Category: News

  • Strengthening the Workforce

    UD School of Nursing and Bayhealth have partnered to address the nursing workforce shortage through the new UD/Bayhealth Student Scholars program. This secures employment for nursing students and serves as a model for other institutions to replicate. (UDAILY)

     

  • Halloween Safety

    Weekly Safety Meeting – Halloween Safety

    With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods all over the U.S., here are some safety tips to help prepare children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday.

    Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common-sense practices can keep events safer and more fun!

    Halloween can be a fun time for children and parents alike as the small army of trick-or-treaters move from house to house.

    The secret to having an incident–free and safe Halloween experience is remembering the rules of Halloween safety. Talk to your children about Halloween safety tips every year to ensure that they never forget these life-preserving measures. Check out all our health and safety tips to learn more.

    Walk Safely:

    • Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right, and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
    • Put electronic devices down, keep heads up, and walk, don’t run, across the street.
    • Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
    • Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
    • Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
    • Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, tell them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.

    Costumes for a Safe Halloween:

    • Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
    • Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
    • Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
    • When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.

    Upon Returning Home:

    • Inspect all goodies in your child’s treat bags. Dispose of items with open or broken wrappers or that are unwrapped. Discard any homemade items from people you don’t know or items where the brand is unfamiliar to you.
    • Wash fruits and cut each into several pieces to be sure they are fresh and don’t have anything harmful inserted. (Australia faced a strawberry crisis after several fruits across the country were found to have needles inside.)
    • If your child has a food allergy, meticulously inspect candy labels to confirm they are safe to eat.
    • Ration treats. Just because your child has a bag full of goodies, that is no reason for he or she to eat them all. Ration treats by doling out a few each day or week. You could suggest swapping some or all of the candy for something healthier or more beneficial such as a book, toy, or an outing.

    Drive Extra Safely on Halloween:

    • Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
    • Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians, and on curbs.
    • Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
    • Get rid of any distractions in your car, like your phone, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
    • Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
    • Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Be especially alert for kids during those hours.

    Remember:

    Whether you’re a ghost or zombie, vampire or witch, poor costume choices, including decorative (colored) contact lenses and face paint allergies can cause injuries that haunt you long after Halloween.

    CHOOSE SAFETY…FOR PEACE OF MIND OF YOUR FAMILY!!

    https://safetymattersweekly.com/weekly-safety-meeting-halloween-safety/

  • Seven Basic General Industry Safety Rules

    Seven Basic General Industry Safety Rules Toolbox Talk

    1. Keep work areas clean. Proper housekeeping alone can go a long way in preventing workplace injury. Injuries such as slips, trips, falls, lacerations, sprains, strains, etc. can be reduced by keeping work areas organized and clean. Basic safety rule: A clean workspace makes it a safe working environment.

    2. Use the proper tool for the job. Avoid the first impulse to use whatever tool (or object) is around you to get a work task done. Using the wrong tool for the job can result in an injury or damage to the tool, which can lead to an injury in the future.

    3. Always wear the proper PPE for the work task. The lack of PPE, or the use of improper PPE, leads to many injuries in the workplace. PPE is the last line of defense when protecting yourself from the hazards of your work. If you come into contact with hazardous materials while not wearing the correct PPE, the injury will be more severe than if you were wearing it.

    4. Never work on live equipment. Working on energized equipment is an unsafe act that can result in serious injuries or fatalities. For your personal safety, always follow proper lock-out/tag-out procedures prior to performing any maintenance or repair work on equipment.

    5. Make sure chemicals are properly labeled and stored. OSHA issues many citations regarding hazard communication every year. Improper labeling and storage can lead to injuries or property loss due to fires, corrosion, etc.

    6. Communicate hazards to other personnel. Never assume that a coworker understands the hazards of a task, especially if they are new or new to the task. When work plans or conditions change, take the necessary time to inform others of the impacts the changes have on safety.

    7. Stop work when needed to address hazards. Always stop work to take the time to get hazards and unsafe conditions addressed to make it safe to continue the task. Whether you need to involve other staff, such as a supervisor, or you need to take time to get the right tool for the job, always take the time to do so.

    Discussion points on workplace safety rules:

    1. What is the most important rule listed in this talk? Why?
    2. What are other basic safety rules that need to be followed here at our worksite?

    Seven Basic General Industry Safety Rules

  • Full Staff

  • Half staff – Delaware state flag only

    Gov Carney ordered Delaware flags to half-staff on Oct 16 until sunset on Thursday, Oct 17 in remembrance of the Honorable James T Vaughn Jr.

  • FREAS to Transition Buildings from Cooling to Heating

    UD aims to reduce its carbon footprint by adjusting temperatures. FREAS will maintain set temperatures during heating season between 68-70°F and during cooling season between 74-76°F. (UDAILY)

     

  • A Sense of Community

    UDPD has a community resource unit (CRU.) CRU focuses on building trust through proactive policing, safety education and fostering positive relationships throughout the community of Newark. CRU aims to bridge the gap between officers and civilians. (UDAILY)

     

  • Hazardous Chemicals- Four Routes of Entry

    Hazardous Chemicals- Four Routes of Entry

    The Four Routes of Entry of Hazardous Chemicals (Safety Talk)

    Chemicals exist on virtually every single worksite. Many chemicals used on the job are hazardous to humans depending on how an individual comes into contact with them as well as the amount of the chemical they are exposed to. Employees need to understand the chemicals they are exposed to and the possible routes of entry. There are four ways a chemical or substance can enter the human body. These four routes of exposure include inhalation, absorption, ingestion, and injection.

    The Four Routes of Entry
    (source: www.ehs.unl.edu)

    1. Inhalation– Inhalation is the most common route of entry a person comes into contact with a chemical. Once inhaled, chemicals are either exhaled or deposited in the respiratory tract. Upon contact with tissue in the upper respiratory tract or lungs, chemicals may cause health effects ranging from simple irritation to severe tissue destruction. The chemical can also go onto affecting organs that are sensitive to the chemical.Chemical Routes of Entry

    2. Absorption– Getting chemicals onto the skin or eyes can result in redness and irritation all the way to severe destruction of tissue or blindness. The eyes are especially sensitive to chemicals. Some chemicals have the ability to pass through the skin and get into the bloodstream of a victim. This can lead to systemic problems in the organs.

    3. Ingestion– Chemicals that inadvertently get into the mouth and are swallowed do not generally harm the gastrointestinal tract itself unless they are irritating or corrosive. Some chemicals can be absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, where they enter the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, they can cause damage to the organs.

    4. Injection– Though not common, injection of chemicals into the body can occur. A sharp object can be contaminated with a chemical or substance and penetrate the skin. The chemical is then in the body and can make its way into the bloodstream, where it can damage organs or other tissue.

    Safe Work Practices When Working with Chemicals

    • Know the chemicals you are working with. Read the SDS to understand the safe handling procedures and what to do if you come into contact with the chemical.
    • Eliminate chemical hazards where possible. Do not use extremely hazardous chemicals unless absolutely necessary. Substitute a less hazardous chemical in place of a more hazardous chemical.
    • Engineer chemical hazards out of the workplace. Engineering controls include ventilation such as fans, barriers to create distance, or a shield from chemicals, filters, etc.
    • Wear the correct PPE to protect yourself from the chemical. PPE such as respirators, goggles, a face shield, chemical gloves, and a lab coat are some examples of creating barriers between your body and a chemical.

    Discussion point

    Also, think about your family. If you are not practicing good hygiene, you could be bringing chemicals home with you and exposing family members to them. For example, there is lead dust on the floor of a work area you are often in. You walk through the floor all day, and then when you go home, you do not take off your shoes, and you walk around on your carpet. Your baby son crawls on the carpet, inhaling and possibly ingesting the lead dust leading to health problems for him.

    Take preventive measures to clean your clothes and other items that you take home with you.

    Hazardous Chemicals- Four Routes of Entry

  • Fire Watch General Safety

    Fire Watch General Safety

    The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that between 2013-2017, US fire departments responded to an average of 4,630 structure fires involving hot work activities each year.

    fire watch hot work safety talkFortunately, there are many safeguards that can assist in preventing these incidents. Utilizing fire watch personnel during hot work activities is one effective safeguard in preventing fires.

    What is a Fire Watch?

    Fire watch personnel are responsible for keeping flammable materials away from ignition sources and watching for sparks, embers, or other possible ignition sources that could start a fire. If a fire occurs, the fire watch will attempt to extinguish it or will sound a fire alarm. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and NFPA require fire watchers in various situations. Your employer will determine when fire watch personnel is required.

    General Fire Watch Requirements

    • Fire watchers are required to have fire extinguishing equipment readily available and be trained in its use. They should try to extinguish fires when within the capacity of the equipment available. Otherwise, they should sound the alarm.
    • Fire watchers are required to be familiar with facilities for sounding an alarm in the event of a fire.
    • Fire watchers should refrain from all other job duties.
    • According to the NFPA 51B standard, fire watchers must remain on the scene for 60 minutes after work is complete. The fire watch may need to stay on-site longer, depending on the conditions of the worksite.

    Fire Watch Best Practices

    • Always read, understand, and maintain the conditions stated on the hot work permit.
    • Inspect the work area before and after each shift for the potential release of flammable liquids or vapors.
    • Keep flammable materials away from ignition sources.
    • Maintain communication with workers in the area.
    • Stop operations immediately if you identify a hazard.
    • Know the wind direction to understand where sparks and open flames will blow.
    • Never leave the work area while hot work is going on. If you must go, stop the job, and notify the workers.
    • Return all firefighting equipment to their permanent housing following each work shift.

    Summary

    Fire watchers have a critical job that can save lives, prevent injuries, and preserve property. For this reason, they need to receive training on various topics, such as the use of fire extinguishers, the hazards with fire watch duties, the use of personal protective equipment, etc. By staying alert, following assigned job tasks, and keeping flammable materials away from ignition sources, fire watchers help ensure the safety of everyone around them. If you identify hazards or unsafe acts during hot work activities, you should stop work immediately and notify a supervisor.

    Discussion points:

    1. How many feet must combustible materials be from the point of operation?

    2. How should a fire watcher react in the event of a fire?

    Fire Watch General Safety

     

  • The Courage of Character

    UD Alumni Chris Christie received the University’s Medal of Distinction from UD’s President Assanis and UD Board of Trustees member John Cochran at annual Soles Lecture. Chris Christie speech was about the courage of character. (UDAILY)