Monthly Archives: March 2015

Spring is here... we're heading outside. Watch out for snakes!

Snakes exist in almost every part of the world.  Of the approximately 8000 snake bites

Do you have a Snake Bite Kit? You should.

each year, however, fewer than 12 result in fatality.  This is due in part to the fact that about two thirds of all poisonous snake bites involve little or no venom; these are called “dry bites.”  Baby snakes are more dangerous in this regard as they have not yet learned to save their venom for prey.  If venom is injected, symptoms will begin rapidly and include pain, swelling, weakness, dizziness, fever, or chills.

The best protection is to wear high boots and think jeans when hiking in areas prone to snakes. Remember, while the snakes are not means and out to get you -- they are shy creatures that will protect themselves if you startle them.

In the event of snakebite, immediately remove all constricting clothing and jewelry from the extremity.  Wash the bite area with soap and warm water.  Keep wound site at or below heart level, and seek immediate medical attention.  Sometimes a constricting band may be used on snakebite, but it must not significantly affect circulation and it should be loose enough for you to slip your fingers underneath.

Do Not apply ice to snakebites, as it may crystallize the venom and compound the reaction.

When you first bring your baby home from the hospital, there’s not a lot he or she will be able to get into — that’s because, babies are still too small to crawl or pull objects down. However, in only a few short months, he or she can be reaching, climbing and/or knocking over all sorts of everyday items. That’s why now is a great time to think about baby proofing your home. Even before you bring your precious little one home for the first time, it’s never too early to start covering electrical sockets and fastening cabinets. With that in mind, here’s a checklist of steps to guard all the major parts of your home:

• Cover Electrical Outlets: Buy safety plugs for all unused electrical outlets to protect curious fingers from poking inside.
• Hide Electrical Cords: Keep easy-to-grab electrical cords out of reach by hiding them behind furniture or using devices that tuck away loose cords.
  Kids First Aid Kits, Emergency & Child IDs
• Install Doorstops: As your child gets increasingly mobile, it will be easy to push doors and accidentally get caught in a latch. Protect babies’ fingers by adding doorstops and door holders to doors throughout your home.
• Install Baby Gates: Anywhere you have staircases that your child can access, you’ll need a baby gate to block him or her from falling. Block stairways at the tops and bottoms so that your little one isn’t able to accidentally take a tumble.
• Block Openings on Railings: If there are any openings on staircase railings that are wider than 4 inches in size, use materials like Plexiglas or garden fencing to block them. Even though 5 inches may seem small, it can be large enough for a baby to reach through and/or get stuck, so you need to be proactive about preventing accidents.
• Put an Appliance Latch on the Oven and Fridge: Protect your baby from accidental oven burns by securing the door of your oven with an appliance latch — this keeps him or her from being able to open the oven and reach inside when it’s cooking. Likewise, install an appliance latch on the refrigerator door to prevent unauthorized access or injury.
• Store Dangerous Items Out of Reach: From kitchen knives to breakable knick-knacks, store any and all potentially dangerous items high and out of reach of your baby.
• Secure All Low Cabinets: Any doors or drawers low enough for a crawling baby to reach should be secured to prevent access. This goes for kitchen and bathroom cabinets, as well as any other low areas that could be easy to open.
• Tuck Away Trash: Keep trash cans in protected cupboards or choose models that have child-resistant covers in order to keep your baby from getting into something he or she shouldn't.

The bottom line with baby proofing is to try and think like a crawling infant and then get rid of all the opportunities for harm. In addition to the checklist above, try getting on your hands and knees and moving through your living areas the way your child might: What could you grab? What could easily fall on you? Are there better places to move lamps or heavy items? Identify any possible dangers and take steps to remedy them before they can cause harm to your child!

Emma Valle is the customer service manager at BabySuperMall.com, a leading online retailer of baby and kids products. Baby SuperMall carries a wide selection of products to help you baby proof your home.

Tuberculosis - Drug-resistant TB Threatens to Kill 75 Million People by 2050, Cost $16.7 Trillion.

Over the next 35 years, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis will kill 75 million people and could cost the global economy a cumulative $16.7 trillion - the equivalent of the European Union’s annual output, a UK parliamentary group said. If left untackled, the spread of drug-resistant TB superbugs threatens to shrink the world economy by 0.63 percent annually, the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Tuberculosis (APPG TB) said, urging governments to do more to improve research and cooperation. "The rising global burden of multidrug-resistant TB and other drug-resistant infections will come at a human and economic cost which the global community simply cannot afford to ignore", economist Jim O'Neill said in a statement. The WHO said last year multidrug-resistant TB was at "crisis levels", with about 480,000 new cases in 2013.

Learn more about TB -

• TB: Know about Tuberculosis
• Tuberculosis – TB Safety and Information

Source: http://www.reuters.com/

Considering giving up the puff?

Are you a former smoker wishing to help others quit?

• Smoking can cause colorectal cancer and vision loss (macular degeneration), two critical health problems addressed in this year’s Tips From Former Smokers campaign.
• The Tips campaign is a “best buy” for public health, costing only $393 per year of life saved—see how it works in this infographic [PDF-1.6MB].
• You can promote smoking cessation by using and sharing Tips campaign resources, including videos, social media messages, print ads, buttons, and more.

New hires are new risks for any company. Thinking about safety should be as natural as thinking about other aspects of the job. Employees should be able to anticipate the possibility of accidents before they happen. Yet workplace accidents cause millions of people to suffer painful injuries every year, and cost business almost $90 billion per year in medical bills, lost wages and lost production time.

Safety Books, CDs, Videos- Check out our Rigging Safety Collection!
Our training products on "Rigging Safety" point out to employees that over 90% of rigging-related accidents are caused by human error... and that they are the key to preventing these incidents. Topics covered in these products include:
- Physical and mental preparation.
- Personal protective equipment.
- Equipment inspection.
- Hazard assessment.
- Slings and hitches.
- Hand signals.
- Load angles.
- and more.

Our training products on "Safety Orientation" address two of the most prominent safety issues confronting employers today... that of developing a good "safety attitude" in their employees, as well as providing "introductory safety training". Topics covered in the products include:

• Developing "safety awareness".
• Basics of accident prevention.
• Hazard evaluation.
• Safety housekeeping.
• Tool use and maintenance.
• Fire prevention and safety.
• Use of personal protective equipment.
• and more.

Get a Quote for a Class:
Safety Orientation Live Instruction Training Courses at YOUR Location.

Think about...

• What works and what doesn't work in training new employees
• The key components of effective safety training programs
• How to create a new hire safety training program that covers the basics in a memorable, non-overwhelming way
• Who should participate in the delivery of safety training programs
• Why conducting safety training for new hires is a good investment - and how to sell it to top management

Evaluating your new employee safety training program's success after training is vital as well.

See more Safety Books, Manuals, CDs, DVDs, Videos, Training Materials, Safety Kits, Forms & More...

Everyone Has a Role in Stopping Youth Violence

Help others be a positive influence on young people while stopping youth violence before it starts.

What You Need to Know

• More than 547,000 young people, ages 10 to 24, are treated in emergency departments each year for injuries from violence-related physical assaults. On average, 12 young people are victims of homicide each day in the United States.
• Prevention strategies that are proving effective include school programs designed to benefit all youth by changing how they think about violence and by building skills to resolve problems.
• Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action provides action steps for everyone to be part of the solution.

National Youth Violence Prevention Week (March 23-27, 2015) is a time to show youth, parents, educators, and community leaders that youth violence is not an inevitable part of growing up. Youth violence can be prevented.

Spring is upon us, and we all want to get our an PLAY!

Renting a sailboat and taking it out to sea can be a great way to spend your day... sailing can't be that hard, right? Hm.

Be warned, it can also be dangerous if you don't follow a few simple rules.

You don't want your amazing experience to turn into a nightmare, so we're going to look at a few different personal safety tips you need to take into account so you make it back to shore.

Also read:

• Guidelines for Boating and Sailing Safety
• Boating Safety and Fatalities
• Safety When Wet
• Playing on the water
• Gone Fishing

Check For Safety Equipment

If you were on your own sailboat you would know it had all the essential safety equipment on board, but when you charter a boat you don't have any idea what you'll find. Don't set off until you've had a thorough look around to make sure you have all the safety equipment you might need in the event of an emergency. When you rent your boat from a respectable charter agency it's likely they will have everything you'll need, but everyone is prone to making mistakes and something might be missing.

Think Safety At All Times

Once the bad weather strikes you'll automatically go into safety mode and your mind will be completely switched on. When the sea is relatively calm and you're having a lot of fun you won't be thinking about safety. This is actually dangerous considering most sailing accidents happen when the sea is calm.perhaps you didn't know this because it seems so strange, but it just goes to show you that safety should always be at the forefront of your mind whenever you're out at sea.

You Need To Stay Warm

Fishing and marine First Aid Kits for Life Boat and on the water injuries - see our Pitt Stop packs

Sometimes it's going to get cold when you're out on the water and you'll need to wrap up tight. Even when you're only a little cold you can't underestimate the importance of keeping warm. If something bad were to happen you might only have seconds or minutes to react, so you'd be in deep trouble if you were starting to suffer from hypothermia. It will affect your judgement and you won't have the same physical capabilities, so the chances of you reacting to something correctly will be much lower.

Know When To Give Up

OK - so you've spent a lot of money chartering a sailboat, but you have to ask yourself how much your life is worth. If you have your family on board you have to think about them too. If the conditions get too rough and you feel like there is a chance something might be wrong it's better to turn around and head home. It might end up ruining your experience, but at least you'll live to tell your tale. Someone who take too many chances with their life might not be here any more to tell their tale.

Make Sure Your Guests Are Safe

If you're taking any guests out on the sailboat you'll need to make sure they're safe at all times. If they've not been out on the water before they won't know what to do in an emergency, so you'll need to teach them a few essential tips before you set off as well as keeping your eye on them at all times. If they get into trouble it won't only be their life that is in danger because you'll need to help them which will put your life at risk too.

It's Not All Doom And Gloom

Let's be honest, when you're out on the sailboat you're going to have a blast.

If you're lucky the conditions will be ideal and you will be enjoying yourself so much you won't want to head back to shore. All good things must come to an end, but enjoy your freedom out at sea while it lasts.

Just because you're clued in about safety doesn't mean it's going to affect the fun you'll have, but there is nothing wrong with being prepared. The agency you chartered your sailboat from will appreciate you knowing this information too and they'll be glad when you bring it back to them in one piece.

What is PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)?

PPE is any equipment that protects employees against potential health and safety risks while they are engaged in their work duties. The regulations state that the PPE should be provided “as a last resort”, the term includes but is not limited to:

• Safety Helmets
• Gloves
• Eye Protection
• High Visibility Clothing
• Safety Footwear and Harnesses
• Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)

PPE - Training and Equipping for Safety

The onus is on the employer to ensure the correct equipment and training is provided for employees and that the workforce understands the necessity for the equipment. This extends to storing and keeping the equipment fit for purpose. For example, employees who have been handling solvents may need special training in how to remove gloves without damaging their skin, why they have to take care and what to do if accidents occur.

"On-the-job" injuries affect all types of people doing all types of work. Each year over 570,000 workers are injured... at a cost to employers of over $100 billion annually. Government surveys show that the most common cause of workplace injuries today is due to employees not using proper PPE. Virtually everyone will experience one or more "on the job" injuries during their working life. In most cases appropriate equipment is readily available, yet employees do not recognize the need for this equipment, or take the time to use it.

Our training products on "Personal Protective Equipment" have been specifically created to assist facilities in complying with OSHA's Standard on Personal Protective Equipment. Topics covered in these products include:

• Review of OSHA's Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Standard.
• PPE for eye and face hazards.
• PPE for respiratory hazards.
• PPE for head hazards.
• PPE for foot hazards.
• PPE for electrical hazards.
• PPE for hand and finger hazards.
• and more!

Get a Quote for a Class:
Personal Protective Equipment Live Instruction Training Courses at YOUR Location

It is here - Spring.

This means sunshine and blossoms, outdoor adventure, bugs and floods

Are you ready?