Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Good, Safe Change. You Can Do It.



Things don’t change much up here at the Old Place.  The fish bite in the same places on the lake, and the quiet honking of the big Canada geese is heard year round.  While the seasons do change, here in the South, that doesn’t mean much.  The great winter of 2017 will be remembered; after all it lasted what, three days?  That’s part of what we love about life at the Old Place.  In the outside world though, change is inevitable.  I grew up with change watching “Superman” on the old black and white Magnavox.  George Reeve would dash into the store room wearing his street clothes and leap out the window a moment later, changed, transformed from the mild manner reporter into the invincible Man of Steel. My grandmother, Nora taught me about change with stories of the mysterious east where the cunning horseman Rewagunga changed into the beautiful Afghan jihadist, Yasmini.  And who can forget how the leopard changed his spots with a little help from his Ethiopian friend who had, “just a little color left over on the fingertips of his fine new black skin.”  Yes, change is inevitable my brothers and sisters and just like the leopard and the Ethiopian, it is time for some of you to change as well. Change is never easy. Remember what the country just went through to get some change in Washington D.C.?  Sometime change is brought on by necessity, other times it is forced on us, at bayonet point!  Since the start of the New Year, I have noticed a change.  Every morning on the local news there are four or five ads for trial lawyers, some of them with jingles no less! These ads include lots of satisfied customers gleefully sharing stories of the hundreds of thousands of dollars they received from big truck wrecks and other targets of opportunity.

So what’s it got to do with safety?  Well you may ask, those employers who do not have proactive, preemptive and effective safety programs may soon be out of business.  It may say, “Joes Landscape Service” on the side of your truck, but what it really says is, “Please Sue Me.”  Transportation is your greatest potential liability.  Some thieves, that is what they are, will sometimes pull in front of your truck and hit the brakes, causing a crash!  I know a fella who has proudly and successfully sued and collected on no less than four wrecks with some company’s truck!  It has gotten so bad that companies like Walmart, Home Depot and others use independent trucking companies. Can you remember the last time you saw an Exxon or Shell tank truck?  Gone. . . Change!

First off, train your drivers what to do after a crash: call in immediately, if trained, give first aid, take detailed pictures of vehicles involved, take pictures of other drivers’ license and insurance card, but speak only to the investigating officer.  And never, ever apologize or admit guilt

"But I’m not a big company,” you say. “Sure I have a fleet of pickup trucks I need to do business.”  Okay, then ask yourself, do my drivers know how to maneuver a long trailer?  Have I checked their driving record and run a credit check?  Are they drug and alcohol free on the job?  Have I ridden with them on their rounds?  If not, maybe it is time for a change.  Training such as annual Defensive Driving classes, parking lot practice sessions, even operator rodeos build confidence and a sense of pride in driving skills.  Annual awards: best driving record, cleanest, best maintained truck and tool trailer can also improve driver safety and performance.  Good, Safe, Change!  You can do it.

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place, I am, Col. Jim

Friday, January 20, 2017

Back Down

When a was a little chap, my Dad, Fred, made sure I would have a craft to fall back on if times got hard.  We built barns and fences for the 4-H project and did all the maintenance work at home and up here at the Old Place.  It was the best time of my life.  It wasn't work, I was just having fun with Dad. Now, regardless of where we were working, what we were working on or who we were working with safety was always there. Good, honest, safe labor, but what happens when someone is GUILTY, guilty of an unsafe act, like. . . Improper Lifting!  Sheriff, slap the cuffs on and Mirandise this poor person. . .

Sheriff - "You have the right to remain silent.  If you give up the right to remain silent (and you most likely will) anything you say while screaming from the pain will be heard up and down the street!  You have the right to an attorney, but even he will not be able to take your pain away.  Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?"

Okay, so I'm having a little fun with you folks.  Odds are you all know how to lift safely.  The challenge is actually doing it.  Most back injuries are not the result of trauma but rather from bending over or twisting while lifting.

The curious thing is, it doesn’t matter how much you are lifting.  Just bending over to pick up paper off the floor can cause an injury that could leave you debilitated for months.  Yes, months!

Rehabbing a bulging disc takes serious drugs, often several epidurals in your back and serious physical therapy.  This  Is  Going  To  Hurt. . . A  Lot!

That’s the bad news.  The good news is you can prevent back injuries by simply taking the time to lift correctly: bend your knees, keep your head up, put one foot slightly ahead of the other and (Wtih appologies to Chubby Checker) do not Twist for any reason.   Instead do a little Cajun Two-Step an' move you' feet yeah!

Do that, and always get help with awkwardly shaped loads, any load over 30 pounds or any time you are unsure. The most important thing to remember is to STOP and take a moment to assess the situation you are facing.  Ask yourself:
  • Is there a lot of stuff to handle?  The more you have to do, the more likely you will lose focus, become tired and forget to lift safely.
  • Is the work area congested?  Could you slip, trip or fall down?
  • Are there things in your way that you will have to reach over?
It only takes a second to injure your back so severely that your pain will be almost unendurable.  And remember, you will not be able to return to work for a while, especially if you sit at a desk. This  Is  Going  To  Cost  Money!

Oh and one last thing.  If you are the one who has to take care of the injured person:
  • You will miss work too
  • You will get very little sleep too, and to add insult to injury. . .
  • If you are not very careful, you could injure your back just helping out!  
Are you guilty of unsafe lifting?  Think about it. . .

Sitting in a rocker at the Old Place, I am Col. Jim.