The Time for Heightened Safety Awareness is NOW

April Safety Awareness Topics:

1. Spring Fever
2. Safety Awareness Warming Weather
3. Hydration
4. Night Work & Sleep Management
5. Defensive Driving Reminders
6. Basic Ergonomic Tips

Springtime safety factors include:

• Change of Season adjustment
• Distractions are more prevalent.
• Longer days are generally more fatiguing.
• We are adjusting our Sleep/Wake cycle and Circadian Rhythms
• Recreational & Home Projects take up time & energy.
• Road Work – more and larger jobs open up.
• For these and a host of other reasons, we need to FOCUS on safe work & defensive driving.

Warm Weather Safety Reminders:

• Stay hydrated year ‘round. This helps prevent colds, lessens fatigue, and helps with allergies.
• Our body will begin the process of thinning the blood to adjust to warmer weather. Hydration helps this process.
• Water, not Red Bull!
• Balance your diet- avoid grease, junk food, fast food.
• Watch out for the Post Lunch Dip which will make you sleepy in the afternoon.
• Junk food might taste good but is harder to digest and has low nutritional value.
• Dress for success: engineered fabrics and garments can help with comfort on long days.

Night Work & Fatigue Management:

• It is hard to get restful REM sleep during the day. Best to find a room with no light infiltration. ‘Black out’ curtains can help.
• Try to find a quiet place to sleep. Avoid interruptions. Turn phones off. White noise generators may help in some cases.
• Be aware that prolonged sleep deprivation can create nightmares and micro-bursts of sleep during waking hours.
• Balance your diet and eat healthily. Stay hydrated. Night work is great for weight loss. • Try to stay on a fixed sleep/ wake schedule. We generally need 6 to 8 hours of sleep. Don’t try to cheat, it catches up.

Defensive Driving Reminders:

• #1 Defensive Rule = Use your Daytime Running Lights
• LOOK well ahead. Give a wide berth to heavy trucks.
• Remember your 5 Keys to Defensive Driving.
• INTERSECTIONS = High crash frequency. Back off, stay back from the ‘Stop Line’.
• Caution when sitting in a line of vehicles. Stay back.
• Caution when BACKING!
• Get out and LOOK.
• Use a spotter.
• Back slowly
• NO distractions while driving!

Basic Ergonomic Tips:

• Ergonomics is a lot more than proper lifting and back injury prevention.
• It addresses the efficiency of body mechanics in all activities– sit, stand, walk, climb, drive, lift, push, etc.
• The 3 principal ergo. elements- Force; Repetition; Posture
• Posture is the most important. Good posture allows high force and repetition.
• Adjust seating posture while driving- knees higher than hips. Adjust seat and tilt wheel.
• Stand straight. Lift properly. Avoid prolonged static postures. Move around. Do warm up exercises before work.
• Plan your heavy lifts. Get help on big stuff. Wear grip gloves.
• We’re human, not robots. Don’t overdo it.

Seasonal Summary:

• More states are inexplicably removing helmet laws for motorcycle riding. Fatality statistics are predictably heading north.
• If you ride a bicycle, chances are there is a helmet law in effect to protect you. Wear it properly.
• The Spring season is arguably the most perilous for random occurrences and hard to explain accidents. Aside from staying in your driveway, the only antidote we can suggest is to re-read the preceding pages and stay alert and focused.