fabolousstylez

I spent the week in Las Vegas, NV at Safety 2013 , the professional development conference for the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) - I had a great time and will discuss all the exciting things I learned over the next month or so. To wrap up National Safety Month , this last week's focus was on ergonomics. National Safety Month - Week #4, Ergonomics Crossword Puzzle. I completed my National Safety Council crossword puzzle on ergonomics and developed this list of "Ten Tips for Easy Ergonomics" from the puzzle and my own experience. Ten Tips for Easy Ergonomics 1.) STRETCH! Stretching can relieve stress and help improve muscle fatigue. 2.) STRETCH MORE! Stretching reduces the risk of ergonomics issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis. 3.) STRETCH CORRECTLY. To stretch out your neck, keep your head straight and in line with your shoulder, turn completely to the left and hold, then turn back to the center. Repeat on the right side. Hold for 5 to 30 se...

Hi all - I am cross-posting the National Safety Council's 5 Daily Tips to "Stretch Your Way to Better Health" for this week's tips for improved workplace health. Monday :  Ergonomics involves designing the job environment to fit the person and is important to take into consideration at work and home. Tuesday :  When working, give your eyes a rest and periodically take time to close them for a minute at a time and then focus on an object at least 20 feet away. Wednesday :  Symptoms of some ergonomic issues include tingling, numbness, pain, swelling and loss of grip strength. Thursday :  Stretching should be gentle and controlled, not painful. Breathe deeply when you hold your stretch. Friday :  Stretching periodically throughout the day can reduce sprains, strains and your risk of ergonomic injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis. The Industrious Hygienist's PALA+ Challenge worksheet.  Last week's focus for National Safety Month was on Employee...

This is the emergency response training video from my local community college system, Yavapai College  (YC) in Yavapai County, Arizona. It's a helpful overview to p rovide guidance to YC students, staff and visitors. This video describes their steps of action in the event of an evacuation, shelter-in-place, or lock-down based on best practices and the college's emergency action plan (EAP) . The Emergency Management Department at YC also provides mobile alerts for students and staff as shown in the video.

This video is courtesy of The Daily Courier - it describes the areas planned for evacuation and the emergency relief efforts by the American Red Cross - Grand Canyon Chapter for evacuees of the Doce Fire. Per the American Red Cross: " Red Cross volunteers have set up cots and blankets for overnight stays, and evacuated residents can come to the shelter for meals, snacks, water and coffee. Evacuated residents also can receive aid from Red Cross nurses and mental health volunteers." A press release from the U.S. Forest Service about the Doce Fire explains that the fire is still 0% contained and that the  Southwest Area Type I Incident Management Team led by   Tony Sciacca  will be taking over management of the fire today. Residents in Williamson Valley and possibly Chino Valley have been put on notice that evacuations may be needed in their areas. So far there have been no reported injuries or structures lost.  The Industrious Hygienist will be following the progre...

In honor of National Safety Month - Emergency Preparedness Week, please take an opportunity to watch this video and learn how to access National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards for *free* from the NFPA website .  I just downloaded a free pdf copy of the NFPA 1600 , " Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs: and am excited to review it.  Standard 1600 has chapters on program management, planning, implementation, training and education, exercises and tests, and program maintenance and improvement. My favorite parts (so far) are in Annex C: Self-Assessments for Conformity with NFPA 1600 and Annex D: Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle . The PDCA cycle is particularly helpful in management systems. Here's how the NFPA depicts the PDCA cycle in Annex D.  NFPA describes the PDCA cycle as a four-step process designed to improve business processes and quality assurance programs. P = Plan D = Do C = Check A = Act (or Adjust) It's also ...

Who: Residents of west Prescott, Arizona View of the smoke from the Doce fire in Prescott, AZ from my backyard. What: The Doce Fire Where: Reportedly started near the Doce Pit (sometimes called the Dosie Pit) in the Prescott National Forest  When: Today Why: The source is unknown according to The Daily Courier , but was likely human-caused. No lightning strikes were reported in this area and the U.S. Forest Service has no reports of fallen power lines in this area. Here in the Prescott area, we're experiencing high winds (as usual) and low humidity (also as usual). The Daily Courier and KPHO report approximately 250 firefighters are on the ground. There have been evacuations for several hundred homes in the area, but it appears the fire is spreading closer to more densely populated areas in west Prescott. So far it's at 5,000 acres and spreading. The American Red Cross has set up a shelter at Yavapai College along East Sheldon Street for evacuees. I was reading through...

A cute video from the American Public Health Association about individual emergency preparedness. 

For Week #3 of National Safety Month , I decided to do a short run-down of the various emergency preparedness regulations (and recommendations) from OSHA , USEPA , FEMA , SBA , USDHS , and others.  Disclaimer: I am not covering anything about OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations - it's not my area of expertise.  So what does OSHA say about emergency preparedness? Lots. Some helpful references to get you started: - OSHA's FactSheet on "Planning and Responding to Workplace Emergencies." - O SHA's Compliance Directive # CPL 2-1.037 "Compliance Policy for Emergency Action Plans and Fire Prevention Plans." - OSHA's e-Tool for Emergency Evacuation Plans and Procedures . Let's do a *theoretical* Q&A using the OSHA references provided above. Q: Do I need an emergency action plan (EAP)? A: More than likely. Certain workplaces require an EAP, like those using PSM, grain handling, ethylene oxide, and other hazardous chemicals.  Almo...

The National Safety Council (NSC) has provided the following daily tips to help engage your employees about their own wellness. I changed the dates to be Monday through Friday rather than actual dates. Daily Tips Monday:  Scheduling time in your calendar for physical activity will make you more inclined to stick to it. Tuesday:  Opt for healthy substitutes in combo meals, such as a side salad or baked potato instead of fries or onion rings. Wednesday:  If possible, use the same pharmacy for all your prescriptions. The pharmacist may catch incompatible drug combinations. Thursday:  Properly disposing medications will help protect the environment as well as pets, children and anyone who might find medication in your trash.  Friday:  A healthy breakfast is important for everyone. Instant oatmeal is a quick and healthy option; toss in fruit, raisins or nuts to add extra nutrients.  Additional Resources Want even more information on Employee Wellness? Check...

Since this week of National Safety Month was all about employee wellness, I completed the National Safety Council's crossword puzzle* on employee wellness. So what did we learn about this week? Top 5 Tips for Employee Wellness*:  1.) Take frequent, short breaks to stretch and get your blood flowing throughout the day. (See my previous post about "How to Lose Weight? Get a dog!" and my experience with frequent breaks on his behalf.) 2.) Exercising 30 minutes a day, five days a week can significantly improve your metabolism and prevent weight gain. (e.g., Buy A Dog.) 3.) Making slight adjustments to your diet may give you more energy and prevent weight gain or illness. (See below re: being a vegetarian.) 4.) When shopping (for food), look for products that name a whole-grain ingredient first on the list. (See below re: ramen noodles.) 5) Plant-based proteins like beans and soy add variety to your meal. * tips from the National Safety Council crossword puzzle referenced a...

Here's the original movie trailer and my favorite quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005 movie): Ghostly Image : It is most gratifying that your enthusiasm for our planet continues unabated. As a token of our appreciation, we hope you will enjoy the two thermonuclear missiles we've just sent to converge with your craft. To ensure ongoing quality of service, your death may be monitored for training purposes. Thank you. The Book : It's an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, Man had always assumed that he was the most intelligent species occupying the planet, instead of the *third* most intelligent. The second most intelligent creatures were of course dolphins who, curiously enough, had long known of the impending destruction of the planet earth. They had made many attempts to alert mankind to the danger, but most of their communications were misinterpreted as amusing attempts to punch ...

Lazy post, sorry! I am cross-posting more helpful information from the OSHA Training Blog . OSHA Training Blog- GHS Label Signal Words: The Distinction between DANGER and WARNING:  "June 1, 2013 -   No need to panic , at least not yet. But let me remind you that the deadline for training all employees on the changes brought about by OSHA�s adoption of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) into the Hazard Communication standard is getting closer by the day. And while the December 1, 2013 deadline for getting all mandatory employee training completed may seem a long way off, just remember that it was more than fourteen (14) months ago that the revised OSHA Haz-C om standard was published and the deadline was first announced! [...]" [read more of this cross-post on the OSHATraining.com website ] Image courtesy of SourceForge.net FIRST, mad props for the possible (intentional or not) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy shout-out. I...

In the spirit of National Safety Month , I'd like to share/cross-post some information about free online OSHA training tutorials from another safety blogger,  Curtis Chambers, CSP . Per the OSHATraining.com website: "This free tutorial explains the new GHS labeling system adopted by OSHA when they revised their hazard communication standard in 2012. Employers must provide training on this particular topic to their workers by no later than December 1, 2013. Free for employers to use for worker training, compliments of OSHA Training Services Inc." They also have "Understanding OSHA's Definition of  Confined Space" as a free tutorial on the website linked above.  

Howdy Loyal Readers - this week's focus for National Safety Month is "Employee Wellness." Since moving to Prescott (and not commuting 45 minutes - 1 hour each way to the office), I've found I have much more free time. As promised to Mighty Spouse, I began exercising more frequently. We go to the gym ( Snap Fitness 24-7 ) together at least twice a week and I have been using our StairMaster of Death at least twice a week. We have other, less-PC* terms for the StairMaster, but I won't share them in polite company.  (* politically correct) Meet my exercise partner: Shadow the Arizona-Alaskan Malamute This is Shadow. He's been featured before on the blog, but he is my constant workout partner. Shadow's Rules for his Humans: 1.) We MUST got for at least one walk (40 minute minimum) per day. 2.) If we don't go on at least one walk, I will punish you. 3.) If you are doing yoga, I will push you off the mat and show you how it is supposed to be done. My downw...

Aside from the fact that I want this to have a female manager and a "tough" male secretary, :) this vintage (1953) video from the National Safety Council amused me.

????? As part of the Industrious Hygienist's participation in National Safety Month , I signed up to receive the free posters, fact sheets, and references from the National Safety Council (NSC). I like free stuff! The "free stuff" includes weekly crossword puzzles to test your knowledge of what you were supposed to learn this week. Alternatively, you could provide your employees with the crossword puzzles to test their knowledge of industry standard safety practices.  Week 1 of National Safety Month: Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls ????? From the crossword puzzle I completed by NSC, here are the Top 10 Tips for Avoiding Falls From a Ladder : Place the base of a ladder on a firm, solid surface. A ladder should not be used as a bridge or scaffold. Always keep at least three points of contact with a ladder. When climbing a ladder, always face it and grip the rungs, not the siderails. Don't stand higher than the third rung from the top of a ladder. Make sure you kn...

OSHA's outreach program includes images, posters, wallet cards, etc. that employers can use to educate themselves and their employees. OSHA has developed a nationwide outreach program for fall prevention . They firmly believe that falls can be prevented and lives can be saved using the simple three steps listed above: Plan - ahead to get the job done safely Provide - the right equipment Train - everyone to use the equipment safely Here's how OSHA says to do it: (Don't mind the copy-paste from OSHA's website...they say it better than I could.) PLAN ahead to get the job done safely "When working from heights, such as ladders, scaffolds, and roofs, employers must plan projects to ensure that the job is done safely. Begin by deciding how the job will be done, what tasks will be involved, and what safety equipment may be needed to complete each task. When estimating the cost of a job, employers should include safety equipment, and plan to have all the necessary equi...

It's week 1 of National Safety Month , and the theme for this week is "Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls." Some common locations for falls include: Doorways Ramps Cluttered hallways Areas with heavy traffic Uneven surfaces Areas prone to wetness or spills Unguarded heights Unstable work surfaces Ladders Stairs Fall prevention tips from the National Safety Council (NSC) include: Keeping floors clean and clear of clutter. Maintaining good lighting both indoors and on outdoor walkways. Installing handrails on all stairways. Using a sturdy stepstool when climbing or reaching for high places. Wearing sensible footwear. Never standing on a chair, table or surface on wheels. Arranging furniture to provide open pathways to walk through. Periodically checking the condition of outdoor walkways and steps and repairing as necessary. Removing fallen leaves or snow from outdoor walkways. Being aware that alcohol or drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicine, can aff...

Just a heads up that the Industrious Hygienist will be celebrating National Safety Month with other occupational safety and health professionals, including more frequent and more educational blog posts related to the National Safety Council focus areas. This year's focus areas are: Week 1: Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls Week 2: Employee Wellness Week 3: Emergency Preparedness Week 4: Ergonomics There will be videos, posters/images, fact sheets, and how-to's. Stay posted and  follow me if you want to learn more.

This is a *late* shout-out to one of my alma maters, the University of Arizona (U of A ) in Tucson. Congratulations to Rayka Robrecht and Micaela Machado, both landscape architecture graduate students at U of A - they designed one of the winning stormwater harvesting systems in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Campus RainWorks Challenge . They achieved second place for large institutions in the nationwide competition. The system , shown in the image below, was designed to re-use stormwater, roof drain water from surrounding building roofs, and air-conditioning condensate water. ? The second-place-winning design from U of A for large institutions in the USEPA Campus RainWorks challenge. Stormwater collected in this green infrastructure design is collected in underground cisterns. The spiral shape is supposed to evoke an agave , petroglyphs , or the monsoon storm patterns in Tucson. The water is funneled to the center of the basin. The designers antic...