Tag Archives: protection

General Safety Issues, Respiratory Issues

HOW REFRESHING! MAY IS CLEAN AIR MONTH

Beginning today, May 1st, the American Lung Association wants to educate us about the importance of breathing fresh, clean air. Clean air does not contain allergens or pollutants, but is a combination of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. Clean air helps us stay healthy, so now is the time to take the proper steps to learn more about it. 

Here are some of the problems affecting our air that makes us sick by harming the environment: 

  • Sulphur Dioxide
  • Particulate Soot
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Lead
  • Toxic Air Pollution
  • Ozone
  • Acid Rain 

Clean Air Month is recognized in many states across America. Events are held throughout the month of May to promote awareness. These have included ‘Bike To Work Days’ and ‘Share A Car Days’. (We will also be talking about Bike Safety during the month). Some states offer Air Management Programs and timely reporting on state and federal air quality issues. 

Clean Air Month is a time for many states to celebrate the impact the Clean Air Act has had on the way people think about the environment and on the overall health of its people. Just think of the improvements we have made since the Clean Air Act became official in 1970. For example, in Wisconsin during 1986, the Clean Air Act influenced legislation which was passed to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from state power stations; by 1990 sulfur dioxide emissions had fallen by 46 percent. 

Everyone of us has the responsibility to keep our atmosphere clean. Many vehicles don’t do that. Manufacturing and other industries release pollutants into the air. Poor air quality in working environments require respiratory protection.  Here are some ways you can help and hopefully save money in the process! 

  • Make easy changes to your everyday routine;
  • Don’t let your car idle;
  • Keep your vehicle’s maintenance up to date;
  • Combine automobile trips;
  • Use environmentally friendly cleaning products;
  • Avoid painting or cleaning on poor air quality days;
  • Limit outdoor activities on these days.

We must do all we can to keep our environment clean.  This is the time to teach our children how valuable fresh air and a clean supply of water is to our future.  Don’t pollute the lakes and streams that cities and towns rely on for water.

Happy “May Day”

General Safety Issues

WHEN IT COMES TO ETHICS, IT PAYS TO TELL THE TRUTH!

Twice each month I receive a  newsletter, called OSHA QuickTakes, that reports, among many other things, a list of citations and fines, explaining how companies have violated certain acts.  The fine amounts in the releases just seemed to grow, so I picked this one:

OSHA has ordered Clean Diesel Technologies Inc. to pay $1.9 million to its former chief financial officer who was fired for reporting conduct the CFO believed to be damaging to the company’s shareholders. In late March 2010, the former CFO provided information to the company’s board of directors based on a reasonable belief there was a conflict of interest involving the chair of CDTI’s board of directors. The former CFO believed that a proposed merger was detrimental to the company, critical financial information had been withheld from board members, and the conflict of interest violated internal company controls mandated by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the company’s own corporate code of ethics.

OSHA’s investigation found that the company violated the whistleblower provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act when it wrongfully terminated the former CFO for warning the board of directors about ethical and financial concerns raised by a proposed merger.  

“OSHA plays a key role in protecting the integrity of the financial markets and the economy,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “We protect those who are courageous enough to speak out, even internally, about violations of securities rules and regulations.”

 After being terminated from employment in April 2010, the former CFO filed a whistleblower complaint with OSHA one week later. OSHA’s investigation found merit to the complaint.  “This order should send a clear message to publicly traded companies that silencing those who try to do the right thing is unacceptable,” Dr. Michaels added.

As a result, OSHA has ordered CDTI,  a manufacturer and distributor of emission control systems based in Ventura, Calif., formerly headquartered in Stamford, Conn., to pay the complainant more than $486,000 in lost wages, bonuses, stock options and severance pay. In addition, the company must also pay the complainant over $1.4 million in compensatory damages for pain and suffering, damage to career and professional reputation and lost 401(k) employer matches and expenses.

The order also directs the company to post OSHA’s findings in an 8-K submission to the SEC since previous filings about the complainant’s termination and whistleblower activity had also been posted to the SEC.

The company must also expunge all files and computerized data systems of disciplinary actions related to the complainant’s termination, pay reasonable attorney’s fees and post the order and a notice to workers at all company locations and on its internal website. In addition, OSHA will inform the SEC of its findings so that it can pursue any other appropriate action. CDTI and the complainant each have 30 days from receipt of the findings to file an appeal with the department’s Office of Administrative Law Judges.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley and 21 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various securities laws, trucking, airline, nuclear power, pipeline, environmental, rail, public transportation, workplace safety and health, and consumer protection laws.

Employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who raise various protected concerns or provide protected information to the employer or the government. Employees who believe that they have been retaliated against for engaging in protected conduct may file a complaint with the secretary of labor for an investigation by OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program. More information is available online at http://www.whistleblowers.gov/.

Source: OSHA QuickTakes

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Editor’s note: The U.S. Department of Labor does not release names of employees involved in whistle-blower complaints.

NOTE:  This news release shows that even those at the top of the company, such as a Chief Financial Offiver, or a new employee at every company, has the right to report violations of any kind, without retaliation.  It does pay to tell the truth. pb

General Safety Issues, Head Protection

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOSTON RED SOX, WINNERS OF THE WORLD SERIES!

This year’s World Series brought two great competitors together – the Boston Red Sox versus the St. Louis Cardinals.  Congratulations to Boston for winning in the sixth game, at Fenway Park, Boston.  After going what the citizens of Boston went through, the Boston Marathon bombing, it seems fitting that they have a way of showing Boston Strong.  Red Sox’  David “Big Papi” Ortiz earned the MVP award.

Now that Major League Baseball is over, and college and professional football are working their way to a finale, we will soon have basketball, both college and professional, to look forward to.  Regardless of your choice of certain sports, or all of them, what better way to show your support than by wearing a hardhat that shows your favorite team every day at work? 

Texas America Safety Company has a huge selection of all sports teams hardhats – from World Series Champs Boston Red Sox, and all MLB teams, to NCAA and NFL, NHL and NASCAR. 

Once you check out the team hardhats, you may also prefer a patriotic hardhat, camoflauge, or choose to add your own embellishment to a certain color plain one.  Texas America Safety can customize your hardhat with your name, or other decals to choose from.  It’s done in-house, in order to speed up delivery time.  If you want to order one of these great hardhats, remember, there’s a 5% discount just for mentioning that you read about it on Blog4Safety. 

Again, we applaud the Red Sox and their fans for the World Series Championship.   Whatever your sport, remember to express your favorite team by staying safe with a team hardhat.

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

ANOTHER HOT SUMMER – DEFEND YOURSELF AGAINST WEST NILE VIRUS

One of the unpleasant parts of summertime are those blasted mosquitoes!   Not only do they bite you when you least expect it, if they carry the West Nile Virus, you may become very ill.  Less than one per cent of those bitten by infected mosquitoes are affected.  If you have symptoms that include high fever, stiff neck, or severe headache, contact your health-care provider immediately. 

Persons who have contacted the West Nile Virus have suffered debilitating health problems.  Just this week, our local news featured a man who was paralyzed from the neck down when he contacted the virus last year.  Through hard work and medical treatment, (a year later), he is barely able to pull himself up and stand for 20 seconds!  So this is nothing to ignore.  So if you are getting “buzzed” by a mosquito, get out the swatter and spray! 

Remember the Four D’s for your defense against exposure to mosquitoes: 

Dusk/Dawn are the times of day you should try to stay indoors.  This is the time infected mosquitoes are the most active. 

Dress in long sleeves and pants when you’re outside.  For extra protection, you may want to spray thin clothing with repellent. 

Deet (N/ N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is an ingredient to look for in your insect repellent.  Follow label instructions, and always wear repellent when outdoors. 

Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood –  reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, and birdbaths on a regular basis.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

  • Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside. Use your air conditioning, if you have it. 

Help Your Community West Nile Virus Surveillance and Control Programs

  • Support your local community mosquito control programs. Mosquito control activities are most often handled at the local level, such as through county or city government. The type of mosquito control methods used by a program depends on the time of year, the type of mosquitoes to be controlled, and the habitat structure. Methods can include elimination of mosquito larval habitats, application of insecticides to kill mosquito larvae, or spraying insecticides from trucks or aircraft to kill adult mosquitoes. Your local mosquito control program can provide information about the type of products being used in your area. Check with your local health department for more information. Contact information may be found in the blue (government) pages of the phone book. 

Texas Department of Health/CDC

General Safety Issues

CLOSE PROTECTION COURSES AND WHY THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO YOUR BUSINESS (GUEST POST)

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Close protection courses are available for the protection of the client, to protect as required by the client and for the protection of the security employee themselves. Knowledge and understanding is essential for safety. 

If you are in the security business or your job involves keeping people or things secure; you will be aware of the benefits of professional training. You may require training for yourself or your employees may need to have certain levels of training for the business. Having the right training can ensure that employees are safe and have the knowledge and understanding they need in any eventuality that comes their way.

You will find a lot of companies that offer training and education that those in the security industry will need. Finding the best provider is extremely important to ensure that you get the best training and find the most suited to your company. Business owners will be aware of the training they require for their employees. There are many cheap training courses available now as close protection courses become more widely available and in demand by many companies.

Close protection courses provide adequate knowledge so the person training can ensure a safe environment for the company or client. They also educate on carrying out risk assessments ensuring they can be done quickly and safely. It’s not always the first thing considered, but these courses are becoming more of a necessity today. Businesses require this kind of training and the options are there. Businesses need to ensure that, where protection is required; it is done properly. If the person responsible is given the best training available it will increase their knowledge helping them do the job to the best of their ability.

The close protection courses available allow individuals to familiarise potential hostile environments. This is important as they may come across a hostile situation in their career and with the right training can deal with it to the best of their ability. Finding the right provider is important to ensure you receive the best quality training at the right price. As we are talking about safety; finding the right provider is essential. You want to find a company that will offer the training at an affordable price, but also offers good quality training. Taking the time to research online and check out what’s available can save you money and ensure you get the best using the internet to research the competition.

The right training from close protection courses enables the security employee to be more aware of what is going on and how to deal with the situation they are faced with. The training can be challenging, but they are designed to ensure the safety of individuals and give them the ability to deal with the situation in the best possible way. Whatever the job role the individual is employed to do, close protection training ensures they can carry it out using their knowledge and understanding and to ensure they carry out the job properly. The training enables the employee to deal with situations they are faced with.

They enable the person to analyse the situation so they can take the required actions quickly and deal with the situation effectively. The training enables the security employee to be more aware of what it going on and how to communicate and deal with a situation. Finding the right provider is important, especially when it comes to safety. Research online can be all it takes to find the provider who can offer affordability and quality training. You cannot compromise when it comes to security as safety is very important. 

Author Bio

Rachel is a freelance writer based in Cheshire. Rachel has researched close protection courses with the help of a specialist provider online. In her spare time; Rachel enjoys spending time with her niece and classic computer games.

 

General Safety Issues

ONE SIMPLE TOOL THAT CAN SPELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAFETY AND HARM (GUEST POST)

By Marissa Olson.

There are flashlights and there are tactical flashlights.  If you’re wondering what makes these two tools different, it’s mainly with how it’s used.  In the past, flashlights were just a tool for illumination – and it isn’t as bright as we knew today. These days, you can buy a torch with a ton of features that give you the utmost use for it. You can even use a torch for personal defense from a tactical flashlight.

Your Tactical Flashlight, Personal Defense and You

Keep in mind that tactical flashlights or torches don’t have to be huge to help you with your protection.  Even something small can be particularly useful.  Essentially, if you find yourself in the dark and you can’t see a thing, your compact torch can instantly light up the place and let you see things around you – including the ones that can harm you. 

If you hear something going bump in the night and you want to check it out, having a bright tactical flashlight can help you identify threats in your home if there are any.  In many cases, all it takes is for you to shine a light on someone lurking in the shadows around your house to scare them away.  As you can imagine, a sudden shining light would be enough to tell the would-be robber’s instinct to run away. Also, a bright light shining directly at the eyes of your attacker can spawn split second blindness – and this gives you the advantage to get away or defend yourself.

Have you ever thought of using a tactical flashlight as a weapon?  With the way the torches are built these days, you can make it happen.  You get a flashlight that has a bezel built into it.  Although the main purpose of these bezels is to break car windows, you can also use this as a weapon to defend and protect yourself.  When you’re attacked, you can strike the bad guy with this.

Flashlights that are manufactured today go more than just provide for illumination.  It’s also a tool that you can rely on for personal defense – but you don’t have to necessarily deal with a hand to hand combat. On instances when you think someone is trying to get into your home, shining a light on them can get them to run away.  If you’re ever attacked, a light pointed directly into their eyes can help you get away – or do your pre-emptive attack. 

Indeed, the usefulness of tactical flashlights has gone way beyond what it used to.  So whether you’re home or out in camping, a tactical flash light can spell the difference between being safe and getting hurt. Finding one is not a problem since you can easily get them at reputable online stores like http://www.batterymax.com.au/.

Thanks, Marissa, for this great article.  May I remind our readers, that another handy form of light that enables one to see or be seen are LED lights that clip on hardhats or baseball caps.  They come in handy for bike riders, or others who are working on something after dark. Pat

General Safety Issues

WHY DO DOGS BITE AND HOW CAN YOU AVOID AN ATTACK? (GUEST POST)

By Carlos Santiago

Nearly 80 million dogs are owned by U.S. residents. Of these, a majority are well-trained, submissive dogs that are playful, loving, and generally friendly, though there are certain dogs that are more aggressive and tend to be involved in more dog attacks annually. However, depending on the dog and situation, any dog could become aggressive and attack. And, while it is generally a dog owner’s responsibility to restrain their dog and make sure they cannot cause other people harm, knowing why dogs tend to bite and how to avoid these attacks can be extremely helpful should a person find themselves in a situation where they may be attacked by a dog.

Certain dog breeds seem to have more aggressive tendencies, while others may become aggressive under duress. Across the board, some of the most common reasons dogs attack others include the following:

  • Fear – if a dog is worried that it is going to be hurt or that it is in harm’s way, it may become aggressive and more likely to bite. What is important to remember about this type of aggression is that it is based on the dog’s perception of a situation, rather than what may actually be happening. An example of this is when a person tries to pet a dog, but the dog believes the person is going to hit them, thus causing the dog to bite the person.
  • Protection – if a dog believes that it is in harm’s way, or that its owner is, the dog may respond with aggression. This also extends to property that the dog views as belonging to it, such as its yard, bed, or crate. In this situation, the dog may be exercising its dominance and ownership of something or some place.
  • Redirected aggression – when a dog is unable to or believes that it is unable to attack another party, it may direct that aggression towards another party that it believes it can dominate or attack.

All of these factors will depend on the individual dog, however. If a dog tends to be more aggressive in general, these situations will likely provoke a dog more easily into biting a person. While it’s not always possible to avoid being in situations where a dog might become aggressive, there are certain things a person can do to try and avoid being the victim of a dog bite or attack, including:

  • Stay away from unknown dogs
  • Avoid making direct eye contact with a dog
  • Try to stay as still as possible
  • Do not immediately pet a dog without letting it approach you and smell you first

Unfortunately, millions of people are bitten by dogs every year, often causing victims to suffer serious injuries. In such a situation, a person may choose to take legal action with the help of a dog bite lawyer in order to get their medical bills and other losses covered.

 

General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products

WHEN MONITORED HOME SECURITY IS NOT AN OPTION (GUEST POST)

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 Sent to us by Melonie McLaurin.  Another timely article to share with our readers during Crime Prevention Month.

If you live in a highly urban area, or even a moderate-to-densely populated residential suburb, the importance of a reliable, monitored home security system for your home and family cannot be overstated.  Each year, crime statistics can vary from state to state and among cities of varying sizes and populations, but watching the nightly news will confirm that crime is on the rise in neighborhoods, including wealthy suburban areas on the outskirts of the inner cities.  A large part of home ownership involves investing in the protection of your home:  from fires, floods, break-ins, home invasions, and other dangers that could present a problem for you whether you are present or away.

In the early days of home security systems in the United States, simply having an alarm installed could suffice to keep criminals at bay.  Once they heard the alarm, they would flee the area without waiting around to see whether anyone followed up.  Today, criminals are more brazen than ever and the sound of an alarm is not by itself enough to send them away from your home.  In these times, a monitored home security system from a trusted brand like ADT is the best way to go.

Monitored home security is security that connects to a monitoring center staffed by real people who are trained to respond to your home alarms remotely, and take the correct action to insure your home is protected.  This is very different than the alarms that simply ring; these alarms are connected to people who, if after attempting to contact you to find out whether you are safe, will have authorities dispatched to the location immediately if no answer is received.  This means that even if you, for some reason, are unable to respond to their attempt to reach you, they will still send help right away.

If you entrust your home to substandard home security, or worse, no home security at all, you run the risk of inviting crime rather than deterring it. Difficult economic conditions contribute to spikes in crime attempts, especially thefts of valuable items such as laptops, jewelry, and other portable objects that can be quickly traded off for cash or other goods.  Why make it easy for them, when you could have electronic, wireless, monitored home security from ADT helping you deter crime 24 hours a day, ready to respond in the event of unplanned emergencies?  Living in the city doesn’t have to cause you worry with adequate home security installed.  Consider it an investment in your peace of mind.

General Safety Issues

IMPROVE YOUR SECURITY WITH CCTV DVR TECHNOLOGY (GUEST POST)

Two articles regarding security are featured today were written by Mike Hassebrock.

The Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance systems today are no longer standalone devices. CCTV camera systems began making tremendous technological progress in the last decade due to the invention of DVR (Digital Video Recorder) technology.  Once CCTV systems moved off the VHS tape technology platform and started converting video images into a digital format, it opened up a whole new world of opportunities to integrate CCTV cameras with other security and information system technologies.  Originally, CCTV surveillance systems were simply designed as deterrents and delivered low quality, black and white images. Today they are much more than just standalone devices. Using digital technology and the vast improvements in camera lens technology CCTV systems can do many functions to better secure and protect a business, home or even an entire community. 

The versatility of CCTV DVR camera systems allow them to work alongside other technologies: 

  • Integrating it with alarm systems to send a security alarm signal if a person enters a restricted area.
  • Work with access control systems to verify the person that is swiping their card is the actual person requesting access.
  • Ability to link into cash registers to oversee cash register transactions, verify receipts and identify theft. 

These are only a few basic ways that CCTV DVR systems are able to work with other security and information systems. 

At a much more advanced level, CCTV systems can be designed to work on local area networks (LANs) and interface with other databases.  For example, CCTV cameras can capture a license plate number and then convert that number into a digital format so it can be cross-referenced against a national database to see if the vehicle is stolen. 

As video recording and imaging software technologies continue to advance, the CCTV camera system will become a video analytics tool that can anticipate events based on movement and behaviors.  Intelligent video algorithms, such as sophisticated motion detection, can identify unusual walking patterns and alert a guard to watch a particular video screen. Also, object-recognition algorithms can identify someone who might simply be loitering, or even a briefcase or a suspicious object that is left in an unusual or unsuspecting location. 

These video surveillance capabilities will become even more sophisticated as IP Cameras continue to advance.  In the future, IP cameras will be able to process the intelligent video algorithm right inside the camera.  Being an IP camera on the network, this information can be sent to any device or security agency in the world for analysis and decision processing.
When investing in a CCTV surveillance camera system consider the possibilities and numerous benefits of integrating with monitoring devices, alarm systems and access control devices.  This will help identify and interrupt security breaches as they’re occurring or even before they take place. 

Written by Mike Hassebrock from The Security Product Depot 

The Security Product Depot is an established online provider of physical security products. As an innovative supplier of online security solutions, they are committed to offering the broadest array of CCTV camera systems, door hardware, locks, and safes for securing government, school facilities, commercial businesses and residents.

 

General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products

SIX SAFETY TIPS ALL PARENTS SHOULD KNOW (Guest Post)

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New parents may not realize just how much danger their children are exposed to on a daily basis. All families have to take precautions to protect their children, so that their homes are as risk free as possible from accidents. Below are six safety tips that can help make your home safe from their infancy, through crawling and walking:

Glass
Far too many children are seen in emergency rooms for injuries due to glass furniture. Coffee tables and side tables are not required by law to use safety glass, going the safe route and putting away furniture that has glass in it is the best thing to do until your child is older.

Window Blinds
Children continue to have accidents and strangulation from mini-blind and drapery cords. This is because children love twirling around in cords,and do not realize the dangers. The only way to prevent accidents is to invest in a blind winder, so you can have all your cords stored away, without hanging down. The cords can then operate with the push of a button!

Water
Children under the age of 5 are at the highest risk of drowning, but all kids needs to be watched carefully around water. If you have a pool in your yard or hot tub, be sure to have a high fence around it, locked at all times. Alarms should be installed on any door that can lead to a pool area, and be sure that any water you have is free of toys floating around that would entice a child to go there. Babies can drown in something as small as a bucket of water! 

Storage
Cabinets and cupboards should be secured with child safety locks. Inside those cabinets are glass dishes, toxic cleaning products, medicines, heavy pots and pans and other things that can be deadly to your baby, should they get into them. Installing locks on all cabinets and even drawers will help your baby be much safer.

Windows
Deaths from open windows has risen in the past few years. Preventing falls can be easy though, by simply having window guards put on the windows. Make sure all windows are locked too, so that your children don’t have these types of accidents.

Safety Gates
Safety gates should be used around your home anywhere that a baby can be hurt. Safety gates are a must at stairways, around fireplaces and at openings to rooms that the child would not be safe in. Netting is well worth the effort too!

There are many more ways to protect your child from hazards at home. Ensure that your children are at the least risk possible when in your home by taking these preventative measures.

Grace Green writes about safety, parenting & more at http://www.boatinsurance.org..

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