Fall Back Into Fire Safety

As daylight saving ends, it is also a good time to change your smoke alarm batteries. Alarms should have their batteries changed regularly and tested once a month. All too often, a battery is removed and not replaced, putting a home’s occupants at risk. There’s no way to predict when a fire will occur, so even one night without an operational smoke alarm can be dangerous. According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.

The Tennessee Daily Herald recommends these smoke alarm safe practices:

◆ Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home, including the basement. For best protection, smoke alarms should be installed inside and outside sleeping rooms. Make sure everyone can hear the alarm and knows what it sounds like;

◆ For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual-sensor alarms;

◆ Smoke alarms with non-replaceable (long-life) batteries are available and are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps on these units, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away;

◆ Test alarms once a month using the test button. Replace the entire alarm if it’s more than 10 years old or doesn’t work properly when tested;

◆ Devise a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room and a common meeting place. Share and practice the plan with all who live in the home, including children;

◆ When a smoke alarm sounds, get out of the home immediately and go to your pre-planned meeting place to call 911.

The CDC finds that cooking and smoking are the main causes of fire related deaths and residential fires. The New York City fire department states that 75% of their worst case fires occurred in homes without a smoke alarm. Although the number of fatalities and injuries caused by residential fires has declined gradually over the past several decades, many residential fire-related deaths remain preventable and continue to pose a significant public health problem.

 

This month, SafetySkills is offering the Fire Safety online safety training course for free. While this course is designed for offices and workplace training, it contains useful information that can be applied to home situations. The 20 minute course will help the viewer to understand the importance of knowing and understanding an evacuation plan and what to do in case of a fire in the workplace. The course also touches on portable fire extinguisher techniques and tips. Please visit our free course of the month page for more information on this month’s free course and to get started by signing up for a SafetySkills Direct account.

Employers Responsible for Providing Safe and Healthful Workplaces

Under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Act of 1970, "Employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women are enforced by setting standards, providing training, education, and assistance."   

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing their alliance to promote safe work practices in environments involving hazardous chemicals. The renewed alliance will increase awareness of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

"More than 32 million workers are exposed to 650,000 hazardous chemical products in American workplaces,"  said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels.

The above statement is eye opening in the sense that so many citizens are being affected by hazardous chemical products. The Alliance program will educate workers on personal health and they will develop information sheets on health and physical hazards of chemicals. They will also focus on the elements that make Globally Harmonized System (GHS) compliant.

noodleStream.com®, the maker of SafetySkills™, is an Oklahoma based online safety training provider that specializes in hazardous chemical prevention courses. Course titles include Hazard Communication, Chemical Safety, Hazardous Waste Awareness and over 200 additional OSHA compliant courses. Training is also available in DVD format for employees without computer access. Please call us today for more information on course titles, regulations, and pricing at 888-844-3549.

Free Safety Course of the Month - Electrical Safety

If you haven't yet visited the SafetySkills website, then you are missing out on our free online safety training courses. Once you sign up for a free basic account with us, you then have access to 15 free safety courses focused on general industry safety topics. After completion of the course, you will be able to print out a free certificate of completion that includes your name, date and title of the course. The free account is perfect for individuals or small companies looking to train a few employees. In this month's Free Course Safety Spotlight, we are featuring Electrical Safety.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states that electrical currents exposes workers to a serious, widespread occupational hazard; practically all members of the workforce are exposed to electrical energy during the performance of their daily duties, and electrocutions occur to workers in various job categories. Many workers are unaware of the potential electrical hazards present in their work environment, which makes them more vulnerable to the danger of electrocution.

With the free Electrical Safety online safety course, the learner will demonstrate knowledge of potential hazards associated with electrical equipment in the workplace and how to minimize or eliminate those hazards. Employees will learn how to recognize the dangers of electricity, possible electrical injuries, and how to use standard hazard controls. This course covers topics related to basic electric safety as outlined in OSHA standards 1926.403, 1926.404, 1926.416, and 1926.417.

There is no need for people to be injured at the workplace because of improper training. To take the free Electrical Safety online course or to view our other free courses, please visit us at SafetySkills.com