Last month on the blog we shared with you tips on bicycle safety and the importance of wearing a helmet. ( “Don’t Forget Your Helmet!” ) However, if the helmet isn’t the right fit or is not worn properly, it may defeat the purpose. With so many different styles and types, how do you know which helmet to choose and if the fit is right? The following from the Doctors of BC shows you how to properly fit a helmet and what to look for when making your purchase.
The Doctors of BC: Bike Helmet Safety
Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)
The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 2.34 million occupational fatalities every year across the globe. In Canada alone injury and illness at work continues to be a significant problem.
It is estimated that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from working cost Canadian society upwards of $20 billion a year. Reports from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in 2012 indicate that 43% of the claims were due to sprains and strains, 20% were due to low back injury and 19% were due to overexertion.
In Ontario, the Ministry of Labour enforces the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Occupational safety and health (OSH) is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. This Act explains the procedures for dealing with workplace hazards and allows the law to be enforced when workplaces have not adhered to the policies put in place.
Occupational therapists are experts at helping injured people to return to their jobs in modified or full capacities, or assist people to be retrained or find alternative forms of work if their previous occupation is no longer suitable. We conduct jobsite evaluations to outline the physical and cognitive work demands, assess the individual’s physical, cognitive and emotional preparedness to return, and often look at the ergonomics of their workstation or body positioning when doing the job. The overarching goal of all this is to ensure that people can return to work safely, can perform tasks independently, are productive, and to reduce the risk of re-injury. We also provide devices, education, organize work schedules and gradual return programs, and collaborate with employers, physicians and other health professionals to promote a successful outcome. With respect to prevention, we conduct workshops and provide education and training programs for employers and employees alike to promote health and safety while engaging in all work tasks.
April 28th is recognized as The World Day for Safety and Health at Work. It is held as an annual international campaign that seeks to promote safe, healthy and decent work environments. It also commemorates people who have had an accident or injury in the course of their job. It is important that we are all involved in this initiative – workplace safety should not be optional. Consider these four steps to make sure that health and safety are paramount in your organization:
Or, if you are off work due to injury or illness and need help returning, would like solutions to help you work more comfortably, or are concerned about the impact of your job on your physical, cognitive or emotional health, consider contacting an occupational therapist. We are here to help.
References
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. http://www.wsibstatistics.ca/asset_files/images/ByTheNumbers2012_S1_pg5.pdf
United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/events/safeworkday/
Ministry of Labour. https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/prevention/index.php
Ministry of Labour. https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pdf/workbook.pdf
Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc
(reference: www.zazzle.ca)
What a great bumper sticker created to remind people of the risks of texting and driving. Why is this necessary? Because texting while driving has recently surpassed drinking as the # 1 cause of vehicle collisions. In fact, texting drivers are 23 times more likely than non-distracted drivers to be involved in a crash. The largest problem is with teens, but 47% of adults also admit that they are guilty of this habit.
I can see the pattern already…back in the 70’s when people were dying or getting seriously injured in car accidents they made seat belt laws. Then, kids were still getting hurt, or worse, because they were too small for the belt. So, they made car seats and enacted strict laws about their use. Drinking and driving was then on the rise, and many people (young and old) were losing their lives because of their own poor decisions, or due to the carelessness of others. Drinking laws come in, MADD is formed, and slowly the rates start dropping. When it was realized that some people were still not wearing belts, they brought in air bags. The increased safety of these for a seat-belt wearer was minimal, but for a non-wearer, somewhat protective. Soon, the car phone is invented and this is replaced with the cell phone. Talking and driving becomes the norm. Arrive texting. Accidents relating to cell phone use in general increases, and now in Ontario there is a stiff fine for not being hands free in the car. Texting is more discrete when driving because the phone can be concealed below the eyesight of other drivers (versus attached to your ear). But when the driver is looking down, not ahead like they are supposed to, it is easy to surmise what they are up to. Texting and driving laws fall under “hands free” but based on the latest stats, it is clearly still happening.
If we break this down, we can see that texting and driving is not the real problem. This is just a symptom. The real problem is a society addicted to technology. A new generation of adults, tweens and teens that are so attached to their device(s) that they are unable to function without them. Instant gratification, the latest news and gossip, the ability to multi-task all the time. We have created a culture of people that literally can’t wait to communicate.
So, what can we do to try and help the pendulum to swing the other way? Here are some thoughts…
1. Like anything, as parents and adults we need to model appropriate phone behavior. No phones after a certain time, none at the table, not in your bedroom, and NEVER WHEN DRIVING. I still see adults driving, talking on the phone (illegal) with their tween in the front seat. Good luck teaching your kid how to follow the rules and drive safely if you are not doing this yourself.
2. Silent mode is an option. Turn the darn thing off. If a ding, ping, or funky tune has you desperate to find your phone and respond, power it down, use airplane mode, shut off the Wi-Fi – anything to pull you from the device at times when its use is not appropriate.
3. Don’t start this stuff too early with your kids. I love the quote from the book Queenbees and Wannabees “If your child is between the ages of 7 and 12 and has a cell phone, you have lost your mind”. Wow, I know a lot of people that are insane then. It is everywhere. For me, my kids can have a phone when they can a) afford it or b) show enough responsibility that its’ use will be proper. They still can’t hang up their coats so why would I assume they can manage a phone? Saying no as a parent is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.
4. Support the cause. There are some great people and organizations out there that are trying to educate the youth of today about the perils of texting and driving. Check out www.DontDriveDistracted.org. – a crusade and website that is being managed by a 16 year old. Impressive! Or, www.textingthumbbands.com where you can purchase bands to place over your phone for in the car, or thumb bands reminding you to text responsibly.
As an occupational therapist working with car accident survivors, I can tell you no message, text or call is worth it. The impact of an accident on you physically, cognitively or emotionally can be severe, devastating, catastrophic. The way you are treated by your insurer may disgust you. The length of time it takes to get back on your feet, to return to work, play, fun, will surprise you. And if you don’t value your own life to stop these dangerous habits, then value the lives of other drivers that rely on you to be focusing on ONE thing when driving – THE ROAD.
In May, Entwistle Power will be at the Hamilton Health Sciences Conference giving out wrist bands to spread the “don’t text and drive” message. While I love my job, I would rather see car accidents disappear.