Category: News

Lightning Safety Talk

Lightning is a serious hazard both on and off the job. There is an average of 25 million lightning strikes that occur in the United States each year alone. Individuals need to identify and plan for the potential of lightning before beginning a work activity or any leisure activity during storm season. Have a plan of when you will cease work and where you will go if lightning occurs during that day. The best practice to avoid getting struck by lightning is to take shelter indoors before a storm is in your immediate area.

Lightning Fatality Statistics

• Lightning kills approximately twenty people annually in the United States.
• Males account for a majority of these fatalities.
• Off-the-job activities that result in the most fatalities include fishing, beach activities, camping, boating, soccer, and golf.
• Most deaths occur in the months of June, July, and August.
• Many victims are heading to safety at the time of the fatal strike.

Sources: NOAA and Weather.gov

Five Lightning Myths

1. If there are no clouds or rain, there will not be lightning. TRUTH: Lightning can strike 3 miles from the actual storm center. There are some bolts that have struck 10 miles or more from the storm.

2. Lightning does not strike the same place twice. TRUTH: Lightning often strikes the same place multiple times. Examples include tall metal buildings, cell phone towers, and tall trees in fields.

3. Rubber tires on a car protect you from lightning by insulating you from the ground. TRUTH: It is not the rubber tires that protect during a lightning strike. The metal frame of the car protects you from the electricity passing through the vehicle into the ground. The metal acts like a faraday cage around you.

4. Take shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm. TRUTH: As mentioned above, trees are often hit by lightning. Many lightning-related injuries involve a person who was under or near a tree during a lightning strike.

5. If you are in a house, you are 100% safe from lightning. TRUTH: A house is a safe place to be during a thunderstorm as long as you avoid anything that conducts electricity. This means staying off corded phones, electrical appliances, wires, TV cables, computers, plumbing, metal doors, and windows.

Summary

It is essential to avoid complacency when it comes to lightning. While the total number of fatalities each year is relatively low, the severity of lightning strikes is significant. Weather.gov reported that only 10% of those who are struck by lightning are killed. The other 90% of victims are left with various degrees of disability.

Discussion points:

1. What are some other lightning safety tips or myths?
2. What is our policy for lightning here at work?

Lightning Safety at Work and Home

Bees and Wasps Safety Talk

Almost everyone has experienced some type of bee or wasp sting in their life. Stings from these insects do not pose a major issue for most people. However, for others, there can be a severe allergic reaction that is life-threatening. Even if you have not experienced a severe allergic reaction to stings before, it is possible to have a severe reaction at any point in your life. It is important to avoid bees and wasps as well as to be able to recognize when someone is suffering from a severe allergic reaction from an insect sting.

Bee and Insect Sting Facts

According to NIOSH, thousands of people are stung by insects each year, and as many as 90–100 people in the United States die as a result of allergic reactions. This number may be underreported as deaths may be mistakenly diagnosed as heart attacks or sunstrokes or may be attributed to other causes. Most individuals only experience minor swelling and pain after being stung, but many individuals can experience other symptoms after a sting. Insect stings can result in any of the following symptoms:

• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling (in the area of sting and sometimes beyond)
• Flushing
• Hives
• Itching
• Anaphylaxis

Secondary Dangers of Bees and Wasps

Outside of getting stung, there are other problems these insects can cause. Many people panic if there are any bees around them. This causes incidents to occur. For example, a bee enters a window of a vehicle. The driver does not pay attention to the road, crosses the centerline, and runs head-on into another vehicle. Another example is an individual working at heights on a ladder. He begins to hammer on the side of a house, disturbing a bee’s nest. After the first sting, he panics, which causes him to fall off the ladder.

It is important to consider the secondary hazards these insects can create.

Sting Prevention

Before performing any work in an area, it is important to do a site walk to look for any hazards, including bees and wasps. Oftentimes, people start performing a task not knowing there is an active hive in close proximity to them. Avoiding areas where bees or wasps are is the most effective way to prevent stings. If you are severely allergic to bees or wasps, avoid any work that puts you at great risk of getting stung. Wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible when working in areas where there may be bees and wasps. It is harder for stinging insects to sting through clothing.

If Stung

If a person has a history of severe reactions to stings, call 911 immediately. If the person is showing signs of a severe reaction or cannot breathe, inject epinephrine into the outer muscle of the thigh if it is available. For individuals who are not severely allergic then, the first step is to remove the stinger with the edge of a credit card. After the stinger is removed, apply ice to the area to control any swelling. Keep the sting area clean until it is healed up.

Summary

Take the hazards that bees and wasps create seriously when working outdoors. Even if you are not allergic to them, someone close by may be. Do a site check before entering an area to perform work. Avoiding areas where these insects are is your best option to prevent stings. When avoiding them completely is not an option, and there is a nest in the area, try not to disturb it. If contact cannot be avoided, have them removed to another location by a professional or have them killed (if that is the only option) to protect yourself and others from stings. Always have an EPI pen nearby if you or a coworker is severely allergic to insect stings.

Bees and Wasps

Motor Vehicle Safety Talk

Our roads can be a dangerous place. According to the National Safety Council, an estimated 42,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2020. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of workplace injuries. In 2020, motor vehicle incidents contributed to 37% of all workplace fatalities.

Year after year, motor vehicle accidents are at the top of the list as the cause of workplace fatalities. Off the job, they take tens of thousands of lives each year. Driving safely while off the job is just as important as driving safely while on the job.

A serious car crash will affect your family emotionally as well as probably financially. Not only will your family be affected by a car crash off the job, but your company and coworkers will as well. Everyone has a role at work, and when one person isn’t healthy or misses work, the company loses a valuable piece to that puzzle.

Avoid complacency and follow the basic driving safety rules to ensure you make it to your destination.

Members can now download an editable motor vehicle safety PowerPoint presentation to use for longer meetings!

General Safe Driving Tips

• Do not engage in other activities while driving. Activities such as using cellphones, eating, or even just reaching for an item takes your eyes and focus off the road. A large majority of accidents are caused by distracted drivers.
• Be a defensive driver. Always leave yourself an out when driving. Think about your next move if an accident was to happen in front of you or if a car ran the next stoplight. Thinking ahead and being proactive when driving can save your life.
• Never operate a vehicle when impaired by alcohol or when fatigued. Being impaired is a leading cause of deadly accidents.
• Always wear your seatbelt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about half.
• Maintain a clean and well-kept vehicle. Dirty windows and dust can be distracting and make it hard to see while driving. Loose cargo such as empty water bottles, tools, PPE, and other items are not only a distraction, but they can also interfere with controls in the vehicle.

Discussion points:

-How many people here have been involved in a car crash? Could it have been avoided? How did it affect you or your family?
-How can we become better drivers both at work and outside of work?

Motor Vehicle Safety