| Lucky Winner! |
Carrie R. is the lucky winner of the book, "Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done." Thanks to everyone that responded! |
| Quote of the Month |
|
The good news is that it always happens to the other guy.
The bad news is that to everyone else, you are the other guy! |
|
Upcoming
Events |
|
Sept. 19, 6:00 pm: HRMA meeting sponsored by CBIL @ Airport Renaissance Hotel. Email Shayna for more info.
Join us on Oct. 19th for a seminar on Generational Diversity in the Workplace. Mini-workshop and an optional tour of our new, "green" Wildwood Campus. FREE! Such a deal! Register here. |
|
Safety Laughs |
|
Want to create an outrageously
funny Unsafe Material Data Sheet
(UMDS)? Click here for some laughs. |
| Coming Soon to CBIL! |
|
DISC Personality Profiler
Gateway Leadership Training Program for New Leaders
Contact Barry for more info.
Lean Enterprise Rapid Plant Assessment
|
|
Amazing Safety Facts!
About 3.9 million employees are disabled at work in any given year.
One work related injury occurs every 8 seconds.
Accidental overdose of iron pills is the leading cause of poisoning deaths among children.
Fire kills more Americans each year than ALL other natural disasters combined.
About 8 out of every 10 adults will have a back injury in their lives.
On average about 400 people die from heat stroke each year.
U.S. workers who work overtime are at a 61% greater risk of damaging their health than those who do not.
Of the 42,000 traffic fatalities in recent years, 41% were alcohol related. | | |
| Greetings!
Welcome to "Just Add Value," the newsletter of the Center for Business, Industry & Labor at St. Louis Community College. Our newsletter is designed to add value to you and your organization by sharing information, resources, tips, quotes and fun items. We hope that you find it valuable and look forward to receiving it each month.
In this issue we take a look at health and safety in the workplace and at home.
Here's an extra incentive to read this issue: If you are the first person to find the phrase "Safety First" somewhere in this newsletter (not the one above!), you will win a free one hour safety assessment for your company! Email Lisa Stepanovic and tell her exactly where you found this phrase. We will announce the winner in the next issue. |
|
|
Spotlight on Safety: How Are You Doing?
Do you tend to daydream during safety training because it's so boring? Or do you wish you had the opportunity to attend safety training? Do you ever cut corners on safety to get the job done quicker? Or are you not familiar with safety rules, so you do what you think is right, and it's not? If you're like most employees, one of these should ring true for you at least sometimes. We don't want you to be another statistic like this:
Most of us think, "It will never happen to me. I'm too smart/focused/observant/protected/informed, etc. But ask someone who became disabled due to improper lifting if they ever thought it would happen to them. Or the worker who mishandled a toxic chemical and spilled it on himself because the instructions for use where not displayed. The responsibility for preventing such incidents lies with your employer and YOU.
Here are some questions to ask yourself about safety at your company.
Is Safety a Priority at Your Company?
|
| Meet the Trainer
 Gene Weber is one of CBIL's safety trainers. For 38 years he worked for Ford Motor Co, the last nine years as a UAW Health and Safety Representative. Gene has also conducted safety training at the St. Louis Ford Assembly Plant and at Ford's Training Center in Detroit. Additionally, he was responsible for tool buy off for new models at many Ford plants in North America. Gene is certified to conduct the following types of safety training:
- Lock Out/Tag Out Electrical Safety
- Confined Space Entry
- Powered Material Handling Vehicles
- Fork Lifts
- Chemical Safety Training
- Miller/Troll Fall Protection
- OSHA Training Institute
To ask a question about safety or safety training at your company, contact Gene. |
Creating a Safer Office
 While the issue of workplace safety is often associated with risky environments or those who perform manual labor tasks like heavy-lifting or factory work, providing a safe, comfortable place for office employees is just as essential. Because an office is a contained, highly-controllable environment, unlike a factory or outdoor work, most worker's comp accidents that happen in an office could be avoided. Here are some easily correctable hazards to watch out for:
1. Trip hazards. Cables and wires are components of almost every piece of office machinery, from computers to printers to photocopiers to fax machines. Allowing cables to lie on the floor, jumbled up is only inviting trouble. Simple, inexpensive cable management systems can minimize the potential for employees to trip over these cables and damage expensive equipment or themselves. We found a variety of cable management options at www.versatables.com, starting as low as $2 each if you buy in quantity. A small price to prevent what could be a costly Worker's Comp claim.
|
 Tips for Preventing Low Back Pain
- Reverse the Curve. What ever position you have been using for the last hour, stop and reverse that curve. For example, if you have been sitting at your desk, stand up and gently lean back. This reverses the curve.
-
Walk Between Tasks. When the opportunity affords itself, take a walk between tasks or projects.
-
Support the Low Back. Using the lumbar adjustment on your chair or a home cushion, position the support in the low back area where your curve is greatest.
-
Strengthen the Muscles. Abdominals are key muscles in controlling LBP. Keep them strong.
-
Drink More Water. Studies show that if your body is hydrated, you stand a better chance of not injuring the discs in your back. | |
|
|
|
Mold: It's Not Just the Heat...
Do you have mold in your home? If you have moisture, the answer may be yes.
What is Mold?
Mold is the common term used to describe a growth on the surface of organic matter caused by fungi, especially in the presence of dampness. Mold is Mother Nature's way of recycling organic material. Every cubic foot of air has thousands of mold spores floating within it.
What Mold Needs to Grow
Mold needs three things to grow: food, water and temperate weather. Mold will stay dormant if the conditions are too dry, too cold, or if there are insufficient food sources. Greater than 60% humidity, constant dampness and temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees F, are the factors most conducive to growth. St. Louis is known for its high humidity. Dehumidifiers can help regulate humidity levels Safety First indoors. There are many common food sources, such as dust, pollen and other pollutants.
Here are just a few places where mold can grow:
· Damp basements and garages, as they are not as well ventilated as the rest of the home.
· Behind leaky sinks/toilets.
· Attics and walls where there have been leaks from the roof or pipes.
· Clogged vents or air ducts.
· Behind/beneath large appliances.
Health Effects
People with respiratory problems, such as asthma, may have reactions to many types of mold. However, toxic molds can trigger health problems in even the healthiest of people. Toxic molds produce hazardous byproducts called mycotoxins. These toxins are believed to be linked to memory loss and severe lung problems. To learn more about toxic molds go to the Mold Help website at www.mold-help.org.
Cleaning Mold
If outdoor mold has been growing for awhile, a power washer may be needed. Indoor mold can be cleaned with bleach and dish or laundry detergent. Mold will die at temperatures above 140 F. |
Thanks for reading. We hope this newsletter added value to your day, and maybe even gave you a laugh. Email Shayna with your comments and suggestions for future newsletters. This is your newsletter, so tell us what you'd like to see.
Sincerely,
The CBIL "Just Add Value" Team
Center for Business, Industry & Labor
St. Louis Community College |
|
|
