The University of Delaware’s Center for Global Programs and Services hosted its 11th annual Thanksgiving Dinner for international students, scholars, and their families. Over 500 guests enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving meal, music, door prizes and more. (UDAILY)
Cold weather poses many hazards for those individuals who are required to be exposed to it during their work. The winter months bring the possibility of additional workplace injuries and illnesses. Some direct consequences of being exposed to cold environments include frostbite, trench foot, and hypothermia. One factor to consider when working in a cold-weather environment is the effect wind speed has on the temperature on the body.
The presence of wind in an already cold environment can pose a deadly combination. It is important to realize the effect wind has when paired with cold temperatures. For example, if it is 10 degrees Fahrenheit outside and there are also 20 MPH winds present, the temperature actually feels like -9 degrees Fahrenheit to the body. Because of the danger wind poses in cold weather, the National Weather Service will often issue wind chill advisories and warnings when a deadly combination of wind and cold air threaten an area.
Below is a handy wind chill chart provided by the National Weather Service to determine what the temperature actually is when the wind is present. (See also- wind chill calculator)
Cold weather brings additional hazards for workers who are exposed to colder temperatures. Winds can create a dangerous situation in cold weather climates. Follow best practices when working in cold weather environments to lessen the chance of becoming a victim of frostbite, trench foot, or hypothermia.
UD Office Emergency Management (OEM) has winter weather procedures that emphasizes safety and communication. Decisions regarding delays or closures are communicated typically announced by 6am through multiple channels, including the UD website, social media, email, and local radio. (UDAILY)
A lot of time and effort is spent every single day to keep workplaces incident-free and employees healthy. There are many different challenges to address to be able to achieve this. Many different things could go wrong during a work task or throughout the day that can result in injury to employees. Because of this fact, it is important to realize that achieving a safe workplace is a combination of many different efforts and not just any single action or safeguard.
Some individuals have the “good enough” mindset when it comes to implementing safeguards during their work tasks. When these individuals set up for their work tasks and carry them out, they do the bare minimum or just above the minimum. For example, they may have the mindset that as long as they are wearing their PPE, that is good enough for the task at hand. In reality, there may be three or four more safeguards that need to be put into place to be sure that the task will be performed safely.
Having the “good enough” mindset will leave workers open to the risk of the hazards involved in the task. If the workers take the time to implement the necessary safeguards facing these risks does not have to be the case. There are multiple safeguards for any single hazard in the case that one safeguard fails.
To demonstrate this point, we will look at a scenario involving work on a scaffold. The hazard we will discuss is dropped objects from the scaffold down to the lower level. There are many safeguards to address the hazard of dropped objects, and the more that are in place, the less likely an injury occurs due to exposure to that hazard. A few different safeguards of the many possibilities that should be implemented in our example:
If an individual only uses one or two of the mentioned safeguards to mitigate the hazard of dropped objects, then there is more of a chance that objects could be dropped and strike a person below.
Think about how many safeguards are available for a single hazard, like in the example scenario discussed. Look at what you are currently doing to mitigate the hazards of your work tasks. Are you only implementing one safeguard for a complex or serious hazard? What other actions can you take to lessen the risk of injury for you and those around you?
As part of the National Native American Heritage Month, UD supported story telling by Ragghi Rain, and dance performances by Nanticoke Nation’s multigenerational group. The event was part of broader UD efforts to engage with Indigenous heritage. (UDAILY)
Top safety hazards during the Thanksgiving holiday include:
KITCHEN SAFETY
Thanksgiving is the #1 day of the year for cooking fires, reports State Farm insurance. The U.S. Fire Department confirms that more than 4,000 fires occur on Thanksgiving Day and preparing deep fried turkeys, using a turkey fryer, is the cause of approximately 5 deaths, 50 injuries, and the destruction of 900 homes and more than $15 million in property damage every year.
Kitchen safety is even more important than usual during busy holiday times, like Thanksgiving, when more people might be working in the kitchen to prepare a large meal. But for casual cooks and experienced chefs alike, the kitchen presents more hazards than imagined. Read more about the most common ways kitchen tasks send people to the ER every day so you can plan your next family gathering to be even safer.
HOLIDAY FIRE PREVENTION TIPS
Incidents of choking and food poisoning increase during the holidays, especially around Thanksgiving, as people are preparing and consuming more food than usual. Food Safety News reports that approximately 51 million turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving.
FOOD SAFETY
PET SAFETY
The Veterinary Medical Association warns that turkey and chicken bones should never be given to pets because they can splinter and pets may choke.
Dogs should be kept away from any dish that has onions, leeks, garlic, raisins, grapes or chocolate, as those foods can be hazardous to your dog’s health.
HOLIDAY TRAVEL SAFETY
With Thanksgiving being one of the most travel-heavy times of the year, it is important to be prepared before hitting the road and to drive defensively, especially during bad weather.
Drivers who are texting take their eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds. Driving at 55 mph, that is about the length of a football field.
According to the National Highway Safety Association, more than 40% of holiday car accidents involve alcohol. DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.
There’s never a time when employees, parents or families can ‘take a break’ from safety. Workplace safety is often our focus because there may be bigger hazards present and we all want to get home safely to our families and loved ones at the end of the day, but safety at home is also important. Take a breather and remind yourself what the holidays are truly about and know that nothing is more important than having a safe holiday this year.
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UD recently celebrated its annual Inventors Recognition event to showcase UD’s ongoing impact on innovation. Delaware US Senator Chris Coons and Elizabeth Dougherty a regional director from the US Patent and Trademark Offices was in attendance. (UDAILY)
Making the decision to follow every single safety rule or procedure does not come naturally to us. We constantly have to work towards making the right decisions every single day. Many times individuals find ways to rationalize not working safely. It is important for each worker to recognize this error trap and address it when it arises.
For the most part, we all know what the right choice is when it comes to safety during a specific work task. Safety training, policies, procedures, labels, etc., all communicate what needs to be done in order to mitigate hazards and work safely. The problem is, there are many factors that affect whether or not we want to make the right decisions at a given moment. A few of these factors include:
Individuals facing one or more of these factors will use them to rationalize to themselves why a certain safety rule does not need to be followed. For example, “I forgot my fall protection, but it will only take a minute to go up and right back down, so I will be fine.” We have all rationalized poor choices- whether it was choosing not to wear fall protection or rationalizing hitting snooze seven times before getting out of bed.
“It is the Normal Thing to Do”When there are other people around who are not making the right choices when it comes to safety, it becomes the “normal” thing to do despite not being the correct thing to do. When the norm is working unsafe, it makes it difficult for even the individuals who want to work safely to do so. Do not rely on a supervisor or safety person to have to tell you to do the right thing. Make the choice to do what is right despite what others may be doing.
Recognize when you are falling into the trap of rationalizing a poor decision, whether that is in your personal life or while on the job. Fight the urge to make the easy decision. Be a worker who follows the rules and helps reinforce a norm of adhering to safe work practices and procedures.
Discussion point: What is an example of rationalizing a decision to work unsafe?
UD Dining Services has been awarded the Delaware Business of the Year by the state Rehabilitation Council and Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Committee, recognizing its dedication to inclusive employment and accessibility. (UDAILY)
