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Positive Tips for Starting Your Day

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The third Monday in January is known as #BlueMonday, because everyone is feeling the dip after the Christmas festivities, the credit card bills have come in and it seems like a long way to payday, if you are paid monthly.  Normally, we all start thinking about booking Summer holidays but, in the current #COVID-19 climate, this is not possible, as we don’t know when it will be safe to travel.  

We need to keep ourselves motivated, and positive, and the best way to do this is ‘one day at a time’.  When we get up in the morning, we need to have a ritual to start our day, to get it off on the right footing.  Otherwise, the saying “he/she got out of bed on the wrong side” might apply.

These are a few positive tips for starting the day:

  • Don’t jump out of bed (this can cause a lightheaded feeling or a muscle spasm). Move gently out of bed.
  • Open the blinds to get the light (this helps set your internal clock). 
  • Be thankful for the day and, even if it’s raining, remember, we need the rain for the flowers to grow.
  • Take a few moments to say a prayer, or simply acknowledge being present in the moment.
  • Make your bed – this marks the start of your day and is your first task done.
  • Take some exercise –15 or 20 minutes can jumpstart your metabolism.
  • Have your shower – the negative ions, produced by the hot running water and steam, help you waken up and are believed to increase levels of serotonin in the brain, which helps our mood.
  • Have your breakfast – you need the energy.
  • Get ready for work (even if you are working from home).  Avoid wearing the track suits if you can.  Dress as if you were going to the office and put on some make up – this can help to brighten your mood. 

And finally…………………..Have a nice day!!

Sun Protection for Outdoor Workers

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Introduction

“This short guide is both for employers of outdoor workers and the employees themselves on sun protection. These include construction workers, farmers, agricultural and horticultural workers, fishermen, gardeners, postal workers, council workers, refuse collectors and couriers. The guide provides useful information on the topic of skin cancers which are much more common in outdoor workers than those who work indoors. It also outlines measures that employers should have in place to protect their employees.

Skin Cancer

Cancer is a disease of the body cells. The cells do not behave as normal and keep on growing to form a primary tumour. If a cancer is malignant, the cells can break away from the body part where they form and be carried by the bloodstream or lymph vessels elsewhere and form a secondary tumour.
Skin cancer is caused by abnormal growth of the cells nearest the skin, squamous, basal and melanocytes . Squamous and basal cells form non melanoma skin cancer while melanocytes cells which give the skin its pigment or colour form melanoma skin cancer. Basal cell cancers (BCC) are more strongly related to acute sun burn events in childhood and intermittent adult exposure while squamous cell cancer (SCC) is mostly a result of chronic long term occupational sun exposure.

Cases of Skin Cancer

Unfortunately the annual rates of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers are increasing steadily in Ireland. We are approaching nearly 1000 cases of melanoma and almost 10,000 cases of non-melanoma annually.
In 2012, there were 860 people diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer, 470 women and 390 men. Annually about 140 people die from this cancer, with more females 84 than males 56.
Non melanoma skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland. It is most common in those over 60. Men are twice as likely as women to have BCC and three times as likely to have SCC. It is believed that men are more exposed to the sun from working outdoors and playing sport, and from not using sunscreen or wearing protective clothing. In 2012, about 9,400 people were diagnosed with it, with 5190 men and 4,210 women. Annually the death rate is about 50, with more males 33 than females 17.
The main cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. Sun exposure is the best natural source of Vitamin D and is important for good general health. We can all enjoy the outdoors but we just need to think about how we protect our skin when outside. Outdoor workers are at higher risk than other workers.

Employer Protective Measures

There are a range of protective measures as follows:

  • If possible, plan outdoor work in sunny weather to limit duration and intensity of employee exposure to direct sunlight (1100 to 1500 sun rays are most intense)
  • Limit duration of exposure if possible when UV index is high (3 or above)
  • Give information to employees about dangers of sun exposure
  • Inform employees about the Sun Smart code
  • Educate and encourage employees to self-check skin for signs of skin cancer
  • Check UV index, if 3 or above greater risk www.cancer.ie/reduce-your-risk/sunsmart/uv-index
  • Ensure breaks are taken out of direct sunlight
  • Encourage employees to cover up, keep clothing on with sleeves down  and collars up, wear clothing with high ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), 15 or more, wear hat
  • Ensure employees do not strip off clothing when it is sunny
  • Provide sun screen, SPF of at least 30 and UVA label on bottle
  • Provide sun glasses

Sun Smart Code

  1. Seek some shade where possible
  2. Slip on some clothes
  3. Wear sunglasses
  4. Use sunscreen
  5. Know the UV index”

Useful Sites:

Irish Cancer Society at www.cancer.ie
Skinmama courtesy of the EU Health Program skinmama.eu/
Courtesy Of The Health & Safety Authority. 

Health & Safety Myths

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The Myth:

HSA Inspectors are just looking to catch people out and issue fines.

The Reality:

In 2014 less than 10% of inspections by the Health and Safety Authority resulted in formal enforcement action. Although The Authority has a duty to enforce workplace health and safety law, the primary focus of a Health and Safety Authority inspector is to promote and encourage safer workplaces by providing help and guidance.
The vast majority of inspections conclude with either verbal or written advice being given. The aim is not to catch out employers, but to improve awareness and reduce the number of fatalities, accidents and personal injuries in Irish workplaces.
You can find a detailed breakdown of the Health and Safety Authorities inspection and enforcement figures in our Annual Reports. The 2014 Annual Report can be found here.

The Myth:

Health and safety will cost me and my business money.

The Reality:

For most small and medium-sized enterprises, managing health and safety does not need to be expensive. Employers have a legal duty to control hazards in the workplace, but for many sectors (retail, office, service, commercial) the hazards are few and simple. In most cases managing workplace health and safety is straightforward and based on common sense.
There is no legal requirement to pay for an external consultant to manage health and safety. Employers in smaller firms often understand their workplace better than anyone – they are in the best position to identify workplace hazards, assess risks and produce their own safety statement. The HSA has produced a range of sector-specific guidance to help businesses do this, as well as BeSMART.ie – a free online risk assessment tool which allows employers to develop a comprehensive safety statement for their business.

The Myth:

Health & safety is just more red tape hindering business!

The Reality:

Keeping workers safe and healthy is not needless bureaucracy.  Red tape is usually described as tasks imposed on businesses that are costly, overly complicated and unnecessary. A sensible, common sense approach to managing workplace safety is none of these things.
For the vast majority of employers, ensuring a safe place of work does not need to be expensive – in fact evidence shows that it is good for business and will save you money. Research carried out for The Health and Safety Authority confirmed that occupational injuries and illness can cause significant financial losses for employers, including:

  • salary costs for replacement staff or overtime payments,
  • lost productivity,
  • compensation costs,
  • retraining costs, and
  • increased insurance payments.

Recent figures revealed an average cost per workplace accident of €9,000, while the average employer’s liability payout is over €32,000.
But while the business case for having a safe workplace is clear to see, we should also never forget the human cost of workplace accidents. Last year 56 people were killed in Irish workplaces and many others suffered serious injury. The devastating effects of these incidents should remind us all of the need to keep workers safe. Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace is not an unnecessary burden – it makes financial sense and is the right thing to do.

The Myth:

Manual Handling? You mean spending a day being told how to lift up a box? What a waste of time.

The Reality:

Manual handling training is not mandatory for all staff. Manual Handling Regulations only apply to a work activity that ‘by reason of its characteristics or of unfavourable ergonomic conditions, involves risk, particularly of back injury, to employees.’ A worker who only lifts light loads at waste height, for example, would not be at risk – and sending this worker on a manual handling training course would indeed be a waste of time.
However, where manual handling does involve a risk of injury the employer needs to act. A third of all workplace injuries reported to the HSA are caused by manual handling activities, and those injuries are a leading cause of work disability.
The first option should be to remove or reduce the need for manual handling. Here’s some guidance explaining how that can be done. Just providing training will not reduce injury rates and will not protect anyone. Manual handling training needs to be specific and relevant to the tasks involved. So, if your job involves moving heavy barrels around a warehouse, the training should reflect this. In other words, you don’t need to be told how to lift up a box.

The Myth:

“So many things get banned because of health and safety. It’s the nanny state gone mad!”

The Reality:

We’ve all seen the signs, we’ve all read the stories – everyday activities suddenly prohibited ‘for health and safety reasons’. It sometimes seems as though ‘health and safety’ is about preventing anyone being exposed to any kind of risk, and it’s no wonder people often think it’s all gone too far.
In truth, health and safety law has nothing to do with trying to remove every single possible risk from people’s lives. It was introduced in this country to help address the high number of accidents in the workplace which over the years have resulted in hundreds of deaths and many thousands of very serious injuries.  It has absolutely nothing to do with wrapping everyone in cotton wool.
Unfortunately, health and safety is often used an excuse for all sorts of unpopular decisions.  It can be very convenient to put a difficult decision down to some vague “health and safety” issue rather than outline the real motivation – for example commercial pressures or fear of legal action.
The position of the Health and Safety Authority is clear – health and safety is not a reason to not do something.  If there are valid risks associated with a workplace activity these risks should be assessed and managed so that the activity can be carried out in a safe way.  Very rarely is the solution to simply not do it.

Courtesy Of The Health & Safety Authority.

Team mates revive GAA star after he suffered suspected heart attack on pitch

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if you have ever doubted the need for an AED machine in a public area, please read the article below. An AED machine can save a life an is invaluable at a time like this.

Curraha GAA star Danny Battersby is lucky to be alive.

The 22-year-old collapsed suddenly during a game with Drumbaragh in Meath on Sunday afternoon.
Thankfully a spectator had a defibrillator in his car and his team mates Neil Shorthall (23) and Liam Hogan (24) were able to revive him with the assistance of a paramedic and the two physios who were at the game.
The duo are trained first responders and acted quickly by taking turns to perform CPR as well as the defibrillator to bring Danny back.
Danny has emerged from an induced coma at our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
Gavin Coyle, a team mate of Danny’s, was on the pitch when he collapsed away from the play.
“Wolfe Tones had a defibrillator of their own but a spectator happened to have one in his car and he was straight on. We were just very lucky,” he told Independent.ie.
“All the news since Sunday has been very positive. He woke from the coma, he’s talking and he’s moving his arms and legs.”

Online Editors. Courtesy Of The Irish Independent.

We never like to read articles like this, thankfully the outcome was a good one due to the actions of Danny’s quick thinking teammates and spectators. According to the Irish Heart Foundation there are 5,000 deaths every year in Ireland from sudden cardiac arrest and 70% occur out of hospital. The Heartsaver AED training course takes four hours and in this time six people can be trained on how to deal with a situation like this and the use of the AED machine that is available. Don’t postpone this training any longer, you never know when it will save a life.

EMS & Associates can provide Irish Heart Foundation / American Heart Association AED training. We can also supply and install AED machines. Please contact our office for further information on 041-9822933.

Defibrillator installed at the Barbican, other venues urged to follow suit.

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“The Barbican Centre has installed a defibrillator in the reception area of its premises at William Street, Drogheda.
Barbican Manager Declan Power told Drogheda Life that the decision to install the new Automated Electronic Defibrillator (AED) came about as part of the centre’s health and safety policy.
“It has always been our commitment to ensure that every patron and customer has an enjoyable and safe experience at the Barbican Centre” he said.
“Now the AED unit is available and may even prolong the life of a person in the event a cardiac arrest or heart attack. All of our staff are trained and qualified to use the unit if required.”
The AED unit and staff training was provided by Drogheda based company EMS and Associates whose Managing Director Niall Edwards praised the Barbican for their foresight in installing the potentially lifesaving equipment.
“We (EMS) installed the AED (Defibrillator) Machine because Manager Declan Power felt it was important to be in a position to assist a person in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.
“EMS and Associates supplied the machine and provided Irish Heart Foundation, Heartsaver AED, training to staff” Mr.  Edwards said.
“More places should look to installing AEDs, particularly venues that have a large attendance” he said.
“According to the Irish Heart Foundation there are 5,000 deaths every year in Ireland from sudden cardiac arrest and 70% occur out of hospital.”

Courtesy of Drogheda Life.

As an Employee… Don't take risks

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Introduction

“So there’ll always be safety procedures. They’re not really ridiculous, but not having them would be. No matter what job you work in, it pays to be alert when it comes to health and safety.  Some jobs are obviously more dangerous than others, but accidents can happen in any type of workplace.  The best policy is always to prevent an accident occurring in the first place rather than trying to deal with the consequences afterwards.
As an employee, what can you do to stay safe?

Talk to your employer

Discuss any concerns you might have in relation to safety, health and welfare.  If you have never seen it, ask your employer for a copy of the company safety statement A Company safety statement is the basis for the management of safety and health in the workplace and sets out an action programme for safeguarding employees at work.

Be alert

Be continuously on the lookout for anything that could lead to an accident.  Be aware of the behaviour of your colleagues too.  An accident caused by a co-worker could easily impact on others so if someone is behaving recklessly, bring it to the attention of your employer.

Don’t take risks

If you feel that something is unsafe, then stand back and think about the best way to deal with it. If you can’t deal with it tell your employer.  Workplace accidents are often the result of human behaviour, i.e. cutting corners, rushing a job, taking chances…..think about the consequences of a bad accident and make sure you do everything you can to avoid it.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the responsibility for worker safety, health and welfare rests solely with your employer.  Under the law, employers certainly have a wide range of duties….but so do employees, including those that have part-time or temporary roles, regardless of any employment or contractual arrangement they may have.

All employees must:

  • Comply with relevant laws and protect their own safety and health, as well as the safety and health of anyone who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.
  • Ensure that they are not under the influence of any intoxicant to the extent that they could be a danger to themselves or others while at work.
  • Cooperate with their employer with regard to safety, health and welfare at work.
  • Not engage in any improper conduct that could endanger their own safety or health or that of anyone else.
  • Participate in safety and health training offered by their employer.
  • Make proper use of all machinery, tools, substances, etc. and of all Personal Protective Equipment provided for use at work.
  • Report any defects in the place of work, equipment, etc. which might endanger safety and health.

You will find a wide range of useful guidance and information throughout this website.  For example, did you know that….
…..accidents involving workplace vehicles cause the greatest number of workplace deaths?
.….slips, trips and falls account for about one fifth of all workplace accidents?
…..approximately one third of all reported accidents are in relation to manual handling injuries?
Take some time to find out more about how to contribute to a safe and healthy workplace.  Be aware of your responsibilities and do everything you can to meet them.  If you feel that your employer is not meeting his/her duties with regard to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, you have the option of making a complaint to our Workplace Contact Unit by phoning 1890 289 389 or emailing wcu@hsa.ie.
For any further information please phone 1890 289 389.”
Courtesy Of The Health & Safety Authority.