Is your air conditioner working overtime right now? Well we all know that answer! Yes…the humidity levels have been at a high for a couple weeks now.  Besides your higher than average electric bill you need to worry about – what about the safety of your home?  Here are some surprising statistics regarding the use of cooling appliances in your home.

• According to the CPSC, 15% of consumer-product related electrocutions are attributed to large appliances. These electrocutions occur most commonly while someone is attempting to service or repair the appliance.
• In 2006, an estimated 33,500 injuries were reported to hospital emergency rooms as involving air conditioners, fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air purifiers, and heat pumps. The leading types of injuries were laceration (14,890), contusion or abrasion (6,110), and strain or sprain (4,430).
• In 2003-2006, the 7,000 reported home structure fires per year involving air conditioning and related equipment included 2,400 per year involving central and room air conditioners specifically and 3,700 per year involving fans.

Source: http://esfi.org/

Safety Tips from Seton!

1) Always keep in mind safety when researching and purchasing new appliances for your home. Read consumer and manufacturer recommendations and reviews.

2) Inspect the equipment when its delivered to your home. Make sure nothing looks broken or out of the ordinary.

3) Consult a qualified professional if you have any doubts when buying a new expensive appliance to determine  the right fit for your home.

4) Do not install anything by yourself or without the proper equipment. The best way is to hire a professional for any appliances that need electrical work.

5) Always check and double check routinely on the safety of your existing appliances!

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1. Are all exits marked with an exit sign and illuminated by a reliable light source?
2. Are doors, passageways or stairways, that are neither exits nor access to exits and which could be mistaken for exits, appropriately marked “NOT AN EXIT,” “TO BASEMENT, “STOREROOM,” etc.?
3. Are exit signs provided with the word “EXIT” in lettering at least 5 inches high and the stroke of the lettering at least 1/2-inch wide?
4. Are exit doors side-hinged?
5. Are all exits kept free of obstructions?
6. Are at least two means of egress provided from elevated platforms, pits or rooms where the absence of a second exit would increase the risk of injury from hot, poisonous, corrosive, suffocating, flammable, or explosive substances?
7. Are there sufficient exits to permit prompt escape in case of emergency?
8. Are special precautions taken to protect employees during construction and repair operations?
9. Is the number of exits from each floor of a building and the number of exits from the building itself, appropriate for the building occupancy load?
10. Are exit stairways which are required to be separated from other parts of a building, enclosed by at least 2-hour fire-resistive construction in buildings more than four stories in height, and not less than 1-hour fire-resistive constructive elsewhere?
11. Where ramps are used as part of required exiting from a building, is the ramp slope limited to 1 ft. vertical and 12 ft. horizontal?
12. Where exiting will be through frameless glass doors, glass exit doors, storm doors, etc., are the doors fully tempered and meet the safety requirements for human impact?

Get a printable copy here.  Seton is the Source for Safety, Labeling & Signage Guaranteed Fast and Flawless…Every Time!

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The NFPA reported recently that after an adjustment for inflation in 2007,  Total Cost of Fire in the United States has increased 86% since 1980.

NFPA report states -  The complete total cost of fire is defined as the sum of economic loss (e.g., property damage, business interruption), human loss (e.g., lives lost, medical treatment, pain and suffering), and the cost of provisions to prevent or mitigate the cost of fire (e.g., fire departments, insurance, and fire protection equipment and construction).

Other key findings from the report:

• Although the core total cost of fire increased, the economic loss due to fire decreased by 13 percent since 1980, totaling at $18.6 billion.
• The total cost of direct property damages, reported or unreported, totaled at $16.6 billion.  This figure represents 90 percent of the economic loss.  The other 10 percent represents indirect losses, such as business interruption.
• Human losses are estimated at $42.5 billion.

For more information visit NFPA.org

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has posted the FY 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (FIRE Act) program guidance.  The main goal of this grant is to help the needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations.   The AFG reviews applications to seek out organizations that lack resources and tools that are necessary to help protect the life and safety of the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. $390 million will be provided to aid in obtaining protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources that may be needed by these organizations.

Since 2001, this grant has helped so many.  Lamar County, MS  is just one of many true success stories.  In 2008,  Lamar County volunteer firefighter’s received a grant of $120,764.  With the help of this grant new equipment and gear for firefighters was purchased. “The grant couldn’t have come at a better time,” Stevens said. A rural department doesn’t have that kind of extra money to buy equipment, even if it’s needed. Our old gear was worn out and needed to be replaced. The new stuff got here just in time.”  2 lives were saved in a fire with the thanks of new equipment.

Application turn in started on Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 8:00am Eastern Time and will end on May 28th, 2010 at 5:00pm Eastern Time

Source: iaff.org

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Take a look around your building.  You can probably spot a few fire extinguishers near your current location.  Now think…if there was a small fire the first thing you would do is call 911 and then immediately run for one of those extinguishers to put out the fire, right?   Well, what if that extinguisher didn’t work!  Fire extinguishers could be damaged, have leaks, be corroded or have other defects especially if they have been sitting around for a long time.  These are good reasons why it  is important to have a process in place to check them out.   So here is simple fire extinguisher self inspection checklist to follow.

• Do you have a portable fire extinguisher program in place?
• Does your facility provide employee training in portable fire extinguishers?
• Are all fire extinguishers mounted properly?
• Are all fire extinguishers checked on a monthly basis?
• Have all fire extinguishers had an annual inspection within the last 12 months?
• Are all fire extinguishers properly charged?
• Are all extinguishers readily accessible, adequately conspicuous and of the correct type/class for anticipated fires?
• Is there a master inventory list describing the location and type of each fire extinguisher in your facility? 

Seton carries a variety fire inspection tags, fire equipment signs and more ! Let Seton be your source for safety needs!

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