Wellness is more than the absence of illness. It encompasses a person’s total being – physical, mental, emotional, family, social, spiritual and occupational.

Wellness is about balance between the various aspects of a person’s life. When things go wrong, it is often because these areas are out of balance.

Consider these suggestions for keeping your life in a healthy state of balance:

• Have fun exercising. Walking outdoors for 30 minutes a day is good for your body and spirit. If this doesn’t do it for you, find another form of exercise you enjoy.
• Eat well. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, replacing most of the high-fat, heavily-processed foods in your diet.
• Get enough sleep – something that probably doesn’t happen for you now, as studies show most adults to be sleep deprived. You need to get sufficient sleep on a regular basis to recharge your mental and physical batteries.
• Instead of fretting about life’s problems, decide you will solve the ones you can and put aside the ones you can’t. Manage your stress by doing the most important things first and doing them well.
• Don’t let other people get to you. There will always be somebody who gets under your skin. Learn to laugh off unimportant conflicts.
• Keep learning throughout your life. New ideas feed enthusiasm and exercise your brain. Learning also keeps you in contact with other people.

Wellness and safety go hand in hand. A mentally and emotionally fit worker is able to focus on the job.

Odds of winning the lottery: 1 in 135,145,920
Lifetime odds of dying from heart disease: 1 in 5 (source: LiveScience)

1. Heart disease is the number 1 killer of people 65 and older. (LiveScience)
2. Of all deaths of people ages 35 and older, 20 percent can be attributed to a lack of exercise. (University of Hong Kong study)
3. The American Heart Association recommends that people perform moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, for 30 minutes on most days of the week.
4. Men who get little exercise are 45 percent more likely to die from cancer than physically active men. For physically inactive women the risk of dying from cancer is 28 percent greater. (University of Hong Kong study).
5. More than 50 percent of Canadians are considered sedentary. (Statistics Canada)
6. Men who are physically inactive face a 52 percent increased risk of dying from heart disease, while physically inactive women face a 28 percent greater risk.

New Year’s resolutions are usually pie-in-the-sky goals which fail because we want to accomplish too much—too quickly. This year try some new tactics for self-improvement.

Every twelve months we go through the same ritual. On December 31st, when the stroke of midnight proclaims a new year, many pledge to make this year a healthier and safer year. We resolve to give up smoking, lose weight, start an exercise program or stop drinking alcohol. Our rate of failure is spectacular! New Year’s resolutions are usually pie-in-the-sky goals which fail because we want to accomplish too much— too quickly. This year try some new tactics for self-improvement.

1. Set attainable goals for the coming year:
   Start with small goals and reward yourself for attaining each level. Join a support group if you are trying to lose weight, stop smoking, and give up drugs or alcohol. Enjoy your successes a day at a time.
2. Like yourself:
   You can’t change your basic shape—height, bone size or the length of your arms and legs so focus on who you are and not how you look. If you are a happy person, you can be a safer and healthier person. Unhappiness can be a life-threatening distraction from the safe operation of vehicles, machinery or equipment.
3. Control your blood pressure:
   Learn to control unsafe blood pressure with diet, exercise, weight loss and medication as prescribed by your doctor. Visit your doctor for a complete physical before embarking on any change in your current exercise levels. For added personal safety, make sure you have regular checkups.
4. Eat for health:
   Reduce your fat and cholesterol intake and increase the fiber in your diet. Avoid food with saturated fats such as whole milk, fatty red meats, lard and shortening, which can contribute to heart disease. Add whole grain breads, cereals such as oatmeal, fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and peas to your meals. Cut down on, or avoid altogether, alcohol and caffeine in beverages.
5. Be active every day:
   Try climbing extra flights of stairs on your way to work. After work get off the bus several stops too early and walk the rest of the way home. Try swimming, gardening or mowing the lawn for half an hour. Wash your car or play fetch with your dog. Learn a new sport such as Tai Chi, archery, skiing, canoeing, hockey, softball or badminton. Being in good physical condition makes you safer by giving you the ability to respond quickly to a hazard.
6. Reduce stress:
   Learn to control your stress with exercise, diet and plenty of relaxation—not drugs and alcohol. At work, get away from your job by taking a ten minute stress-break at coffee time and go for a brisk walk on your lunch break. After work, play softball with your kids or walk the dog. Treat yourself to a long warm bath while you listen to good music or read an interesting book. Learn to say “no” to extra commitments and “yes” to time with friends and family.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges you to take the following actions to protect yourself and others from influenza (the flu):

Take time to get a flu vaccine.

• The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.
• While there are many different flu viruses, a flu vaccine protects against the viruses that research suggests will be most common. (See Vaccine Virus Selection for this season’s vaccine composition.)
• Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.
• Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year before flu activity begins in their community.
• The CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, if possible.  Learn more about vaccine timing.
• Vaccination of high risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness.

• • People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.

• Vaccination also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from spreading flu to them.
• Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu illness but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for infants should be vaccinated instead.

Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

• • If you are sick with flu symptoms, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.
  • Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.
• See Everyday Preventive Actions [257 KB, 2 Pages]and Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) for more information about actions – apart from getting vaccinated and taking medicine – that people and communities can take to help slow the spread of illnesses like influenza (flu).

Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.

• If you get the flu, antiviral drugs can be used to treat your illness.

• • Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) and are not available over-the-counter.
  • Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious flu complications.
  • For people with high risk factors , treatment with an antiviral drug can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus a very serious illness that could result in a hospital stay.

• Studies show that flu antiviral drugs work best for treatment when they are started within 2 days of getting sick, but starting them later can still be helpful, especially if the sick person has a high risk factoror is very sick from the flu. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking this drug.
• Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

• • Some people also may have vomiting and diarrhea.
  • People may be infected with the flu and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.

Visit CDC’s website to find out what to do if you get sick with the flu.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

One employee died and two others received serious injuries in the blaze. According to OSHA, the employer was not enforcing safety rules that could save lives. The company was cited for alleged fall hazards, blocked fire exits, unclean and disorderly passageways, materials blocking the line of site to emergency exits, materials blocking access to electrical equipment, and exposed electrical wiring. OSHA also cited the company for failure to have a written emergency plan prepared or available in case of a fire; placing liquid propane gas tanks in areas that could be struck by vehicles; allowing employees to operate forklifts without formal training and for failure to provide written certification of forklift operators’ training. Proposed penalties total $41,400.

[ColumbiaRecycling Corp., Dalton, GA. Release Number 07-1013-ATL (170), July 10, 2007]

OSHA opened an investigation Feb. 25 after a worker died as a result of being pulled into a large unguarded lathe. The investigation found numerous additional hazards including blocked or locked exit routes; lack of proper fire protection equipment and training; inadequate fork truck training; improper storage of compressed gas cylinders; no hazard communication program and excessive noise exposure. Other serious hazards include inadequate means of ensuring that supplied air for respirators was safe to breathe and hexavalent chromium issues including surface contamination, lack of PPE for skin exposure and improper cleaning techniques for areas where hexavalent chromium was present.

[Sulzer Metco Coating, Barboursville, WV. Release number 09-538-PHI (OSHA 09-58), May 21, 2009]

An OSHA inspection found numerous instances of unguarded or inadequately guarded machinery, a blocked exit door, incomplete training of powered industrial truck operators, electrical hazards, the lack of periodic inspections of hazardous energy control procedures and failure to exchange hazardous energy control information with outside service contractors. The repeat citation alleges failure to develop and implement specific hazardous energy control procedures for all machinery at the plant. Emhart Teknologies makes fasteners, wire and brass inserts for the automotive and aerospace industries.

[Emhart Teknologies, Danbury, CT, Sept. 21, 2009]

Trenching Violations

One willful, one repeat and three serious citations were issued. The citations allege improper shoring, improper use of ladders, excavated material deposited too close to a trench and allowing employees to work in trenches without proper protection or sloping. Total penalties of $55,000 have been proposed.

[Rockdale Pipeline Inc., Conyers, GA. Release Number 07-1305-ATL (241), Sept. 10, 2007]

Repeat and Serious Violations

OSHA initiated an investigation of a fire and smoke damper manufacturer as a follow-up to a comprehensive inspection conducted in 2005. As a result of that investigation, the company was cited for five willful and four repeat violations, plus one serious violation carrying proposed penalties totaling $140,760. The willful violations allege failure to provide elements of a hearing conservation program, including audiometric testing and training to employees exposed to noise levels above 85 decibels. The repeat violations allege failure to properly record employee injuries and illnesses, failure to guard the point of operation on rivet machines and an electrical hazard. The serious violation alleges the company’s failure to make the plant’s main exit accessible by a minimum width of 28 inches at all points.

[Lloyd Industries Inc., Montgomeryville, PA. Release number 08-1870-PHI, Dec. 30, 2008]

These six facts about spousal abuse will definitely shock you.

Odds of winning the lottery: 1 in 135,145,920 (multi-state, mega millions jackpot)
Odds of being a victim of spousal abuse: 1 in 10 (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

1. Only four percent of US workplaces train employees on domestic violence and its impact on the workplace. (Workplace Violence News)
2. In Canada, 7 percent of women and 6 percent of men end up being abused by a current or former partner. (Canada Department of Justice)
3. In Canada, 9 percent of female victims of spousal abuse report being stalked by a current or former spouse or common-law partner. (Statistics Canada)
4. In the United States, among women, the age group at greatest risk for nonfatal intimate partner violence is 20 to 24. (US Department of Justice)
5. A 2005 national survey found that 21 percent of full-time workers in the US had been victims of domestic violence. (Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence)
6. Family members were responsible for 43 percent of all murders involving females across the US in 2002.

Learn six facts about the dangers of the trucking industry.

Odds of winning the lottery: 1 in 135,145,920 (multi-state, mega-millions jackpot)
Lifetime odds of dying in a heavy transport truck crash: 1 in 8,469 (National Safety Council Odds of Dying)

1. Truckers are six times more likely to be killed on the job than other workers.
2. Twelve percent of all worker deaths in the United States occur in the trucking industry.
3. Heavy truck crashes accounted for 17 to 19 per cent of all motor vehicle deaths and five percent of all motor vehicle injuries in Canada in 2001.
4. One in 18 US truck drivers is injured or suffers illness as a result of the job.
5. The injury rate for the trucking injury is 30 percent higher than that of other US industries.
6. Half of all non-fatal truck injuries in the US involve strains and sprains, frequently linked to the unloading of goods by truck drivers.

Odds of winning the lottery: 1 in 135,145,920 (multi-state, mega-millions jackpot)
Odds of being killed in a transportation incident: 1 in 6,000 during one year (source: National Safety Council)

1. Nearly 3,000 road fatalities (2,923 to be precise) occurred across Canada in 2005. (Transport Canada)
2. Aviation deaths across the US rose to 779 in 2006, from 617 in 2005. Rail fatalities numbered 781, compared to 803 in 2005. (National Transportation Safety Board. (NTSB))
3. Marine deaths across the US increased to 805 in 2006 from 789 in 2005. Of that number, 710 occurred in recreational boating incidents. (NTSB)
4. Transportation fatalities of all types totaled 45,026 throughout the US in 2006, compared to 45,735 in 2005. (NTSB)
5. Aviation deaths across Canada numbered 52 in 2005. (Transportation Safety Board of Canada)
6. Highway fatalities account for about 95 percent of all US transportation deaths. (NTSB)

Here are six useful facts about transportation safety.

Odds of winning the lottery: 1 in 135,145,920 (multi-state, mega-millions lottery).
Lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident: 1 in 84 (Source: National Safety Council)

1. It takes 2 times the distance to stop a vehicle on a wet road compared to a dry one.
2. When behind other vehicles on snowy or icy roads, drivers should maintain 3 times the following distance they would normally observe on those roads in dry conditions.
3. Transport Canada says drivers need to be extra-vigilant about the possibility of encountering black ice on roadways in temperatures between -4C and 4C (25F and 39F)
4. Winter tires have 30 percent deeper treads than all-season tires do.
5. Stopping a vehicle on an icy road surface from a speed of 30 miles per hour (50 km/h) requires an average braking distance of 210 feet (64 meters).
6. Of winter deaths attributed to snow or ice, 70 percent involve motor vehicle incidents.

Odds of winning the lottery: 1 in 135,145,920 (multi-state, mega-millions jackpot)
Lifetime odds of dying in a tsunami: 1 in 500,000.

1. The lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle crash are 1 in 100.
2. The odds of suffering a fatal fall at some point in your life are 1 in 246.
3. You have 1 in 325 chances of dying from a gunshot wound at some point (in the United States).
4. Your lifetime odds of dying in a fire are 1 in 1,116.
5. Your lifetime odds of being electrocuted are 1 in 5,000.
6. Many people fear being in or on water, but your lifetime odds of drowning are a slim 1 in 8,942.

Odds of winning the lottery: 1 in 135,145,920 (multi-state, mega-millions jackpot)
Lifetime odds of dying from an unintentional injury: 1 in 32 (National Safety Council Odds of Dying)

1. Two percent (170,000) of women in the Canadian workforce suffer an on-the-job injury in a typical year, compared to five percent (460,000) of the male workforce there.
2. The three occupations with the overall greatest number of injuries and illnesses are laborer/material mover, heavy equipment/tractor-trailer driver and nursing aide/ orderly/attendant.
3. In the US, the four occupations with the most work-related fatalities are fishing, logging, aircraft piloting/flight engineering and structural iron and steel work.
4. Six percent fewer fatal work injuries were reported in the US in 2007 than in 2006 (5,488 versus 5,840).
5. Workplace homicides across the US were up 13 percent in 2007 versus 2006.
6. Strains and sprains, most often involving the back, account for about 43 percent of the injuries and illnesses in private industry that require recuperation away from work.

Odds of winning the lottery: 1 in 135,145,920 (multi-state mega-millions jackpot)
Odds of being bullied at work: Better than 1 in 3 (37 percent) according to a Zogby International 2007 American research study.

1. Seven out of 10 employees who are bullied either leave their jobs or are fired.
2. Workplace bullying costs the average Fortune 500 company an estimated $8 million in lost productivity in a single year.
3. The average Fortune 500 firm pays more than $16 million per year in replacement costs for managers and employees who leave their jobs because of bullying.
4. Workplace bullying has increased by 25 percent across Canadian workplaces in the past three years alone.
5. Even if they are made aware of bullying incidents, organizations do virtually nothing to help the victim 62 percent of the time.
6. Seventy-two percent of bullies are bosses.

What’s at Stake?

Hot work is a leading cause of workplace fires. A job is considered “hot” when it produces sparks, flame or heat, especially if it is done in flammable environments. Hot work includes welding, grinding, soldering, drilling, cutting and brazing; workers performing these activities are exposed to fire risks as well.

What’s the Danger?

• Hot work presents many dangers, but the most significant ones are from fires and explosions and toxic fumes.
  • Fires and explosions resulting from hot work can cause burn injuries, hearing damage, and death.
  • Recommended safety measures start with a thorough hazard assessment to identify risks, followed by safe work procedures.
  • Important factors to be considered are the possibilities of fire in the work environment and expected types of fire.
  • A trained “fire watch” whose sole responsibility is to watch out for fires and take necessary precautions must be present with a functioning fire extinguisher and gas monitor
• Hot work also produces hazardous fumes and substances.
  • These fumes come from welding, burning, or evaporation of fuel, such as gasoline.
  • They are toxic and prolonged exposure to them causes cancer; brain, reproductive and nerve damage, and suffocation caused by low oxygen levels.
  • Protection from them includes air monitoring, reduced exposure time, exhaust ventilation, respirators and health monitoring.

How to Protect Yourself

Do

• Always, wear the right safety gear when welding, cutting or grinding.
  • Personal protective equipment worn during hot work should include eye protection, hearing protection, heat-resistant clothing, safety boots and gloves made of leather or other flameproof material.
• Only weld in well-ventilated areas.
• Put up warning signs and barriers to keep others a safe distance from hot work operations to prevent them from being burned or injured
• Keep aisles and stairways clear of cables and equipment.
• Always use a qualified fire watch and a working fire extinguisher.
• The hot work area should be monitored for flammable and combustible gases.
  • A gas detector should be used.
  • Stop work immediately if a flammable or combustible gas exceeds 10 percent of its lower explosive limit.
• Use respiratory protection to protect against toxic chemicals and gases and low oxygen levels.

Don’t

• Don’t weld, cut, or grind near flammable or combustible materials, liquids, vapors or dust.
  • Instead, relocate work and equipment outside of the hazardous areas.
  • When welding or cutting is performed in locations where anything greater than a minor fire might occur, assign additional personnel as “fire watchers” to guard against fire.
• Never work in confined spaces that have not been atmosphere-tested or begin hot work until the work area has been tested for flammable gas.
• Don’t use equipment that is not in good condition. Inspect for loose connections and bare wires or cables before operating any machinery
  • Remember, don’t store cylinders of oxygen within 20-feet of cylinders containing flammable gases.

Finally, know the symptoms of metal fume fever, which is caused by breathing welding fumes. The symptoms are listed below and must be reported immediately.

• Metallic taste in the mouth or dryness of throat and mouth.
• Weakness, joint and muscle pains.
• Fever, chills and nausea.

Final Word

The key to hot work safety is taking proper precautions and being on constant alert.

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

Any serious injury or illness will always trigger a series of responses in the body. If the injury or illness is severe such as an allergic reaction, heavy blood loss or sudden, severe pain, these triggers act like a chain of falling dominoes and can send the person into the condition called shock. Shock is the body shutting down nonessential activities so that it can focus on getting enough blood and oxygen to the main organs – the heart, lungs, and brain.

What’s the Danger?

The effects of shock can be quite significant but there are ways to reduce the effect of shock on the person. However, it must be remembered that shock is a response to something else. The event that caused the shock must be managed, if you know what it is. Sometimes, the person can go into shock even though the injury or illness seems quite mild. If someone goes into shock, they require immediate medical attention because left untreated, shock can be fatal.

How to Protect Yourself

3 simple steps to help someone in shock

1. Keep yourself safe

•  Call 911.
• Assess the scene.
• Proceed with care only if it’s safe to do so-check the cause of the shock i.e. the initial injury or event.

2. Know the signs of shock

• Cool, clammy skin
• Pale or ashen skin
• Rapid pulse
• Rapid breathing
• Nausea or vomiting
• Enlarged pupils
• Weakness or fatigue
• Dizziness or fainting
• Changes in mental status or behavior, such as anxiousness or agitation

3. While you wait for the EMS team

• Have the victim lie down if they are able and it does not cause pain.
  • This is often the most comfortable position.
  • Helping the victim rest comfortably is important because pain can intensify the body’s stress and accelerate the progression of shock.
• Control any external bleeding.
• Elevate the legs about 12-inches, unless you suspect head, neck, or back injuries or possible broken bones involving the hips or legs.
  • If you are unsure of the victim’s condition, leave him or her lying flat.
• Help the victim maintain normal body temperature.
  • If the victim is cool, try to cover him or her to avoid chilling.
• Do not give the victim anything to eat or drink, even though he or she is likely to be thirsty.
• Reassure the victim.
• If the person vomits or begins bleeding from the mouth, turn him or her onto a side to prevent choking, unless you suspect a spinal injury.

Final Word

Shock is a serious condition and urgent medical assistance is needed. Your first aid role is to keep the person calm, warm, and comfortable until help arrives. If the cause of the shock, such as bleeding, is obvious, do what you can to stop the bleeding.

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

When your skin is cut, pierced or scraped, blood vessels in the area are damaged or opened. This causes you to bleed. Bleeding is the body’s response to damage to skin, bone or internal organs. Sometimes if the skin damage is only minimal there will not be any bleeding, but these injuries are often very painful.

For the skin damage, bleeding helps to clean out a wound and blood starts to clot which closes the skin again. However, sometimes the damage to the blood vessels in the skin, or other body part, is so large, there may be excessive bleeding. This can cause the body to go into shock or to lose so much blood the person dies.

If a person is bleeding profusely, be on the lookout for symptoms of shock. Cold, clammy skin, a weakened pulse, and loss of consciousness can all indicate that a person is about to go into shock from blood loss. Even in cases of moderate blood loss, the bleeding person may feel lightheaded or nauseous.

What’s the Danger?

You can’t always see how serious a cut or wound is just by the amount it bleeds. Serious injuries can bleed very little, but cuts on the head, face, and mouth often bleed a lot. This is because those areas contain a lot of blood vessels.

Abdominal and chest wounds can be quite serious. This is because internal organs may be damaged. This can cause internal bleeding as well as shock.

Before you begin to treat an injury, you should identify its severity as best you can. There are some situations in which you shouldn’t try to administer any kind of first aid at all. If you suspect that there’s internal bleeding or if there’s an embedded object surrounding the site of the injury, immediately call 911 or your local emergency services.

How to Protect Yourself

6 easy ways to manage bleeding, cuts, and wounds

1. Keep yourself safe

• Call 911 1st in an emergency.
• Assess the scene and proceed with care only if it’s safe to do so.
• Put on proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect yourself from blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM).

2. To call 911 or not to call
   Call 911 if:

• bleeding is severe;
• you suspect internal bleeding;
• there is an abdominal or chest wound;
• bleeding can’t be stopped after 10 minutes of firm and steady pressure;
•  blood spurts out of wound;
•  you are not sure if the person needs EMS care
  – better to be safe than sorry.

3. Help the injured person

• Lie down.
• Keep warm.
• Keep calm.

4. Clear the wound area

• Wear disposable protective gloves if available.
• Remove clothing or debris on the wound.
• Leave large or deeply embedded objects.
• Don’t attempt to clean the wound or probe it.

5. Try to stop the bleeding

• Put a sterile bandage, clean cloth or gauze on the wound.
• Press the bandage firmly with your palm to control bleeding.
• Keep the pressure on until the bleeding stops. This takes about 10 minutes – do not be tempted to lift the bandage to check!
• If blood soaks through the material, don’t remove it. Put more cloth or gauze on top of it and continue to apply pressure.
• If the wound is on the arm or leg, raise limb above the heart, if possible, to help slow bleeding. ƒ
• Maintain pressure by binding the wound with a thick bandage or a piece of clean cloth and secure with tape. Do not put direct pressure on an eye injury or embedded object.
• Do not apply a tourniquet unless you have been trained. A wrongly applied tourniquet can cause significant and lasting damage to the limb.

6. Don’t need 911?

• Wash the wound with clean, warm, slightly soapy water and a clean cloth. Do not use iodine or hydrogen peroxide.
• Rinse it well under running water to rinse any debris and soap out.
• Pat it dry with the cloth and cover with a dressing.
• You can use an antiseptic ointment if you wish.
• Keep the wound covered with a dressing or bandage.
• If the wound becomes increasingly painful, or if the area around the wound becomes hot, red and/swollen, seek medical advice.

Final Word

It is normal for a person to bleed if they suffer a cut or wound. However, if the cut or wound is significant this can lead to serious bleeding and blood loss. Knowing the steps to provide first aid for bleeding, cuts, and wounds can control blood loss and minimize the

On the morning of January 23^rd, I was watching the Today Show, like I do every morning before work, when our local news station cut in to the broadcast with news of a school shooting in our immediate area. More specifically, 20 miles from our home. Shots fired at Marshall County High School. And just like that, Marshall County became the latest school on the ever-growing list of school shootings.

After the initial shock and disbelief, I checked social media and was relieved to see several friends had shared that their kids were safe. My friend’s son Drew was also safe according to a post from his aunt. Sadly, on that same post was a comment from another aunt, she was asking for prayers for her family, because her 15-year-old niece was one of two students killed.

Twenty years ago, this past December, another local high school, Heath High School, was one of the first schools to make that terrible list of school shootings.  I was in college at the time and remember seeing it unfold on the news, the same local station I was watching on Tuesday. This was almost two years before the Columbine shootings made national news, before the news of school shootings became too much a part of our everyday lives.

It seems unbelievable to me, even as I’m writing it now, that this latest shooting happened here. So close to home. Again.

In watching the news reports and listening to survivor interviews over the last few days, I noticed something different. Something different than the Heath shootings, and something I don’t recall hearing in other reports of school or workplace shootings.   “Students and members of law enforcement had received active shooter training. Many students used their active shooter training and ran for their life.”

The training and the actions of these students saved their lives. “Marshall County Judge Executive Kevin Neal said the students have been taught during an active shooter situation they have to run. That’s exactly what they did. They fled the scene and went to the nearest businesses.”

While it is troubling to realize the frequency of these incidents necessitates our children take active shooter training, it was a small light in an otherwise dark story. Lives saved, instead of lives lost because students and staff remembered and followed their training.

Schools are also places of employment of course, and most school shooting incidents are also workplace violence incidents. Whether we are safety professionals or school principals, it is part of our job to train our employees and staff on the hazards they face at work. Sadly, that includes violent incidents.

Regardless of the business or industry we are in, we have a responsibility to prepare and train our employees on all aspects of potential workplace violence, including what to do in an active shooter situation. So, if the time ever comes, and hopefully it does not, that training will kick in and guide our employees to safety.

Update: February 14, 2018 – As we were waiting to go to press with the March editions of our newsletters I am saddened to have to write that another school shooting happened today. Less than one month from the Marshall County shooting,

This time it was too close to home for a former colleague. The school was a few blocks from his home. He doesn’t have children attending Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida, but he shared how the gravity of the situation really set in as he passed the school and the sea of police and emergency responders.

Natae Bugg, CSP, MS
Chief Safety Officer, Bongarde

Source: http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/2018/01/23/students-use-active-shooter-training-techniques-and-ran-for-their-lives/

https://www.local10.com/news/parkland-school-shooting/shooting-marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-school

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

The hazards associated with compressed gas include oxygen displacement, fires, explosions, toxic effects from certain gases, reactivity and projectile concerns.

What’s the Danger?

An employee was killed when a compressed gas cylinder turned into a projectile because its valve was knocked off. Another worker suffocated after entering a space filled with nitrogen from a leaking cylinder. A massive explosion and fire at an industrial plant sent huge fireballs and gas cylinders flying hundreds of feet into the sky. These are all real-life examples of what can happen when compressed gas is not used, handled or stored correctly.

How to Protect Yourself

Read and Follow Labels and Safety Data Sheets

• Compressed gas cylinders must be properly labeled. Empty cylinders must also be marked as such. If you see a cylinder improperly marked, fix it or report it.
• Read the safety data sheet carefully for information about handling, storage and use and emergency procedures.

Know and Use Safe Work Practices for Handling and Use

• Wear required PPE.
• Use regulators that are compatible with the gas and regulators and gauges rated for the pressure in the system.
• Replace cap when not in use. This protects the valve to prevent leaks and other hazards.
• Never roll a cylinder to move it. Instead, use the appropriate cart, cradle or platform.
• Never attempt to refill a cylinder and never mix gases in a cylinder.
• Tag defective cylinders. Notify your supervisor of any problems, including difficult-to-
• open valves, so they can be addressed by the supplier. Do not try to fix it yourself.
• If a gas cylinder begins to leak, evacuate the area and call for emergency assistance.

Follow Safe Storage Procedures

• Select a dry, secure location well vented to the outdoors.
• Keep cylinders away from heat and any source of ignition.
• Keep cylinders upright and secured so they cannot fall or be knocked over.
• Store fuel gases and other flammable or combustible gases away from oxygen cylinders.

Final Word

Remain calm when working with gases under pressure. Follow safe use, handling and storage
procedures.

What’s at Stake?

The laboratory environment can be a hazardous place to work. Some settings, such as hospitals, chemical production and pharmaceuticals may contain many specific hazards which lab workers must be aware of. Labs present just about every type of workplace hazard you can think of – all in one location.

What’s the Danger?

Laboratory workers have the potential to be exposed to chemical hazards, compressed gas hazards, contaminated blood and body fluids, fires and electrical hazards. Other hazards include exposure to lasers, radiation, and cryogenic materials such as liquid nitrogen. Lab employees often do a lot of repetitive motion work, stand for long hours and work in awkward postures, which can lead to a high risk of musculoskeletal injuries such as carpal tunnel, neck and back injuries. Finally, there is the potential for sharps injuries, burns, and slips and falls.

How to Protect Yourself

Follow the signs. Pay attention to and follow all warning signs. Don’t go in restricted areas unless you are trained and authorized.

Put on PPE. Wear all required PPE (personal protective equipment), avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing or jewelry and keep long hair tied back.

Avoid ingestion risks. Never eat, drink, chew gum or smoke in a lab. Never put food in lab refrigerators. Wash your hands after removing gloves, before leaving the lab, before eating, applying cosmetics or using the restroom.

Be ready! Learn to locate and use fire extinguishers, emergency numbers, at least two emergency escape routes, safety showers and eyewash stations.

Cut the risk of sharps injuries. Never use damaged glassware or pick up broken glass with your bare hands – always use tongs or a broom and dust pan. Dispose of broken glass safely by keeping it separate from other trash. Learn proper techniques to avoid needle-stick injuries and always put sharps in appropriate sharps containers.

Give falls the slip. Pick up and throw away clutter and debris and clean up spills immediately to reduce the chance of slips, trips and falls.

Get a handle on it. Practice safe handling, labeling and storage of chemicals and compressed gases. Safety data sheets should be available in case of chemical exposure and should always be reviewed before working with chemicals. Return chemicals and equipment to the proper storage areas. Make sure lids are securely on chemical bottles and compressed gas cylinders are stored upright and secured properly. Only move cylinders in secured carts – never roll them – and replace protective caps when cylinders are not in use.

Avoid the ache. Learn proper lifting techniques and manual material handling to avoid back injuries. Take breaks, practice good technique and use equipment correctly to avoid repetitive motion injuries.

Final Word

Don’t be Dr. Jekyll in the lab. Use caution, plan your work, and follow safety procedures to keep yourself and others safe while working in the lab.

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

Poor housekeeping is one of the leading causes of nonfatal occupational injuries. According to the National Safety Council, 15% of all accidental deaths at work are caused by slips, trips, and falls. Many of which can be linked to shoddy housekeeping.

What’s the Danger?

• What can happen to the work environment when you don’t practice good housekeeping?
• Not containing and cleaning up combustible dust is a huge risk for explosion.
• Improper storage of flammable and combustible liquids is also a fire or explosion risk.
• Not properly stacking and storing items is a falling objects risk that can lead to injury or death, and damage to products and equipment.
• Cluttered aisles and passageways:
  • Increase the chance of slip, trip, fall injuries.
  • Blocks escape in an emergency; and
  • Blocks emergency equipment like fire extinguishers.
• A messy space can hide health hazards, chemical leaks, and fire hazards.
• Finally, poor housekeeping can lead to pest or rodent infestation.

What can happen to you when you don’t practice good housekeeping? You may:

• Trip over loose items on floors, stairs and platforms or slip on greasy, wet or dirty surfaces.
• Strike or run into projecting, poorly stacked items or misplaced material, or be hit by falling objects.
• Cut, puncture or tear skin on projecting nails, wire or steel strapping; and finally,
• Have a hard time finding tools, paperwork, and other items needed to do your job or find it hard to concentrate in a messy environment. This can make you less productive and motivated.

How to Protect Yourself

• Keep your work area, organized, clean, and orderly.
• Mark aisles and passageways in the warehouse, shop and manufacturing floor, and have a clear designation for vehicle and pedestrian traffic as well as pallet storage, equipment storage. If this is missing in your workplace, speak to your supervisor about it.
• Label what goes where and put things away after use. This includes tools, chemicals, and PPE.
• Follow procedures for disposing of trash regularly and properly. For example, use metal cans with lid for disposal containers for oily rags, or put recycling in the correct bin and not in the regular trash.
• Store flammable and combustible liquids such as paint, paint thinners, solvents etc. in their designated storage cabinets.
• Make sure racks in the warehouse are secured for safe storage of inventory, equipment, and tools. If not, notify your supervisor.
• Keep aisles and passageways clear:
  • Never store anything in or around doorways or stairways.
  • Always close drawers and cabinet doors when not in use; and
  • Never run loose cords or hoses across walkways.

Final Word

Effective housekeeping results in the easier flow of materials, less exposure to hazardous substances, more efficient cleanup and maintenance and a safer workplace for everyone.

What’s at Stake?

The body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating isn’t enough. Body temperature can rise to dangerous levels if you don’t drink enough water and rest in the shade. You can suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

In 2014 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died from heat stroke and related causes on the job. Heat illnesses and deaths are preventable.

 What’s the Danger?

Any worker exposed to hot and humid conditions is at risk of heat illness, especially those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment. Some workers might be at greater risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions, including new workers, temporary workers, or those returning to work after a week or more off. All workers are at risk during a heat wave.

The three main heat related illnesses are heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps. Heat stroke can be fatal and heat exhaustion and heat cramps can quickly lead to heat stroke if left untreated.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a condition that occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature, and can cause death or permanent disability.

Symptoms

• High body temperature
• Confusion
• Loss of coordination
• Lack of sweating despite the heat
• Red, hot, and dry skin
• Throbbing headache
• Seizures, coma

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of water and salt, usually through sweating.

Symptoms

• Rapid heart beat
• Heavy sweating
• Extreme weakness or fatigue
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting
• Irritability
• Fast, shallow breathing
• Slightly elevated body temperature

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps affect workers who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. Sweating depletes the body’s salt and moisture levels and this can cause heat cramps.

Symptoms

• Muscle cramps, pain, or spasms in the abdomen, arms or legs

How to Protect Yourself

• To prevent heat related illness and fatalities:
• Drink water every 15 minutes, even if you are not thirsty.
• Rest in the shade to cool down.
• Wear a hat and light-colored clothing.
• Learn the signs of heat illness and what to do in an emergency.
• Keep an eye on fellow workers.
• “Easy does it” on your first days of work in the heat. You need to get used to it.

If you or a co-worker are experiencing signs of any heat related illness follow the first aid guidelines below.

First Aid 

Heat Stroke

• Request immediate medical assistance.
• Move the worker to a cool, shaded area.
• Remove excess clothing and apply cool water to their body.

Heat Exhaustion

• Rest in a cool area.
• Drink plenty of water or other cool beverages.
• Take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath.

Heat Cramps

• Stop all activity, and sit in a cool place.
• Drink clear juice or a sports beverage, or drink water with food.
• Avoid salt tablets.
• Do not return to strenuous work for a few hours after the cramps subside.
• Seek medical attention if you have the following: heart problems, are on a low-sodium diet, or if the cramps do not subside within one hour.

Final Word

Speak up if you think you’re experiencing heat related issues or if you see a co-worker struggling. You can beat the heat by working smartly, taking quick action and getting proper care as soon as symptoms start to develop.

What’s at Stake?

Head injuries are one of the most serious types of injuries that can occur at work. Injuries to your head can cause short and long-term disability, ongoing health problems such as, memory issues, cognitive and physical issues. Head injuries can be caused by, among other things, falling or flying objects, falling, slipping, or tripping, electrical shock, or by bumping your head against a fixed object.

What’s the Danger?

The result of a head injury can range from cuts, bruises, and bumps that are visible, to a headache, concussion, cracked skull, internal bleeding in the brain, or death.

Other complications from a head injury include:

• Sensitivity to light and sound.
• Dizziness, headaches.
• Difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbance, and varying degrees of consciousness.
• Depression.
• Problems understanding and difficulty communicating with others.
• Seizures.
• Buildup of fluid on the brain.
• Issues with problem-solving.
• Changes in behavior, and difficulty with social interaction.

How to Protect Yourself

First, be aware of and avoid slip, trip, and fall hazards such as:

• Slippery sidewalks, floors and other surfaces.
• Unsafe stairs and areas that are not adequately lit.
• Obstructions in walkways.

Second, wear head protection whenever you work in any of the following areas:

• Areas where objects might fall from above and strike you on the head;
• Areas where there could be head contact with electrical hazards; or
• Areas where you might bump your head against fixed objects, such as exposed pipes or beams.

Third, know what you’re putting on your head:

• When choosing a hard hat, you must pick one that provides the right level of protection based on the type of location of work.
  • According to ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2009 and Canadian CSA Z94.1-2005 standards, hard hat electrical performance is divided into three categories:
    • Class G (general) helmets: Designed to reduce the danger of contact with low-voltage conductors and are proof tested at 2,200 volts.
    • Class E (electrical) helmets: Designed to reduce the danger of contact with conductors at higher voltage levels and are proof tested at 20,000 volts.
    • Class C (conductive) helmets: Provide no protection against contact with electrical hazards.
  • Hard hat impact protection is divided into two categories:
    • Type I Hard Hats are designed to reduce the force of impact resulting from a blow only to the top of the head, such as a tool falling from above.
    • Type II Hard Hats are designed to reduce the force of a side impact resulting from a blow which may be received off-center, from the side, or to the top of the head. This form of impact might result from contact with the sharp corner of a side beam for example.
• You also want to look for features such as the ability to adjust the hard hat suspension.
• For maximum protection, hard hats must be worn with the bill facing forward, unless otherwise noted on the hard hat label.
• Helmets and suspension systems must be inspected daily, maintained as necessary, and replaced promptly when damaged.

Final Word

Head trauma can leave a lasting impression. Take the necessary precautions to make sure a falling tool, a fall, or unexpected beam edge, doesn’t go to your head.