underestimate the risk of tasks that we perform regularly, or fail to notice a change in our environment when we become complacent in our daily routines.
It’s finally time to drag out the mowers and to find the time to stay one cutting ahead of the neighbors. A good start towards mower safety is to follow a simple safety rule called “MOW before you mow!”
Do you take chances at home, work, or play? Have you ever cut corners and done something at risk? Are you a gambler and willing to take chances?
In light of everything that is going on today with social distancing, we must stay connected now more than ever. It is imperative for our mental health to have a sense of community, togetherness, and emotional connections.
Yes folks, it’s that time again! Time for warm weather, grilling, picnics, water activities, and outdoor fun! If you practice common sense and safety in all of your activities you will keep looking good, feeling good, and you won’t miss out on any of the fun.
A face mask and N95 respirator are two types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that are designed to protect employees from various airborne hazards. It’s important to know the difference between them, as well as the pros and cons of each.
As concerns over COVID-19 have grown, more companies have asked employees to work from home to help prevent the spread of the virus. Working from home can have a lot of benefits like not having to sit in traffic and having more time to spend with loved ones. It can also create challenges as well. As you are working from home ask yourself: Is your home work area safe and ergonomic? How do you keep from getting distracted with domestic duties?
As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the country, it is important to adapt healthy coping methods to get through the outbreak.
As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the country, it is important to take additional precautions to help protect yourself, family, and the local community. Even if you are considered low risk according to the CDC, it’s important to be cognizant of the effects that this virus may have on individuals who are considered high risk by the CDC. It is imperative that we all do our part to avoid further spreading of the virus.
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
The world of safety compliance should not be confusing. Rules are in place to maintain a safe workplace. This week we are going to look at machine guarding. The OSHA standard is 1910 Subpart O Machinery and Machine Guarding. Moving machine parts have the potential to cause severe workplace injuries, such as crushed fingers or hands, amputations or burns. Safeguards are essential for protection from these preventable injuries. These types of injuries typically occur due to lack of machine guarding or failure to control the hazardous energy utilizing lock out tag out. There are mechanical motions that must be guarded which include pinch points, rotation, reciprocating, traversing, cutting, punching, shearing, and bending.
Knowing your family’s health history is an effective way to stay healthier. A family health history is a written record of the diseases and health conditions present in your family.
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Ready to spring forward? Daylight Savings Time 2020 will begin for most of the U.S. on Sunday, March 8th, at 2 a.m. Nowadays, with our cell phones, computers, and electronics changing their time automatically, it can be easy to forget the opportunity to perform important annual upkeep in your home. To keep your family and home safe, as well as prepared, make time for this short safety checklist.
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The world of safety compliance should not be confusing. Rules are in place to maintain a safe workplace. This week we are going to look at working around powered industrial trucks / material handlers. The OSHA standard for general industry is 1910.178 and 1926.602 for the construction industry.
New Ladder Safety Standards
The new rule brought forward by OSHA sets out a requirement for employers to have
ladder safety or personal fall arrest systems for fixed ladders that extend more than 24
feet. It phases out the use of cages or wells for fall protection, and everything is to be
implemented under a very precise timeline. The revised ruling establishes a phase out of ladder wells and cages over the next 20 years per OSHA 1910.128(b)(9)(i).
Workplaces today are full of opportunities for workers to be exposed to fall hazards. Many of these exposures are so significant that workers could be killed. There are typically three schools of thoughts – fall management, fall restraint, or fall arrest.
The employer and employee both have requirements that must be met, so that all workers are safe at work. Training is one way to ensure that workers are able to recognize and avoid hazardous situations in the workplace. We all complete training
throughout the year for learning a skill, continuing education, licensure, operational requirements, and Safety. All of these trainings should be providing something to signify completion, in either a certificate or a card, to the employee. It is important to always receive a completion document so that the training can be proven, if ever challenged.
The world of safety compliance should not be confusing. Rules are in place to maintain a safe workplace. This week we are going to look at respiratory protection. The OSHA standard is 1910.134.
The world of safety compliance should not be confusing. These are in place to maintain a safe workplace. This week we are going to look at ladder safety. A ladder is defined as a portable structure with a series of steps or bars that allow a person to climb or stand upon while gaining access to an upper level. The OSHA standard is 29CFR1926.1053 and 29CFR1910.23.
Over the next few weeks we will be looking at safety compliance. The world of safety compliance should not be confusing. These are in place to maintain a safe workplace. This week we are going to look at scaffolding. Scaffold is any temporary elevated platform, supported or suspended, and its supporting structure used for supporting employees and materials. The OSHA standard is 29CFR1926.450.
Are you a gambler? Are you willing to risk it all? Do you “knowingly” commit unsafe acts or risky behaviors? Who loses the most? Who is affected by YOUR actions? Will you say
something?
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