Did you know that March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month? The Prevent Blindness America website reports that “more than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day”. Those are some scary statistics and what is even scarier is that “of the total amount of [eye] work-related injuries, 10-20 % will cause temporary or permanent vision loss”. We at Seton want to remind you about the importance of wearing proper eye protection and posting eye protection signs in your workplace. We want to help keep you and your employees safe and offer many safety signs to suits your individual facility needs. We have a large selection of OSHA Safety Signs to post in work areas, where eye wear is required. We also have various signs for posting near eyewash stations and first aid stations so employees can locate them quickly. Remember, work safe and stay safe not only in March, but all year long.

For more info on Workplace Eye Wellness Month please visit the Blindness America website for tips on how to prevent eye injuries the type of safety eye protection you should wear.

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A new rule took effect this week requiring heavy-duty truckers to stop unnecessary idling of their trucks to improve North Carolina air quality.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission implemented the rule to reduce air pollution levels in North Carolina and to meet more stringent federal air quality standards. The rule applies to gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles that weigh more than 10,000 lbs.

Under the law, truck drivers shouldn’t idle their vehicles for more than five consecutive minutes in any 60-minute period except where health and safety concerned. For example, trucks can idle if it’s necessary to perform essential functions like refrigerating, hoisting, loading or responding to emergencies. The rule also exempts military and farm vehicles.

Many other states already have similar laws in place. Click here to see if your state has a ruling, what exemptions apply and what the fines are for non-compliance.

Seton offers No Idling Signs to post on your grounds. They remind truck operators to turn off their engines,  keeping the air around your facility cleaner and healthier to breathe.

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No, it’s not New York. New York is actually one of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in the US. The four most pedestrian-unfriendly cities are all in Florida -  Orlando, Tampa, Miami and Jacksonville.

The reason for Florida’s poor ranking? The nonprofit group Transportation America cites the state’s urban sprawl and road design. In the past, Florida’s roads were designed to move lots of traffic as quickly as possible without much thought of pedestrian safety.

Fortunately, Florida’s city planners have begun to add sidewalks, crosswalk signs and speed bumps to their roads in an effort to lower the number of pedestrian deaths on Florida roads.

Seton sells a variety of products to increase pedestrian safety including crosswalk signs, speed bumps and pavement marking products.

Source: National Geographic, July 2010.

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The atmosphere in a confined space can be extremely hazardous due to the lack of air circulation. Because fresh air can’t move freely in and out of a confined space like storage tanks, pipes, silos and manholes, a variety of hazardous conditions can be created. Deadly gases may be trapped inside, especially if the confined space is used to store or process chemicals. There may not be enough oxygen in the space to support life, or the air could be so oxygen rich that it could cause a fire or explosion if ignited. There are three types of hazardous atmospheres that confined space workers should be aware of:

1. Toxic Atmospheres: The product found in a confined space can be absorbed into the walls and floors of the confined space and give off toxic gases. For example, sludge cleaned out of the inside of a tank can give off deadly hydrogen sulfide gas. Also, the work being performed in the confined space can also generate toxic fumes. Welding, cutting, sanding, scraping and cleaning can all give off toxic vapors.
2. Oxygen-Deficient Atmospheres: An oxygen-deficient atmosphere has less than 19.5% available oxygen. Any confined space with less than 19.5% oxygen should not be entered without wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus. Oxygen can be removed from the atmosphere by work such as welding, cutting or brazing. Oxygen levels can also be decreased if replaced with other gases like carbon dioxide or nitrogen, or by chemical reactions inside the confined space like rusting or fermentation.
3. Flammable Atmospheres: Two things make the atmosphere flammable, oxygen in the air and a flammable gas, vapor or dust in the right mixture. If a source of ignition like a spark from a tool occurs an explosion will result. An oxygen-enriched atmosphere (over 21% oxygen) will cause flammable materials like clothing and hair to burn violently. Therefore, don’t use pure oxygen to vent a confined space. Ventilate with normal air.

Never trust your senses to determine if the air in a confined space is hazardous. Many toxic gases and vapors can’t be seen or smelled. Be sure to test the atmosphere with a properly calibrated testing instrument. If testing reveals a hazardous atmosphere, be sure to take precautions like ventilating the space or ensuring workers have the proper respiratory protection. Posting Confined Space Signs will also remind workers to take proper precautions and wear the appropriate protective equipment before entering any confined space.

Source: “A Guide to Safety in Confined Spaces” by Tom Pettit and Herb Linn

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Taken from the Unofficial DMV Guide™, here are just a few of the more bizarre traffic, parking and driving rules from around the country.

Alabama

Apparently ‘Bama is an acronym for Blunt All Motorist Adventures, for officials there have inexplicably made it illegal to drive while blindfolded.

Alaska

Contrary to public opinion roof racks are not specifically designed for skis, snowboards and cocker spaniels. Or at least not in Alaska, where authorities have found it necessary to declare it illegal to tether a dog to the roof of a car.

Arkansas

Think twice while in Arkansas if you harbor an unflagging passion for cold cut sandwiches and honking your car horn. Arkansas authorities have deemed it illegal to blare a car horn where ice cold beverages or sandwiches are served after 9 p.m.

California

No matter how luxuriously comfortable that divided highway may look, it is illegal in Eureka, California, to use a road as a bed.

Connecticut

No need to get your Lexus Sport Luxury Sedan painted blaze orange. Hunting from cars in Connecticut is illegal, even during deer season.

Georgia

Going on an intuitive hunch that teeter-totters and cars don’t mix, officials in Dublin, Georgia, have made it illegal to drive through playgrounds.

Kentucky

Make sure your canine does not harbor a weird fetish for tailgate lights or trailer hitches while in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. You’ll be fined if your pet molests a vehicle.

Maine

Be careful about Jonesing for a Bavarian Cream while in South Berwick, Maine. You’ll be ticketed if you park in front of Dunkin Donuts.

Maryland

Keep in mind while traveling through Rockville, Maryland, that the streets there are rated G. If you possess a PG-17 vocabulary, take the bypass. Swearing from a vehicle in Rockville is considered a misdemeanor.

Missouri

If you are a horn-honking hooligan you better be carrying your vehicle’s bill of sale if you have the nerve to toot your horn while in University City, Missouri. Officials there have wisely made it illegal to honk the horn of someone else’s car.

Nevada

To prevent any literal interpretation of Reno’s No Standing signs, authorities there have made it illegal to place a bench or chair in the middle of the road.

New Jersey

Arbor Day requires careful planning in Blairstown, New Jersey, for local officials there have made it illegal to plant trees in the middle of the street.

North Carolina

In North Carolina, it is illegal to drive through a cemetery if you’re not there to dig a grave or bury someone. So if you intend to visit the grave of a loved one bring really powerful binoculars.

Ohio

In Canton, Ohio, people wearing roller skates cannot share the streets with cars. And yes, this applies even during the “couples only” skate.

Oregon

In Oregon you need to be not only alert for state troopers with speed guns, but also with stop watches. For you can be ticketed if you leave your car door open longer than is deemed necessary.

South Carolina

There’s a good reason why automakers don’t manufacture models named the Dodge Dumpster or the Lexus Litterbin. For in Hilton Head, South Carolina, it is illegal to store trash in your vehicle due to rat problems.

West Virginia

Virginia may be for lovers, but West Virginia is for meat lovers. Officials in the Mountain State have deemed it perfectly legal for anyone to scavenge road kill.

If you have traffic and parking rules you need to enforce in your area, consider signs from Seton to convey your message.  Seton offers a wide variety of traffic and parking signs for roadside, driveways and parking lots.

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According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA),  “Click It or Ticket (CIOT) is the most successful seat belt enforcement campaign ever, helping create the highest national seat belt usage rate of 83 percent. Coast to coast, day or night, the message is simple – Click It or Ticket.”

NHTSA states, “the cornerstone of NHTSA’s seat belt communications program is the national Click It or Ticket May Mobilization. The primary audience continues to be men ages 18 to 34, which research shows are less likely to wear seat belts.” Here are some other statistics regarding seat belts and drivers from NHTSA.

• Teens — In 2008, 70 percent of the passenger vehicle occupants 13 to 15 years old killed in traffic crashes were not buckled up — the highest percentage of all age groups.

• Young adults — Among passenger vehicle occupants 25 to 34 who were killed in crashes, 66 percent were not buckled up — the second highest percentage for any age group.

• Men — Men are less likely than women to buckle up. This is especially true of young men. In 2008, 66 percent of male drivers and 74 percent of male passengers 18 to 34 killed in passenger vehicles were NOT wearing their seat belts.

• Pickup drivers and passengers — Pickup truck drivers and passengers continue to have lower seat belt usage rates than occupants of other passenger vehicles. In 2008, 67 percent of pickup truck drivers and 70 percent of pickup truck passengers who were killed in traffic crashes were NOT buckled up.

According to NHTSA, “every year during [the] holiday period, law enforcement agencies join forces day and night, from coast-to-coast, for an enforcement blitz that delivers on our message Click It or Ticket. The mobilization is supported by national and local paid advertising and earned media campaigns aimed at raising awareness before the blitz that … Day or Night – Click It or Ticket.”

For more information about the CIOT Campaign go to NHTSA.

Seton also offers a variety of seat belt signs so you can promote your own seat belt safety message on your property.

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Often, when confined space accidents happen, it’s not carelessness or a blatant disregard for safety that is the cause. In many instances, confined space accidents happen simply because the site supervisor didn’t recognize the space as a hazardous one that could cause injury or death.

Before working in any space, it’s essential to evaluate the scene and determine if any confined space hazards exist. There are three criteria that must be met for a work scene to be considered a confined space:

1. The space is fully or partially enclosed
2. The space is not designed and constructed for continuous human occupancy
3. The space has atmospheric hazards because of its location, contents or the type of work done in it

Again, all three criteria have to be met before a space is recognized as a confined space.

The Construction Safety Association of Ontario has defined these criteria as follows:

Partially or fully enclosed spaces

Because air can’t move freely in and out of a partially or fully enclosed space, there is a potential for a hazardous atmosphere to be generated inside. This is especially true for spaces such as vaults, tanks, pits, trenches, or manholes.

Spaces not designed and constructed for continuous human occupancy

Confined spaces are not designed or constructed for people to work in them on an ongoing basis. They are usually designed and constructed to store material, transport products, or enclose a process. But occasionally, some work must be done inside the space.

Atmospheric hazards

A hazardous atmosphere is one which contains any of the following:

• An accumulation of flammable, combustible, or explosive agents
• Less than 19.5% or more than 23% oxygen
• An accumulation of atmospheric contaminants that could result in acute (short-term) health effects which pose an immediate threat to life, or interfere with a person’s ability to escape unaided from a confined space

For more information on confined space hazards visit the Construction Safety Association of Ontario.

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National Pet Week (May 2-8) was jointly founded in 1981 by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the AVMA Auxiliary to foster responsible pet ownership, recognize the human-animal bond, and increase public awareness of veterinary medicine.  National Pet Week has become widely celebrated throughout the United States.  The 2010 theme for National Pet Week is “Pets and People—Healthy Together,” promoting the importance of exercise for people and pets.  According to the American Obesity Society, 65% of adult Americans are overweight or obese,  and 44% of dogs and 57% of cats in the United States are overweight or obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

So a great way if you didn’t already celebrate with your pet is exercising with them.  Maybe try a new route in your daily walk or a dog park in the area.  Keeping your pet safe should always be your number one priority whether its in your own home or out in public. Be aware of Pet Control Signs in your area and check for them when entering a new surrounding.  If your area needs more messaging Seton has the signs to relay your message.  Source: http://petweek.org/index.cfm

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May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.  The summer riding season is here and it’s time to remind car and truck drivers they’re sharing the road with motorcycles.  According to NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration), 5,290 motorcyclists were killed and 96,000 more were injured in 2008.  Drivers -  be on the lookout for motorcycles and take care when driving near them.

But Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is more than just warning drivers to be cautious of motorcycles. It’s also a time to promote motorcycle rider responsibility. Things like proper licensing, responsible riding habits and diligent motorcycle maintenance go a long way in increasing motorcycle rider safety.

Here are some top maintenance tips for motorcycle safety:

• Check tire pressure regularly. Under inflated tires can make lane changes or emergency maneuvers dangerous.
• Inspect tire tread wear. Tires with tread wear or flat spots make the bike harder to turn.
• Clean and lubricate chains. A broken chain can make a driver lose control of the bike while driving.
• Check belts. A broken belt can cause loss of power and loss of control of the bike.
• Inspect and replace brakes before they fail completely. Don’t wait until you have no braking power at all.
• Adjust shocks for rider and passengers. Not enough spring tension and the bike drags on the ground. Too much and the rear end skips and bounces, causing loss of control.
• Replace halogen headlights before they fail. Halogen light emitted from headlights decrease over time. Replace headlight bulbs every 1-2 years to get maximum light output and maximum visibility.

For additional information on motorcycle safety, visit NHTSA.

Seton offers Motorcycle Parking Signs to give motorcyclists a safe place to park in your parking lot.

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Today is Teacher’s Day – a day to honor your teachers and thank them for the contributions they’ve made to your lives. Traditionally students, school boards and school administrators often show appreciation to their teachers with token gifts.

But why limit teacher appreciation to just one day – or even a week? And why not give something more practical and longer-lasting than the standard shiny red apple? In many communities, teachers are honored with special school parking spaces designated with reserved parking signs customized just for them.

Most teachers enjoy having a special spot to park and if the space is close to the building, appreciate not having to walk as far with heavy loads of books and other school supplies.

To order reserved parking signs for your teachers click here.

Just for fun, here’s some famous people who used to be teachers and whose names could have appeared on a “Reserved For Teacher” Parking Sign.

Sting was an elementary school teacher for two years before moving on to his music career.  He wrote songs while his students were taking tests.

Mr. T. was a gym teacher in Chicago in the mid-1970s before joining television’s THE A-TEAM.

Stephen King was a high school English teacher in Maine before becoming a best-selling author.  He wrote short stories to supplement his teacher’s salary.

Gene Simmons was an elementary school teacher in New York before teaming up with Paul Stanley and forming the rock band KISS.

Click here to learn more about National Teachers Day.

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