According to NIOSH, teens are susceptible for workplace injury due to their biological, social and economic risks – most especially, lack of experience and their cognitive and emotional development characteristics. With that said, it is estimated that approximately 146,000 teens sustain work-related injuries and illnesses each year. In 2007, the injury rate to injuries was 4.2 to every 100 full-time positions.

Most non-fatal injuries occur in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries, followed by retail trade, construction and service industries (e.g. nursing homes, amusement parks and swimming pools). The commonly most reported incidents for injury include transportation, contact with objects/equipment, assaults and violent acts and exposure to harmful substances and environments.

If you plan to hire teens in your workplace this summer season, here are a few informative tips to equip yourself and your workplace for teen labor:

• Know the Federal Child Labor Laws and State Laws for employing teens in your workplace
• Have a centralized work permit system to keep track of hours
• Teach teens their rights and safety information. NIOSH offers a Youth@Work program to incorporate occupational safety and health in a training setting
• Know your workplace hazards – either reduce your hazards  or address safety practices to your teen employees
• Make sure all young workers are appropriately supervised
• Create an injury and illness prevention program such as BEEA+ amongst all departments and employees within your workplace

For more information about Young Workers in the workplace, visit NIOSH: Young Worker Safety and Health or the OSHA Young Worker Fact Sheet

• More than 200,000 underground utility lines are struck each year in the U.S.
• 37% of all U.S. digging damages result from not calling 811 before digging
• Utilities are buried only a few inches underground, making them easy to strike even during shallow digging projects
• A recent survey found that half of Americans are “active diggers” who have done (or are planning to do) some type of digging project at home, but only a third have called or will call to get their utility lines marked
• Digging can cause serious injury, property damage and outages and lead to costly fines

What is 811?

811 is a free, new federally-mandated FCC number. By calling 811, Underground Service Alert representatives will quickly notify local utility companies to begin the process of getting underground utilities marked. If you are planning to dig in or around your home or workplace, dial 811 and your call will be routed to a local call center. Depending upon your state and location will depend on how far in advance you will need to call 811 – it is recommend however, to call the number at least 2 working days before and up to 14 days in advance of an excavation

Representatives will come to your property and mark through color code what is buried below.

For more information about dialing 811 or Safe Digging Month click here.

But did you know that the event has an increased risk of workplace injury the first Monday after we change our clocks? Researchers have determined we lose an average of 40 minutes of sleep due to the time switch, which  impact a number of our everyday work behaviors.To read more about the effects of Daylight Savings Time, click here.

In a study published in the November, 2009 edition of Journal of Applied Psychology, researchers Christopher Barnes, Ph.D and David Wagner, Ph.D of Michigan State University found that 3.6 more injuries, an increase of 68 percent in lost workdays, occurred on Mondays following the time switch following daylight savings time compared to other days. The sudden increase in work injuries can be attributed to sleep loss – sleeping an average of 40 minutes less on the Sunday night they switched time. This study reports statistics within the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) from 1983 to 2006, as well as data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey. Click here to read the study.

Helpful Tips to Reduce the Risk of Injury After Daylight Savings:

Losing sleep as a result of time change can put you and your employees at risk for injury, however mentally preparing yourself and taking proper precautions for losing an hour of sleep can help prevent injuries from happening.  Consider these helpful tips to be prepared for Daylight Savings Time:

• Adjust your sleep schedule a few days prior to Sunday so “springing forward” will not feel so sudden to your body schedule
• Try to go to sleep at least 20 minutes early each night
• Modify your eating schedule earlier each night prior to Daylight Savings Time
• Be careful when driving or operating machinery while you are adjusting to the new time change
• Be alert of others (especially drivers) the days following time change
• Avoid activities that require focused concentration the day after the time change
• Avoid heavy labor activities on the day after the time change
• Avoid napping, particularly before bedtime
• As always, eat nutritious foods, drink plenty of water and be physically active both prior-to and after Daylight Savings Time

Winter ushers in a time for festivities and coziness, but it also presents a number of hazards and dangers. This is no less true at work. There are many steps that can be taken to reduce the risks and hazards presented to you and others in the workplace.

The best step is to take action ahead of time to reduce the number of risks. Advance arrangements should be made for clearing parking lots, walkways and driveways of ice and snow. Remember that areas can be slick with ice even when they do not appear to be, so always use caution when entering and exiting buildings. Keep a flashlight with you so that you can illuminate walkways, parking lots and steps if you need to enter and exit in poor lighting. When entering a building, make sure that you carefully wipe your feet before proceeding to prevent accidentally slipping.

Wearing shoes that appropriate for the walking surfaces where you will be working is also a good idea that will keep you safe. For example, if you need to work on the ground or other surfaces that may be wet, make sure you wear rubbers or footwear that is impervious to the wet.

Keep in mind it is always a good idea to practice good posture and exercise good lifting procedures, especially in areas that may be slick due to inclement weather. If you see an area that could be dangerous, be sure to report it promptly. Doing so can prevent injuries to you as well as others.

Remember that if you work outdoors you could be at risk for hypothermia, a condition which can develop as a result of prolonged exposure to very cold temperatures. Other serious health conditions that can occur as a result include trench foot and frostbite. Warning signs of these conditions include slurred speech, uncontrollable shivering, fatigue, clumsy movements and confusion. If you notice these signs in yourself or another worker, call for emergency help immediately. Try to conserve as much heat as possible until help arrives by providing additional layers of dry clothing and offering warm shelter. A warm drink can also help to keep the person hydrated.

If you need to work outside in weather that is at or below 39 degrees F. make sure you wear clothing that is wind-resistant, water-resistant and insulated to prevent loss of body heat.

Most, if not all, of these injuries can be prevented. The most common cause for injury related to use of a snowblower involves using one’s hands in order to clear the collector or auger after it has become clogged. In the event that the snowblower does become clogged, it is imperative that you first turn off the machine and wait until the blades have completely stopped running before attempting to clear the clog. Then, never use your fingers to get rid of debris or snow. Use another utensil, such as a long stick.

Before operating the machine, you should always make sure that you have thoroughly read the manual and understand the operating procedures. Safety devices should never be removed from the snowblower. Hands and feet should always be kept away from all moving parts of the snowblower. The snowblower should never be left running in an area that is enclosed. This is extremely dangerous and increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal. Fuel should be placed in the tank before the machine is started. The machine should always be fueled outside.

A snowblower should never be operated when you have been consuming alcohol, have taken medication or you are distracted in any other way. Be sure that you always wear safety goggles to prevent anything from blowing up into your eyes while you are operating the snowblower. It is also a good idea to wear ear protection, as snowblowers can be quite loud.

Never operate a snowblower around pets or small children. You should never leave a snowblower running when you are not able to attend it. You should always shut it off, even if you are not able to attend it for a brief period of time. Never wear loose clothing when you operate a snowblower as clothing can become easily entangled in the moving parts of the machine.

Snowblowers can be quite convenient this winter. Make sure that you avoid visits to the emergency room by following these safety guidelines.

If you answered yes to these questions you could suffer from a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. The fact that many people feel sad or down during the winter months is not new. It has only been within the last few years that this condition was defined as a true medical issue.

Seasonal Affective Disorder can cause an individual to feel depressed, fatigued and lethargic. The cause for this disorder is often linked to the long nights and short days of winter. That said; Seasonal Affective Disorder can actually be reversed in some people. In those instances, people may experience depression during summer or winter.

Fall and winter based Seasonal Affective Disorder includes such symptoms as anxiety, a loss of energy, depression, weight gain, oversleeping and social withdrawal. Spring and winter based Seasonal Affective Disorder can be much different. In this form of the condition, the person may experience insomnia, agitation, weight loss and even an increased sex drive. The single symptom that tends to strike individuals with this condition is depression. There are rare instances when symptoms may be reversed. In this form of the condition, the individual may experience mania, hyperactivity and increased levels of social activity.

Some people are more at risk for developing Seasonal Affective Disorder than others. This condition typically develops during young adulthood. Women tend to experience this disorder more frequently than men. Furthermore, people who live in northern locations may be more at risk for developing Seasonal Affective Disorder than those living in southern locations. Genetics may also play a role.

When the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder continue for days without relief, it is important to seek medical advice and treatment. Without proper medical treatment, the symptoms of this disorder due tend to grow more severe. Serious outcomes of this condition can include feelings of hopeless that eventually lead to suicide.

Seasonal Affective Disorder cannot be prevented. Certain methods can be used to cope with the effects and symptoms of this disorder. Getting outside, making sure you receive plenty of natural light, regular exercise, socialization and practicing stress management techniques can help you to head off the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder before they become more severe.

One of the easiest ways to keep your body safe from low temperatures is to wear multiple layers of well-insulated clothing. While a good winter jacket on its own might seem like it would be warm enough outdoors, wearing multiple layers allows you to trap heat close to your body where it can do the most good. The more layers you can wear, the more layers of heat that you can trap. This is especially true when it comes to protecting the extremities – multiple layers of woolen or thermal socks inside of insulated winter boots, combined with smaller gloves inside of larger, water-proof gloves can help make sure that your fingers and toes do not fall prey to frostbite. However, too many layers can reduce mobility and force you to adopt awkward positions during the course of your work, so it is necessary to find a balance between being able to move properly, and keeping warm. In addition to a jacket, boots, and gloves, a hat is an important part of your cold weather ensemble, as it keeps your body from losing heat through the top of your head. Make sure to get a hat which comes down over your ears, in order to prevent frostbite in this easy to miss location.

When outside in harsh conditions, it is important to stay moving in order to encourage blood flow. Movement improves the circulation inside of your body, bringing warm blood from your center to your head, feet and hands. Standing still for too long can reduce your body temperature, especially in your limbs. If you are working inside of a vehicle, make sure that the cab is shielded from the wind on all sides, and that a heater is provided. This heater should also have the capability to defrost the windows of whatever vehicle you are driving, in order to ensure that you have a safe level of visibility.

Finally, keep in mind that underneath all of that warm clothing, while performing physical labor, it is possible that you will sweat. Once you stop working, this sweat remains on your skin, and possibly soaks into your clothes. When exposed to extreme cold, this moisture could lead to a serious drop in body temperature known as hypothermia. If possible, take your breaks inside of a heated area where you can change out of any sweat-soaked clothing before heading back out into the snow.

For many people, the New Year brings about an opportunity to create resolutions relating to their personal health or interests, decisions relating to their family or career, or establish achievable goals. Whatever your resolution may be in 2010, we hope you will find InjuryFree as a source to help you meet your goals, and more importantly – to help you continue to be safe, healthy and injuryfree in the workplace and beyond.

We’re looking forward to making the new decade an InjuryFree year. Our resolution is to continue to help employers ensure the safety and wellbeing of their employees, prevent workplace injuries and maintain employee health so employees can Work, Play and Retire pain-free.

We hope you have a wonderful and safe New Years Eve —- Happy 2010!

As leaders, you enhance the awareness and culture of safety. You make a difference in the health of your company and co-workers.

For your commitment to safety, for the employees who go home safe every day, and for your company that value a safe workplace, we applaud you. It is with great appreciation that we thank you for your efforts.

We wish you a joyous holiday season and a safe, healthy New Year,

Trent Shuford
InjuryFree CEO