July 2008 - DSP Insurance Services
Transcription
July 2008 - DSP Insurance Services
volume 1 - Issue 1 volume 1, issue 3 Inside this issue... 45 Seconds 1 Mind Your Mower 2 It’s Electric 3 Stay Tick Free 4 Partners Bob Schutz [email protected] Steve Pohl [email protected] Steve Webster [email protected] Producers Bill Pohl [email protected] Bob Kappus [email protected] Bob Simon [email protected] Colleen Wolenczuk [email protected] Debi Barker [email protected] Ginger Imes [email protected] Harold Martin [email protected] Jeff Lawler [email protected] Jim Sulkowski [email protected] Kevin Adler [email protected] Kerri Cuny [email protected] Leanne Larocca [email protected] Robert Schutz Jr [email protected] Steve Stetson [email protected] Tom Sutter [email protected] Tom Vosberg [email protected] Employees Alicia Bailey [email protected] Amy Clayton [email protected] Becky Campbell [email protected] Blanca Flores [email protected] Carol Dougherty [email protected] Chris Klein [email protected] Darlene Finlon [email protected] Dick Green [email protected] Donyale Nelson [email protected] Gail Walavich [email protected] Jason Kahan [email protected] Jennifer Wagenaar [email protected] Kelly McGillivray [email protected] Laura Wywial [email protected] Linda Luebking [email protected] Lori Boland [email protected] Lynn Carlson [email protected] Marilyn Soverino [email protected] Marlo Geist [email protected] Nancy Zorica [email protected] Pam King [email protected] Sarah Green [email protected] Sherene Hemler [email protected] Tammy Brenner [email protected] Tracey Meicher [email protected] Valerie Petravicz [email protected] 45 Seconds Can Save Your Life Do you know exactly how long it takes you to drive to work in the morning? Are you irritated when the drive takes a few extra minutes? When you approach an intersection, do you mentally will the light to stay green? Do you feel challenged to “beat” a yellow light by sneaking through an intersection at top speed? If you find yourself answering yes to these questions, you may be engaging in some risky behaviors that can quickly lead to an accident, injury, or even death. In our fast-paced culture, many people view yellow on a stoplight as a cue to speed up. However, yellow lights are timed to give drivers ample time to either comfortably stop, or proceed safely through an intersection. If you feel the need to “gun it” to get through a yellow light, you probably had enough time to stop. Yellow lights actually mean you should stop before entering the intersection unless a stop cannot be made safely. Rushing through a yellow light may seem harmless, but if you aren’t able to make it though the intersection before the light turns red, you may actually be running a red light (depending on the law in your state), which is extremely dangerous. In fact, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports that approximately 100,000 crashes in the United States each year result from the running of red lights, and about 1% of those result in death. Running a red light can also result in a costly ticket, and there need not be a police car nearby to achieve this result. Many cities employ red-light cameras which monitor drivers through intersections. If caught as an offender on one of these cameras, you can expect a ticket to be in the mail, often along with an indisputable photograph of your offense. On average, a stoplight cycle takes only 45 seconds. Running red lights is illegal and avoidable, and 45 extra seconds in the car is not likely to substantially impact your life – unless it saves your life or the life of another motorist. DS&P Insurance volume 1, issue 3 Mind Your Mower As warmer months approach, so do visions of ballgames, barbecues, and…. yard work. Though many people dread the constant mowing, trimming, and watering, few realize that the work, particularly the use of a lawn mower, can actually be quite dangerous. Each year, over 70,000 people sustain injuries caused by lawn mowers. Potential injuries include deep cuts, loss of fingers or toes, broken bones, burns, and eye injuries. These injuries can be sustained not only by the operator of the mower, but by anyone nearby. Since a mower blade can travel at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, it can be very dangerous, but not just for your hands and feet: a blade traveling that fast is also a hazard to your eyes, since any run-over object can quickly become a dangerous projectile. Weed trimmers can also turn yard debris into projectiles. Before you begin mowing or trimming, it is a good idea to prepare the lawn by checking it for items such as sticks, rocks, and toys. Make a note of objects that are permanent, like pipes, partially buried rocks, or aboveground roots so you can take care to avoid them. Running over a fixed object can potentially shatter the mower blade and throw bits of metal from the machine. In general, make sure other people, especially children, are out of the area. Do not mow when grass is wet, and be especially careful mowing on inclines. Most importantly, never leave a running mower unattended. When in doubt, always consult your owner’s manual and follow its instructions carefully. Minimize the risk of injury by dressing appropriately. This includes: Clothes that fit close to your body Long pants and sleeves Sturdy leather shoes are best Protective eye wear Hearing protection It’s Electric Electricity is such a common source of energy that people rarely think twice about plugging in, and sometimes they don’t even realize that electricity is present. The National Safety Council estimates that 600 people die every year of electrical causes, and these deaths are not usually the result of highly charged wires – most accidents involve low voltage (600 volts or less). Careless behavior around electricity can cause burns, shocks, and even electrocution, all of which can lead to injuries as serious as death. Additionally, since many accidents in the workplace occur when employees are not on the clock, there is no good time to be lax about electrical safety. No matter to what extent you are exposed to electricity in your workplace (or even at home), the most important thing is to stay safe. ALWAYS: NEVER: Assume that loose wires are energized at lethal voltages. Operate electrical machinery when you are standing in water. Use equipment and tools according to directions and in the way they are designed to be used. Touch a fallen power line. Follow lockout/tagout procedures. Attempt to inspect or repair electrical equipment without first de-energizing it. Be aware of signs that indicate possible electrical hazards. Wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when dealing with electricity. Remove items from electrical receptacles by pulling on the plug, NOT on the cord itself. Visually inspect equipment before using it. Continue to use equipment that you suspect may be damaged or defective. Modify extension cords or use them in ways they were not designed to be used. DS&P Insurance volume 1, issue 3 Stay Tick Free This Summer Lyme disease is a bacterial illness that can cause abnormalities in the skin, joints, heart, and nervous system. While this disease is not contagious from an infected person to someone else, people can become infected when bitten by a tick (most often a deer tick) carrying the bacteria. Ticks can be active any time the temperature is above freezing, but are most active in the United States from midMay to August. Deer ticks can be anywhere from the size of a poppy seed to a sesame seed. When a person is infected by a tick, a bull’s-eye-shaped or solid rash about two inches in diameter will often (but not always) appear near the site of the bite. Other symptoms include chills, fever, headache, fatigue, stiffness, and swollen glands. Fortunately, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, and when caught early, is usually fully curable. Prevention of Lyme disease begins with doing what you can to avoid ticks in the first place. Remember that ticks are most likely to be present in wooded areas with high grass. If you must go into areas where ticks are likely to be present: 1. Stay on trails whenever possible. 2. Use repellents to keep ticks off your skin (those with 20 to 30 percent DEET are the most effective). 3. Wear long pants, long sleeves, and long socks to keep ticks off your skin. Tuck or tape your socks over your pants to keep them from crawling under your clothes. Not all ticks are infected with Lyme disease, and prompt removal of ticks can keep disease-causing bacteria out of your system. The Centers for Disease Control reports that ticks attached to your skin for less than 24 hours have an extremely small chance of transmitting Lyme disease. Even if you think you’ve done enough to avoid ticks, you should still perform a tick check after being outdoors – check your clothes and all parts of your body. Remember that ticks like warm, dark places. If you find a tick on your body, remove it immediately using a fine tipped tweezers. You also may want to wash clothes in hot water and dry them on high heat for at least an hour to ensure you kill any ticks you may have missed on your clothes. DS&P Partners Presorted First-Class U.S. Postage Ace Insurance Companies Humana, Inc. Accident Fund Ins. Co International Fidelity Insurance Co. ACUITY Group Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Aetna Lincoln Financial Group American International Group Metlife AmTrust North America Midwest Insurance Companies Arch Insurance Companies NAS Surety Group Assurant, Inc. Old Republic Group Benefit Administrative Systems, LLC Philadelphia Ins.Companies Bituminous Insurance Companies Principal Financial Group Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Progressive Insurance Capitol Indemnity Corporation Reliance Standard Life Group Chubb/Federal Insurance Safeco Insurance Company CIGNA Selective Insurance Company Cincinnati Insurance Company Sunlife Assurance Co CNA Insurance Travelers Casualty & Surety Co. Delta Dental of Illinois Unicare Health Insurance ehealthinsurance Unitedhealthcare, Inc. Everest National Insurance Unitrin Property & Casualty Ins. Great West Group Unum Life Ins. Co. of America Guardian Insurance & Annuity Co, Inc. Westfield Insurance Hanover Insurance Company Zenith National Insurance Group Harleysville Insurance Company Zurich Insurance Company PA I D Algonquin, IL 60102 Permit No. 14 Hartford Insurance Company volume 1 - Issue 1 Full service independent insurance firm experienced in Risk Management and Employee Benefits 1530 E. 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