Summer is rapidly approaching and many people will be spending time near or on the water in the days and weeks ahead. Each year approximately 3000 lives are lost due to water-related deaths (many of them toddlers). Here are some tips from NSC.org for a safe experience.
-Remember kids don’t drown only in pools. Bathtubs, buckets, toilets and hot tubs present drowning dangers too. Keep an eye on them!
-Never leave a child alone near water: on the beach, at a pool, or in the bathtub. If you must leave, take your child with you. It doesn't take long to lose a precious life!
-Enroll children over age three in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors. Lessons won’t make your child "drown-proof" but will teach them some helpful skills.
-Always follow posted safety precautions when visiting water parks. They are designed to protect you and your family!
-If you’re visiting a public pool, keep an eye on your kids. Lifeguards aren’t babysitters.
Teach your children these key swimming rules:
-Don't swim alone. Always swim with a buddy.
-Jump feet first to avoid hitting your head on a shallow bottom. Don't dive into unknown bodies of water.
-Don't push or jump on others.
And remember
-Avoid alcohol when operating a boat.
-Use approved personal flotation devices (life jackets). They can be a LIFESAVER!
-Be prepared for emergencies. Keep a first-aid kit and emergency phone contacts handy.
-Don’t underestimate the power of water. Even rivers and lakes can have undertows.
Parents should learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). You could save a life!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Safety Tidbits 6/2/08
Is it HOT out here or is it just me
If you spend a lot of time outside in the sun, beware of overexposure. Sun can damage skin and cause skin cancer. Heat cramps, heat rash and heat stress are possible especially when people overexert themselves. Here are a few tips to protect you.
-Get acclimated - adjust to working in the heat over a period of a couple weeks.
-A wide-brimmed hat will keep your head and face cool. Baseball caps only protect the face or neck (depending on how you wear it). A hat should protect the face, neck and ears ears. If you’ve ever burned your neck or you know what I’m saying.
-A long-sleeved shirt will protect your arms. It should be light colored and loose fitting except when working around machinery. My grandfather always wore a long sleeve shirt and a cotton t-shirt underneath -- he claimed it kept him cool.
-Carry a source of water with you (avoid caffeine). Take drinks frequently—every 10 to 15 minutes. Dehydration is a real concern in hot weather.
-Pace yourself - take frequent breaks in the shade or in a cool environment during the hottest times of the day.
-Keep track of each other - anyone suffering from heat stress should be moved to a cool area and given small amounts of water. Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke which is life-threatening and requires immediate advanced medical care.
-Wear sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 15 (waterproof is best). Use a 30 SPF for children. Reapply often if you are out for long periods or going in the water.
Never, never give up
“While there's life, there's hope.” -Cicero
Thought for your day - It's all in how you say it (Thanks Wally)
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which read: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day & I cannot see it."
Were the first sign & the second sign were saying the same thing? Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?
Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Think differently and positively. Invite people towards good with wisdom. When Life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Don't believe your doubts and don't doubt your beliefs. Life is a mystery to solve not a problem to resolve. Life is wonderful if you know how to live!!! God Bless you
Quote of the week: “You can't help someone get up a hill without getting closer to the top yourself.” -H. Norman Schwarzkopf
If you spend a lot of time outside in the sun, beware of overexposure. Sun can damage skin and cause skin cancer. Heat cramps, heat rash and heat stress are possible especially when people overexert themselves. Here are a few tips to protect you.
-Get acclimated - adjust to working in the heat over a period of a couple weeks.
-A wide-brimmed hat will keep your head and face cool. Baseball caps only protect the face or neck (depending on how you wear it). A hat should protect the face, neck and ears ears. If you’ve ever burned your neck or you know what I’m saying.
-A long-sleeved shirt will protect your arms. It should be light colored and loose fitting except when working around machinery. My grandfather always wore a long sleeve shirt and a cotton t-shirt underneath -- he claimed it kept him cool.
-Carry a source of water with you (avoid caffeine). Take drinks frequently—every 10 to 15 minutes. Dehydration is a real concern in hot weather.
-Pace yourself - take frequent breaks in the shade or in a cool environment during the hottest times of the day.
-Keep track of each other - anyone suffering from heat stress should be moved to a cool area and given small amounts of water. Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke which is life-threatening and requires immediate advanced medical care.
-Wear sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 15 (waterproof is best). Use a 30 SPF for children. Reapply often if you are out for long periods or going in the water.
Never, never give up
“While there's life, there's hope.” -Cicero
Thought for your day - It's all in how you say it (Thanks Wally)
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which read: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day & I cannot see it."
Were the first sign & the second sign were saying the same thing? Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?
Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Think differently and positively. Invite people towards good with wisdom. When Life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Don't believe your doubts and don't doubt your beliefs. Life is a mystery to solve not a problem to resolve. Life is wonderful if you know how to live!!! God Bless you
Quote of the week: “You can't help someone get up a hill without getting closer to the top yourself.” -H. Norman Schwarzkopf
Week 23 – Fall Protection
Let’s Review
I recently heard a safety professional say all the lanyards on the market now are rated so that you can tie them back to themselves – I checked and THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!
So I thought this would be a good time to review some other Fall Protection Facts
But first remember you cannot tie a lanyard back to itself UNLESS it is rated for this application and MOST ARE NOT (it could prove deadly in a fall situation as the safety latch would not hold)
-MSHA requires 100% tie-off when working at an elevation …TRUE which means you may need to have a second lanyard (to travel)
-It is OK to secure the lanyard to any D-ring for fall protection…FALSE, the back D-ring is the only one that should be used for fall protection…the other rings have other functions (positioning, vertical assent, rescue, etc.)
-Chest and leg straps must be secured to keep the wearer from slipping out of the harness in the event of a fall …TRUE, leg straps should be snug and the chest strap must be fastened.
-The ideal place for an anchor point is about waist high… FALSE, it is best to tie off overhead whenever you can to avoid banging into the level below you if you fall.
-Since fall protection equipment generally has a five to seven year work life it only needs to be inspected annually…False! The wearer must inspect the equipment prior to each use AND it must be inspected annually by a competent person.
-SRL (Self Retracting Lifelines) should be serviced routinely…TRUE! The brakes and cable should be checked every 1-2 years depending on the manufacturer and conditions of use.
Whether you're on the job or working around the house, be aware of the 4 Mental States that lead to TROUBLE
- Rushing, Fatigue, Frustration, Complacency
FYI, from the BLS: In 2005, U.S. workers died from an injury while at work at a rate of 4.0 per 100,000 workers. Males accounted for 93% of all deaths and had a work-related fatality rate approximately 12 times the rate for females. Workers aged 35-54 accounted for 46% of workplace deaths.
Approximately 43% of fatal work-related injuries resulted from transportation incidents 58% (1,428) of these deaths involved highway incidents (i.e., incidents that occurred on public roads and surrounding areas such as roadway shoulders).
The remaining categories with the highest rates of fatal occupational injuries were
-Contact with objects or equipment (18%) - being struck by a falling object such as a tree, being crushed during a cave-in while digging ditches, or getting caught in running machinery) Stay out of the Line of Fire and Think about what you are doing.
-Assaults/Violent acts (14%) - Be aware of what is going on around you
-Falls (13%) - Eyes and Mind on Task
I recently heard a safety professional say all the lanyards on the market now are rated so that you can tie them back to themselves – I checked and THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!
So I thought this would be a good time to review some other Fall Protection Facts
But first remember you cannot tie a lanyard back to itself UNLESS it is rated for this application and MOST ARE NOT (it could prove deadly in a fall situation as the safety latch would not hold)
-MSHA requires 100% tie-off when working at an elevation …TRUE which means you may need to have a second lanyard (to travel)
-It is OK to secure the lanyard to any D-ring for fall protection…FALSE, the back D-ring is the only one that should be used for fall protection…the other rings have other functions (positioning, vertical assent, rescue, etc.)
-Chest and leg straps must be secured to keep the wearer from slipping out of the harness in the event of a fall …TRUE, leg straps should be snug and the chest strap must be fastened.
-The ideal place for an anchor point is about waist high… FALSE, it is best to tie off overhead whenever you can to avoid banging into the level below you if you fall.
-Since fall protection equipment generally has a five to seven year work life it only needs to be inspected annually…False! The wearer must inspect the equipment prior to each use AND it must be inspected annually by a competent person.
-SRL (Self Retracting Lifelines) should be serviced routinely…TRUE! The brakes and cable should be checked every 1-2 years depending on the manufacturer and conditions of use.
Whether you're on the job or working around the house, be aware of the 4 Mental States that lead to TROUBLE
- Rushing, Fatigue, Frustration, Complacency
FYI, from the BLS: In 2005, U.S. workers died from an injury while at work at a rate of 4.0 per 100,000 workers. Males accounted for 93% of all deaths and had a work-related fatality rate approximately 12 times the rate for females. Workers aged 35-54 accounted for 46% of workplace deaths.
Approximately 43% of fatal work-related injuries resulted from transportation incidents 58% (1,428) of these deaths involved highway incidents (i.e., incidents that occurred on public roads and surrounding areas such as roadway shoulders).
The remaining categories with the highest rates of fatal occupational injuries were
-Contact with objects or equipment (18%) - being struck by a falling object such as a tree, being crushed during a cave-in while digging ditches, or getting caught in running machinery) Stay out of the Line of Fire and Think about what you are doing.
-Assaults/Violent acts (14%) - Be aware of what is going on around you
-Falls (13%) - Eyes and Mind on Task
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