Florida Department of Financial Services—Division of Risk Management
200 East Gaines Street
ISSUE 2| VOLUME 7
MAR-APR 2016
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

Developing Agency
Safety Goals
1

First Aid Poster
3

Zika Virus
4

NIOSH Releases New
Heat Stress Information
5

Heat Illness
5

Sleep Disorders
6

Opening Sendinc Emails 7
Infographic

8
Safety and Loss
Prevention Word Search
Developing Agency Safety
Goals
One of the most important and lasting contributions safety officials can make to an
agency's loss prevention program is to craft a
solid set of safety goals for the organization.
Since well-developed goals and objectives
have been shown to prevent or reduce losses in workers' compensation claims and give
an organization targets for improvement in
the future, consider creating or updating
your agency's safety goals.
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In beginning the drafting process, it is
helpful to keep in mind the S.M.A.R.T.
criteria for goals. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym that suggests that well-written
goals should be:


Specific – A specific goal conveys
to all involved parties an overview of what it is intended to
achieve. Specific goals give information on what the organization
wants to accomplish and why.
For example, you may
want to create a goal of
reducing slips, trips, and
falls each year because
it will increase employee safety and decrease
payouts of workers'
compensation claims.
Additionally, specific
goals should convey
who will be part of the
improvement process
and where the
measures will take
place. By creating specific goals as opposed to
generic ones such as
“Our organization will
be safer,” all involved
parties will be on the
same page in working
toward the desired result.
Measurable – Steve
Hicken, Government Analyst II
with the Department of Financial
Services, says, “What gets measured, gets done.” Measurable
goals help employees understand
how an organization defines
whether or not the goal has been
achieved. To revisit the last example, “Our organization will be
safer” gives no concrete information on what is being measured and how it will be accomplished. A much stronger goal
would be, “Our organization will
decrease slips, trips, and falls by
ten percent per year.”

Achievable – While it is commendable to “shoot for the
moon” in striving for improvements, an unrealistic goal can
often have the opposite of the
intended effect on a team, and
dishearten employees when the
goal ends up unmet. Of course, it
would be wonderful to complete-
crease training for preexisting
employees.

Relevant – Relevant goals are
worthwhile to both the organization and to the employees working in it to bring them to fruition.
Employees will work harder to
achieve goals when they can see
the benefit of the goals' implementation. An example of a relevant goal would be to reduce carpal-tunnel claims by five
percent per year, as these
claims can be very expensive, and are very painful
for the affected employees.

ly eliminate all employee accidents; however, this is not a realistic goal as mistakes will always
be made, and real life will intrude
on lofty objectives. Instead,
choose an attainable goal that
will inspire employees to rise to
the challenge. If your organization needs to increase employee
training participation, a good goal
would be, “All new employees
will receive safety training within
one month of the date of their
hire.” This creates a starting
point from which you can in-
Time-bound – Finally,
time-bound goals establish
a specific end-date within
which the goal should be
successfully completed. By
letting participants know
the time frame in which
the results of the goal are
expected, there is no question of whether additional
time can be allocated.
Time-bound goals should
also work hand-in-hand
with the achievability metric previously outlined.
Make sure that the time
frame allocated is actually
possible for your plans.
Planning to have all of an
agency's employees fully trained
in all facets of safety within two
weeks is unrealistic; but implementing such a goal within a year
could conceivably happen.
S.M.A.R.T. goal modeling is just one
of the tools available to safety team
members in crafting agency safety
objectives. In our next issue, we will
take an in-depth look at how several
agencies crafted effective safety
goals, and the results that they have
seen since their implementation.
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Since the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) declared Zika virus a public
health emergency of international
concern on February 1, 2016, media
outlets have released alarming statistics and photographs, causing growing
concern among people geographically
likely to be infected. According to the
CDC, “Zika virus disease… is spread to
people primarily through the bite of
an infected Aedes species mosquito.
The most common symptoms of Zika
are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis.” Zika can also less commonly be spread by sexual contact.
Those infected generally only experience these symptoms for about a
week, and rarely become ill enough to
seek medical treatment. Additionally,
once infected, people are more likely
to be resistant to future Zika infections. While these relatively mild
effects are not great cause for concern, Zika virus is potentially very dangerous for pregnant women.
As Zika virus has
only been documented in humans
since 1952, there is
still a great deal
that is unknown
about the infection. Brazil has
seen the majority
of the infections
documented in this
most recent outbreak, and the cases of Zika have ac-
companied a spike in Brazil's instances
of microcephaly, a birth defect characterized by a smaller-than-normal head
and brain. Additionally, Brazil has experienced a sharp uptick in the number of diagnosed cases of GuillainBarre Syndrome during the current
Zika outbreak, leading some to believe
that there may be a link between the
nervous system disorder and Zika. The
link has yet to be proven definitively,
however.
As of March 16, 2016, the United
States has had reports of 258 cases of
Zika virus disease, all of which were
contracted by travelers outside of the
country. Currently, there are no reports of infections than have been
contracted within the United States.
However, with warm (and in some
cases, hot) spring weather returning,
the concentration of mosquitoes will
increase exponentially, especially in
southern states such as Florida. This
leads to an increased risk of infection.
To prevent mosquito bites, the CDC
recommends the following measures:

Use an insect repellent containing
DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of
lemon eucalyptus.

Cover exposed skin by wearing
long-sleeved shirts, long pants,
and hats.

Stay and sleep in screened or airconditioned rooms.

Use a bed net if the area where
you are sleeping is exposed to the
outdoors.
Agency officials can also play a part in
the prevention of Zika virus. Distribute information about the illness to
your coworkers, and work with your
building managers to ensure that
standing water around buildings is
emptied as mosquitoes lay their eggs
in the stagnant water that can collect
in everyday outdoor containers. While
Zika virus is a potentially serious
threat, education
and simple precautions can ensure you and
those who count
on you limit their
exposure.
For more information on Zika
virus, visit the
Centers for Disease Control website at
www.cdc.gov/zika.
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Occupational exposure to heat can
result in injuries, disease, reduced
productivity, and death. To address
this hazard, the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) has evaluated the scientific
data on heat stress and hot environments and has updated the Criteria
for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Hot Environments. This document was last updated in 1986, and in recent years,
including during the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill response of 2010,
questions were raised regarding the
need for revision to reflect recent
research and findings. This revision
includes additional information
about the physiological changes that
result from heat stress; updated
information from relevant studies,
such as those on caffeine use; evidence to redefine heat stroke and
associated symptoms; and updated
information on physiological monitoring and personal protective
equipment and clothing that can be
used to control heat stress. For
more information on heat stress,
visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
topics/heatstress/.
With hotter weather returning to Florida, and with the newly-released NIOSH
guidelines on heat stress, now is an excellent time to review heat-related illness.
The first step in combating heat-related illness is to recognize its symptoms:
Heat rash is generally the first sign that someone is having an adverse reaction
to high temperatures. It is characterized by skin irritation, usually around the
neck, chest, and shoulders, and is brought about by excessive sweating in hot
conditions.
Heat syncope is fainting or dizziness due to high temperatures. This fainting
may or may not be accompanied by mental confusion, and is caused by diminished blood flow to the heart and dehydration.
Heat exhaustion is a more serious form of heat illness caused by dehydration
and loss of sodium. It may include nausea, dizziness, irritability, headache,
weakness, and elevated body temperature. Heat exhaustion, if left untreated,
may lead to the most serious of all heat-related illnesses: heatstroke.
Heatstroke, or hyperthermia, occurs when the body's temperature rises to over
105 degrees due to exposure to heat. One of heatstroke's main symptoms may
seem counterintuitive, as it is marked by a lack of sweating. Additionally, victims of heatstroke may become disoriented or have seizures, and if left untreated will lose consciousness, sustain organ failure, and die. Heatstroke is a medical emergency, and must be treated as quickly as possible.
If you believe that a coworker is the victim of heat-related illness, move the
affected person immediately to a cooler place, and administer cold fluids to
speed hydration. If the victim has fainted, position him or her in a seated position with legs raised. If the victim is disoriented, or shows other signs of heatstroke, seek medical attention immediately.
The most important thing safety officials can do to protect employees from heat
-related illness is to make them aware of its symptoms, and to encourage frequent breaks and water consumption for those working outside. While heatrelated illness is extremely serious, proper preparation and employee education
can help prevent tragic outcomes.
For more information on preventing heat-related illness, visit the United States
Department of Labor at https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html?
utm_source=Twitter. You may also download free, printable heat stress
handouts from the Centers for Disease Control at http://www.cdc.gov.
Page 5
Most people experience poor sleep
from time to time, causing them to
wake up lethargic, tired, and moody.
But when does a bad night's sleep rise
to the level of a sleep disorder? Most
often, the delineation is that a sleep
disorder has a medical cause, as opposed to simple external factors such
as noise or uncomfortable temperatures which interfere with sleep.
"Sleep disorder" is a blanket term,
encompassing a host of medical conditions that prevent a full night's rest.
Some of the most common of these
are listed below.
Sleep apnea is a common—but potentially dangerous—disorder, in which
the airway is obstructed during sleep.
Often thought to be simple snoring,
the disorder is actually far more serious, as the obstruction causes a cessation in breathing. This prevents deep
sleep, and can eventually lead to hypertension, stroke, and even death.
Sleep apnea is generally treated by
use of a continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) device, which is worn
during sleep and applies air pressure
continuously throughout the night to
keep the airway open and allow easier
breathing.
Narcolepsy is a disorder characterized
by being extremely tired throughout
the day, which often leads to falling
asleep at inopportune times. Sufferers of the disorder report constant
tiredness equivalent to going without
sleep for 24 to 48 hours. It is thought
that narcolepsy is caused by a malfunction in the brain's regulation of its
sleep and wake cycles. One of the
most dangerous parts of the disorder
is the potential for sufferers to fall
down and sustain injuries after nodding off while standing or sitting.
as sitting up in bed, but some rise to
perform activities as intricate as walking around their homes, cleaning,
cooking, or even in rare cases, driving.
Sleepwalking incidents can last up to
half an hour, compounding the potential dangers to the somnambulist and
those around him or her.
Sleep paralysis is a potentially frightening condition in which the sufferer
finds himself or herself unable to
move or speak when either falling
asleep or waking up. The disorder
may manifest as an isolated event or
as a recurring series of experiences.
Compounding the unpleasantness of
the condition, sleep paralysis is frequently accompanied by audio or visual hallucinations to which the affected sleeper is unable to react. The
phenomenon has been observed
throughout history, with artists and
writers depicting tormented sleepers,
and sufferers believing themselves to
be attacked by demons during the
night.
Another type of parasomnia is somniloquy (sleep talking), in which the
afflicted simply talks in his or her
sleep. Somniloquists may mumble,
deliver rambling, nonsensical speeches, or even shout while asleep. Studies have shown that sleep-talking is
more common in children who have
parents who talk in their sleep.
Parasomnias are a subcategory of
sleep disorder characterized by unusual behaviors during sleep. Instead
of the relative still and quiet of normal, non-disordered sleep, people
affected by parasomnia exhibit far
more activity than normal. Perhaps
the most famous form of parasomnia
is somnambulism, or sleepwalking.
Sleepwalkers, or somnambulists, may
perform actions as simple and benign
If you find that you suffer from any of
the above disorders, or are just having
general trouble sleeping, consult your
physician. Treatments for sleep disorders include participation in sleep
studies, medication, changes to diet
or physical activity levels, or psychological counseling. While there are no
known cures for some sleep disorders,
treatments are available that can limit
the disruption they cause, and restore
at least some of the patient's ability to
rest. Sleep is absolutely vital, though
it remains one of the most mysterious
and little-understood of all of our bodily processes. When you are unable to
sleep, every other facet of your life
suffers. Seek out treatment as soon
as possible.
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Search Terms
Heat
Illness
Sleep
Disorder
NIOSH
Sendinc
Zika
Microcephaly
First Aid
SMART
Objectives
References
Wikihow.com (n.d.) How to Set SMART Goals: http://www.wikihow.com/Set-SMART-Goals
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (n.d.) http://www.cdc.gov, Heat Stress: http://www.cdc.gov/
niosh/topics/heatstress/
United States Department of Labor (n.d.) https://www.osha.gov, Welcome to OSHA’s Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html?utm_source=Twitter.
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Florida Department of Financial Services
Division of Risk Management
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Safety & Loss
Prevention
Outlook Team:
Molly Merry, CPA
Will Butler
Division Director
Managing Editor/Writer
Robin Delaney
Christia Nunnery
Assistant Director
Staff Editor
Shannon Segers, ARM-P
Bureau Chief, Bureau of Risk Financing & Loss Prevention
Christia Nunnery, MPA
Administrator, Loss Prevention Section
Office of the Director
(850) 413-4700
State of Florida Loss Prevention Section
(850) 413-4756
Bureau of State Liability & Property
Claims
(850) 413-3122
We look forward to your feedback on how we can better serve
you. To submit story ideas,
articles, and other suggestions—
or to be added to our distribution list—please contact us by
clicking on the link below:
State Loss Prevention Program
Bureau of State Employee Workers’
Compensation Claims
(850) 413-3123
State Liability Claim Change Form
(850) 413-4852
Safety Coordinator Appointment Form
(850) 413-4756
Workers’ Compensation Claim Change Form
(850) 413-4802
The Safety and Loss Prevention Outlook newsletter is for informational
purposes only. The Department of
Financial Services does not endorse
or support any websites, products,
brands, or services referenced
herein.
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