Environmental Health and Safety Update

Health care has obviously become a hot topic this year and continue to be one for years to come, but one thing that everyone can agree upon is the importance of privacy in terms of one’s health care. Nobody wants their private information being accessed by those you haven’t given approval. Without HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, private health care information could be distributed to unwanted parties. If the thought of that doesn’t make you feel a little violated I don’t know what does.

So what is the big deal about HIPAA? Well, everyone knows the dangers of getting your identity stolen. I mean it is a constant threat and businesses have been created just to protect people from being victims of this type of crime. HIPAA actual helps protect you from this sort of problem. Besides protecting you from cybercriminals, it also keeps your personal information safe from groups that may harass you for medical decisions you have made or from being discriminated against in the workplace.

HIPAA is a complicated policy that needs to be administered through proper training. This training is usually done through the Human Resources department in businesses, but where do these trainers learn how to properly share this information with employees? Here is a great online HIPAA overview that has interactive test questions throughout the course to make sure employees understand HIPAA.

This HIPAA Overview Training  course will teaches viewers to:

• Recall the history and purpose of HIPAA
• Identify the definition of HIPAA
• Identify the five rules created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as required by HIPAA
• Identify the different company statuses and responsibilities under HIPAA
• Identify the HIPAA responsibilities of the human resources officer

For most people, thoughts of lasers go to the cool special effects of hollywood blockbusters. Honestly, how many little boys wanted to be Luke Skywalker fighting with his light saber? More than I could possibly count. But on a serious point, lasers are used in many different ways in the real world. Medical procedures, manufacturing and mechanical production are just a few. When you think about the fact that tumors are being removed and people are getting 20/20 vision all because of a laser is pretty incredible. But if a laser can do all of that, the potential dangers in the event of a mistake should get your attention. Lasers are used more and more and learning proper laser safety training is a must for any business to avoid accidents. Knowing this, SafetySkills Laser Safety course, http://www.safetyskills.com/laser-safety-training, is the best way for any employer and employee to stay safe on the job using this type of technology.

This course teaches learners the basic principles of laser operations and three essential laser components, how to identify major types of lasers, beam-related and non-beam-related hazards associated with laser operation and the controls used to eliminate or minimize laser related hazards. It also allows grown adults to shoot lasers at UFOs during the competency sections of the course, which is pretty cool if you ask me.

According to a poll done by Harvard, only 4 out of 10 adults are definitely getting the H1N1 virus vaccine when it becomes available this year. This number rises slightly, 6 out of 10, when asked if they would get the vaccination in the event that their community members were sick or dying from the virus.

Some might find these results shocking, but when the 1976  national influenza campaign gone wrong is put in perspective it makes complete sense. This campaign ended with blood on the hands of the government. The disease never spread as expected and 500 of those who were vaccinated developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, resulting in the 25 deaths. Knowing this and the effects that have been linked to countless other vaccinations, it’s only natural that people, especially parents, would be concerned about vaccinating themselves and their children.

But with all that said, there is still a great risk being expressed by experts about the dangers of swine flu. It is still expected to become a major problem and everyone should decide how they want to handle the situation. For those who would like the vaccination, contact your medical professional about the vaccine and when it will be available to you. For those who choose not to be vaccinated, be extremely aware of the other prevention methods you can take to avoid getting swine flu.

There are few families that have impacted the American people as much as the Kennedys. Through politics, activism, fashion, controversy and tragedy, one thing that everyone can agree upon is that this family name will be remembered. The latest tragic end has fallen upon Senator Edward M. Kennedy who died at the age of 77 on August 25th.

Kennedy spent over 3 decades of his life in the U.S. Senate and among his many contributions (over 2,500 bills), one of his passions was creating a safer workplace for American workers.

One of the most well-known rights Kennedy fought to give workers was the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This act gave all workers the ability to take unpaid leave to care for themselves or family members in case of a medical illness or for maternity leave without fear of termination. Over 60 million Americans have been able to take advantage of this act thanks in part to Ted Kennedy.

Kennedy also worked to provide Americans with the right to paid sick leave by introducing the Healthy Families Act, which would ensure 7 days of paid sick leave to be used for workers’ health maintenance as well as their family members. He also saw the need for the Working Families Flexibility Act in order to allow employees the ability to meet the needs of both family and work through a flexible job arrangement.

He even made a point throughout his career to address the financial discrimination that hits women where it hurts, their wallets. Women currently earn 78 cents to every $1 earned by a man. When the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 was signed by President Obama, Kennedy was a leader in its passing.

Another group Kennedy fought for are those in the mining industry, with his MINER Act legislation passed in 2006. Despite the new law being passed, Kennedy felt more needed to be done and he continued to call for safety investigations across the country concerning these workers.

He also worked tirelessly to pass the Protecting America’s Worker’s Act, which would expand the coverage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. “Enacting of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970 was a major step in guaranteeing the basic right of workers to be safe on the job.  Since the law was signed, however, we have not substantially amended it to improve worker protections,” said Kennedy.

Although this bill has not yet become law, even after his death it will live on through the efforts of his fellow senators. He will be missed.

How often do you put your life on the line for work? Well, if you’re like most of us, the answer would be zero. If you’re a firefighter you would say, well I don’t know what you would say but it would be a lot. Which is why firefighters should take advantage of National Firefighter Health Week, August 17 – 21.

It’s not very often that you get an entire week devoted to getting special perks for having a particular job and if anyone deserves it, its firefighters. Firefighters are more likely to die while putting out the flames of a burning building from a heart attack than any other cause. Having a heart attack while in that situation could lead to a chain reaction causing injury or death of other firefighters. Spend this week starting to take care of yourself. Go to the gym, start eating healthier foods, quit smoking, get a checkup, whatever will make you feel healthier and ready to go. Being at your very best is crucial when performing a dangerous job.

www.healthy-firefighter.org

www.nfvc.org

http://www.firelink.com/news/articles/8219-usfa-supports-national-firefighter-health-week-august-17-21

Summer is coming to a close and parents are busy getting their children prepared for going back to school. This is usually the time of year where young children are experiencing a mix of emotions ranging between excitement and nervousness, but now it’s their parents that have something to worry about. Experts say that the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, could make a comeback when kids head back to school.

Here are a list of things that you can do to reduce risk of infection.

1. Do your research.

Learn about the H1N1 virus and what precautions you should be taking yourself. The Center for Disease Control (CDC.gov) is a great resource on the latest information about health threats. You can also take SafetySkills free Flu Symptoms and Prevention Strategies course. This free online course includes vital information about swine flu and how to protect yourself from infection. After taking this course, recommend it to other parents and your children’s daycare or school staff members.

2. Be clean.

It sounds like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people do not perform simple cleansing chores that could save them and their family members from getting sick.

• Use proper cleaning supplies in your kitchen and bathrooms, but don’t over do it with the bleach. That will cause a whole new health problem.
• Take out the trash in a timely fashion. This will prevent insect infestation and mold, plus it’s not the best smell to have in your home.
• Always use anti-bacterial soap and carry anti-bacterial gel (such as Purell) in your purse, car, etc.
• Keep tissues available in every room of your home.
• Make washing hands fun for kids – have them sing their ABC’s while washing to ensure that they have done it long enough, they’ll love it!
• Use anti-bacterial sprays around the house, like Febreeze. It really does help.

3. Ask your child’s teacher and daycare center administrator what they are doing to prevent the spread of infection.

As a parent, I know that I feel guilty enough about leaving my child at her pre-school everyday without needing to worry about if she is going to come home with a dangerous case of the flu. Having a good relationship with your child’s teachers and caregivers is extremely important for many reasons, but especially when it comes to being aware of how they are protecting your child. If you do not feel satisfied with their approach, give them a recommendation of what you would like for them to use or consider moving your child to another daycare or school that fits your criteria.

4. Use common sense.

Obviously if your child is sick, do not send your child to school. This spreads illness and it turns into an endless cycle of misery. If your child appears to have more than just a case of the sniffles, make an appointment with your pediatrician. Remember to keep your house as clean as possible when anyone in the household is sick to reduce the chances of others in the home coming down with it.

If anyone has any helpful tips to give other parents or child caregivers, please leave a comment below. Thanks.