April 25th, 2002
SAFETY
NEWS & NOTES Vol. 3 No. 3
THOUGHTS & QUOTES
LIGHTNING SAFETY
AWARENESS WEEK APRIL 28-MAY 4
SAFE PLAY AREAS
OVERFLOW PREVENTION
DEVICES/GRILLING SAFETY REMINDERS (GAS AND CHARCOAL)
SAFETY IN THE
WORKPLACE
WEST
NILE VIRUS
THE
COUNTDOWN TO HURRICANE SEASON
There's always room for safety! Delivering safety messages should not be considered as 'ad-ons...if we have time'. Safety should be an integral part of every program and every message we deliver. It has been shown that people are more likely to respond to having a 'bit of safety' in front of them all the time vs. the idea of having a one-time blitz and then forgetting about it. Recent tragic events that have involved the deaths of 5 teenages in the Gainesville area have pointed that out. We do need constant reminders that it is important to use safety devices and practice safety. Take that extra moment to add that safety message. (cj lehtola)
LIGHTNING SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK APRIL
28-MAY 4, 2002
The National Weather Service is emphasizing lightning awareness safety by declaring April 28-May 4 as Lightning Safety Awareness Week. They have excellent information about do's and don'ts around lightning. The theme is "Lightning Kills, Play It Safe." A reminder that Florida is the state with the highest number of lightning hits and also deaths and injuries.
The NWS site is: http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/
One of the pages, of special interest for people working at fairs, recreation areas, and other outdoor activities, is that of safe and unsafe shelters:
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/indoors.htm
A publication about boating safety and lightning (includes Florida information and a map of lightning density in Florida) can be found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs/as04800.html
A publication that is a case study of 2 field workers killed by lightning can be found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs/np00400.html
The latter publication is from California. However, if needed for safety for field workers in FL, the articles can be combined to localize it. That is, use the portion that pertains to FL from the 1st publication and the part that pertains to field workers from the second publication.
"Recommendations for Safe Play Areas" was developed by the farm safety program at the University of Minnesota. The guidelines were developed for kids on a farm, however, many of the items also apply for children not on farms.
Safe Play Areas was researched and written in response to a rash of children's injuries and deaths that occurred beginning in the late summer and early fall of 2000. This publication gives guidelines and recommendations on the planning and design of safe play areas to keep kids out of harm's way.
See: http://www.bae.umn.edu/~fs/safeplayareas.html
There are several fact sheets related to safe playgrounds at the Consumer Product Safety Commission web site:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgi-bin/recalldb/pubpr.asp
At the CSPC site there is an article about the dangers of infants drowning in 5 gallon buckets.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5006.html
OVERFLOW PREVENTION DEVICES/GRILLING
SAFETY REMINDERS (GAS AND
CHARCOAL)
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants consumers to know that as of April 1, 2002, all propane gas tanks sold to consumers for barbecue grills must have a new safety device. The over-fill prevention device will help to avoid propane leaks that can cause fires and explosions. The new standard is published by the National Fire Protection Association.
"CPSC worked with industry to develop this safety standard to help prevent deaths and injuries," said CPSC Acting Chairman Thomas Moore. "As people trade in their old propane tanks for newer ones, we will see fewer fires."
Propane gas is highly flammable. Each year, about 600 fires/explosions
occur with gas grills resulting in injuries to about 30 people.
The new safety standard for propane gas tanks requires that an
"over-fill prevention device" be installed in new gas
tanks. The new propane gas tanks have valve handles with three
"lobes" (prongs) while older tanks have valve handles
with five prongs. Beginning April 1, only the new
propane tanks will be sold or refilled nationwide. People with
older propane gas tanks will need to get the new, safer tanks
when they go in for a refill. While some dealers are trading in
old tanks at no cost, others
may charge a fee, which could range from $10 to $20.
An additional industry standard (adopted in 1995 at the urging
of CPSC) provided for several safety features in the gas grills,
hoses, and connections. The safety standard calls for a device
to limit the flow
of gas if the hose ruptures; a mechanism to shut-off the grill
if it overheats; and a device to prevent the flow of gas if the
connection between tank and grill is not leak-proof. People who
have grills that do not meet the
1995 standard should either get a new grill or be especially attentive
to the safety tips below.
Here are some safety tips to reduce the risk of fire or explosion
with gas grills:
* Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes, and leaks.
Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.
* Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and
dripping hot grease.
* Always keep propane gas containers upright.
*
Never store a spare gas container under or near the grill or indoors.
* Never store or use flammable liquids, like gasoline, near the
grill.
* Never keep a filled container in a hot car or car trunk. Heat
will cause the gas pressure to increase, which may open the relief
valve and allow gas to escape.
* Make sure your spark ignitor is consistently generating a spark
to create a flame and burn the propane gas. If the flame is not
visible, the heavier-than-air propane gas may be escaping and
could explode.
* Never bring the propane tank into the house.
Charcoal produces carbon monoxide (CO) when it is burned. CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can accumulate to toxic levels in closed environments. Each year about 17 people die as a result of CO fumes from charcoal being burned inside. To reduce the risk of CO poisoning:
* Never burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents, or
campers.
* Charcoal should never be used indoors, even if ventilation is
provided.
* Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is completely
extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used
coals.
In 1996, CPSC revised the label on charcoal packaging to more
explicitly warn consumers of the deadly CO gas that is released
when charcoal is burned in a closed environment. The new label
reads, "WARNING ... CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD ... Burning charcoal
inside can kill you. It gives off carbon monoxide, which has no
odor. NEVER burn charcoal inside homes, vehicles or tents."
The new label also conveys the written warning visually with drawings
of grills inside a home, tent, and vehicle. The drawings are enclosed
in a circle with an "X" through it.
To link from your web site to this press release on CPSC's web
site, go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml02/02127.html
The following article should be of interest to businesses (whether large or small). It discusses the financial impact that a good safety program can have on reducing insurance costs. A Liberty Mutual survey shows 61 percent of executives say $3 or more is saved for each $1 invested in workplace safety
http://www.libertymutual.com/about/pressclub/safety_survey.html
With warmer weather returning, so is the threat of West Nile Virus. The Capital Area Chapter of the Red Cross has up-dated their West Nile Virus web site. For current information concerning the virus and its movement throughout the United States and how individuals, families and neighborhoods can reduce the threat of the virus see the web site at:
http://www.tallytown.com/redcross
They have also prepared a "Prevent The Mosquito-Borne West Nile Virus" poster that can be down loaded and localized by logging onto:
http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/wnv-poster-01.doc
For 61 days the GeHuPA Caravan, consisting of a yard tractor,
a large Hurricane Season countdown sign and the Community Disaster
Education Mobile (CDEM) serving as the chase vehicle, will be
traveling from the Alabama / Florida state line west of Pensacola
down Florida's Gulf Coast to the Everglades then up the Atlantic
Coast to the Florida / Georgia state line north of Jacksonville.
During the 61 days Florida's American Red Cross chapters will
coordinate routes and drivers for the GeHuPA Caravan.
On June 1 the GeHuPA Caravan will return to Tallahassee to kickoff
HURRICANE SEASON 2002.
To follow the activities of the GeHuPA Caravan please visit the Capital Area Chapter of the red Cross web site at:
http://www.tallytown.com/redcross
Remember the Disaster Handbook materials can be found at:
SAFETY NEWS & NOTES is an e-mail newsletter prepared by Carol J. Lehtola, Extension Agricultural Safety Specialist. Design Team FL 124: Prevention and Preparedness: Agricultural Safety & Disaster Management. If you have safety or disaster related questions or ideas that you would like to share with other agents, please let me know. If you know someone interested in receiving this, we will gladly add them to the e-mail list.
BE AWARE! BE ALERT! BE ALIVE!
Florida Ag Safe
website: http://www.flagsafe.ufl.edu
Disaster Management Team website: http://it.ifas.ufl.edu/FDM/
Dr. Carol J. Lehtola, Ph.D. Extension Agricultural Safety Specialist
Ass't. Professor
Dept. of Agricultural & Biological Engineering
PO Box 110570 The University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611-0570
352-392-1864 x223 FAX: 352-392-4092