1. Think Abel – Think Safety
PEO Services
Spring 2009
SPRING 2009 SPRING CLEAN-UP AND HOME REPAIR
With another season upon us we are again Spring has finally arrived and if you’re like Protect your hands
faced with the daunting task of heading out me, you can’t wait to get outdoors to • Wear leather gloves to prevent cuts,
of the house to begin our annual spring spruce up your yard and home. But, before splinters, blisters, and burns.
cleaning. Many safety hazards are present- you grab that rake, think back to last year • Wear chemical resistant gloves when
ed to us as we begin the “Honey Do” lists and how you felt after that long day’s work mixing chemicals.
we have made over the winter. in your yard… Protect your eyes
We have all, in some way, become week- … aching back, blisters, sunburn, cuts and • Wear safety glasses or goggles when you
end warriors trying to get everything done bruises, and who could forget that painful tackle tasks such as mowing, blowing,
in a short 2 day weekend, that in reality bee sting! weed-whacking, and pruning.
should take us a month to do. So we work Even the simplest home and yard tasks can Protect your hearing
a stressful 40 - 50 hour week at our jobs, be extremely dangerous. So this year, try • Wear earplugs when operating a mower,
then we run errands, go to Dr. appoint- the following safety tips to make spring weed-whacker, blower or other noisy
ments and next thing you know “BAM”, it
cleaning activities safer and easier. equipment.
is the weekend we begin our mission of
juggling time, money and labor working Before you get started… Protect your lungs and nasal pas-
around the house. Avoid strains, sprains, and back injury: sages
• Warm-up and stretch before beginning • Wear a dust mask when performing tasks
There are far too many topics to be dis-
strenuous activities. that create a lot of dust.
cussed regarding our personal safety
• Always lift properly - use your legs, not • Wear a respirator with cartridges to filter
around the home and at work. Highlighted
your back. out harmful particles and droplets when
in this bulletin are just a few of the many
• Get help moving bulky or heavy loads, applying liquid or powdered garden
projects we face at this time of year. We try
or break them up into several smaller, chemicals.
to encourage and bring to light issues that
more manageable loads.
can directly impact your safety as you go Also…
about the missions you set out to accom- Prevent heat injuries, sunburn, • Do not wear rings, jewelry, or loose
plish. Also we would hope that by reading and eyestrain clothing that could become caught in
these pages, it opens up your mind to at • Take frequent rest breaks. moving parts.
least be more responsible and to think • Wear a hat and light-colored clothing • Knee pads offer both comfort and protec-
before you act with regard to the potential made of fabrics that can “breath.” tion for chores, such as weeding and
accident that could happen in that split sec- • Wear sunglasses. planting, which require you to kneel for
ond of not paying attention or planning the • Drink plenty of water. extended periods.
job out completely. • Use sunscreen.
And finally,
Keeping an open mind about safety and Protect your feet Remember, working safely in and around
using good common sense is really up to • Wear shoes that protect your feet and your home will keep you out of the emer-
you as you perform these tasks either at provide comfort and safety. gency room!
home or at work. Taking that extra time to • When applying powdered or oily chemi-
thoroughly think before you act can make cals, wear rubber boots that can be easily Happy Spring Cleaning!
the difference in avoiding that accident. hosed off. Excerpted from www.DarwinAwards.com
Please think, plan, and execute your tasks.
Always remember if you think an accident
or injury can happen... What is broken every time it’s spoken?
It Most Certainly Will! (find the answer at the bottom of back page)

2. BICYCLE SAFETY
Spring is here and it is time to take those 5. Stop at all stop signs. SAFETY QUIZ
bikes out of the sheds and garages and start 6. Know your hand signals and use them Q: What's the deadliest time to
working off some of that winter insulation when making turns go for a walk?
we put on in those cold months, but please 7. Always ride with two hands on the han- A: 6- 9 p.m. Dusk is the most
remember, biking can be dangerous! You dlebars. deadly 3-hour period for
may be just riding a bicycle, but you are
8. Be extra careful around parked cars. pedestrians on U.S. highways.
actually operating a vehicle just like the driv-
Someone could open a door into your
ing of any car. Always follow traffic signals Q: Are you more likely to die in
path.
and road signs. the US of Lyme disease if you
9. Always be prepared to stop, so make
Follow these rules to be a safe bicyclist: live in the East or the West?
sure your bicycle’s brakes are in good
1. Always ride on the right side of the working condition.
A: East. Ticks primarily feed off
street. Never ride against traffic. Ride on mice (which are Lyme carri-
10. Never ride at night without the proper
the sidewalk, if you can safely do so, but ers) in the East versus lizards
lighting equipment (a white headlight
always be alert for cars that may be (which don't get infected) in
and a red rear taillight, reflectors on both
backing up. Remember to yield to the West.
sides of each wheel, and a red reflector
pedestrians and other bicyclists.
facing the rear). Q: Which travels quicker, a big
2. When riding on the street or on the side-
11. While biking at night, be sure to wear league pitcher's fastball or the
walk, always ride single file. If you want
light clothing or a vest with reflective particles expelled in your last
to pass a pedestrian or another
strips on the front and back. sneeze?
bicyclist, yell “on your left”.
12. And finally, the helmet. Never go biking A: Sneeze. Power pitchers can
3. Always check behind you
without it, and for you parents out there,
before passing or changing throw fastballs at speeds of
if your child is under the age of 14, it is
lanes. 95-105 mph (150-170 km/hr)
the law.
4. Watch out for objects that may be on the whereas a sneeze can
Now that you have all the tools to be a safe
road or sidewalk that could cause you to
bicyclist, get out there and ride like the
explode at 157.7 mph (252
lose control of your bike. km/hr).
wind.
FORKLIFTS
About 100 workers are killed each year as a • The capacity of the forklift - can it handle inches off the ground - and tilted slightly
result of forklift accidents. About 1/4 of these the size and weight of the load? back
fatalities are caused by overturning. Other • Any odd characteristics of the load - is it 5. Exercise extra caution when driving over
common causes are workers being struck by top heavy, cylindrical or awkward? duckboards and bridge plates and make
materials, workers being struck by the fork- • The condition of the forklift - are the forks sure the load is within their capacity as
lift, and workers falling from the forklift. damaged or is there some other problem well
Forklift operation is not as simple as that could cause an accident? 6. Raise and lower the load only when
it looks. But with a little experi- • Where you are and where you are going stopped
ence, it's not an impossible with the load - are there any obstacles, 7. Stop and sound the horn at intersections
skill to master. Unfortunately, bumps, ramps, people, cross aisles or nar- 8. Avoid sharp turns
those who operate forklifts row passageways to consider? 9. Keep arms and legs inside the vehicle
daily have a tendency to take short cuts and • Other things going on that may be prob- 10. Be sure to wear a hard hat and other pro-
to ignore basic safety rules. They develop the lematic - can co-workers see you on the tective equipment when necessary
old "It can't happen to me" attitude. forklift; can they hear you? 11. Be sure the load is stable and secure
IDENTIFYING FORKLIFT HAZARDS FORKLIFT SAFETY RULES 12. When leaving the forklift, lower the
Avoid becoming a statistic by taking the time 1. Operate the forklift only if you've been forks, neutralize the controls, shut it off
to review forklift hazards and how to avoid trained and set the brakes
them. Keep them in mind each and every 2. Maintain a safe following distance from CONCLUSION
time you use a forklift. other forklifts - about three vehicle Failing to act responsibly when you are
Tipping over and losing part of a load are the lengths behind the wheel not only puts the load at
most common causes of forklift-related 3. Follow our speed limit and other regula- risk, but puts you and co-workers in danger.
injuries. Some factors to consider include: tions Please keep this in mind each time you pre-
4. Drive with the load low - six or eight pare to turn the key.
RIDDLE ANSWER: Silence
2 Corporate Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey, 08512-3604
t: 609-860-0400 f: 609-860-0440 safety@ThinkAbel.com www.ThinkAbel.com