PO Box 230517
Montgomery, AL 36123-0517
334-215-8234 or 334-215-0868
www.alacompins.com
OSAA is a nonprofit trade association formed in 1992 to provide safety
and loss control services to its members across the state of Alabama.
OSAA is not affiliated with any government regulatory agency.
Traffic Corner
Be Prepared if Stranded in Winter Weather
If you become stranded on the road during adverse winter
weather, the Texas Department of Transportation advises
drivers to have emergency roadside kits in their vehicles.
Prolonged exposure to the cold while stranded can lead
to serious health issues such as hypothermia or frostbite,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns.
CDC recommends staying in your vehicle and taking the
following steps to stay warm:
• Wrap your entire body, including your head, in extra
clothing, blankets or newspapers.
• Stay awake, which will make you less vulnerable to
cold-related health problems.
To help keep warm in your vehicle, include the
following in your emergency kit:
• Run the motor and heater, if possible, for about 10
minutes per hour, while opening one window slightly
to let in air. Make sure snow is not blocking the
exhaust pipe to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide
poisoning.
• Extra clothing, including socks and gloves
• Blankets
• Candles or a Sterno flame with a lighter or matches
• Move your arms and legs while sitting to improve
your circulation.
• A first aid kit containing any necessary medical
prescriptions
• Do not eat snow, as it will lower your body temperature.
• Non-perishable food such as nuts, dried fruit,
jerky, chocolate and protein bars
• Two large bottles of water to help avoid dehydration
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Permission to reprint granted by the National Safety Council, a membership
organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health.
In this issue
Hand Washing 101
Volume 9 Issue 12
Hand Washing 101: Proper
Hand Washing Signs
The holidays are here, with
it comes long days and
nights in our restaurants;
along with plenty of colds
and flu to go around. Don't
allow the holiday rush to
prevent your staff from
practicing proper hand
washing. Hand washing is
the single most effective
means of preventing the
spread of bacteria and viruses
which can cause infections
and foodborne illness.
Employees can be a significant
source of harmful microorganisms. Proper hand washing
can be the most effective
action workers can take to
control direct and indirect
contamination of food,
utensils, and equipment.
When to Wash Hands
Before starting to work with
food, utensils, or equipment.
During food preparation, as
needed.
When switching between
raw foods and ready-to-eat
foods.
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Ladder Safety
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Claims News-Holiday Season
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Traffic Corner
4
December 2012
After handling soiled utensils
and equipment.
After coughing, sneezing,
using a tissue, or using
tobacco products.
After eating and drinking.
After touching bare human
body parts.
After handling animals.
After using the toilet, wash
hands at a hand sink in the
bathroom; and again when
returning to work.
Correct Way to Wash
Hands - Always Follow
These Six Steps!
Before washing your hands,
remove any jewelry and only
wash your hands in sinks
designated for hand washing.
Do not wash your hands in
utensil, food preparation, or
service sinks.
1. Roll up sleeves and wet
hands with warm water.
2. Using soap, not a hand
sanitizer solution, work up a
soapy lather that covers
hands and forearms.
3. Rub hands together for at
least 20 seconds; make sure
to wash palms, back of
hands, between fingers, and
forearms.
tips pointed down while
rinsing.
4. Use a fingernail brush to
clean under fingernails and
between fingers.
6. Dry hands with single-use
paper towels or cloth roller
towel. Turn off the faucet
with paper towels to prevent
re-contamination of hands.
5. Rinse hands and forearms
in warm water. Keep finger-
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Take Ladder Safety One Rung at a Time
• Read all warning labels carefully and follow directions before you climb.
• Clean the ladder after each use to prevent dirt buildup.
• Wear clean, dry, slip-resistant shoes and use ladders with slip resistant feet.
• Don't stand any higher than the third rung from the top of the ladder.
• Don't lean too far or overreach. Reposition the ladder closer to the
work instead.
• Don't use a ladder as a bridge or scaffold.
• Don't put a ladder on a box, barrel or other object to gain additional
height.
• Don't use a damaged or unsafe ladder.
Gravity never forgets. As soon as you set foot on the ladder's first rung
and pull your body off the ground, gravity works to bring you back to
earth. Therefore, it's no surprise that ladder safety begins from the
ground up.
Start with a good foundation
Proper ladder setup will help prevent slips and falls. Place the base on a
firm, solid surface. Avoid slippery, wet or soft surfaces. If you must put
the ladder on a soft surface, place a board under the ladder's feet to
provide firm footing. Make sure the top of the ladder has firm support
as well. Never lean a ladder against a window pane or other unstable
surface.
Experts also warn about ladder use in bad weather. Descend immediately
if high winds, rain or other inclement weather begins. Wind force can
blow you off the ladder. Rain can make the rungs and the ground slippery.
Bitter cold can make metal ladders more brittle and can cause other
structural damage. If you encounter bad weather while on a ladder, do
not speed up to finish the job and risk injury. Wait to finish the job
until conditions are once again safe.
If you're using a straight or extension ladder, the angle of the ladder is
the next critical safety factor. A straight or extension ladder should be
placed 1 foot away from the surface it rests against for every 4 feet of
ladder height. For example, if the ladder is 4 feet high, the bottom of
the ladder should be 1 foot away from the support surface. If you use a
ladder to access a roof or platform, make sure the ladder extends at
least 3 feet over the roof or platform edge. Be sure to securely fasten
straight and extension ladders to the upper support. If you have angled
the ladder properly and still have doubts about its stability, have someone
hold the ladder before climbing up.
Remember, don't let gravity get you down. Practice ladder safety rules
every time you climb to make your work easier, faster and safer.
If you're using a step ladder, be sure to open it completely before you
climb. If you have to use a step ladder near a doorway, lock or barricade
the door and post signs so no one will open it and knock you off the ladder.
Climb with care
When you climb, always face the ladder and grip the rungs of the ladder
to climb, not the side rails. Never get on or off a ladder from the side
unless it has been secured to prevent movement.
Never climb with equipment in your hands. Use your pockets, equipment
belt, or a tool pouch and raise heavy objects with a hand line. If you
forget something, always climb down the ladder to retrieve it yourself;
don't have someone toss it up to you. And never ask someone to climb
up your ladder to give you supplies. It is dangerous to exceed the weight
limits that a specific ladder can handle.
When you descend a ladder, practice the same safety rules. Face the
ladder, keep your body square and hold on to the rungs. Lastly, step off
at the bottom rung of the ladder. Never jump off of a ladder.
Think before you carry
Before you start to haul a ladder around, evaluate the area where you'll
be working. Ladders can be heavy and unwieldy. You can strike another
person or object, or hit electrical power lines.
Make the ladder as compact as possible before transporting it. Carry it
horizontally while tilting it higher in front and lower in back. If the
ladder is particularly long and heavy, get a coworker to help you carry it.
Follow the rules
Ladder safety may seem simple, but injuries occur every year. Below are
some ladder safety dos and don'ts:
• Use the right ladder for the job.
• Inspect the ladder before and after a job.
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Claims News
by Wayne Currie
Holiday Season is upon us. Do not let your Safety Guard down for one moment:
I found this pamphlet published by the U S Consumer Product Safety Commission I wanted to
make parts of it the thrust of my article—for your office safety.
Some Basic Rules for Holiday Safety:
Keep matches, lighters and candles away from children at all times. And of course, do not smoke
near flammable decorations. Do have an emergency exit plan in place in case a fire breaks out. It
would help more to practice the plan.
Avoid long flowing robes near any source of fire. Never burn a candle near an evergreen tree.
Burning evergreens in a fireplace is a bad idea—flames can flare out (sending sparks flying into the
room. It can also ignite creosote deposits in the chimney causing a fire. Watch carefully those electrical
connections. They can go bad, overload, and short out. If you purchase an artificial tree, make it a
safe one, and look for the fire-resistant label that specifies the protection. Check each and every set
of lights frequently for old/cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. If you are
installing outdoor lights, fasten them securely to trees/buildings to protect from the wind.
3 Basic Rules:
1. Use no more than three (3) standard size sets of lights per single extension cord.
2. Turn off all lights on the trees, decorations etc when you go to bed, close the building for the
night, or leave the premises.
3. If you have a metallic tree, NEVER use electric lights. There is a potential shock/electrocution
hazard.
Candles can be your worst nightmare. Never use lighted candles on a (evergreen) tree. Keep them
away from your decorations and your wrapping paper. If used, always place in non-flammable
holders, which cannot be knocked down/blown over. When using trimmings, only use no combustible/flame resistant materials. If you use spun angel hair, do wear gloves…..this can be an
eye/skin irritation. Paper decorations should be labeled non-combustible or flame resistant. Don’t
ever place trimming near open flames or electrical connections. Once you open presents remove all
wrapping papers from the fireplace/tree areas immediately. Gift wrapping ignites suddenly and
burns intensely.
We want you, your employees and your assets to be protected safely at all times over this holiday
season. Remember to always check to see if the Christmas tree lights are off, as you close the
building for the day. This is a non-routine procedure based on the season, and it takes extra diligence
by our employees to “button up” the building, so we can have a really good Holiday Season.
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and we look forward to working with you
safely in the New Year 2013.
–Wayne
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Have a
Merry
Christmas
and a
Happy
New
Year!