Safety Tips

Safety and Cell PhonesDoes using a cellular telephone while driving cause more accidents?  In general, driver distraction is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents. Using and talking on a cellular phone requires a large amount of attention and can be a contributing factor to accidents. However, using a cellular telephone is one of many distractions a driver faces. In other words, concern about driver distraction should not be limited to cellular telephones.

Proper Manual Lifting Techniques:
• Let your abdomen, legs and buttocks do the work.
• Get closer to the load. Grab the load safely with your hands placed under the object.
• Bend your knees, with feet slightly spread for balance and stability.
• Keep your head, shoulders and hips in a straight line as you lift. Do not twist. Turn your entire body, including your feet.
• Never lift from a sitting position. Sitting puts more pressure on the spine. Stand before you lift.
• Push rather than pull a load.
• When the object is too heavy for you to lift alone - admit it - then get some help.

Maintenance of Fire Safety Equipment In The Home
(It is essential that all fire safety equipment in your home be properly maintained.)
• Follow the directions provided for installation and operation of every fire safety device.
• Only use the batteries recommended by the equipment manufacturer. And NEVER remove them to silence a nuisance alarm caused by cooking or shower steam.
• Test alarms at least once a week to ensure they are in good working order and the batteries are fresh. All alarms have a test button. Replace batteries with time changes, in the spring and fall.
• Perform regular alarm maintenance and always keep unit clean (vacuum lightly around alarms).
• Check fire extinguisher gauges or "pindicators" regularly. A gauge should always read on the green area, and a pindicator should spring back when pushed.
• Replace smoke alarms that are older than 10 years - no matter how well they seem to work - and replace carbon monoxide alarms that are older than 5-7 years depending upon the manufacturer.

Office Safety Tips
Although office environments don't usually present the same physical hazards as some of the more safety-critical industrial settings, there are other hazards to be aware of:
• Perfumes and other scents (potential allergens)
• In some cases, exposure to cleaning products
• Indoor air quality
• Sitting for long periods of time
• Working in awkward positions, or performing repetitive manual tasks
• Lifting awkward or heavy objects
• Eye strain
• Working in uncomfortable temperatures
• Annoying or distracting noise and vibration from electronic equipment
• Slips, trips and falls
• Risk of violence
• Working alone
• Stress