General Safety Rules for Outdoor Handheld Power Tools

Whether you are using string trimmers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers or any of the many other outdoor handheld power tools, there are general safety considerations that should be followed regardless of the tool. Here is a list of safety rules suggested:

• Make sure there are no bystanders, children or pets within a 50-foot radius.

• Wear eye and ear protection equipment when operating power tools.

• Wear protective clothing. Long pants, closed-toe shoes and gloves are recommended. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry.

• Inspect the area where the power tools are to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire and other foreign objects that could interfere with the operation and cause personal injury.

• Do not operate any power tool while under the influence of alcohol, medications or drugs or when ill or fatigued.

• Never start a gasoline-powered tool inside an enclosed area. Breathing exhaust fumes can be fatal.

• Follow fueling and premixing guidelines strictly. Wipe up any fuel spillage and replace the fuel cap immediately to minimize potential for fuel contamination and explosion.

• Never leave power equipment unattended with the engine running.

• Always keep your equipment clean and in proper working order. Clean, maintain and make repairs after you have finished using your equipment daily.

• Remember that for all power equipment a “safety always” attitude is the best defense against accidents and injury.

Practicing these few guidelines will preserve your equipment and keep you and others safe from injury.

Mower Safety

If you haven’t already, let’s brush up on mowing safety procedures to increase your productivity and help keep employees free from injury. Although many users have years of mowing experience, sometimes safety precautions are overlooked. The results can be dangerous. Staying aware of conditions, knowing your machine and constantly being alert can help you avoid accidents and injury. Of course, every operator should always refer to the operator's manual for routine maintenance schedules and safety tips. Here are some general mower safety guidelines to help get you started.

Before mowing:

Dress for the job. Safety begins with the clothes you wear to work. Choose close-fitting clothes and long pants, hearing protection, eye protection, work boots with traction and heavy gloves (when handling blades). Do not wear loose-fitting clothes or jewelry, which can get caught or hung up on a machine and cause injury.

Know your machine. All mowers have some of the same basic equipment parts. For example, front-deck mowers all have features such as panel controls, seat controls, foot controls, fuel tank, fuel filter, engine oil fill and check, hydraulic oil fill and check, mower deck, grass deflector, height adjustments, radiator and air cleaner. However, every machine includes unique features, so read your operator's manual to familiarize yourself with your machine. As any minor and major machine problems arise, report them to your supervisor or mechanic. Reporting problems right away will help you avoid potential hazards.

Read warning labels and check safety features. There are dangers associated with operating any power equipment, so pay attention to all warning labels and safety features on your mower. Also, check the safety guards and devices to ensure that they are in proper working condition. Never operate your mower if your safety guards and devices are not in place.

Conduct daily inspections. Always conduct your daily mower inspections on a hard, flat surface away from the mowing area. Open the hood and check the mower's oil level. Check the hydraulic system for the appropriate level of fluid. Inspect the cooling system to make sure there is enough coolant in the radiator. Clean any debris off the screen and front of the radiator. Check the condition of your air-restriction indicator or the condition of your air cleaner and empty any debris found. Ensure that all parts, such as belts, pulleys, catchers and guards are in proper working order. Also, check the tire pressure. Always refer to your operator's manual for step-by-step start-up procedures and daily machine inspections.

Adjust the cutting height of your deck. If you are using multiple pieces of mowing equipment on the same landscape area, make sure that the height of your mower deck is consistent on all machines, so you'll have a uniform cut. Never adjust the mower height when the engine is running. All adjustments should be made while the engine is turned off.

Check your collection/discharge system. Most commercial mowers will have some combination of material collection system (MCS), side discharge or mulching system. Always check to make sure that your MCS, discharge chute and mulching attachments are properly secured and in good working order. Never start the mower if attachments are not securely fastened.

Check the fuel level. Check your mower's fuel level and fill if necessary, so that you start your day with a full tank of fuel. If you refuel during the day, move your mower to a flat, concrete surface, turn the engine off and allow the engine to cool. (Refilling after lunch or an afternoon break is convenient.) Carefully fill the fuel tank and avoid spilling. Spilled gasoline will evaporate, releasing hydrocarbon emissions into the atmosphere. Also, never smoke around gasoline.

Clear your work area. Before you begin your job, walk the mowing area and clear all hidden hazards, such as rocks, stumps and hidden debris like broken glass, bottles and miscellaneous materials. Injuries may occur from debris that is projected into the air by mower impact. Projected debris can cause injuries to operators, pedestrians and property.

Inspect your work area for nature's hazards. While inspecting your work area for debris, be on the lookout for bees, fire ants, poison ivy and poison oak. Taking note of potential area hazards will increase your productivity as well as your safety. Also, avoid improper working conditions such as overly saturated grounds, which can cause slippery conditions.

While mowing:

Make a perimeter pass. Always start your mower from the operator's seat — never while standing beside the mower. Once you are ready to mow, engage the PTO. When engaging the blades, do so at the lowest recommended engine setting rather than at full throttle. Release the brake and gradually depress the foot pedal to begin forward motion. Start by making a perimeter pass with the discharge chute or grass catcher to the inside — that is, away from the sidewalk, pavement, curb or whatever structure borders the turf. This will keep the mower from hitting curbs, trees, bushes and any other obstacles. The perimeter pass will allow you to make U-turns in the grass, thereby avoiding tire and grass stains on the concrete.

Start mowing. Always mow in straight lines, alternating directions and changing the pattern every week, if possible. For the best-quality cut, make sure your blades are sharp and mow with the engine running at maximum speed. If you are mowing long grass, use the highest cut setting for the first pass, and then make a second pass to cut the grass at a lower setting. Discharge clippings toward previously cut lawn areas. Never position the side-discharge chute toward people or property.

Know your surroundings. To avoid injury to yourself or others, pay attention to people around you. If a person or animal approaches you while working, stop your mower and turn off the engine. You may resume mowing once the work area is clear of all people and animals.

Avoid rubbing objects. When mowing, keep a safe distance from trees and other landscape features. Avoid hitting or rubbing the mower or its tires on any buildings, cars, signs, trees and other property features. Serious landscaping and property damage can occur, not to mention unnecessary wear to your equipment.

Pick up any missed debris. If you see any debris that you missed in your initial inspection, stop the machine, turn off the engine and pick up the debris. Do not attempt to clear debris while the machine's engine is still running.

Unclog the deflection chute. Sometimes while mowing the deflection chute can become clogged with grass clippings. To unclog it, turn off the engine and make sure the blades are stopped. To ensure safety, disconnect the spark plug wire and use a tool or stick to clear grass clippings. Never clear the deck or chute with your hands, and never place your hands or feet near the cutting blades.

Be extra careful on slopes. Always mow up and down slopes — never mow across slopes. Decrease your speed when mowing down slopes or around sharp corners to help prevent tipping. Maintain minimal ground speed and make wide, gradual turns; avoid sudden starts, stops and turns. Remember: If it looks dangerous, it almost certainly is dangerous, so use caution accordingly.

After mowing:

Shut down before performing maintenance. Refer to your operator's manual for proper shutdown procedures. Always shut down your machine from the operator's seat — never dismount from a running mower. Make sure that the mower is completely stopped and the engine is off before you begin your clean-up and maintenance procedures. Your operator's manual will detail specific daily clean-up and maintenance tasks.

Clean your mower. Your mower should be cleaned after each job by removing clippings and other landscaping debris from the mower, mower deck and deflection chute. Lingering debris can cause unwanted buildup and potential malfunctions or breakdowns of parts. Also, accumulation of grass, leaves or excessive grease can be a fire hazard.

Perform routine maintenance. Preventive maintenance is key to your machine's longevity. Although your operator's manual will provide specific routine maintenance procedures, certain common maintenance procedures apply to all commercial mowers. After each mowing job, you should check your mower's tire pressure and adjust if necessary. Check all fluid levels, belts, guards and blades. From your inspections, prepare a list of potential maintenance problems for your supervisor or mechanic.

Tend to repairs immediately. If your machine requires any repairs, tend to them immediately. Delaying machine and parts repairs will delay productivity. If repairs are overlooked and the mower is reused, damage to additional mower parts or operator injury may result.

Maintain a recommended maintenance schedule. Refer to your operator's manual for routine daily, monthly, quarterly and yearly maintenance procedures. Keeping your machine in top condition can help you increase your productivity and decrease any risk of injuries.

Be certain you've taken all the necessary precautions. By following these guidelines, you can ensure a safe mowing season, not only for yourself, but for those around you.

Reducing Health Risks to Workers Handling Human Waste or Sewage

Workers who handle human waste or sewage may be at increased risk of becoming ill from waterborne diseases. To reduce this risk and protect against illness, such as diarrhea, the following guidance should be followed by workers and employers.

Basic Hygiene Practices for Workers

• Wash hands with soap and water immediately after handling human waste or sewage.

• Avoid touching face, mouth, eyes, nose, or open sores and cuts while handling human waste or sewage.

• After handling human waste or sewage, wash your hands with soap and water before eating or drinking.

• After handling human waste or sewage, wash your hands with soap and water before and after using the toilet.

• Before eating, removed soiled work clothes and eat in designated areas away from human waste and sewage-handling activities.

• Do not smoke or chew tobacco or gum while handling human waste or sewage.

• Keep open sores, cuts, and wounds covered with clean, dry bandages.

• Gently flush eyes with safe water if human waste or sewage contacts eyes.

• Use waterproof gloves to prevent contact with human waste or sewage.

• Wear rubber boots at the work site and during transport of human waste or sewage.

• Remove rubber boots and work clothes before leaving work site.

• Clean contaminated work clothing daily with 0.05% chlorine solution (1 part household bleach to 100 parts water).

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Workers handling human waste or sewage should be provided proper PPE, training on how to use it, and hand washing facilities. Workers should wash hands with soap and water immediately after removing PPE. The following PPE is recommended for workers handling human waste or sewage:

• Goggles: to protect eyes from splashes of human waste or sewage.

• Protective face mask or splash-proof face shield: to protect nose and mouth from splashes of human waste or sewage.

• Liquid-repellent coveralls: to keep human waste or sewage off clothing.

• Waterproof gloves: to prevent exposure to human waste or sewage.

• Rubber boots: to prevent exposure to human waste or sewage.

Training for Workers

All workers who handle human waste or sewage should receive training on disease prevention. The training should include information on basic hygiene practices; use and disposal of personal protective equipment, and proper handling of human waste or sewage. Workers must also be urged to promptly seek medical attention if displaying any signs or symptoms of diarrhea, such as vomiting, stomach cramps and watery diarrhea.

Vaccination Recommendations for Workers

Vaccination recommendations for workers exposed to sewage or human waste should be developed in consultation with local health authorities. Tetanus vaccinations should be up to date, with consideration also given to the need for polio, typhoid fever, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccinations.

The recommendations made in this document are based on best practices and procedures. Worker health and safety risks are likely to vary among specific locations and a trained health and safety professional should be consulted to create site-specific worker health and safety plans.

Promoting Respiratory Safety in the Workplace

To ensure your workplace exemplifies the highest standard of safety when it comes to respiratory protection, consider these tips in promoting respiratory safety in the workplace:

Have a written program in place (It’s the law)

In workplaces where respiratory protection is mandated, it is legally required for the municipality to have a written respiratory protection program in place. It must be one of the sections of your Safety and Health Policy and Procedure Manual required by OK Department of Labor’s PEOSH division as per NIOSH regulations (42CFR Part84) . Even if respiratory is simply recommended, writing out an official policy ensures workers have a resource to promote their safety and managers have a document to refer to for suggested protocols and procedures. Finding ways to create safer workplaces should be of utmost importance.

Choose the appropriate type of respirator(s)

OSHA/PEOSH mandates that a company/municipality must do an exposure assessment before choosing a particular type of respirator. This requires identifying what type of airborne contaminants pose a risk (particulate, biological, or chemical), as well as how much of these contaminants a worker can be exposed to. By quantifying these risk factors, employers can then choose the appropriate type of respirator for specific jobs and environments. Remember to take into account the comfort of your workers when wearing respirators for long periods of time. Be aware of medical conditions that may prevent an employee from wearing respiratory masks.

Make sure employees are using respirators properly

If you employees don’t wear respirators correctly or take them off in hazardous environments, then the devices do nothing to protect them. For example, a worker with a full beard or sideburns may not get a good seal. Or an employee that wears glasses may not be able to get a good seal because their respirator is not designed to be worn with glasses. Train employees on when to wear respirators, what kind of respirator is best for them, and make sure they know how to properly adjust the respirator to properly fit for effectiveness and comfort. Fit testing is required by OSHA/PEOSH when respirators are worn. Make sure employees read and understand instructions on new types of respirators to make sure they are wearing and using them properly. Make sure respirators aren’t inhibited by other safety gear like safety glasses and hearing protection.

Make sure maintenance is a priority

Disposable respirators should be discarded after one use and reusable ones require the filter be changed regularly. Employers are responsible for ensuring reusable respirators are properly cleaned, sanitized, stored, and repaired. Respirators should be stored in a clean area in which they will not be exposed to environmental damage. When replacing filters, make sure excess packaging is removed and that the filter is inserted properly.

Have ample replacement respirators and filters available

If your employees rely on reusable respirators, make a point of having plenty of replacement filters available. Besides having ample filters, cartridges, and replacement parts, take time to organize all your supplies so they can be accessed efficiently. Same goes for disposable masks respirators if that is your municipalities preferred method of protection. Keep your supply well stocked and make sure your workers are following your written procedures and using your respirator protection equipment. It will keep them and your organization safer.

Crisis Management Planning

Spring is often the time when we think of Crisis Management Planning or Emergency Action Plans. Are we prepared for a flood? What do we do if we take a direct hit from a tornado? How do we survive an extreme drought? We face potential disasters each day, though – not just in the Spring. It could be a major water main break, a citywide power outage, or a horrible accident causing injury or death to an employee. Municipal leaders must be prepared and prepare for their employees and their communities to experience and deal with these types of crises on any day or at any time of the year.

Developing resilient communities requires leadership from government and business. Preparing the workforce, building safe facilities, investing in supplier relationships, and connecting to the community are all key pillars of creating community resilience from boardroom to storefront. The path to being a leader in reaching this goal involves connecting with the right people and resources and committing to action by helping the whole community (people, businesses, organizations) mitigate the hazards they face and bounce back quickly after an incident. Being prepared can also decrease the overall costs of disruption by disasters.

The Leadership Path

The most successful leaders act in a coordinated and collaborative way. They integrate a supportive environment that recognizes effective and actionable best practices and understand what makes public-private partnerships successful. This, in turn, enables state and local partnership development and growth. It also integrates planning, preparedness, and operational activities.

• Connecting: The first step to becoming better prepared or becoming a leader in connecting within the community and local industry. As the connections to people and resources grow across sectors of the community, trust, aptitude for transparency, and efficiency in developing a preparedness program grow too.

• Integrating: Planning, Training, and Drilling (exercises) are fundamental to community preparedness. Identifying challenges facing both government and private sectors through scenarios contributes to mutual understanding and community resilience.

• Coordinating: Solving problems together in disruption, disasters, or crisis scenarios helps the whole community work through adverse situations. Businesses have a unique opportunity in identifying capabilities that can help during emergencies. The government has a responsibility to help businesses stay in business. As a result, customers and citizens benefit.

• Collaborating: Talking issues through with all parties influences the way ahead through mitigation, recovery, and strategies that will enable resilience.

• Committing: Your role is to be committed, which will make you grow in the community and encourage others to connect and act.

• This leadership path gives businesses and municipalities of all sizes a road map to follow for building their own all-hazards preparedness and contributes to the resilience of the whole community.

Information Sharing

Decisions need to be made before, during, and after a disruption, regardless of the magnitude. For business there is either the normal or the not so normal; It doesn’t matter if it is a local, state, or federal declaration of emergency or disaster. Every day businesses and organizations of all sizes are constantly identifying problems, risks, and coping with crises.

Sharing information helps translate vagueness into clarity. Sharing is also based on a trusted relationship. Developing this trust within a municipal, community, or state emergency operations center and other information-sharing centers can enable government and business leaders to improve decision making.

Pillars of Business Preparedness

Whether you are a city/town mayor, a city manager/town administrator, or a business owner, there’s much you can do to help.  Preparing employees, evaluating and mitigating risks or systems, and engaging the community will make your municipality more resilient.

• Employee Training: Prepare your employees for the threats and hazards likely to impact your community. By preparing your staff for the threats and hazards likely to impact your municipality, you can ensure your people know how to stay safe in a disaster.  Whether it is a fire, storm, earthquake, or shooter incident they will be prepared.

• Structures and Systems: Taking deliberate actions to evaluate, mitigate, and reduce physical, cyber, and operational risks will help protect some of your largest investments: buildings, computer systems, equipment. etc.

• Suppliers: Working with suppliers to share preparedness strategies, expect business continuity practice, and build confidence in your supply chain will calm concerns and provide peace of mind. Securing your supply chain, both locally and globally, is an essential component of improving your municipality’s likelihood to cope with disruptions and survive a disaster.

• Service: Engage with community leaders, emergency managers, planners, and your elected officials to support pre-incident preparedness planning. In addition to preparing your municipality, it is important to understand your local tribal and state emergency plans and capabilities. Focusing on these pillars builds capacity and can yield a competitive advantage benefiting local businesses and citizens.

To learn more about Crisis Management and Preparedness go to www.ready.gov. There is a multitude of resources to help you develop these programs.

Respiratory Protection - Protecting Employees from Airborne Hazards

Respiratory protection in the workplace protects employees from hazardous gases, vapors, oxygen deficiency, and airborne particles. If your municipality has sanitary sewers, water treatment facilities, confined spaces, or emergency services you must have a site-specific written respiratory protection program. This should include a respirator selection process, employee training records, employee medical evaluation reports, fit test results, filter change schedules, hazardous atmospheres evaluations, and program evaluations. The employer must keep these records on file and available for employees, representatives, and inspectors to review upon request.

There are two major classes of respirators: Air-purifying respirators that remove contaminants from the air and Atmosphere-supplying respirators that provide clean, breathable air from an uncontaminated air supply. Respirators can be either tight-fitting or loose-fitting. Tight-fitting respirators include filtering facepieces, half masks, and full facepieces that don’t completely cover the head. Loose respirators are hoods or helmets that cover the head completely. All respirators used in the workplace must be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Respirators protect workers from a wide variety of hazardous environments. They enable employees to safely work around harmful dust, fogs, smokes, fumes, gases, vapors, and sprays. Without proper respiratory protection, many airborne hazards can cause cancer, lung impairment, other diseases, and even death.

OSHA and the Oklahoma Department of Labor PEOSH division require that all employees be fully trained on respiratory protection before they begin work with their respirator. Before they begin training, they must first pass a medical evaluation. Because respirators can make breathing difficult or induce feelings of claustrophobia, not everyone can wear a respirator. Respiratory impairment, cardiovascular impairment, anemia, epilepsy, punctured eardrums, diabetes, and vision problems can all prevent a worker from using a respirator. Medical evaluations must be performed by a qualified medical professional in a confidential setting. After employees have passed their medical evaluations, they must be trained on the specific hazards that their respirator protects against, and how to properly clean, maintain, and dispose of their respirator or exchangeable filters. Employees must be given a fit test to ensure their respirator is the correct size and forms an adequate seal. They must also be trained on how to properly wear their respirator, including how to put it on, take it off, and check the fit. Retraining must be performed every year or if an employee shows inadequate knowledge of the respiratory protection program.

Here are some basic respiratory protection tips: Workers who use respirators should always inspect their respirator and perform a seal check before every use. Employees should be trained on and adhere to their municipality’s filter replacement schedule. Many filters have a color-changing end of service life indicator that alert the user when filters must be changed. Common signs of respirator failure include strange chemical smells or tastes, burning sensation in the eyes, nose, or throat, feelings of dizziness, nausea, difficulty breathing, or noticeable hot air inside the respirator. If a worker experiences any of these symptoms, they should leave the area immediately, remove the respirator, and wait to see if the symptoms improve. If the symptoms improve, they should perform a full inspection and seal check before re-entering the work area. If the symptoms persist, they should leave the area and inform their supervisor that their respirator is not working properly.

Remember, employees must be protected from hazardous atmospheres and airborne contaminants. Before receiving a respirator, employees must pass a medical evaluation, receive complete and proper training, and understand how to fully inspect their respirator, and keep it clean and properly maintained. Filters must be changed according to the respirator maintenance schedule. Finally, employees must be able to recognize the signs of respirator failure and know how to safely get themselves away from hazardous materials before removing their masks. They must also remember to report any failures or malfunctions to the supervisor immediately after an incident.

OMAG Grants Programs

Reminder, OMAG grants are available to our members – learn more by going to www.omag.org.  Once there, click on “Free Services” in the upper righthand corner of the home page, then click on “Grants and Scholarships”.  The title of each grant takes you to a separate page to better explain the purpose of each grant. The following is a list of grants available to your municipality:

•           Police Body-Worn Video Camera Grant – contact Kevin McCollough

•           Public Works Safety Equipment Grant – contact Kip Prichard

•           Sanitary Sewer Camera Purchase Grant – contact William Sheppard

•          Sanitary Sewer CCTV Inspection Grant – contact William Sheppard

•           Sanitary Sewer Root Control Grant – contact William Sheppard

•         SL-Rat (sewer line rapid assessment tool) – contact William Sheppard

•         Municipal Natural Gas System Grant – contact Bill Tackett

•          IT (information technology) Equipment Grant – contact Kevin Sesock

OMAG grant applications are very simple to fill out.  Grants are all available throughout the year, with the exception of the Public Works Safety Equipment grants which are awarded twice per year in April and October. We hope you will take the time to go to our webpage and read more about these grants or contact the person responsible for the grants noted above.

Inspecting and Maintaining Lake and Pond Docks

Just like any other structure, docks need to be maintained due to weather changes, general wear-and-tear, mildew, and decay. By maintaining boat and fishing docks, you can ensure the favor of recreational users by providing them with an attractive and safe structure to enhance their experience at your local lake or pond.

 Inspect Docks Frequently

Docks get damaged, especially during rough weather. You should inspect your docks at least quarterly (at each season change). That way you become aware of repair needs and can determine a plan for maintenance. Pressure-treated wood docks need to be inspected more frequently than other types of docks. Though they are affordable, they are more subject to damage. Inspect your pressure-treated wood docks after any harsh weather. Hardwood and composite wood don’t require inspection as frequently, but still need to be checked seasonally. Your inspections should include deck, handrails, walkways, anchorage, flotation, steel connections, and electrical lights/outlets. Look for broken or warped lumber, broken welds, protruding nails or screws, pinch points, and entrapment hazards. Make sure the approach surface is clear of hazards like washouts and sharp rocks and metal parts.

 Clean Docks Annually

Power wash docks every year to remove ground-in dirt. Cleaning a dock is a good time to look for signs of mold, mildew, and rot. If you spot rotting boards or rusting, decaying nuts, bolts, or other fasteners, you need to act fast; the longer these issues persist the more damage to the structure of the dock and a greater risk of a liability claim. After the dock is clean and dried, consider staining or weatherproofing the lumber. This is best done when water levels are low, and the best time is right after the dock is cleaned, because stain will adhere more easily.

If your dock is stained and not painted, consider sealing it every few years. Sealant improves the attractiveness of the dock as well as protecting the wood from rot and mildew. Sealing is a fairly easy process; just spray on a few layers of sealant and allow time for each layer to thoroughly dry. The more active the use on the dock, the more attention you need to give to maintaining the dock. Inspecting, cleaning, and repairing your docks will increase the life of the dock and make it safer for users. Reducing the risk of slips, trips, and falls on the dock and other injuries that can occur reduces the chance of a liability claim filed against the municipality.

 For an example of a Dock Inspection Check List go to our webpage: www.omag.org and click on “free services” then “public works”. Keep all inspection logs on file for at least 2 years.

Municipal Safety Program

According to Title 40 O.S. 403e – Every employer having twenty-five (25) or more full- or part-time employees shall:

• Designate an employee who shall coordinate all safety programs of the employer;

• Provide safety classes to each type or class of employee no less than quarterly.

 What this means is if your city or town employs 25 full and part-time employees, you must have a designated safety coordinator who provides or plans safety meetings for all the employees for your municipality on topics that are relevant to their work.

 This is how OMAG Risk Management Services sees your Safety Program work:

• First, the municipality’s City Manager, Town Administrator, or Mayor (depending on the form of government) hires or assigns a designated Safety Coordinator. This should be a person that has an interest in “Safety”. They should be devoted and dedicated to keeping people safe.

• Second, the designated Safety Coordinator holds safety meetings for municipal employees at least quarterly each year. These meetings need to be pertinent to the employee’s specific work duties.

• Finally, the municipality’s department supervisors must make sure the employees under their supervision attend these training classes. Employees are responsible for attending the classes because the meetings are for their benefit and safety.

 The Safety Coordinator designation must be in writing. This can be accomplished through, memo, letter, or in the written safety program (Safety and Health Policy and Procedure Manual) for the municipality. The following are duties and responsibilities of the designated Safety Coordinator:

• Ensure the development, implementation, and updating of the required written safety and health programs.

• Ensure that periodic safety and health walk-through inspections of all workplace facilities are completed and identified hazards are corrected.

• Ensure quarterly safety training and all specifically required training is provided for all employees.

• Ensure that accident/injury investigations are completed.

• Conduct investigations into employee inquiries, suggestions, and complaints.

• Maintain health and safety documents/files.

• Ensure periodic inspections of all motorized vehicles.

• Establish and monitor a program for reporting and investigating “near miss” situations (someone was almost injured due to a hazardous condition).

• Ensure each department is correctly maintaining OK300 log information and posting the annual summary from February 1st thru April 30th at each department location.

 This is a lot of responsibility for one person. It must take some careful deliberation by the City Manager, Town Administrator, or Mayor when designating their municipality’s Safety Coordinator. We all face risk in our jobs every day. The position of Safety Coordinator is not a job to be taken lightly. Please make good choices when assigning this position and support and encourage those you choose to facilitate this very important job.

What You Eat May Help Beat Back Pain

Could what you eat be contributing to your back pain? Maybe. Many foods have been shown to reduce (or increase) inflammation, a known cause of back pain. If you are having back pain, changing your diet may help you relieve it.

Left unchecked, inflammation will run rampant through your body, causing all kinds of problems including back pain. That is why creating an anti-inflammatory diet with foods that help you maintain good nutrition is important to managing back pain. Here are some diet tips to assist you in fighting back pain:

Eat your Veggies

A mostly plant-based diet that includes such things as flax and chia seeds, is probably your best bet to avoid inflammation, especially when eaten in combination with omega-3 rich fish like salmon, cod, tuna, and trout.

Deeply colored fruits and vegetables are another key part of an anti-inflammatory diet. Try carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, cherries, berries, grapes, and melons. Herbs and spices like basil, ginger, rosemary, garlic, cumin, onions, and oregano are rich in anti-inflammatory agents. Also, drinking herb teas like green, oolong, and white can be beneficial. Use olive oil rather than blended or animal-based cooking oils. When eating vegetables, think the greener the better (kale, spinach, and broccoli are list toppers). Some other good choices are avocados, nuts, and lean proteins like chicken, turkey, beans, and dark chocolate.

Avoid These Foods to Reduce Back Pain

Some people avoid nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, white potatoes, and peppers to relieve back pain, but there is no research that supports their effects on an anti-inflammatory diet. To find out if these vegetables contribute to inflammation in your body, don’t eat them for 2 weeks and see if your symptoms disappear – just as you should do any potentially sensitive foods. Other foods to avoid include processed foods, fast foods, and saturated fats. All of these fuel inflammation. Things like breads, pasta, rice, sugary drinks and snacks, fried foods, and anything with partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredients (often found in preservative-packed products with a long shelf-life, such as chips, crackers, cookies, and pastries) should be avoided or limited. Avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol as well. I know the nutritionists are killing our party, but if you are experiencing debilitating back pain, you might want to give it a try.

The Calcium Factor

Another way to keep pain at bay is to make sure you are getting enough of the right nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D. Bones are our body’s storage reservoir for calcium. As we age it becomes difficult to maintain bone mass, which can lead to conditions like osteopenia and osteoporosis. These diseases can weaken the vertebrae in our spine. However, according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), we shouldn’t consume more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day. High doses of calcium supplements can increase the risk for heart problems and atherosclerosis (increases plaque in our arteries). Calcium should come from natural sources (milk, cheese, yogurt, and leafy green vegetables). If you are not able to obtain enough calcium from your diet, then talk to your doctor about whether supplements are right for you.

If you are having problems with back pain or joint pain, it might be beneficial to explore some changes in your daily diet. Be aware of what you are eating, watch your calorie intake, and read the labels on foods you are eating. Try to eat more fresh vegetables and meats, rather than processed pre-cooked microwave foods. Get more activity in your daily life, and get a checkup at least annually from your doctor, and heed their advice.