Are you prepared for winter driving?

Wintertime in Minnesota leads to the most crashes and poses safety risks and hazards. The League is pleased to offer additional Winter Driving courses for our members through NEOGOV Safety Training:

• Winter Driving Safety
• Winter Driving: Braking and Special Considerations
• Winter Driving: Comprehensive
• Winter Driving: Trapped or Stranded Vehicles
• Winter Driving: Travel Planning and Techniques
• Winter Driving: Weather Conditions & Preparations

NEOGOV Safety Training offers over 200 online training courses covering a wide variety of safety topics that is affordable, convenient, and engaging safety training for your employees. If you’re already a registered user with NEOGOV, you can access the web-based training courses. The League has a page with additional information and how to get started.

Slow down, stay alert, and keep calm.

Submitted by: Julie Jelen, Loss Control Consultant

Beware of Unsafe Ice on Retention Ponds and Rivers

As the Minnesota winter begins to set in with residents and municipal workers out on the ice, there is the renewed concern of falling through into the water. Retention ponds and rivers are especially concerning and are untrustworthy no matter how safe the ice may look. Bringing awareness to this for city employees and citizens should be a point of emphasis each winter.

The strength of ice on retention ponds and rivers is questionable because of several factors, including constant water level changes, daily temperature changes, and water flowing under ice. Agitation pumps placed in ponds can weaken the ice above as well. Snow on top of these bodies of water will cover up any obvious signs of weak ice and create a false sense of security. The recommendation is that any ice less than 4 inches thick should not be walked on.

An unkept retention pond is designed to fail, so regular inspections and removal of debris or sediment is a must. These bodies of water also bring liability concerns such as drowning, require continuous maintenance and planning, and can be very expensive to maintain. Swimming, fishing, skating or other activities on or in the pond should not be allowed under any circumstances.

Prevent severe accidents by reminding citizens and workers of these hazards. Posting signage that warns everyone to stay off the body of water due to unsafe ice and including reminders of who to contact in emergency could potentially save a life. In November, a nine-year-old boy in Illinois fell through the ice while retrieving a football. A woman who saw the accident entered the pond in attempt to save him, and they both almost drowned before police were able to rescue them. If it weren’t for a witness who called police, there easily could have been a different outcome to this story.

Other References:

Valley News Live - Residents reminded to stay off iced over retention ponds and Sheyenne River

Spectrum Association Management - What is a retention pond?

City of Jacksonville, FL - Retention Pond Safety

Submitted by: Michael Neff, Loss Control Consultant

Now is the time to make sure your home heating system is working properly

Minnesota Department of Public Safety

It’s winter in Minnesota, and that means stay inside to stay safe and warm. But are you sure you’ll be safe or warm? It depends on the condition of your home’s heating system. 

If you heat with any carbon-based fuel, natural gas, LP gas, heating oil, wood or other, your system generates carbon monoxide (CO). CO is part of the normal operation of burning fossil fuels, but it can also be deadly.  

CO has no odor, is invisible, and is slightly lighter than air, so it floats. It is dangerous because it displaces oxygen in the air and is more easily absorbed by red blood cells than oxygen. Even low levels of CO can cause serious health effects over time. High or low levels of CO can even lead to death.

But CO is not the only hazard in home heating. According to the National Safety Council and the National Fire Protection Association, each year there are around 50,000 fires involving heating equipment in the U.S. These fires result in approximately 500 deaths and 1,300 injuries. Heating equipment causes about 14% of all home fires each year, and about half of all home heating fires occur in December, January, and February.

What does this mean for you? It means you might want to contact a qualified, insured home heating specialist to inspect and test your furnace, wood burner and chimney, or other heating systems (including your hot water heater). Landlords, consider the same for your tenants. 

Along with a safety inspection of the heating appliances in your home or apartment complex, here are some other tips for home heating safety:

·         Install smoke detectors:

o   On each floor of a dwelling

o   In hallways or corridors that provide access to bedrooms

o   Inside bedrooms

·         Install carbon monoxide detectors (when carbon-based heating devices are installed):

o   On each floor of a dwelling

o   Within 10 feet of each sleeping room

·         Avoid space heaters, if possible

·         If space heaters must be used, be sure they are:

o   UL listed

o   In good working order

o   Equipped with an automatic shut off for tip-over safety

o   Turned off while sleeping or when you leave the room

o   At least 3 feet away from any flammable items such as clothing, bedding, or paper

·         Never use kerosene or LP gas space heaters indoors

·         Test the batteries in your smoke detectors and CO detectors every month

·         Teach everyone in your home how to properly use a fire extinguisher

·         Practice fire drills and know your escape route and reunification area (drills are not just for   school kids!)

Be safe this winter! Whether in your own home or in city-owned rentals and apartments, follow these safety precautions to save lives and property.

I encourage you to reach out to your League of Minnesota Cities loss control consultant if you have any questions about fire prevention and safety or if you would like additional resources.

Here are a few resources to get you started:

·         National Fire Protection Association Fire Safety Toolkit

·         U.S. Fire Administration FEMA Heating Fire Safety

·         CenterPoint Energy Natural Gas Appliance Safety

·         First Alert

 Stay safe — and help someone else stay safe, too!

 

Submitted by Marc Dunker, Loss Control Consultant

Calling wastewater treatment facilities!

Do you know of a municipality or perhaps your own, that has a strong safety program within their wastewater utility? Each year, the Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA), Minnesota section, offers recognition opportunities for individuals or organizations that are doing great work. This year, they are working hard to find a candidate for the George W. Burke, Jr. Facility Safety Award.

What is the CSWEA George W. Burke, Jr. Facility Safety Award?

Established in 1983, this award is given in recognition of active and effective safety programs in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities. This award recognizes a wastewater treatment facility based on the documented and illustrated safety program and safety record of the facility for the preceding calendar year.

To submit nomination, go to CSWEA Awards. The nomination is technically due by December 1st, but can be extended as needed.

Is it safe to use space heaters?

Odds are someone in your office or workspace has already fired up their space heater. “It’s chilly in here” is the best reason to do it. More than likely the unit will run safe and do its intended job; after all, most modern space heaters are compact electric units with overheating protection and automatic “tip-over” protection built in. Furthermore, the unit is probably UL listed or has some similar designation.

So why am I writing this blog about heaters? Because every year portable heaters cause millions in fire damage and increase the threat to human life. Yep, that little heater under your desk. In fact, Minnesota Department of Health reminds us that not only is there a direct risk of fire from the heating element of the unit, but also an increased risk of fire due to overloading the building’s electrical system and the circuit used to power the unit. For this and other reasons, the Minnesota State FireMarshal’s Facebook page has provided these guidelines for portable heater use:

• Never leave a space heater unattended.
• Plug space heaters directly into outlets, not power strips.
• Do not warm clothes on space heaters.
• Do not sleep with space heaters on.
• Keep anything combustible three feet from a space heater.

Here are a few more considerations:

• Follow your city use policy. If your city has a policy against any or all portable heaters, don’t use them.
• If your city requires permission from maintenance staff ask for permission because they may be able to offer alternative solutions.
• Be sure the cord is in good condition.
• Do not use heaters in high traffic areas where they or their cords can become a trip hazard.
• Never use unvented combustible gas or liquid fuel heaters indoors.

What about in the shop? Need some quick heat in the work bay or near the floor while working on something in the shop? Be mindful of what else is nearby. Gasoline, for example, produces ignitable vapors that are three to four times heavier than air and can travel for great distances along the ground. Gas vapors tend to accumulate in low or enclosed spaces. Use of an open flame heater in this environment is highly dangerous. 

Read the owner’s manual for the heater you plan to use. Most liquid fuel heaters are not designed to be used indoors. Always follow the manufacturer’s intended use.

Along with the obvious fire or explosion hazard of using liquid fuel heaters (LP, #2, Kerosene, etc.), be mindful of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. We all know CO is odorless and colorless — and deadly. It is generated by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Unless you have CO detection in the shop, there is no way to know the CO level. This seems like a good time to mention the warning signs of CO poisoning: headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.

If you are feeling any of these flu-like symptoms or notice your coworkers’ exhibiting signs, immediately get yourselves to fresh outdoor air and call 911 for help.

The first signs of chilly weather always result in space heaters being fired up. Followed quickly by the first reports of fires, or worse, injury or death caused by their use. Don’t be a statistic. Talk to your maintenance department about improving the indoor comfort of your office or workspace by use of the building’s HVAC system rather than portable heaters when possible. If a space heater is your only option, select a modern unit with safety features that prevent fire and CO illness, select the right one for your application, and follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations. Oh, and turn it off when you’re not at your workstation, for safety and energy conservation. The question is, “Is it safe to use of space heaters?” The answer is “yes” if you follow good safety practices.

If you have questions about the safe use of space heaters or want to talk about any safety related questions or concerns, contact your League of Minnesota Cities Loss Control Consultant. We’re here to help.

Additional Resources:

1. https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/regulation/infobulletins/ib02_16.html
2. https://www.facebook.com/StateFireMarshal/photos/a.211377991209/10158574365006210/?type=3
3. https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/sfm/for-families/Documents/Fact%20sheets/Alternative-heating-fact-sheet.pdf
4. https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/PortableHeaterSafety.ashx
5. https://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/Heating_Safety.pdf

Submitted by: Marc Dunker, Loss Control Consultant

Equipping employees with first aid, CPR skills can save lives

The Minnesota Safety Council is putting on fall/winter courses to train employees how to respond to an unexpected crisis using first aid, CPR and AED. These trainings are convenient and affordable for cities to send employees to, with classes available at multiple locations and customized for your organization’s specific needs. In addition to these trainings, there is an option for an employee to take an instructor development course, so that individual can learn the skills needed to provide in-house training to other employees.

These first aid/CPR/AED trainings are engaging and lifesaving content that meet the latest CPR and first aid guidelines, as well as OSHA requirements. Participants will learn needed and useful skills that could potentially save a life or deescalate a life-threatening situation. They will become well-versed in recognizing a medical emergency and taking correct actions to sustain life until medical professionals arrive. They will also learn how to identify and care for bleeding, injuries, and unexpected illness, as well as how to prevent disease transmission in these situations.

You never know when an emergency will strike, and it could make a massive difference having an employee (or multiple employees) who are trained to respond to a very dangerous and scary situation.

Referenced Links:

Training at your location 

Instructor development courses 

Submitted by:  Michael Neff, Loss Control Consultant

City of Lakeville’s New Mechanical Truck Makes Trash Collection More Efficient

Trash collection — we do this almost daily in our homes, apartments, and sometimes at work. We don’t often think about the weight of the cans or how the trash gets dumped into the truck. Most of us just take a bag of garbage and toss it into a can, roll it to the curb, and put the can away when it’s empty.

Large trash companies have improved safety for their staff, improved ergonomics to reduce injuries, and greatly improved efficacies with automated processes versus manual operations. But  that brings up the question: Why are large companies making these improvements, but our municipalities still doing manual dumping?

All our cities are different, be it their size, population, budget, or staffing levels. But one thing is for sure, all cities have to deal with trash of some type. At city hall it may get put in a can like at home and rolled to the curb. It could be placed in a dumpster and hoisted into a trash truck, but I’m willing to bet we all have parks with trash cans. Depending on the size of your community, you may have multiple parks, and I’m willing to bet many trash cans.

The City of Lakeville recently improved their trash process with a mechanical truck that dumps all their trash cans with a single employee, greatly reducing staff time, staff injuries, and increasing efficiency.

New Parks Mini Garbage Truck - July 2022

Submitted by: Troy Walsh, Loss Control Consultant