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Most Recent Articles
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- Operating Room Fires
Operating Room fires are rare-they occur only in an extremely small percentage of all surgeries. However, the actual number of fire incidents in O.R.s may still surprise you. ECRI (formerly the Emergency Care Research Institute) estimates that 50 to 100 or more surgical fires occur each year in the United States alone.
What can you do to stay safe during surgery? "Be educated" is the first step, according to experts. Try asking these questions: - Certification Makes A Difference
Many people have only the vaguest notion of what certification means. When asked if having a certified technician work on their home comfort system is important, their first reaction is often that certification really isn't that important.
But the truth is, certification makes a difference in the quality of service and really means peace of mind and assurance. When consumers realize that, their reaction and answer change. - Daylight Saving Time Is The Best Time To Keep Families Safe
Americans almost always remember to change their clocks from Daylight Saving Time, keeping them from missing an appointment. But they are far less mindful of changing the battery in their smoke alarms, which could save their lives.
So why not do both at once? - Smart Fire Protection Is No Accident
Here's a safety tip that strikes the right note. Several months ago, a fire severely damaged part of a recording studio being used by the musical group the Black Eyed Peas. Fortunately, an employee and an engineer were able to use portable fire extinguishers to keep the fire localized-just one of many stories that demonstrate that portable fire extinguishers can save lives and protect property.
The Fire Equipment Manufacturers' Association recommends the following: - Make An Inventory Part Of Your Disaster Plan
The increase in weather-related disasters over the past few years has made it clear that a complete home inventory of possessions should be part of any disaster preparedness plan.
Experts such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross agree that an inventory of household items can help renters and homeowners alike prove the value of possessions that are damaged or destroyed. It can also make it easier to receive a fast, fair payment from the insurance company for any losses-and reduce stress and hassle during the process. - Tips To Prevent Home Fires
Keeping the home fires burning may be a nice title for a song, but it can also be a frightening statistic. Take the time to give your home a fire safety makeover.
According to the American Red Cross, four out of five Americans don't realize that home fires are the single most common disaster across the nation, and only 26 percent of families have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. - Equipment Ownership 101-safety First
Equipment safety is no accident. Just because you can drive a car doesn't mean you'll automatically be good at operating tractors and utility vehicles. Keeping safety top of mind, John Deere offers practical tips to avoid injury when operating outdoor equipment.
Compact Tractor Safety Tips - Keeping A Home Safe For Years To Come
Apparently, there really is no place like home. According to a recent AARP study, roughly 90 percent of Americans age 50 and older wish to stay in their current home and community as they age.
However, staying in your home may require updates or changes to ensure that it remains a safe and comfortable environment for years to come. Low lighting, stairs with no handrails, loose area rugs, entrances with many steps, and hard-to-grasp faucet handles and doorknobs are just a few features that make staying in your home more difficult as you grow older. Fortunately, homes can be updated, often in easy and inexpensive ways. - How To Know And Lower Your Risk For Flood Loss
Learning more about your home's flood risk can help you protect your most important investment-and the risk may be higher than you imagine.
Quickly rising water and rain from heavy storms can turn dry creek beds and low-lying areas into raging waterways-putting thousands of homes and businesses in harm's way. - Shining Some Light On Candle Safety
It's always a bright idea to learn how to use candles safely-especially if you use them to brighten your home.
According to John C. Dean, president of the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM), using candles can be dangerous if you don't know the safest way to use them. Did you know that: - Kissing Keys Goodbye: New Lock Technology
Homeowners finally have a way to unlock the eternal problem of forgetting (or losing) one's keys or locking oneself out of the house.
It's estimated that millions of keys are lost each year in the U.S. and, short of calling a locksmith or waiting for a family member to come home, there's not much to do when you find yourself in such a position. But biometric technology is changing all that, giving homeowners a way to open the front door with just a swipe of the finger. - Preparing Your Roof For Harsh Weather
When it comes to keeping out winter's cold, rain and snow, your house is only as good as its roof.
That's why it's important to give your roof an inspection twice a year-in the spring, after severe weather, and then again before the worst of winter weather sets in. Keep an eye out for telltale signs of wear, such as loose or missing shingles and deteriorated flashing (the metal that seals bends and joints on skylights, chimneys, etc.). More than 90 percent of all roof damage occurs in these areas. Try these additional tips: - Don't Let Your Presents Put You In Danger
Most people's holiday gift haul included electronics. If that's you, be aware that some items draw more electricity than others.
If the addition of new electrical equipment is causing fuses to fail or circuit breakers to trip, you may be overloading your home's electrical system. That could be dangerous, because overloaded electrical circuits start a substantial number of fires in U.S. homes every year. - Fire Precautions
When cold weather drives people indoors, it can be a time of increased fire danger as the use of stoves, heaters and fireplaces leads to more fires. These fires can be prevented by following a few simple safety tips:
• Have your furnace and chimney professionally inspected annually and cleaned if necessary. - Staying Safe During The Storm
Weathering storms includes knowing what to do about downed power lines due to high winds or ice. Power lines and trees can become so encrusted with ice that they collapse, leaving millions without electricity. However, with a portable generator, you can keep your refrigerator running and your kids as warm as a bug in a rug until the power is restored.
"Portable generators are the best way to keep your household running when wind or ice takes out power lines on your street," said Colin Iwasa of Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. "They provide a power source for a space heater, refrigerator and other household necessities such as a coffeepot. But it's very important to know how to use a portable generator safely at your home." - Smoke Alarms
What type of smoke alarm is in your home? Different types of smoke alarms are better at alerting residents to different types of fires.
Ionization smoke alarms are sensitive to small smoke particles in the air, produced by fast-burning fires. Photoelectric smoke alarms use beams of light and sensors to detect larger smoke particles produced by smoldering fires. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends dual-sensor alarms that function as both, for the best overall coverage. - Avoid These Common Household Blunders
Multitasking around the house when you're in a rush to leave could create a multitude of home hazards, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), especially if using appliances or plumbing fixtures before you run out the door.
For example: - Five Simple Steps For Making A Smart Choice
More Americans are getting a prime opportunity to conduct more due diligence research-from getting a home inspection to neighborhood environmental screening-as a way to protect their health and wallets from poor investments.
A housing sales slowdown gives homebuyers more time to look deeply into, under and around their properties, and homebuyers can use the extra time to sidestep common and often costly risks. - Tips On Pest Detection And Prevention
Many homeowners are aware of the obvious risks to their home, including damage caused by wind, fire and water.
What they may not be aware of is that structural damage caused by different kinds of pests is not covered by insurance, making pest invasion more of a problem than it is currently considered. - Protective Measures
It's not always the hot topic it should be, but fire safety preparation, education and training are critical to saving lives and protecting property at work.
For example, does anyone know how to use a standpipe fire hose? Fire hose stations and portable fire extinguishers are the first line of defense against a fire during the early stages, and everyone at work should learn about these lifesaving devices. - The Five Most Dangerous Hazards In Your Home
Increasingly, homebuyers are learning the inside story on how hazards found inside homes can pose threats to their health.
"These hazards are an important reason homebuyers need to have their home thoroughly tested by a home inspector," said Dan Steward, president of Pillar To Post, North America's leading provider of home inspection ser-vices. "Not only are home inspectors able to detect such problems, but they have access to experts who can treat or remove the problem." - Your Home: Safe From Electrical Hazards?
Most people would be shocked if they knew the potential danger posed by electrical hazards hidden in the walls of their homes or lying unseen on their grounds. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 400 people are electrocuted in the United States every year. To help ensure that your home is truly safe, here's a checklist from the Leviton Institute:
Don't Overload Outlets: With power strips and surge protectors, it's all too easy to add more appliances to an outlet than it was designed to handle. By overloading circuits, you can create a fire hazard.
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