Tidbits 1/08/07

Walk for the Health of it
Walking is the one exercise that almost anyone can do, regardless of age or level of physical fitness. Everyone has something to gain from a brisk 30-minute walk enjoyed several times a week. Benefits include: increased cardiovascular fitness, reduced stress, increase energy, improved eating and sleeping habits, and a lowered risk of heart disease and stroke. ‘Take a Walk’... it’ll do you some good!

Education
"What would life be without the constant struggles we must go through, struggles that teach us so much about ourselves?" --Janine Staplins

The Deadly Dozen
Acquaint yourself with the items listed below; these are the major causes of accidents and injury. The ranking may change from year to year, but these are some of the main things to watch for if you want to protect your people. (From our friends at USF&G Ins.)
Unsafe Actions
1.) Unauthorized use/operation of equipment.
2.) Removing, by-passing or making safety devices inoperative.
3.) Servicing moving or working equipment.
4.) Operating or working at an unsafe speed.
5.) Failure to wear the proper protective equipment.
6.) Failure to secure or tie down against unexpected movement.
7.) Using defective tools or equipment.
8.) Using tools or equipment in an unsafe manner.
9.) Standing in an unsafe place or taking an unsafe posture.
10.) Riding hazardous moving equipment.
11.) Horse-play, distracting, startling and goofing around.
12.) Failure to warn or signal as required.

Unsafe Conditions
1.) Inadequate guards or safety devices
2.) Unexpected movement hazard
3.) Poor Housekeeping
4.) Protruding object hazards
5.) Close clearance or congestion hazards
6.) Hazardous arrangement, placement, or storage
7.) Inadequate illumination
8.) Lack of an adequate warning system
9.) Fire and explosion hazards
10.) Hazardous defects of tools or equipment
11.) Hazardous atmospheric conditions
12.) Hazardous personal attire (loose clothing, long hair, jewelry, etc.)

Give it a shot
"Treat people as if they were what they should be, and you help them become what they are capable of becoming." --Johan von Goethe

2007 Health and Safety Tip 2

Hand Tools -- Inspect them daily!
Use the right tool for the job you are performing. Taking shortcuts often leads to injury…take the time to do it right!
Need a screwdriver? Use the right size and type and secure the piece you are working with to avoid hand injury. If you need an awl or a chisel get one...don't use a screwdriver.
Hammer Time? Remember the claw hammer is for carpentry, the machinist's hammer for machine work. And, always make sure your swing radius is clear when using a sledge.
Mushroomed heads on hammers, chisels, punches, etc. must be ground down for safety or pieces can break free and cause injury to you or a co-worker.
Keep sharp edged tools in a safe position at all times. A tool belt is a good idea for tool transport…and a safer alternative then having them in your pockets.
Never use a hammer with a hardened metal face on a highly tempered chisel, wedge or other tool. One or both are to be of a soft steel type to prevent metal fragments.
Wrench it! It is better to pull than to push and face the jaws in the direction of the pull. Stand to the side when pulling down on wrenches above your head and remember... Cheater pipes can get you in trouble.
File it under Safety. Don't use a file without a handle and never use a file as a pry bar…they are brittle and will break.
Check your Bite! If using a pry bar be sure your bite is secure by applying slight pressure initially. Then, check your balance before exerting your full force.
Look at your tools every shift - Broken, damaged or defective tools must be tagged and turned in for repair or replacement.
Keep an edge on your pocket knive and other blades…injuries are more common with a dull blade! And to avoid cutting yourself, always cut away from your body.
Watch where you lay your tools and equipment. Keep them off stairways and out of main walkways. And finally, Keep those tools CLEAN!
Action is worry’s worst enemy. --American Proverb
"Be true to your work, your word, and your friend." --Henry David Thoreau
Keep up the good fight… people are starting to listen. --Safety Wayne

Safety Tidbits – 1/03/07

-January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month. Make a Difference – Donate Today…it could Save a Life!
-In a recent survey, employees were asked what they wanted from an employer… the Top Three Responses were Appreciation for work done (hearing Thanks!); Feeling In on things (being in the loop - part of the team) and Understanding of personal issues (compassion).

No worries mate!
“May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.”
–Joey Adams

Talk to the Kids about Driving Safely
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 1- to 34-year olds in the U.S. According to the U.S. DOT, 3,620 drivers in the15-20 age group died in car crashes in 2004, accounting for 14 percent of all the drivers involved in fatal crashes and 18 percent of all the drivers involved in police-reported crashes. Twenty-four percent of the teen drivers killed were intoxicated. In 2002 (latest data available) the estimated economic cost of police-reported crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 years old was $40.8 billion, according to the NHTSA. Teenage deaths due to motor vehicle accidents occur on weekends 53% of the time. Teen drivers killed in motor vehicle accidents had a youth passenger in automobile 45% of the time.
Most Americans (61 percent) think that 16-year-olds are too young to drive, according to a USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll. The poll, conducted in December 2004, also found that 53 percent thought that licenses should not be issued until the age of 18.

Anyway
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered,
Love Them Anyway.
If you do good people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Do Good Anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you help them;
Help People Anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies;
Succeed Anyway.
Give the world your best and you will get kicked in the teeth;
Give The World Your Best Anyway!
Taken from a sign on the wall in the Calcutta Children’s Home founded by Mother Teresa.

Fire Safety Review
Fires kill approximately 5,500 Americans and injure over 300,000 each year. The major causes of home fires: Smoking 26%, Incendiary or Suspicious 16%, Heating 14%, Child Playing 10%, Electrical Distribution 10%, Cooking 8%.
-Teach the family to STOP, DROP and ROLL if clothes catch fire. Purchase collapsible LADDERS, if you have small children, and practice using them. Source: NFPA
-Nearly 3/5 of the residential fatalities occur in homes without a WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS! Purchase quality smoke detectors and replace batteries annually.
-A carbon monoxide detector is also a good idea. Source: USFA

Quote of the Week
“The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.” --Theodore Rubin