Safety First in a Time of Change
June 18, 2020
In many ways, this month is a time of transition—a new season, a reawakening for commerce and a new lifestyle of virus awareness. Here are some tips to help you stay safe and healthy.
Traffic volume is increasing. Stores, businesses and other destinations are reopening—and that means more vehicles are on the road. At the same time, many people who have barely been out of their house for months are back in the driver’s seat, and they may feel a little disoriented or unsteady for the first few days.
Keep your eyes open for varying rates of speed—both faster than normal and slower than normal—which are a major contributor to traffic accidents. Also, be sure to maintain a distance of four to six seconds between your vehicle and the others around you and scan the roadway ahead for traffic dangers.
The summer is heating up. When you’re working or playing outdoors it’s amazing how quickly you can fall victim to heat exhaustion, heat stroke or other heat-related conditions. Be sure to have sun protection with you at all times—a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen.
Drink water continually throughout the day, not just when you are thirsty. Remember: When you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated—so don’t wait to give it the fluid it needs. Avoid caffeinated drinks, which actually speed up dehydration.
If you get overheated or aren’t feeling well find a shaded area to sit in or go to your vehicle and turn on the air conditioning.
COVID-19 is still with us. As much as we wish the coronavirus pandemic would go away, the truth is that it remains very active. So, it is not time yet to put away your PPE. Please continue to wear PPE in all situations in which you’ve been instructed to do so to prevent work related injuries and protect your health.