School is out and summer outdoor activities are priorities for our families. Don't let an injury at home or
while traveling spoil your summer fun.
The National Safety Council estimates that off-the-job injuries and fatalities cost U. S. businesses almost $200
billion annually in lost productivity. Council research also shows 9 out of 10 fatalities and nearly two-thirds
of disabling injuries to workers each year occur off the job.
~=~ article continues below advertisement ~=~
|
|
Use the following the tips to plan a safe summer with your family.
-
Work and play safely in the yard.
Keep from getting injured while doing yard work and other outside home improvement projects. Remove obstacles that can cause trips or falls. Prevention of outdoor hazards that can cause trips and falls will help ensure that everyone is injury-free.
- Walk around the yard and remove all debris including rocks, fallen limbs, and trash before mowing or trimming weeds. Pick up toys, yard tools, and water hoses to prevent slips and trips as well as eliminate the potential for flying debris while mowing.
- Inspect and repair all power equipment you use around the yard, such as your lawn mower, hedge trimmer, and weed eater before each use. If equipment or tools are damaged beyond repair, safely discard them.
- Store gasoline and chemicals safely in locked cabinets. Do not store gasoline near other chemicals. Use only approved gasoline containers and store them where fumes can escape and dissipate safely. Also follow usage instructions on all yard chemicals. Keep the Poison Control and other emergency numbers by the phone in case of accidental poisoning from such chemicals.
- Check the weather before you start outdoor projects. If the weather appears to be threatening, wait until a later time to mow or trim trees. If the weather has been particularly dry, it's a good idea to make sure your grass and weeds aren't too dry before you use power equipment. A tiny spark can lead to a large fire when conditions are too dry.
- Wear the proper personal protective equipment when working in your yard. Wear proper shoes with good traction to avoid slipping under a mower. Wear safety glasses or goggles to protect your eyes and wear earplugs to prevent hearing loss while mowing or using other power equipment. Gloves will prevent many hand injuries and protective shin and arm guards are also a good idea.
- Check out trampolines, swing sets, and other play equipment. Make sure that all equipment is free of broken parts. Keep play equipment area is clear of clutter. Place "soft-landing" material around equipment to keep your children safe.
- Take breaks and drink lots of water to hydrate and cool your body especially when it's hot.
-
De-clutter the garage and storage buildings.
The garage is a favorite place to store things. Take advantage of warm weather and clean out the garage and storage buildings. A clean and tidy garage will help ensure that there are no hidden dangers.
- Discard unneeded items and properly dispose of unused chemicals and other potentially hazardous items such as paint and solvents.
- Arrange items so there are no tripping hazards.
- Store all potentially poisonous products where children cannot access them, preferably in a locked cabinet.
-
Use safe outdoor grilling methods.
Nothing else signifies summer more than outdoor cooking. According to the US Fire Administration, BBQ grills cause approximately 6,500 fires every year. When fire bans are lifted, follow these simple outdoor grilling techniques to ensure a good time.
- Inspect all outdoor cooking equipment before you use it. Replace rusted parts.
- Operate BBQ outdoors only, 10 feet from house, garage and trees. Never move while hot.
- Use only starter fluid for barbeque grills when cooking with charcoal. Cap lighter fluid immediately and place it a safe distance from the grill.
- Make sure that propane connections are good before starting a gas grill. Test for leaks and check tubes for blockage.
- Keep lid open when lighting gas grill, to prevent flash off from gas build-up.
- Turn BBQ off if you smell gas and don't attempt to relight until the leak is fixed.
- Keep children and pets far away from outdoor grills of any type until they are complete cool.
- Never leave an operating grill unattended.
- Keep alcohol away from grills.
- Use baking soda on grease fires - not water - and keep the proper fire extinguisher handy. Turn off propane and electric grills and close the lid on charcoal grills is a fire occurs.
-
Travel safely during your vacation.
You might have a road trip planned for this summer. Be careful out there, especially if your plans involve a lot of driving. When we travel on road trips, we tend to lower our guard and become more susceptible to break-ins and other crimes. There's always the risk of traffic accidents and breakdowns. Take precautions before you hit the highway this summer so you will enjoy your trip.
- Take an emergency kit that includes a flashlight, jumper cables, blanket, first aid kit, "Send help" sign or white flag, flares or flashes, empty gas container, and a good spare tire with tools.
- Pre-trip your vehicle. Make repairs, fill fluids, and make equipment adjustments before you leave, not while driving.
- Use your seatbelts. Studies confirm that combined with air bags, fatalities are reduced.
- Allow time for personal grooming before you begin driving.
- Enjoy your meals in a restaurant or picnic spot, not while driving.
- Avoid reaching to pick up items from the floor, glove compartment, or behind the seat.
- Stay clear of emotional conversations. Save heavy subjects for another time.
- Stop driving if you are sleepy. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. Don't take medications to stay awake. Schedule a break every couple of hours.
- Be alert to your surroundings. At all times, know what is going on 50 feet to 100 feet around you.
- Never leave your keys in the car. Hide all valuables and be aware of the people around you.
- Pull over to use your cellular phone. Make regular calls to loved ones to let them know where you are.
- Keep at least a 3 second distance between your car and the car ahead. Add more distance for adverse conditions.
- In the event of a minor accident, stop in a well lit, well populated area. Stay in the vehicle and exchange papers through a crack in the window.
This obviously doesn't cover all summertime hazards, but you can have a great discussion with your family and raise awareness that safety matters at home as well in the workplace. Use safety 24/7 to stay injury-free this summer!
- Walk around the yard and remove all debris including rocks, fallen limbs, and trash before mowing or trimming weeds. Pick up toys, yard tools, and water hoses to prevent slips and trips as well as eliminate the potential for flying debris while mowing.
- Inspect and repair all power equipment you use around the yard, such as your lawn mower, hedge trimmer, and weed eater before each use. If equipment or tools are damaged beyond repair, safely discard them.
- Store gasoline and chemicals safely in locked cabinets. Do not store gasoline near other chemicals. Use only approved gasoline containers and store them where fumes can escape and dissipate safely. Also follow usage instructions on all yard chemicals. Keep the Poison Control and other emergency numbers by the phone in case of accidental poisoning from such chemicals.
- Check the weather before you start outdoor projects. If the weather appears to be threatening, wait until a later time to mow or trim trees. If the weather has been particularly dry, it's a good idea to make sure your grass and weeds aren't too dry before you use power equipment. A tiny spark can lead to a large fire when conditions are too dry.
- Wear the proper personal protective equipment when working in your yard. Wear proper shoes with good traction to avoid slipping under a mower. Wear safety glasses or goggles to protect your eyes and wear earplugs to prevent hearing loss while mowing or using other power equipment. Gloves will prevent many hand injuries and protective shin and arm guards are also a good idea.
- Check out trampolines, swing sets, and other play equipment. Make sure that all equipment is free of broken parts. Keep play equipment area is clear of clutter. Place "soft-landing" material around equipment to keep your children safe.
- Take breaks and drink lots of water to hydrate and cool your body especially when it's hot.
- Discard unneeded items and properly dispose of unused chemicals and other potentially hazardous items such as paint and solvents.
- Arrange items so there are no tripping hazards.
- Store all potentially poisonous products where children cannot access them, preferably in a locked cabinet.
- Inspect all outdoor cooking equipment before you use it. Replace rusted parts.
- Operate BBQ outdoors only, 10 feet from house, garage and trees. Never move while hot.
- Use only starter fluid for barbeque grills when cooking with charcoal. Cap lighter fluid immediately and place it a safe distance from the grill.
- Make sure that propane connections are good before starting a gas grill. Test for leaks and check tubes for blockage.
- Keep lid open when lighting gas grill, to prevent flash off from gas build-up.
- Turn BBQ off if you smell gas and don't attempt to relight until the leak is fixed.
- Keep children and pets far away from outdoor grills of any type until they are complete cool.
- Never leave an operating grill unattended.
- Keep alcohol away from grills.
- Use baking soda on grease fires - not water - and keep the proper fire extinguisher handy. Turn off propane and electric grills and close the lid on charcoal grills is a fire occurs.
- Take an emergency kit that includes a flashlight, jumper cables, blanket, first aid kit, "Send help" sign or white flag, flares or flashes, empty gas container, and a good spare tire with tools.
- Pre-trip your vehicle. Make repairs, fill fluids, and make equipment adjustments before you leave, not while driving.
- Use your seatbelts. Studies confirm that combined with air bags, fatalities are reduced.
- Allow time for personal grooming before you begin driving.
- Enjoy your meals in a restaurant or picnic spot, not while driving.
- Avoid reaching to pick up items from the floor, glove compartment, or behind the seat.
- Stay clear of emotional conversations. Save heavy subjects for another time.
- Stop driving if you are sleepy. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. Don't take medications to stay awake. Schedule a break every couple of hours.
- Be alert to your surroundings. At all times, know what is going on 50 feet to 100 feet around you.
- Never leave your keys in the car. Hide all valuables and be aware of the people around you.
- Pull over to use your cellular phone. Make regular calls to loved ones to let them know where you are.
- Keep at least a 3 second distance between your car and the car ahead. Add more distance for adverse conditions.
- In the event of a minor accident, stop in a well lit, well populated area. Stay in the vehicle and exchange papers through a crack in the window.