According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 32,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes on U.S. roadways in 2014. In the same year, 2.3 million people were injured in crashes. A large percentage of these crashes were caused by alcohol impairment, speeding, distracted driving, and drowsy drivers. There’s a lot we can do to prevent crashes and reduce the number of deaths and injuries on roads. Here are a few ideas to consider before you start the engine.
Take a moment to consider whether driving is a good idea – you may not be fit to operate a vehicle. If you have been drinking or if you are taking any medication that can impair your judgment, coordination, attention, vision, or reaction time, do not drive the vehicle. Ask a friend for a ride, catch a cab, or take a bus.
Consider your state of mind. Make sure you are well-rested. If you start to feel drowsy once you’ve started driving, park your vehicle somewhere safe (not on the shoulder of the road) and take a break until you feel more alert. If you are angry or upset, don’t get behind the wheel of any vehicle. Your emotions can distract you and lead to an accident.
Plan the trip and make sure your vehicle is ready. Try to avoid driving at night and in severe weather whenever possible. If your arrival time is critical, check online for road closures and heavy traffic. Leave a little bit early, just in case. Clean the lights and windows, and make sure your windshield wipers are working properly. Make sure you have enough fuel. Check your tires. Adjust the steering wheel, seat, control and mirrors before you take off.
Once you’re on the road drive safely:
- Avoid distractions like drinking, eating, talking on the phone, texting, adjusting the radio or other controls, and talking to a passenger. Driving requires your full attention.
- Make sure you and your passengers wear a seat belt at all times.
- Stay alert. Changing situations on the road require immediate reaction.
- Always travel at a safe speed. Consider factors like the weather, road conditions, traffic, construction work, and whether kids, cyclists, or pedestrians are, or might be, nearly.
- If you’re driving long distances, stop at least every two hours for a break. Get out of the vehicle, stretch, and walk around a little.
- Watch out for pedestrians, bikes, and motorcycles.
- Ignore horns and rude gestures directed at you. Don’t make hand or facial gestures at other drivers. Give angry drivers plenty of room.
It’s not just drivers and their passengers who are at risk. Each year, thousands of pedestrians and hundreds of cyclists are killed in motor vehicle accidents.
Two new websites launched recently that enable patients to evaluate and compare surgeons based on information that was previously unavailable on complications rates and patient outcomes.
The first site, www.surgeonratings.org, released by the nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook/Center for the Study of Services, only lists surgeons that have had better-than-average outcomes based on an analysis of more than four million surgeries conducted by 50,000 surgeons on hospital inpatients. The ratings exclude habitually poor performers, and track mortality rates within 90 days of surgery or readmission to the hospital within 90 days. At the moment, the site only provides data on 14 high-risk surgeries, like heart valve replacement and total knee or hip replacements.
The second website, Surgeon Scorecard by ProPublica, lists surgeons who have higher-than-average complications based on infections, clots or infections that call for post-operative care. ProPublica editor Stephen Engelberg explained, “these days, consumers can review ratings on everything from plumbers to hair salons to the latest digital cameras. The process of undergoing surgery includes some of the most consequential decisions any of us ever make. So we began with the view that the taxpayers who pay the costs of Medicare should be able to use its data to make the best possible decisions about their healthcare.”
These new sites provide patients access to data that may be valuable in choosing or evaluating their doctors. While the sites will not, in and of themselves, dramatically improve outcomes, it makes healthcare consumers more knowledgable and able to make educated decisions about their care. In addition, it also makes it more difficult for surgeons with poor records to hide that information from future patients.
If you have a pool or a hot tub, safety is key – especially if there are children around.
Make sure the fence will keep out the neighbors’ children. Keep your gate locked when the pool is not in use. The height of the fence should be a minimum of 5 feet and you should use a self-locking gate.
Sliding doors from the house to the pool deck should be locked to avoid having children get out to the pool area unsupervised.
Consider a pool alarm. These are devices that float in the pool; the rocking motion caused by sudden waves will sound the alarm. This warns you that someone may have fallen in. Remember, an alarm does not prevent children from falling in, it only warns you after the event – don’t rely on it.
Avoid running and horseplay on the pool deck. Decks are usually slippery and they are always hard.
Diving boards may be dangerous in certain pools. Many broken necks have been the result of hitting the upslope of the pool bottom head first. This is also a frequent cause of spinal cord injuries in adolescents and adults.
Pool covers do not prevent drowning. In fact, children and adults have drowned when they became trapped under the pool cover and could not get out.
Children may drown in pools of water that have collected on top of the pool cover after a rain. When there is a small weight on the cover (such as a small child), the water will collect in the indentation and form a puddle that is deep enough to drown a small child.
Covers for hot tubs should be locked to keep children out.
In a hot tub, close supervision is as important as it is for swimming pools. Very young children should not be allowed into hot tubs. Young children cannot tolerate the heat as well as adults can; serious heat-related illnesses may occur.
Keep pool and hot tub chemicals out of reach of the children and locked in a cabinet.
When you misuse electricity, you can get burned, shocked, or electrocuted. Keep in mind that electrocution is one of the “Fatal Four”- electrocution is one of the four leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites. In 2012, 9% of deaths in construction were caused by electrocutions. Electrical hazards are all around the job site. Take the following simple precautions when you work around electricity to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.
Know where electrical wires are located. This can include overhead power lines, electrical wiring on the job, and cables buried underground. Be aware; look up, down, and around. Call to have electrical utility lines located before you dig.
Always assume overhead power lines are energized at lethal voltages. Never touch a fallen power line. Always stay at least 10 feet away from overhead wires. Be very careful when you use cranes, forklifts, aerial lifts, scaffolds, ladders, or long-handled tools like bull floats near power lines. Never use metal ladders around power lines. Use wood or fiberglass ladders instead.
Remember that electricity naturally flows to ground. Metal, water, wet clothing, and your body all conduct electricity. If you become part of a circuit or the path to ground, you will get shocked, burned, or electrocuted.
Read signs and symbols warning you of the hazards of electric shock or burn. Don’t bypass guards, barriers, protective systems, or safety devices designed to keep you from coming into contact with electricity. Use proper LOTO procedures to guarantee that the circuits and equipment you’re working on are not energized.
Be careful with electrical cords. Protect cords from damage caused by sharp edges and rough surfaces. Never carry a tool by its cord or yank a cord to disconnect it from an outlet. Only use 3-wire extension cords that are rated for hard or extra-hard usage. Don’t run power through a coiled cord; inductive heating can damage the cord or cause a fire.
Use double-insulated tools. Inspect electrical tools before you use them, especially the housings of double-insulated tools. Remove electrical tools and cords from service if they: have frayed or damaged cords, are missing ground prongs, have cracked housings, or are damaged in any other way. Use tools according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Plug electrical hand tools into receptacles protected with GFCIs. Never stand in water when using electrical tools. Keep tools clean, lubricated, and in good working order.
At home, keep electrical appliances away from water. Don’t use them when your hands are wet or when the appliances are on wet surfaces. Use GFCI- protected outlets when electricity is used near water. Don’t overload circuits or receptacles; they can get hot and cause fires.
Safety Reminder: Teach children to stay away from electrical facilitieslike substations, transmission towers, and power lines.
According to OSHA, thousands of people are blinded each year by preventable work-related eye injuries. Proper eye and face protection would have prevented those injuries. Eye injuries can be caused by exposure to hazards, heat, chemicals, dust, and optical radiation. Take the time to identify the hazards and protect your eyes.
The right eyewear will protect you from common hazards:
Impact hazards include flying objects such as chips, sparks, particles, sand, and dirt. Tasks that create impact hazards include chipping, grinding, machining, masonry work, woodworking, sawing, drilling and chiseling.
Heat is a hazard when you are near processes that create high temperatures. Examples include open flames, industrial furnaces, and welding.
Chemical hazards can include splashes, fumes, vapors, and mists. These hazards can exist when you handle acids or other chemicals, when you apply spray finishes or coatings, and even when you’re cleaning parts.
Harmful dust can be created during buffing, woodworking, and sanding operations.
Optical radiation is a hazard when you’re welding, torch-cutting, brazing, soldering, and working with high-powered lasers.
Although the horn-rimmed designs of long ago still work, eye protection has come a long way. Today, safety glasses can be comfortable and even look good while they protect your eyes. The latest standard is ANSI Z 87.1-2010. When you look for new eye protection, make sure that it meets that standard. It will have a label with that number on it.
There are many different options for eye protection: safety glasses with side shields provide protection from front and side impacts; goggles protect your eyes from top, side, and bottom impacts; splash goggles protect you from chemical splashes because they don’t let liquids in; welding goggles filter out ultraviolet radiation; and face shields protect your whole face from dust, sprays, heat, splashes, and flying particles. Wear goggles or safety glasses under the face shield.
Wash glasses, goggles, and face shields when they get dirty. Use a solution of water and a very mild soap. Dry them with a clean, soft, cotton cloth. Don’t use harsh chemicals or cleaners that have any abrasives.
Eye injuries can happen on the job or at home, so remember to protect your eyes all the time: when you’re mowing the lawn, changing the oil in your car, or spreading fertilizer; even when you’re playing sports. Take care of your eyes. They are easy to injure, hard to fix, and impossible to replace.
Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in kids. Protect your kids and teach them to avoid eye injuries
1. Past Medical Bills
Medicare has a lien in the amount of any bills paid on your behalf for injuries sustained in this incident. Medicare liens must be paid from the settlement proceeds. We will be able to reduce this amount by what is called procurement costs. Procurement costs are the amount of attorneys fees plus costs. If the fee and costs combined total 38%, the lien is reduced by 38%.
2. What is MSA?
A Medicare Set Aside Agreement is simply an account into which funds are deposited to pay your future medical bills.
3. Why is a MSA Necessary?
A MSA is necessary under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act. The theory is that it is not fair to settle your lawsuit and get money to pay your future medicals, put that money in your pocket, and then send the bill for those future medicals to Medicare. One solution is to have a professional calculate the expected cost of your future medical care and deposit that sum into an account.
4. How does a MSA work?
You could administer the MSA yourself, but that is never a good idea. The other way is to employ a professional custodian. The custodian will then issue a medical card for you. You will present that card to any medical providers who provide services related to your injury. The custodian will then pay whatever Medicare would have paid towards those services. If Medicare would not have covered the service at all, the MSA will not make a payment. If Medicare would have paid 80%, the MSA will pay 80%.
5. Custodian
We will recommend a competent company with expertise in this are. They will issue the Medical care and take care of all of the reporting to the government and the payment of the Medical bills.
6. What does it cost?
There is usually a one time setup fee and an annual fee of 20% of the total allocation amount divided by the reduced life expectancy on a rated age, not to exceed a specified annual amount. There is a minimum annual fee per year.
7. Can I reduce the deposit into the account?
The answer is yes. A Medicare Set Aside calls for annual payments. It makes little sense to deposit funds now for money that is not needed for another 20 years. By buying a structured settlement, you can pay less money to the insurance company. They will then invest the money and pay the MSA custodian in 20 years. This usually results in a significant tax savings.
8. What happens if the MSA runs out of money?
An important concern is who will be responsible for payment of your medical bills if the MSA runs out of money. The answer is that Medicare would pay. If the MSA was funded with a lump sum and all of the money was used, Medicare simply steps in and pays the bills. In the case of a structured settlement, the structure will only make one payment per year. If the payment is made in January and the MSA runs out of money in June, Medicare pays until the next structure payment is received the following January.
9. What happens to the money in the account on death?
The structured settlement is designed only to pay during your lifetime. That money will expire on your death. If there is any money left in the account then that money passes under the terms of your Will.
10. Estate planning documents
Speaking of Wills, you should prepare a Will, Living Will and Power of Attorney. If you die without these documents, your loved ones may not be provided for as you would intent. Your Estate may become complicated to administer and disputes can be created.
Americans had over 800,000 strokes last year, and half were in women. While many stroke risk factors for women and men are the same, women can face additional risks from pregnancy, birth control pills, and other lifestyle factors. So, for the first time, the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association on Thursday released new stroke warning signs and prevention guidelines specifically for women. Researchers agree that once women start recognizing the unique risk factors, they can better prevent strokes.
Monitoring and treating eclampsia and pre-eclampsia is especially important for stroke prevention. Other stroke risk factors that tend to be stronger or more common in women than men include high blood pressure, migraine with aura (a visual phenomenon such as flashing lights or loss of vision before the headache), atrial fibrillation (a quivering or irregular heartbeat), diabetes, depression and emotional stress, the heart association says.
Visit this page for guidelines on how best to treat warning signs and prevent strokes in women.
A federal judge in Missouri ruled this week held that drivers have a First Amendment right to flash their headlights to warn other motorists of nearby police and speed traps. In 2012, driver Michael Elli flashed his headlights to warn oncoming drivers of a speed trap. He was pulled over, and given a citation which could have resulted in a $1,000 fine. The charges were dropped, but the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued the city on his behalf, claiming that the city’s practices violated Elli’s rights to free speech. The city argued that flashing one’s lights could interfere with a police investigation.
This week, a federal judge agreed with Elli, holding that flashing one’s lights “sends a message to bring one’s driving in conformity with the law whether it be by slowing down, turning on one’s own headlamps at dusk or in the rain, or proceeding with caution.” Flashing your headlights is a Constitutional right – it is a form of expression protected by the First Amendment. Unless there is a compelling reason why the government should be censoring this expression, it must be permitted.
Read more here.
There have been many reports about older batteries swelling and exploding, but rarely is there a story about a brand new one doing so. In Maine, a middle schooler sustained second degree burns when her 2 month-old iPhone 5c battery exploded while in her pants, lighting them on fire. The girl stopped, dropped, and rolled, which extinguished the fire. She then had to take off her pants, so her female classmates put her in a corner and formed a semi-circle, shielding her from view, while the boys alerted a teacher, who got a blanket. The girl was treated at the hospital, and released.
Batteries can overheat while being charged, which most frequently occurs on older devices with older batteries. It is rare for a newer device to overheat, especially while detached from the wall. The most publicized examples of a battery overheating occurred on two Boeing 787 Dreamliners while on the ground, which further delayed the production of the airliner and required a significant redesign. There have been reports of other iPhone and Samsung Galaxy batteries overheating, but rarely when detached from the charger.
Read more here.
Construction work sometimes takes place in confined spaces that aren’t always easy to enter, exit, or work in comfortably. They can include ventilation and exhaust ducts, sewers,tunnels, tanks, storage bins, manholes, pits, and silos. By definition, confined spaces are not actually designed for regular and continuous occupancy. They are usually designed to store a product, enclose materials or processes, or transport products or substances. Sometimes we need to enter these spaces to inspect them, perform maintenance,clean, or complete other tasks. Confined space hazards can include engulfment, suffocation, chemical exposure, electric shock, musculoskeletal injuries, and hazardous atmospheres. Other, simple hazards like heat stress and slips, trips, and falls are also common.
Working in confined spaces can be dangerous. The first consideration is analyzing the space. A confined space is a one that:
1. Is large enough and configured so that an employee can enter and do his or her work; and
2. Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit; and
3. Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
A Permit-Required confined space is a confined space that has any of the following characteristics:
1. It contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;
2. It contains a material that has the potential for engulfing a person who enters;
3. It has an internal configuration that could trap or asphyxiate a person, like a space with converging walls or a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section; or
4. It contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.
Some of the most dangerous confined spaces have toxic, oxygen-deficient, or combustible atmospheres. These hazards can exist for a variety of reasons. Bad air circulation can allow combustible or toxic materials to accumulate. There may not be enough oxygen Inside the space to support life. The air may contain so much oxygen that a fire or explosion could occur if any ignition source is present.
Anytime you work in a confined space, follow the rules in the company’s confined space entry procedure. Don’t ever enter a confined space unless you have been trained to do so. Every confined space is different and each one requires careful evaluation to determine the hazards and the necessary controls and precautions. Constant air monitoring is critical and should be performed before and during entry. Remember, you can’t always see or smell toxic gases, and you can’t sense an atmosphere that is oxygen-deficient. Be aware of the risks.
SAFETY REMINDER
In case of emergency. follow the rescue plan to the letter. Would-be rescuers frequently die in confined spaces.