Safety Tips...You May Never Have Heard Of

There’s no shortage of tips on how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe, but here’s some you may never have heard of:

• You know those big puffy parkas you wear during the winter to keep yourself warm? Be sure to take off the jacket when you are riding in the car as wearing a seatbelt over the parka can cause the belt to ride up too high (instead of safely and snugly around your hips) and cause severe spinal and internal injuries if you get into a car accident.
• Lap belts, in older cars which provide these as an only option instead of a three point harness, are decidedly dangerous. There are a number of reports showing that people have been literally cut in half by this type of seatbelt during a car accident.
• Expecting a repairman or has a service person come to your door saying they need to be let in to fix a problem? If you don’t know the person standing at your door and have any doubts, don’t be afraid to call their office and request a physical description of the person before you open the door.
• Going on vacation? Besides researching the best places to eat and not-to-be-missed points of interest, don’t forget to research the types of natural disasters most common to the area where you will be vacationing. Would you know the warning signs and what to do should a tsunami, tornado, hurricane, or other natural disaster not common to the area in which you live, strike?
• Starting a nutrition and exercise program? You should see your doctor first. Most people think that sounds ridiculous since they probably never knew anyone who had a serious problem just from changing their diet and exercising and not consulting their doctor first. Consulting your doctor is smart for a few reasons. First you may have an unknown condition (diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, etc) that can be causing your weight issues and needs specific treatment if you want to get back to a healthier you. Second, if you have a doctor who is knowledgeable in sports medicine, they may be able to give you some tips and pointers to get you off to a safer and healthier start on your new exercise plan. And third, seeing your doctor first and running the gamut of basic tests will give you a base line to track your improvement (such as current weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, etc.).
• You have always been told that you need to drink “enough” water every day but did you know that drinking too much water over a short period of time can be deadly? Called water intoxication or hyponatremia, drinking too much water can cause seizures, coma and even death. In one sad example, a mother tried to win a video game console for her kids during a radio station contest by drinking two gallons of water in one hour and she ended up dead. Many people, including the ten employees who were fired and the radio station which was sued, were completely unaware that this sort of thing could happen.
• If you are in charge of putting up those "Exit" signs that light up during a power outage, or any kind of safety sign that will instruct people where to go during a fire or other disaster, consider placing them near the floor. They look "normal" above the door, but when people are exiting in a smokey fire, they will be crawling on the floor and with a curtain of smoke above them, will be unable to see any signs placed above the door.