The Environmental Proctection Agency (EPA) has designated the Friday before Memorial Day as “Don’t Fry Day” and is urging people to “Slip — Slop — Slap — Wrap.”

SLIP – on a shirt to limit over exposing your exposed skin.
SLOP – on sunscreen of SPF15 or SPF30.
SLAP – on a hat or something to cover your head.
WRAP – on sunglasses to protect your eyes.

The “Bad” News:

• One American dies from skin cancer every hour. 
• Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. 
• Skin cancer affects more than two million people each year, more than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined. 
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

The “Good” News:

• Experimental studies at Yale show that if you block ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the skin, the cells that have been mutated by previous sun exposure may actually regress. This is scientific proof that it is never too late to start a program of protection against UV.

Visit the following web sites for valuable additional information and skin protection tips:

National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention – Don’t Fry Day

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Sun Safety Tips

The lights are out, it is totally dark and you can’t see. You smell smoke and there is a fire. You must evacuate and escape. Now close your eyes for 10 seconds and mentally find your way to safety. Did you remember that doorway? That wall? That step? That desk? That machine? Other obstacles? Were you able to negotiate your way to safety?

Would you be able to find your way to safety at home? At work? In a hotel? On an airplane? At a conference? At a clients office? In a movie theatre?

We must at all times take responsibility for our own safety as well as those around us. The two greatest safety tools that you have are:

1. Awareness: we must always be conscious of our surroundings and be ready to react to changes.
2. Knowledge: know how to respond when an unexpected safety situation arises. We may know where we are right now, but do we know where we are going – in an emergency?

A good method to increase your chance of survival is to COUNT before the emergency occurs. Count doors, count steps, count seats, count the number of floors above ground you are on, the flights of stairs, and so on.

Work / Home: walk your exit route to count steps, doors, and floors that will lead you to safety.

Hotels: walk the fire route and count the doors and recesses to your exit route.

 Planes / Theaters: count seats or rows to your emergency exit.

 Other: count your way to a safe exit whenever you enter a room or building.

Many of us travel for work and pleasure and spend a considerable amount of time in unfamiliar surroundings.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), thousands of people are blinded each year from work related eye injuries. Nearly 60% of those injuries occurred to workers who were not wearing the proper eye and face protection. In fact, not wearing the proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to protect your eyes is like throwing darts with your eyes as the intended target. Would you actually do this? I don’t think so!

Just as employers are required to provide the eye protection that complies with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, employees have the responsibility to wear and maintain that PPE. The five main hazard categories are listed below and each condition or operation needs to be assessed to determine the type of eye protection required for that job or task.

Impact. Grinding, sawing, drilling, sanding, wood working, and masonry work are only a few of the common operations that create flying particles, chips, dust, and dirt that cause many eye injuries. ANSI Z87+ safety glasses, goggles, and face shields are frequently used to provide impact protection. Remember that face shields alone do not provide impact protection and should be worn in combination with safety glasses or goggles.

Heat. Furnaces that melt glass or steel, casting operations, and welding operations all produce extreme heat that require protection for the eyes and face. Heat reflective face shields along with safety glasses or goggles are the minimum requirements for eye and face protection.

Chemicals. The handling of chemicals requires a careful assessment of PPE requirements that will provide the proper eye protection for the potential hazards from splashes, fumes, vapors, and irritating mists. Protection from Blood Borne Pathogens (BBP) falls under this category. Safety goggles should be used to protect the eyes and surrounding areas while face shields will help protect the other face areas.

Dust. Woodworking and many manufacturing operations generate harmful dust that has the potential to damage your eyes. Safety glasses along with billed caps may provide adequate eye protection for light dust conditions, however goggles should be used for high dust areas.

Optical Radiation. PPE to protect eyes from the intense light generated by welding or torch cutting operations and lasers, require that the degree of radiant energy and the optical wave length be considered for PPE selection. Welding helmets should be used in combination with safety glasses or goggles for impact protection.

1. Do we over reach the ladder instead of taking a minute to reposition for a safer reach?
2. Do we use or store chemicals without first reading the MSDS?
3. Do we observe or walk by an unsafe condition without correcting it or notifying others?
4. Do we not wear our safety glasses or other Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) because it will take another minute or two to retrieve them?
5. Do we cross the street between intersections instead of using the cross walks?
6. Do we not follow Lock Out / Tag Out (LOTO) procedures before working on machines, because it is not convenient to do so?
7. Do we continue to text and talk on our cell phones while driving?
8. Do you start your work without taking a few minutes to complete a Safe Plan of Action (SPA), that will eliminate the safety hazards for that task?

It is human nature to believe that once a shortcut is taken successfully, it can be taken repeatedly without consequences. Therein lies the problem! Shortcuts will almost always increase your risk, and if you continue to take those shortcuts, someone will eventually pay the price with an injury, loss of life, or property damage. The minutes that you are trying to save could cost you days, weeks, or even the rest of your life!

What are the shortcuts you should eliminate?

So what does this all have to do with safety? Simple – we can’t win as long as our team members are getting hurt. Keeping ourselves an those around us safe requires hard work, practice, and a constant awareness of any potential risks and knowing how to eliminate or avoid them.

Put in the hard work and practice:

1. Get trained – learn the rules.
2. Teach safety – take it home and pass it on.
3. Practice hazard recognition – know how to respond when conditions change.
4. Develop safety awareness – anticipate problems and elminiate the risk.
5. Lead by example – everybody is watching.

Learn the winning plays:

1. Wear the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the job.
2. Select the right tools for the job.
3. Always complete a Safe Plan of Action (SPA).
4. Practice good housekeeping.
5. Get help to move heavy or awkward objects.
6. Eliminate pinch points & sharp edges.
7. Report injuries and near misses.
8. Never defeat guards or safety equipment.
9. Don’t rush and don’t be fatigued.
10. Always Lockout / Tagout (LOTO) to eliminate all energy sources.

Nutrition. A healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons to fight against heart disease. Make small changes to help set diet goals, healthy cooking, dining out, heart-smart shopping, healthy recipes, and cookbooks.

Physical Activity. Get moving! Every day activities such as walking longer distances or walking more briskly, taking the stairs, and shoveling snow helps to increase your activity level. To download a free app that will locate walking paths wherever you go and help you track results, Visit StartWalkingNow.org.

Weight Management. Losing weight is all about balancing the calories you take in with the calories you burn. Make a plan and get started. Maintaining weight loss can be permanent if you avoid these roadblocks.

Stress Management. How does stress affect you? Do you feel aches and pains, low energy, depressed, or irritable? Does it lead to bad habits such as eating, or drinking alcohol, or smoking? Try relieving stress by counting to 10; taking three to five deep breaths; walk away from the stressful situation; take a two minute walk; smell a flower; give someone a hug; and smile.

Fats and Oils. Did you know that some fats are bad and others are not so bad? Say “goodbye” to saturated fats and trans fats that will raise your cholesterol and replace them with less harmful fats.

Quit Smoking. Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause for premature death in the U.S. Evidence shows that smoking is a major cause of coronary disease which leads to heart attack.

CPR Training. Get trained! By knowing what to do when someone is having a heart attack, you may make the difference in saving their life.

Explore the Human Heart. Discover the complexities of the heart’s development and structure. See how the blood flows through the vessels and body systems.

 A heartfelt “Thank You” to the American Heart Association and The Franklin Institute for the information provided on their web sites.

If it revolves, swings, spins, slides, opens, closes, or moves in any way at all, it can hurt or kill you. We often think about fingers or other extremities that might get caught in machinery, however a person could be dragged into many pieces of equipment and be injured or crushed even before they have a chance to cry out for help.

How should you protect yourself around moving equipment?

1. Be thoroughly trained in the safe operation of the equipment.
2. Do not remove safety guards – they are there to protect you.
3. Do not wear loose fitting clothes, jewelry or long hair that could be entangled or pull you into running machinery.
4. Follow safe work practices for the safe operation of machinery.
5. Follow correct lockout procedures to prevent unintentional start-up during adjustment or repairs.
6. Be aware of all stored energy sources.
7. Be alert to your surroundings and how close you are to moving equipment.
8. Report any unsafe conditions.

“The safety gears are between your ears.”

What is at risk behavior?

1. Not following safety procedures and good work practices such as Lockout / Tagout (LOTO), keeping guards in place, and using the right tools.
2. Taking dangerous shortcuts. Don’t be complacent – eventually someone will be injured by taking safety shortcuts.
3. Driving over the speed limit. Be aware that the probability of death and debilitating injuries will double for every speed increase of 10 miles per hour (MPH) over 50 mph.
4. Texting and talking on the cell phone while driving. Your attention level and reaction times are very similar to those driving while intoxicated. Hang up and drive!
5. Any activity where you choose not to eliminate or reduce the risk to a safe level.

How do we “cut the bull” to eliminate at risk behavior?

1. Develop safety awareness. Always conduct a safety evaluation of the activity and make a Safe Plan of Action (SPA) to eliminate potential hazards. Educate yourself about any areas you are unsure of. Ask questions.
2. Teach safety awareness. Everyone is an expert in the operation of some machine or with performing some activity and you should never pass up the opportunity to pass along your knowledge, experience, and insight to others. Teaching is the best way to increase your own safety awareness. Lead by example!
3. Take safety home. You are 11 times more likely to be killed and three times more likely to be injured during off-the-job activities, so practice and teach on-the-job safety at home and away from work, too.
4. Don’t rush. Always take a few minutes to analyze each activity, and eliminate any potential hazards first.
5. Avoid fatigue. Stay well rested so that you can keep your eyes and mind on the task at hand. Avoid operating equipment or driving when you are tired.

Every time there is at risk behavior, there is a potential for injury. Your safety is in your hands and that’s “NO BULL!”

Pinch points bite: a worker installing a hanging door had their fingers pinched between the frame and trolley. Completing a Safe Plan of Action and wearing gloves would have prevented or greatly reduced injury.

Hot slag burns: a welder dropped hot slag into his welding glove and burned his fingers. The proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – by sealing or taping the cuffs of gloves would have prevented injury.

Sharp edges cut: a worker cut his hand while cutting sheet metal and required stitches. Wearing the required cut resistance gloves would have prevented or greatly reduced injury.

STOP – THINK – GO

Stop: step back and review the task. Are guards in place? Are there any pinch points? Jagged edges? Hot or cold surfaces? Chemical hazards? Other risks?

Think: what can go wrong? Is there a safer way? Can I use a tool instead of my hands? Am I wearing the right gloves and PPE? Where will my hands be? Can I see them?

Go: only after you have completed a Safe Plan of Action and all controls are in place to eliminate hazards so that you can complete the task safely. Only after you put on the correct glove for the task along with other PPE. Only after you are positive that you can keep your hands out of the line of fire.

Remember this: wearing the proper gloves on the job and home will help prevent cuts and scrapes, puncture wounds, chemical burns, protect from heat and cold, hazardous substances, biological agents, and electrical shocks and burns.

“Always keep your hands in sight and never let them move faster than your mind can think!”

Safety starts with an attitude that you will do every task in a way that will eliminate hazards and the potential for injury. Thousands of workplace injuries occur every year, and even more injuries happen on the commute to and from work, and home. The potential for injury is always there, no matter how simple, complex, or often you have done that task.

0 Incidents: eliminate any environment that allows potential safety incidents to occur. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Know how to recognize unsafe conditions and take immediate action to correct and report them. Immediately clean up spills and remove any trip hazards. Near Miss reporting is an important part of eliminating conditions that have the potential to cause injury. The Near Miss that you report today may prevent injury to you or a co-worker tomorrow.

0  Injuries: take action to eliminate hazardous conditions that could cause injuries. Focus your attention on the job at hand. Do you have the necessary PPE? The right tools for the job? Do you have the expertise and training? Are you the right person to safely complete the task? Do you need help to lift or move equipment? Are you well rested before taking on that difficult task or making that long drive? Have you completed a Safe Plan of Action (SPA) for the work?

7 Days per Week: safety never sleeps or stops to rest. You must be actively engaged to eliminate the incidents and hazards. Most accidents and injuries can be prevented with proper training and awareness of your surroundings at all times.

 Protect yourself and those around you by being a Safety Agent 007. Failure is not an option!