Environmental Health and Safety Update

Warehouse Safety the Dangers of Modern Warehouses and How to Prevent Them

Loved ones coming together is what the holidays are all about, but first you have to get there. This holiday season is expected to receive more travel on the roads than in previous years due to the recession, which means that more safety measures need to be taken to avoid accidents. SafetySkills™ is providing these safe driving tips:

• Know the weather conditions and how to drive in them. 75 percent of all winter weather related deaths can be attributed to driving in dangerous weather conditions. Take SafetySkills™  Hazardous Driving Conditions online course to learn how to minimize your risk.
• Prepare you vehicle for winter driving. It is recommended to check the tire pressure, windshield wipers and fluid, and the battery to avoid car trouble and keep the windshield and windows clean for proper visibility. Stocking the car with self-sustaining technologies and supplies is also encouraged, such as a first aid kit, blankets, matches, safety flares, flashlight, fully-charged cell phone and bottled water.
• Stay alert. Driver distraction is becoming, in the words of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, an “epidemic” that caused 500,000 car accidents and 6,000 fatalities last year. Drivers need to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel at all times.
• Never drink and drive. 36 percent of all Christmas accidents on the road are alcohol-related. Those who become too festive for their own good should never get behind the wheel and should use a taxi service.
•  Plan for daytime driving. Three times as many fatalities occur during the night (6 p.m. – 6 a.m.) than during the day according to both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Safety Council (NSC).

“Driving this time of year is simply chaotic,” said Trey Greene, CEO of noodleStream.com. “The roads are busy and that mixed with the weather creates a dangerous environment for driving. Using these tips will help reduce the chance of car accidents and more importantly injuries and even deaths.”
To learn more about SafetySkills™ and to take our Hazardous Driving Conditions course, visit http://safetyskills.com/winter-driving.

Some holiday shopping traditions start as soon as the Thanksgiving dinner is cleared off the table. Before the turkey is even digested the shopping mission is being plotted out. SafetySkills™ would like to kick off the shopping season with some important personal safety shopping tips.

• Do not carry all your cash and credit cards out with you, carry only what you will use that day
• Consider using a one time or multiuse prepaid credit card
• Lock all purchases in your trunk – do not leave them visible
• Carry your purse close to your body or your wallet in a front pocket
• Have your keys in your hand when you are heading out into the parking lot
• Make sure you park in a well-lit area
• Check the back seat and the area around the car before getting in
• If shopping with children, make sure you have a plan and a meeting spot in case you get separated
• Only buy what you can physically carry
• Make sure you have a cell phone available
• Wear comfortable shoes
• Be well rested
• Be courteous

Black Friday is considered the unofficial start to the holiday season but unfortunately it also brings out thieves, pickpockets and others that are looking to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers. Though most people shop safely on Black Friday but it pays to be aware of what is going on around you and to have a plan if an emergency situation develops.  SafetySkills™ hopes that you stay safe and have a great holiday weekend!

1. The water in the water bottle has a funny shade of green
2. The plastic holding the liquid has melted around it
3. It has a funny shade of florescent green and you don’t remember Gatorade coming out with any new flavors
4. It sizzled on the ground when poured out
5. There are some funny letters and numbers written on the bottle that kind of remind you of high school chemistry class
6. The bottle was found hanging out around the chemical closet
7. You get this faint dizzy feeling when you take a whiff of it
8. You have no idea where this container came from
9. It says ice tea, it even kinda looks like ice tea but you think you burnt some of your nose hairs off when you went to take a swig
10. The last guy who drank out of that bottle hasn’t been seen in a couple of hours
11. The guy before him has been wondering around looking dazed and confused and demands to be called Lord Fluffinstuff

Watch this short video on fireworks safety to prepare you and your family this weekend. http://safetyskills.com/fireworks-safety-training

The weather is hot and it’s only getting hotter. There are so many fun things and events that people associate with hot weather -  the sun, the beach, swimming, cook outs and the Fourth of July. Children and the inner child of many adults look forward to Fourth of July because it is one of the only times they are allowed to light things on fire and set up explosive fireworks while the whole family watches. As fun and exciting as it is when you gather the family around to enjoy the display, you also must keep in mind that it can get dangerous. Each year fireworks cause thousands of major and minor injuries mostly to young people. With the proper firework safety training, this year’s Fourth of July can ensure that everyone can have a blast (no pun intended) the safe way!

SafetySkills™ would like to ensure that you and your family have a safe and happy Fourth of July by offering a completely free 15 minute course on the hazards and safe use of fireworks. The course is available at http://safetyskills.com/fireworks-safety-training. To learn more information about SafetySkills™ and other free courses, please visit us at http://safetyskills.com/free-online-safety-training.

SafetySkills is offering the public not only important safety tips to keep you and your family safe while traveling this holiday season, but also their Hazardous Driving Conditions course completely free of charge (http://safetyskills.com/winter-driving).

Here are some tips to keep your road trip as smooth as possible.

1. Check the weather and know how to drive in bad weather safely before going out.

75% of winter weather related deaths are due to driving in dangerous weather. Only venture out it bad weather if you have to and take SafetySkills Hazardous Driving course free at http://safetyskills.com/winter-driving.

2. Winterize your vehicle.

Make sure all vehicle maintenance is up to date and stock your vehicle full of self-sustainable technologies and supplies (first aid kit, blankets, bottled water, flashlights, etc.)

3. Pay Attention.

Don’t get distracted. Driver distraction is becoming the most dangerous issue affecting the roads today. In 2008, 500,000 car accidents and 6,000 deaths were caused by driver distraction. Combine a distracted driver with hazardous weather and you have got a huge problem on your hands.

4. Never drink and drive.

There is really isn’t much need to elaborate. Everyone knows that driving while intoxicated impairs your judgement and reaction time. Just don’t do it.

5. Drive as much as possible when the sun is shining.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Safety Council (NSC), driving deaths are 3 times more likely to occur between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Try to travel during the day as much as possible.

No one wants to spend their holiday dinner surrounded by the fire department. Safety in the kitchen can save your and your loved ones from one of the biggest dangers of the holiday season, kitchen fires.

SafetySkills has provided the public with these safety tips for the kitchen:

Never leave food unattended while cooking.

The number one cause of kitchen fires is leaving cooking food unattended.

Keep all flammable objects away from heat sources.

Roll up long sleeves and keep all cloth items (pot holders, dishtowels, etc.) away from the stove and oven.

Limit the number of people in the kitchen.

Only fit as many people in the kitchen as there is space to work safely. Too many people can cause accidents and items to be knocked over, starting a fire.

Keep your kitchen clean.

Leftover food and grease can easily catch fire in burners, ovens, pots and pans.

Work carefully with grease and oil.

Grease fires can start and grow rapidly the hotter they get. Watch the temperature and put out a grease fire by smothering it with lids to pots and pans. Never use water to put out a grease fire, water will make the fire spread.

If a fire starts, call 911.

If your home fire extinguisher can’t do the trick when needing to put out a fire, immediately call 911 and evacuate.

It’s safe to say that when you think of Black Friday, you think about tons of sales to save you money on holiday shopping. Unfortunately, some of these savings come with a high price. Last year on Black Friday a Wal-Mart security guard was trampled to death by overly eager shoppers trying to make the most out of the potential savings that awaited them. This particular incident received news coverage all over the U.S. and even internationally in hopes of getting people to realize that no amount of financial savings is worth someone’s life.

But apparently not everyone got the message. There have been multiple reports of violent incidents occurring across the country just to save a buck. In a Sheboygan, Wisconsin Wal-Mart this morning police were called in a scuffle broke out over discounted GPS units. Another case in Centennial, Colorado Toys ‘R’ Us resulted in a 78-year-old woman being thrown to the floor. 14 Police patrol cars were called to another Toys ‘R’ Us in Jantzen Beach, Oregon when a physicla dispute took place amongst 100 shoppers who had been waiting since midnight.

Shoppers also need to be aware of the added risk that lies ahead of them on the road. Contrary to popular belief  the most dangerous holiday to be driving is not New Years’ but actually Thanksgiving. This is not that surprising when you put all elements into consideration and can be used when driving during the rest of the holiday season:

• Hazardous weather conditions
• Rushing for time = Speeding
• Celebrations = Drinking and Driving
• Overall courtesy that is shown during the holiday time on the road = Road Rage
• Driver Distraction

The one thing to learn from all of this is that Thanksgiving is a time to show gratitude for what you have, not to hurt others in order to get what you want.

This video won’t teach anyone to park a car, but it definitely lets us know that we are surrounded by dummies who need to take a driver safety course or two. This driver, a 62 year-old woman, was arrested after completing this stellar parking job and leaving the scene of the crime. This video reminds us all that driver safety is extremely important because this could have been a tragic situation if the owners of those cars were inside.