1000 Jackson Street,
PO Box
308
Roanoke
Rapids, NC 27870
(252) 537-9137
Fax(252) 537-3064
"Walk the Talk"
Vol. III Issue 18 January 11, 2001 Web Site: rrsd.org
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Heads
up!
Taking a look at hard hats
Each year there are thousands of head injuries in the
construction industry. Injuries range from major concussion to death, minor
abrasions to trauma, and even electrocution.
How do hard hats help?
Head injuries are caused by falling or flying objects or by
bumping your head against a fixed object. Other head injuries are from
electrical shock and burns. Hard hats are designed to do two things: resist
penetration and absorb the shock of a blow. Hard hats lessen injury because they
are designed with a hard outer shell and a suspension system inside.
When to use hard hats
When you are working in an area where there is a possible
danger of head injury from impact, or from falling or flying objects, or from
electrical shock or burns, you must wear a hard hat.
Types of PPE for the head
Hard hats fall into two types and three classes and are
intended to provide protection against a specific hazardous condition.
The types include:
§ Type
1 — full brim (at least 1¼ inches wide).
§ Type
2 — no brim, peak extending forward from the crown.
The classes of hard hats are:
§ Class
A — general service, limited voltage protection.
§ Class
B — utility service, high-voltage protection.
§ Class
C — special service, no voltage protection.
Caring for your hard hat
You should take proper care of your hard hat to prolong its
life and your safety.
§ Check
your hat daily for signs of dents, cracks, or penetration. Do not use if
any of these signs are found. This inspection should include the shell,
suspension, headband, and sweatband.
§ Do
not put your hat on the rear-window shelf of a car. Sunlight and heat can affect
the degree of protection the hat gives you.
§ Clean
your hat once a month in warm, soapy water. Scrub and rinse the shell with
clear, hot water.
§ Do
not paint your hard hat. Some type of paints and thinners may damage the shell
or weaken the hard hat itself.
The District now has a Web Site on the Internet. The address can be viewed at rrsd.org If you have comments, suggestions or submissions for the Newsletter, please submit them to dparnell@rrsd.org
Linda's Lair
By Linda H. Floyd
Welcome to the year ”2001“. In the upcoming New Year we
are going to try to add a little zest to the safety meetings by playing a few
games and inviting some upbeat speakers to give the training. It is always our
aim to do what we can do to make these meetings informative but we know that it
lacks something. So this year we hope we can turn around the boring ho hum
meetings and start having meetings that you don’t fall asleep in. It is my
hope that you all had a very safe and Happy New Year and that this year we will
continue to have safety first in mind when going about our jobs.
Apologies to Charles Turner!
Charles had his 9th
service anniversary on 12-23-2000. We slipped up and didn’t get it in the
newsletter last time. Sorry Charles.
If we forget anyone’s birthday or service anniversary
please let us know and we will correct our error. It is not our intention to
slight anyone.
Till next time stay safe and have a very Happy New Year!
Calendar of Events..
- Clip and Save -
Laboratory Safety Says:
By: Joanne B. Parrott
Happy New Year!! Let’s
get off to a good start by making a resolution to think SAFETY
FIRST this year. Put the final finishing touches on 2000 & start
2001 (the new millennium) with a clean slate. Begin by organizing &
scheduling. Look ahead & try to eliminate problems before they happen, keep
good records, budget time & resources wisely. OSHA IS COMING!!
Can you still read all the signs & labels posted in the
lab? Are they getting faded, wrinkly & illegible? Have you moved things
around? Do the signs still apply? Have we gotten lax with some of our common
safety practices? Good housekeeping creates the first impression of the lab. If
it looks clean, neat & organized, it’s probably safe as well. Appropriate,
neat & legible signs are essential & make the lab look safe &
efficient.
Happy
Birthday !!!
Have a GREAT Day!
Safety Corner ...
Greetings to a New Year!
We trust that this first newsletter of 2001 finds you all well and safe.
The first quarter is starting off with many things happening.
OSHA will be here this month for the first of two inspections. This hopefully will place the RRSD in the SHARP Program with
OSHA. This program will benefit the
District in many ways. The most
important way will be a safer workplace for all of us.
With this program, OSHA will inspect the District annually, but we will
be taken out of the ”Fine“ process. They
will come, find things that need attention and we will have a period of time to
correct the things that they find, no fines.
As you can plainly see, it is a ”win/ win“ proposition.
Ergonomics is now the law. We must be compliance before
October 2001. Plans are in the
works to have a ”Ergo“ study done and a program in place before the
deadline. Sooner than later is our
best move. We will keep you posted
as to the developments.
Congratulations to all Departments during our recent cold
snap in keeping accidents away. You
continue to prove that we are safety minded in our daily lives.
Here are a few statistics for your reading pleasure…
·
One traffic
accident every 10 years is what the typical U.S. driver can expect if the law of
averages applies
·
About 6 percent
of all bike mishaps are caused by shoelaces, pants, purses and book-bags that
get tangled up in the wire wheels
·
You’re 1.6
times more likely to get killed by a car while out for a stroll than you are to
be shot and killed by a stranger
·
Sleep deprivation
is estimated to cost $150 billion a year, owing to workplace accidents and
reduced productivity
·
A woman sued the
Greyhound Bus Company and was awarded $4,300 for damages resulting from
emotional distress. The distress
was caused by having the bus swerve while she was in the bathroom of the bus,
causing her buttocks to become lodged in the bus window
·
More proof you
should always wear a seat-belt: A British study showed that 32 percent of
ejected passengers suffered serious injury or died, compared to 6 percent of
those who remained in the vehicle
Until next month, Be Safe!!!
Service
Anniversaries...
Congratulations !!!
Emergency Response Team...
The ERT is currently undergoing some changes.
By the time this newsletter reaches you, two new members will have been
appointed to the serve on this team. This
team is a vital part of the RRSD. Our
chlorine and sulfur dioxide safety depends largely on the response of these
employees. We are looking into better methods of training for the year
2001 along with partnerships with outside agencies.
There will be a "must" meeting on Friday, January 19th at 8:00
a.m. at the Administration building. This
meeting should last no longer than one hour.
We are looking forward to an exciting year on our ERT!
February Training...
Our February training will consist of Fire Safety with a Live Burn again this year. Hopefully we will not have snow on the ground again this year. We will meet at the Lunsford Crew Fire Station instead of the Administration office. If the weather is bad, we will meet at the office as usual and not have the live burn. Remember to dress accordingly.
What’s
salmonella?
With over 2,300 types, this bacteria is found in the
intestinal tracts and feces of animals and humans, and one type, Salmonella
enteritidis, is found in raw shell eggs. Salmonella is transmitted by raw or
under-cooked eggs, poultry, and meat; raw milk and dairy products; some fruits
and vegetables; and seafood. Unfortunately, this bacteria does not affect the
taste, smell, or appearance of food.
Salmonellosis is one of the most common bacterial foodborne
illnesses. Symptoms include stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, and
headache which usually appear 6 to 48 hours after eating and may last 1 to 2
days.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, many cases
could be prevented by proper food handling practices:
* Clean--Wash
hands and surfaces often.
* Separate--Don’t
cross-contaminate foods in the shopping cart and refrigerator and on the cutting
board. Don’t place food on a plate that was used previously for raw meat,
poultry, and seafood.
* Cook--Cook
to proper temperatures (145 deg. F for roast/steak; 180 deg. F for poultry; 160
deg. for ground beef; 165 deg. F for sauces, soups, and gravy). Cook eggs until
yolk and white are firm and fish until it is opaque and flaky. Rotate food in
microwave ovens for even cooking.
* Chill--Refrigerate
promptly. Never defrost at room temperature. Divide large portions into smaller
ones for quick cooling. Don’t pack a refrigerator to allow cool air to
circulate.
Assess ergonomics in your workplace
Have you ever driven a car that just seemed to fit your body? The seats were comfortable, the pedals placed just right, and all controls were easy to reach. If so, then you’ve experienced good ergonomics.
Ergonomics is the science of making a machine, or a workplace and its tools, fit people rather than the other way around. Items are shaped, colored, and made to work with the body’s natural motion instead of forcing people to bend with them.
On the job, a “good fit” can help reduce stress, ease strain, and help you be more productive. If your job involves repetitive motion, which means doing the same task over and over, a good fit could help you avoid serious on-the-job injuries.
For good ergonomics to happen, employees and employers have to work together. You have to give feedback about where the problems are and your employers have to fix those problems. Some of the best programs develop as a result of a team approach.
The first step in correcting workplace ergonomic problems is to audit your operations. When performing an ergonomic audit, look for the following:
§ Very high levels of forceful and/or repetitive movements;
§ Jobs where a person must stand or sit for very long periods of time without a break;
§ High levels of bending or twisting in order to reach the work;
§ Body positions where the elbows have to be constantly held up;
§ Constant rubbing against the edges of the work or machinery;
§ Extreme temperatures or high vibration levels;
§ Poorly designed tools and work stations, with a lack of adjustable chairs, footrests, or other forms of body support; and
§ Continuous heavy lifting.
