Saturday, June 06, 2015

What I Live For: June is National Safety Month


The National Safety Council is sponsoring national safety month. This year the council’s focus is on ergonomics, emergency preparedness, prescription pain medicine, driver’s ed, and preventing slips and tripping.

Recently, the library staff went through an emergency preparedness training with Chattanooga State’s director of environmental safety, Bob Jackson. The staff went through the library’s emergency manual, learned how to use a fire extinguisher, learned about the AED station and how to use, and learned what was in the library’s first aid kits. 

Chattanooga State has posted evacuation/shelter maps for each building on campus. These maps should be reviewed so that everyone knows where to go for a fire, or for a tornado, or if applicable, where the AED is located in the building. It is as the national safety month motto states – What I (We) Live For.

Here are some example safety checklists that can be found for free from the National Safety Council website:

Safety check:
Slips, trips and falls
Reduce workplace tripping hazards
No matter the workplace environment, tripping hazards are everywhere. Use these tips to help you maintain a clutter-free and safe workplace.
  •  Secure electrical and phone cords away from traffic areas, such as hallways
  •  Use non-skid rugs and be sure to tape them down to prevent rolling
  •  Keep drawers and cabinets closed at all times
  •  Be sure to wear the proper footwear for the job, paying special attention to outdoor conditions
  •  Clean up any spills immediately and include warning signage
  •  Refrain from walking distracted – stay focused on your surroundings
  • Ensure there is adequate lighting in work spaces
  •  Don’t carry too much – you need your arms to maintain balance and stability

Safety check:
Emergency preparedness
Don’t forget about your car
We can’t predict where we’ll be when a thunderstorm or blizzard occurs. But what we can do is plan ahead – including creating an emergency kit for your car.
Here are some basics to consider:
  • A properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod-type jack
  •  Jumper cables
  •  Toolkit
  •  Working flashlight and extra batteries
  •  Reflective triangles and brightly-colored cloth – to place around your vehicle to make it visible
  •  First aid kit
  •  Non-perishable, high energy foods like unsalted nuts, dried fruits, and hard candy
  •  Drinking water
  •  Family/emergency number contact sheet that includes numbers for your auto insurance and a towing company
  •  Car charger for your cell phone
  •  Additional items, like a snow brush, shovel, windshield washer fluid, warm clothing, and blankets would be needed during the winter months

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