HCCA's Worksite Wellness Newsletter

Tie One on For Safety Campaign

During November and December, spirits are high, celebrations abound and travel increases on America's roadways. Unfortunately, drunk driving is usually on the rise as well. That's why MADD conducts Tie One On For Safety, public awareness campaign, each year during the winter holiday season.

Tie One On For Safety asks Americans to place a red ribbon, MADD ribbon or window decal on their vehicles as a pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up during the holidays and throughout the year. The message includes safety belts because they're the best defense against a drunk driver.

To learn more visit http://www.madd.org/Drunk-Driving/Drunk-Driving/Programs/View-Program.aspx?program=10

What worksites/wellness teams can do:

* Distribute educational materials regarding the health risks of drinking to employees

* Distribute educational materials regarding ways to reduce underage drinking to employees

* Distribute company drug free worksite policy to employees

* Celebrate with chem-free company parties

* Distribute red ribbons, MADD ribbons or window decals to employees

* Distribute EAP (employee assistance program) information

* Have a lunch and learn with a presentation on the health risks of drinking, ways to reduce underage drinking, and/or to go over the company's Drug Free Worksite Policy.

*Develop a Drugfree Worksite Policy

National Handwashing Awareness Week henry the hand

Sponsored by the Henry the Hand Foundation,
National Handwashing Awareness week is always the first full week of December. Established in 1999, Henry the Hand is asking everyone to "Spread the word, not the germs!!" This is especially important this year with the flu season quickly approaching and the growing threat of the H1N1 virus.

Henry the Hand is asking all of us to follow the 4 Principles of Hand
Awareness:
     1. WASH your hands when they are dirty and BEFORE eating
     2. DO NOT cough into your hands
     3. DO NOT sneeze into your hands
     4. Above all, DO NOT put your fingers in your eyes, nose, or mouth

Henry the Hand has a number of contests that are being offered at schools nationwide, including a Handwashing contest and a poster contest. He feels that proper handwashing skills are something thatcan help keep you healthy for a lifetime.

For more information visit www.henrythehand.com

National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month

Every day, 36 people in the United States die, and approximately 700 more are injured, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This December, during National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month (3D Month), consider what you and your community can do to make injuries and deaths from impaired driving less of a threat.

The Problem

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.
In 2006, 13,470 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.
In one year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This accounts for less than 1% of the 159 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.
Alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost about $51 billion a year.

Protect Yourself and Your Family and Friends
During the holiday season, and year-round, take steps to make sure that you and everyone you celebrate with avoids driving under the influence of alcohol. Following these tips from NHTSA can help you stay safe:

Plan ahead. Always designate a non-drinking driver before any holiday party or celebration begins.
Take the keys. Do not let a friend drive if they are impaired.
Be a helpful host. If you're hosting a party this holiday season, remind your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver, always offer alcohol-free beverages, and make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver.

Know How Communities Can Help
Proven community and state-level methods for reducing alcohol-impaired driving include:

Sobriety checkpoints. Studies found that fatal crashes thought to involve alcohol dropped by about 22% following implementation of sobriety checkpoints.
Minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws. Studies found that raising the MLDA to 21 reduced crashes by about 16% among people ages 18.20 years.
0.08% BAC laws. Fatal alcohol-related crashes declined about 7% after 0.08% BAC laws were passed.
"Zero tolerance" laws for young drivers. Three studies found that zero tolerance laws resulted in declines in fatal crashes among drivers ages 18.20 years of between 9% and 24%.

Resources for More Information
Web-based Resources
CDC: Impaired Driving Fact Sheet http://www.cdc.gov/MotorVehicleSafety/Impaired_Driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Traffic Safety Facts 2006: Alcohol-Impaired Driving (PDF 630KB, 6 pages) http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/810801.PDF

Podcasts
All Unintentional Injury Podcasts http://www.cdc.gov/injury/podcast.html

January Health Observances

Cervical Health Awareness Month
Healthy Weight Week 18-24
National Birth Defect Prevention Month
National Blood Donor Month
National Folic Acid Awareness week 4-10
National Blood Donor Month
National Folic Acid Awareness week 5-11
National Glaucoma Awareness Month