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An Ounce of Prevention …

Jan 24, 2018 | 7:10 AM

 Mother always said eat your vegetables, don’t forget to wear your toque outside and make sure you get plenty of rest. While we might consider those reminders a bit of mom’s nagging, her prevention tips have probably been reasonable for a lot of our success. How often we here the phrase “gee if I would have know better” or “that’s really stupid.” Everyday and in every action we need to look at what we do and ensure that prevention of injury is of utmost importance.

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of hospitalization, lost time in the workplace or lost days of productivity. In Saskatchewan data suggests that motor vehicle collisions, falls and poisonings are some of the leading causes. Look at your home, office or industrial workplace and how safe is it? What are you doing to make it safer?

In the home:

Set your water temperature at no higher than 49 Celsius to prevent burns and scalds
Scissors, knives and sharp objects are out of reach
Electrical outlets are covered
When cooking pot handles and cords are out of children’s reach
Install gates or close doors at the entrance to all stair cases
Children should be supervised in the bathtub or around any water at all times
Baby is never left alone on a high place like a bed, change table or sofa
Install non slip backing on loose rugs
A baby walker is never to be used
Never leave medications exposed and keep all cleaners stored safely in the original container
Post emergency numbers including poison control beside each telephone

In the workplace:

Beside each phone post emergency phone numbers – is it visible to visitors and guests?
Ensure that there is a first aid kit clearly visible and that the required contents are restocked frequently.
Do you have a plan in case of an emergency?
 Do you have trained first aid individuals and is the list of people posted?
Does your occupational health and safety committee frequently review the workplace?
Are regular programs provided on workplace safety like proper use of tools, ladders or specialized equipment?
What orientation programs train new workers for their job beyond a visit to payroll and maybe the uniform to wear?

Your place of work and home should be a safe environment. It’s up to you! Your actions like using equipment with broken cords, leaving cleaning products open, leaving the tool box unlocked or an untouched first aid kit may have significant consequences. Let’s us help you make your workplace or home a safer place. A good first step is to take a CPR and First Aid class. Call us at 953-8358 for details. Other tools such as an emergency audit from our public access to defibrillation program may prove valuable to your workplace. To learn more visit our web site at www.parklandambulance.com.