June 2014

      Winter Weather Slip, Trip and Fall Safety Reminders

•Use handrails. Once inside, wipe your feet on runway rugs (where provided) to decrease the amount of snow and snow removal materials tracked into the facility, thus reducing the potential for slips and falls.

•Avoid distractions; do not talk on the phone or text while you are walking.

•Use gloves; avoid walking with your hands in your pockets so you can maintain better balance.

•Modify the length and speed of your stride as necessary and watch where you step.

•Take care to support yourself when exiting vehicles with high clearances and vehicles equipped with running boards.

•Use cleared sidewalks. Avoid taking shortcuts across untreated surfaces.

•Be sure to wear footwear with good traction. High heels, smooth-soled shoes and shoes with worn soles are not recommended on snow and ice.

•When walking on ice and snow, go slowly. Take short, deliberate steps and keep your body centered over your feet.

•Anticipate hazards as you are walking. When you come to a corner or change in surface, slow down. If you think a surface might be slippery, take short sure steps instead of longer strides.

•Be aware of melt/refreeze issues caused by elevated temperatures or sunny conditions during the day and sub-freezing temperatures at night

January 2014

A winter emergency can happen at any time. To ensure that you and your loved ones are safe, be prepared. Keep several days’ worth of the following items aside.
Foods that need no cooking or refrigeration

•   Bread
  
•   Crackers
  
•   Cereal
  
•   Canned food
  
•   Dried fruits and nuts
  
•   Baby food – if you have young children
  Water
  It’s possible, in a winter emergency that pipes may freeze or rupture. Keep water stored, either in clean containers or purchased from the store. Keep 5 gallons per person stored.
  Medicines
  Keep a stock of necessary medications available for family members. Even in the winter some medications have to be refrigerated. Be sure you have a small cooler for those items.
  Emergency Supply Kit
  

•   Alternate way to heat your home during a power failure
  - dry firewood for a fireplace or wood stove
  - kerosene for kerosene heater
  - portable generator (NOTE: often used in rural areas, but they come with their own set of cautions)
  
•   Furnace fuel – coal, propane, oil
  
•   Gas powered space heater with automatic shut-off switch and non-
  glowing elements (NOTE: if power is off, won’t be able to use electric
  heater, but if you do, it also comes with its own set of cautions...)
  
•   Blankets
  
•   Matches
  
•   Multipurpose, dry chemical fire extinguisher
  
•   First aid kit
  
•   Flashlight or battery powered lantern
  
•   Battery-powered radio and/or crank emergency radio
  
•   Battery-powered clock or watch
  
•   Extra batteries
  
•   Non-electric can opener
  
•   Snow shovel
  
•   Rock salt
  
•   Special needs items – diapers, hearing aid batteries, medications, etc.)
  Adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Extreme Cold: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety. 
  

NOVEMBER 2013

 

Having the right personal protective equipment is important  but it is only part of good risk management



• “Concern for man himself and his safety must always for the chief interest of all technical endeavors.” -Albert Einstein
• “Anyone who believes that they have common sense has simply forgotten who taught them what they know.” – Alan Quilley
• “A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” Proverbs 22:3
• “What is now proven was once only imagined.” Hindsight is a wonderful thing but foresight is better, especially when it comes to saving life, or some pain! – William Blake

Squadron Safety Coming Soon!