You might already know that if you open the top three drawers of a four-drawer file cabinet, the whole thing could topple down on you.
The office may seem like a quiet, safe place, but any number of injuries can be sustained there.
Falls. Slips, trips and falls are the most common accidents, according to OSHA. Slips are caused by liquid spilled on the floor or rain and snow brought in from the outside.
Trips are caused by anything left in an aisle or extending into it. Both slips and trips can result in a fall.
In a hallway. Watch where you are going so you don’t run into someone. Don’t dial your cellphone or read a report. Don’t run. When you get to the stairs, use the handrail.
Back injuries. They can happen when one person lifts a heavy piece of equipment or a carton of supplies. Always get help to move heavy stuff.
To lift a moderately heavy object by yourself, squat, hold the item securely, then straighten your legs as you rise.
Electrical shocks. Office equipment can cause serious shock and burn injuries if not properly used. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Never remove the third prong from the three-prong plug of any piece of equipment. If you must temporarily run an extension cord across a walkway, tape it down.
Overloading electrical outlets and extension cords can result in a fire.
Renovations. When a building is undergoing construction, alterations or renovations, keep your distance from the project. Fire departments say this cannot be stressed enough.
Get an escort. If you occasionally work late at night in a large building, a time when everyone else has left, call securtiy and ask to be escorted through the building and to your car.
Stay safe: Watch for these dangers in the office
Teen driving contract saves lives
Fatal car crashes involving teen drivers fell by about a third over five years ending in 2008, according to a new federal report. The report partly credits the drop to tougher state limits on younger drivers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who made the study, say Wyoming had the highest death rate with about 60 traffic fatalities involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers per 100,000 people at that age. New York and New Jersey had the lowest rate at about 10 per 100,000.
New York prohibits teen driving until age 18. New Jersey essentially bans kids from driving until they are 17.
Wyoming allows younger teens to drive until 11 p.m., while other states have a 9 p.m. deadline.
The number of teen deaths has been decreasing since 1996. CDC officials credit part of the decline to safer cars, airbags and highway improvements.
The most recent step forward in preventing teen fatalities is the parent-teen driving agreement. It helps new drivers and their families agree on such matters as the hours the teen will be allowed to drive, whether or not passengers will be allowed in the car, and promises to obey traffic laws.
Safe driving requires much more than what state laws call for, and signing an agreement before teens start driving is helpful in establishing expectations. The American Automobile Association provides a good example of a contract at www.aaaexchange.com/assets/files/2007214956500.parent_teencontract.pdf. Copy and paste the address into your browser.
Sledding: Helmet, yes. Trees, no
One of the main factors in safe sledding is the location. Be sure the hill has an area without trees. The run should end in a flat, open area that is not a street, parking lot, drop-off, or pond. Here are some tips from the National Safety Council on how to keep yourself and your kids out of danger.
* Wear a bike helmet over a cap and goggles to protect against flying ice.
* Sit up on the sled. Don’t lie down in a head-first position, because you should use your feet to stop and steer.
* Don’t attach a sled to a car. If the car stops, you will slide under it and be hurt.
* Be aware of kids in groups. They are more bold than when alone.
* Supervise your kids, or sled with them. For small kids, use low inclines and smooth terrain.
* Don’t use plastic sheets as sleds. They can be pierced by objects in the snow and hurt you.
* Check to see if the sled is in good condition before using it.
Motorcycle helmets with retro look score big
Though they look a lot like German-style combat helmets, they are the headgear of choice for a growing group of professional business people who ride motorcycles. Some novelty stores sell about 500 of the $50 helmets a month. However, experts at the Head Protection Research Laboratory say the helmets will keep you from scraping your skull, but they won’t protect your brain.
Loud car stereos, indoor band practice threaten young people’s hearing
Millions of children age 6 to 19 have hearing loss in one or both ears. Audiologists at the University of Louisville in Kentucky say it’s the same degree of hearing loss they see in 60-year-olds. Teens often turn up the volume of their car stereos so loud, it can be heard inside buildings they are passing by. When they turn up the volume, they damage the tiny hair cells in the inner ear that play a key role in hearing.
Pumping loud music directly into the ears from an MP3 player has the same effect.
Over time, the hair cells begin to die out, and there is no way to restore them. The hearing loss is permanent.
Students playing in high school and college marching bands have a similar risk. Indoor rehearsals concentrate the sound. One student quoted in USA Today says that after indoor rehearsals, his ears hurt and start ringing. Now, he hears the ringing whenever he’s in a quiet room.
Michigan State University and the University of North Texas, which have large music schools, are researching the effects of indoor practice and taking steps to protect band members.
Measures they take include free hearing tests, courses in occupational health, and lining practice rooms with sound absorbing materials.
They also monitor sound levels during rehearsals and give ear plugs to music students.