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| Clearing Snow? Slow and Steady Beats Quick and Dead |
If you’re in your 40s or beyond and don’t get a lot of exercise, winter may not be the best time to engage in a snow-clearing marathon or help your co-worker push a heavy vehicle that’s stuck in snow. You could be risking a heart attack.
A heart attack is when blood platelets form a clot in a coronary artery, restricting the flow of blood (and therefore the oxygen) to the heart. When a part of the heart is robbed of oxygen, the affected heart muscle dies. If the damage is severe, you could die.
Twice as many people suffer heart attacks in January than in July.
Why? In cold weather:
- The coronary arteries tighten and narrow. This increases blood pressure and forces the heart to work harder,
- Blood becomes sticky and is more likely to clot,
- People are less likely to exercise, and
- People are more likely to eat fatty foods, drink and smoke excessively during the holiday season.
It’s easy to see how winter isn’t kind to the heart. Before you clear a large driveway after a major snowfall, or push heavy vehicles out of snowdrifts, consider your fitness level. If you must shovel snow, don’t clear a big area all at once. Take rest breaks every few minutes. But don’t use those breaks to drink coffee or smoke, both of which will increase the burden on your heart.
Winter weather brings all kinds of new hazards for many workers, particularly if responsibilities include snow and ice removal. Login to Safety Smart Online for winter safety articles, fatality reports, puzzles, safety talks, clip art and more.
Want to Try SafetySmart Online? Request a Free Demo |
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| Imagine sending a young child, let alone an adult, to work in these unsafe conditions. This is a Pakistani factory that makes surgical instruments. The complete lack of PPE and unguarded machinery could easily send one or more of these workers into surgery—or worse. (BMA Medical Fair and Ethical Trade Group) |
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| US Mining Deaths Increased Significantly in 2010 |
Last year was not a good one for mining safety in the United States, with more than twice the number of mining fatalities being recorded compared to 2009.
There were 71 mining fatalities in 2010 compared to 34 in 2009. However, 2009 marked the year with the fewest mining deaths in US history.
A breakdown of mining deaths during 2010 shows that 48 miners were killed in underground mining events, including 29 who died following an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, WV, in April 2010.
Another 23 US miners died in surface mining accidents in 2010.
The leading cause of coal mining deaths was ignition or explosion, followed by powered haulage and roof falls. The number one cause of metal/nonmetal mining deaths in 2010 was powered haulage, followed by falling or sliding material and incidents involving machinery.
“While 2010 will be remembered for the explosion that killed 29 men at the Upper Big Branch mine, we are mindful that 42 additional miners’ lives also ended in tragedy. Increasing our efforts to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for our nation’s miners is the best way to honor the memory of those who died,” says Joseph Main, assistant secretary of labor for the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
MSHA launched a number of targeted enforcement, awareness, outreach and rulemaking activities in 2010 to reduce the number of mining deaths, illnesses and accidents. Those efforts included targeted inspections of mines with a history of significant or repeat violations, new enforcement policies and alert bulletins addressing specific hazards or problems, along with a new emergency temporary standard for rock dust designed to better protect miners and minimize the potential for coal dust explosions.
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