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Vol 7., No. 4, April 2006
Contents
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THOUGHTS & QUOTES
…..now Dr.
Lehtola, I can’t believe you would do something like that!
That was the response from
one of our Extension faculty when we were discussing road rage,
and I was explaining the situation where someone used the ½
lane width to get around me as I waited for a semi to complete
a turn into a narrow drive. I told him that when I waved at the
offending driver, I didn’t use the whole hand!! I further
stated, "Well sometimes it just happens!"
My personal theory is that
road rage is caused by microwave ovens and the Internet! We are
becoming accustomed to getting everything instantly –- so
we no longer seem to know how to wait for anything. Even our
meal choices often boil down to if it will take 2 minutes or
5 minutes! Also, we feel we are ‘anonymous’ in our
metal cocoons (our cars) -– we will cut someone off, yet
probably be the first to let them in front of us at the checkout
line if they only have one item.
So as I drive and mutter to
myself about other drivers, I have developed my Top 10 list of
Driving Pet Peeves:
10. Failing to signal when making a turn or lane change -–
seems pretty selfish -– “I know where I am going, but
I don’t have to warn anyone else.” Remember people
can more easily react if given the proper information.
9. Leaving a turn signal on for miles and miles and miles!
8. Putting on a right turn signal several driveways/intersections
before making a right turn. It is advised not to pull out in
front of someone just because they have the right turn signal
on. When driving, remember that if there are multiple entrances,
don’t put on the right signal till after you have passed
the last entrance prior to your turn.
7. Weaving in and out (and nearly clipping your fender) and then
getting to sit next to you at the red light.
6. Honking at the person in
front of them because they are not turning right on red (when
traffic is still coming). People can honk when they can guarantee
that oncoming traffic is not going to make a lane change.
5. Backing out of a parking
lot space while people barrel through without paying a bit of
attention. It is now impossible for cars backing out to see anything
when surrounded by SUVs and extended cab trucks. Maybe parking
lots should have a section for ‘cars only’ or maybe
cars should be equipped with periscopes!
4. When the motorist behind
you at the stop sign feels they should honk so you can make it
across to sit in the median waiting for the 2nd direction of
traffic to clear – then they proceed to pull up next to
you and cut off your visibility. Is this too much for one bumper
sticker? “As long as you are not paying my insurance and
car payment – I will decide when I feel it best to go play
in traffic!”
3. Oh clueless one with phone
to ear and not a thought as to driving... enough said.
2. Drivers who think they must
look at their passengers when they talk to them ….. hey,
do not feel offended if you do not make eye contact when talking
to me – especially if I am in the back seat!
1. Making a right turn on red
when those with the green are stopped before the intersection
to prevent grid-lock!
So relieve your traffic frustrations
and make up your own Top 10 list! I’m sure we can also see
ourselves doing some of the same things!
Resources
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Confined
Spaces
A confined space is defined
as: A space which, by design, has limited openings for entry
and exit; unfavorable natural ventilation which could contain
or produce dangerous air contaminants, and which is not intended
for continuous employee occupancy.
Confined spaces include but
are not limited to storage tanks, pits, silos, vats, boilers,
ventilation and exhaust ducts, sewers, tunnels, underground utility
vaults, and pipelines.
Frequently, confined space situations include multiple fatalities
as people attempting a rescue are also overcome by dangerous
gases. Only trained rescue personnel with the proper gear should
enter a confined space to make a rescue. What overcame the first
person will most likely overcome the second person as well.
If you have confined spaces
at your work site, it is a good idea to inform all employees
about the hazards. Inform them so that they know to stay out
of a dangerous situation.
Resources
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Pets &
Safety
For many people, pets are an
important aspect of their lives. Here are a few basic information
sources about pets and disasters and pets and basic first aid
care. Please remember that, with temperatures beginning to climb,
do not leave Fluffy and Fido in the car. Also, now is the time
to do your disaster planning for you, your family and your pets.
Information is also included to insure that your children are
safe around the pets.
Resources
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Horses &
Livestock
A high number of injuries on
cattle ranches are horse-related. The following information would
certainly be useful for people using horses for work or for leisure.
Trailblazer Magazine includes a lot of horse safety
information in their Outdoor
Safety & Survival section. Topics range from basic horse
handling to being caught in a thunderstorm while riding. First
aid supplies to have in the barn, on the trail, and in the trailer
are among helpful topics covered. More fact sheets are continually
being added.
Additional fact sheets on-line
include: Livestock
Handler's Safety and Safety
around Horses.
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Boating Safety
With spring and summer comes
an increase in boating activities. The following sites provide
useful information for making your boating outing fun and enjoyable.
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Customizing
Your Own First Aid Kit
This publication from Wildnerness Medical Associates shows how to customize a first aid
kit depending on what activities you are doing and the environment
you are in. First aid kits may differ from work site locations
to leisure site locations for example. The context of its use
will be the major criteria for determining what items need to
be placed in the kit.
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Landcare
Industry Materials in English and Spanish
The Professional Landcare Network
(PLANET) now has four bilingual (English/Spanish) Safety Tip
Sheets available for downloading. These one-page tailgate training
scripts for use in training green industry workers were developed
through the PLANET-OSHA Alliance.
Safety
Tip Sheets titles include:
- Slip and Trip Injuries in English
and Spanish
- Lifting Injuries in English and
Spanish
- Defensive driving in English and
Spanish
- Reducing the risk of amputations
in English and Spanish
The OSHA and Professional Landcare
Network Alliance focuses on providing large and small green industry
businesses and their employees, including but not limited to
youth workers, "hard to reach" and non-English speaking
workers, with safety information and guidance.
OSHA has safety information for teens
who plan to work during the summer in the Landcare industry.
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North American
Occupational Safety & Health Week, April 30–May 6
The goal of the annual North American Occupational
Safety & Health (NAOSH) Week is to focus the attention
of employers, employees, the general public and all partners
in occupational safety, health and the environment on the importance
of preventing injury and illness in the workplace. Information
and fact sheets and ideas for promoting this in your workplace
are available.
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Falls from
Elevations
Falls are second only to motor-vehicle
crashes as a leading cause of work-related deaths.
Recent statistics show that
an average of two deaths per day occurred due to falls. The risk
for falls is present in every type of workplace and can occur
even with minimal heights involved. Especially in agriculture,
a fall can be compounded by what a person may fall into -–
for example an operating machine. NIOSH has a Traumatic
Occupational Injuries publication on “Falls from Elevation”.
It provides links to case studies (which can be used to personalize
the risk for your workplace) as well as links to recommendations
for prevention strategies.
The American College of Surgeons
Subcommittee on Injury Prevention and Control has a
report that summarizes types of falls from heights for children
as well as adults. It describes the typical injuries and provides
prevention tips.
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FEMA Web
Site Changes
The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) has launched a completely reengineered Web site
at <http://fema.gov>. The
new site has a restructured navigation system designed to make
it easier for citizens, emergency personnel, businesses, and
federal, state, and local government agencies to quickly find
the information they need on FEMA's disaster training, preparation,
mitigation, response, and recovery efforts and services.
In developing the new site,
FEMA conducted a year-long usability study of their Web site
and implemented recommendations from victims of disasters and
those involved in disaster response and recovery efforts. The
FEMA Web site will be the first in the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security to roll out the department's new Web branding.
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The 10 Most
Dangerous Foods to Eat While Driving!
Imagine eating a taco while
driving... Now imagine your cleaning bill... But there's more
to the story than that. Eating while driving is a significant
distraction and causes numerous collisions every year -- mostly
rear-ending stopped vehicles and single-car collisions. Find
out what foods are involved in the most collisions...
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SAFETY NEWS
& NOTES is
an e-mail newsletter prepared by Carol J. Lehtola, Extension
Agricultural Safety Specialist and team leader for the Prevention
and Preparedness: Agricultural Safety & Disaster Management
program. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering,
UF/IFAS. If you have safety- or disaster-related questions or
ideas that you would like to share with other agents, please
contact Dr. Lehtola. If you know someone interested in receiving
this newsletter, we will gladly add them to the e-mail list.
Past issues of Safety News & Notes are archived on the Florida AgSafe Web site.
Florida AgSafe Web site:
http://www.flagsafe.ufl.edu
The Disaster Handbook: http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu
National Agricultural Safety
Database: http://www.cdc.gov/nasd
Extension Disaster Education
Network: http://eden.lsu.edu/
Florida State Agricultural
Response Team (SART): http://www.flsart.org
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