National Safety Month 2021: Part 2

June is National Safety Month, an opportunity to discuss the many ways in which we can work together to avoid unnecessary injuries. Whether you are driving your car, working, spending time at home, or out in the community, there are plenty of ways that you can help prevent unintentional personal injuries from happening to yourself or others.

SLIP & FALL ACCIDENTS

Clean up spills immediately. Whether someone spilled a drink or a leak in the roof caused a puddle on the floor, spills can make it easy for someone unsuspecting to slip and fall, causing serious injury.

Keep flooring in good condition. If there are cracks or bumps in the floor, this could cause people to trip. Make sure to keep the floor free of clutter and obstacles, lessening the chances that someone could get hurt.

Maintain proper lighting. If a lightbulb is out or too dim, replace it right away. Not providing proper lighting could cause someone to slip, trip, or fall.

Mind your step. Many different scenarios could cause you to slip, trip, or fall. Watch where you are walking, avoid hazards, and adjust your pace according to the situation.

BICYCLE ACCIDENTS

Always wear a helmet. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), if a cyclist is in a bicycle accident, wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury by more than 50%. Although not required in all states, cyclists are highly encouraged to wear a helmet every time they head out on the road.

Obey all traffic laws. Cyclists are required to abide by the same rules of the road that cars are. This includes all street signs, signals, and markings in addition to speed limits and yielding expectations.

Use hand signals. The three most common hand signals for cyclists indicate right turns, left turns, and stopping. Using these hand signals helps to communicate to other drivers on the road, making them aware of your intentions.

• Stopping or Slowing: Extend either the left or right arm to the side with the elbow at 90 degrees, the hand pointing downwards, keeping the fingers straight and the palm facing backward.

If you are driving a car, look twice for cyclists. As cyclists are not easily seen, drivers need to do their part to look for them on the road. This includes while driving and while parked as dooring poses a serious threat to cyclists.

DOG BITES

Stay away from dogs you don’t know. 1 in 5 people who are bitten by a dog require medical attention. The best way to prevent a dog bite is to avoid dogs you don’t know. If the owner is present, you may ask the owner for permission to approach the dog. If the owner is not present, do not go near the dog.

Learn to recognize signs of distress. A dog may be agitated if they are presenting any of the following: holding their tail stiff and high, looking at you out of the corner of their eye, their nose and/or lips are pulled back, the hair along their neck is raised, their body is tense, or if they are growling.

Don’t make sudden movements. If you think a dog might attack you, avoid yelling or running away. Instead, be quiet, avoid eye contact, and move away slowly.

Never leave children unsupervised. Children are the most common dog bite victims. A child’s energy level can easily overwhelm some dogs and the child’s sudden movements can startle some dogs, potentially causing them to react by biting. Always make sure to supervise children while they are around animals.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

Have a safety and wellness plan set in place. Providing a safe environment for employees greatly reduces the risk of injury. Communicate with all employees about health and safety, as well as how they can report any hazardous practices or behavior that they might observe.

Provide proper training. Don’t take shortcuts when it comes to training. The number one injury that results in workers’ compensation claims is strains and sprains. Make sure all employees know how to properly handle company equipment, how to use protective equipment if necessary, and how to prevent injuries from happening in the first place.

Regularly inspect all company equipment. Whether the equipment is a forklift in a warehouse or a paper shredder in an office, all equipment can pose a risk to employees if it is not functioning properly. Make sure to inspect all company equipment regularly and encourage employees to report if they find something not working correctly.

Keep the workspace clean and organized. A clutter-free workspace helps minimize the risk of slip and fall accidents and having an organized space makes it easy to find first aid supplies in case of an emergency.

Rob Levine & Associates cares about accident prevention. We are here to encourage safe behaviors and to demand justice when someone is hurt due to another’s negligence. If you or someone you know has been injured at the hands of another, contact our team today. Our team will help you receive the compensation you deserve.