Tidbits 10-7-08

Numbers you should Know
1.2 million – Number of work-related cases requiring days away from work (lost time)
87 – Percentage of the injuries that occurred during the normal (Mon-Fri) work week
66 – Percentage of lost time cases involving men
65 – Percentage of total lost time injuries that occurred between 8 am and 4 pm
62 – Percentage of the days away from work that were related to back injuries
60 – Percentage of injuries involving workers aged 20-44
40 – Percentage of injuries that were the result of a strain or sprain
34 – Percentage of injuries involving the trunk (including the back and shoulders)
30 – Percentage of cases involving musculoskeletal disorders
20 – Percentage of total lost time injuries that occurred between 4 pm and 12 am
7 – The median number of days missed Source: BLS

Cooler Weather means Increased Risk of Home Fires (from the NSC)
In 2006, 2,800 Americans unintentionally lost their lives to fires, flames and smoke, according to the National Safety Council. Exposure to fire, flame and smoke is the sixth-leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. As temperatures drop, the potential for home fire increases. The winter months account for the most fire deaths, especially during the holidays.
One of the most important things you can do to protect your family is install a smoke alarm. Properly working smoke alarms decrease your chances of dying in a fire by half, according to FEMA. Test and clean your smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries at least once a year. Replace smoke alarms once every 10 years. A few more tips:
Keep an eye on the location of portable heaters they start fires
Keep combustibles a safe distance away from fireplaces
Do not let candles burn unattended
Be sure not to overload extension cords
Buy an extinguisher for the house and keep it charged up
Make sure heating pads and blankets are in good condition or replace them

National Safety Council Supports 21 Drinking Age
Oct. 6th - The National Safety Council announced it has reaffirmed its public policy to support a national 21-year-old minimum legal drinking age. The policy, reaffirmed by representatives of the NSC at their annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., includes this key statement: The National Safety Council supports the minimum drinking age of 21 and opposes any attempt to lower this age and reaffirms the need for Federal sanctions for states that violate this provision.

“The research is clear. Anything less than a 21 minimum drinking age leads to more deaths, particularly of our young adults. The 21 minimum drinking age has saved more than 25,000 American lives,” said Janet Froetscher, NSC president & CEO. “By reaffirming this policy, the NSC is making clear our fact-based understanding that if the drinking age is lowered, injuries and deaths will significantly increase. We learned this from disastrous experiments of lowering the drinking age in the 1970s and 80s. We can’t let it happen again.” Source: NSC.org

Quote of the week:
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Madeline Stark