HAVE A SAFE SUMMER! by Tom Harp, Risk Manager and Immediate Past Governor
This will be my final article during National Safety Month. I hope that our District Kiwanis Clubs and their members are taking safety measures seriously. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Outdoor events during the summer months require additional attention to details. Get an accurate weather forecast for the day of your event. See if hazardous weather may affect your event. Most of us know that as soon as we see lightening and/or thunder approaching, to seek shelter away from metal objects like baseball backstops and bleachers. Late summer is often time when yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps frequent picnic grounds. Come prepared with bug repellents and sting relief wipes, ice or instant ice packs to reduce swelling. Watch out for poison ivy or sumac. Rinse the exposed areas with Tecnu or even Fels Naptha soap to remove urushiol oil before a rash develops.
Food safety at picnics is another important consideration. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration provides the following guidelines:
Keep cold food cold. Place cold food in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs. Cold food should be stored at 40 °F or below to prevent bacterial growth. Meat, poultry, and seafood may be packed while still frozen so that they stay colder longer.
Organize cooler contents. Consider packing beverages in one cooler and perishable foods in another. That way, as picnickers open and reopen the beverage cooler to replenish their drinks, the perishable foods won’t be exposed to warm outdoor air temperatures.
Keep coolers closed: Once at the picnic site, limit the number of times the cooler is opened as much as you can. This helps to keep the contents cold longer.
Don’t cross-contaminate. Be sure to keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood securely wrapped. This keeps their juices from contaminating prepared/cooked foods or foods that will be eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables.
Clean your produce. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water before packing them in the cooler — including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Rub firm-skinned fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water. Dry fruits and vegetables with a clean cloth towel or paper towel. Packaged fruits and vegetables that are labeled “ready-to-eat,” “washed,” or “triple washed” need not be washed.
Keeping food at proper temperatures — indoor and out — is critical in preventing the growth of foodborne bacteria. The key is to never let your picnic food remain in the “Danger Zone” — between 40 °F and 140 °F — for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if outdoor temperatures are above 90 °F. This is when bacteria in food can multiply rapidly, and lead to foodborne illness.
It is also important to keep surfaces and hands clean throughout a picnic event. Another consideration of outdoor events during summer months is sun and heat protection.
Hydrate Constantly: Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, even before you feel thirsty.
Avoid Peak Rays: Limit your time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the UV index is highest.
Dress for the Weather: Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing along with UV-blocking sunglasses.
Never Leave People or Pets in Cars: Temperatures can reach lethal levels inside parked vehicles in minutes.
At any outdoor Kiwanis event, it is wise to have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher readily available. Identify members of your club who are certified in first aid, CPR, and even AED if those devices will be available on-site. I will never forget an incident years ago when the member of a local Kiwanis club went to her granddaughter’s college volleyball game during which she collapsed and turned “code blue.” Fortunately there was an AED nearby as well as an EMT on-site to resuscitate her. Many of our Kiwanians are in their “Golden Years” and have heart conditions. Having life-saving equipment available at our events is good practice.
I will be conducting a “breakout session” on Safety and Risk Management at our District Convention in Gettysburg this August. I invite you to join me at that session, and to appoint a Club Safety Coordinator to work with me and others in preventing avoidable accidents during Kiwanis meetings and events.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
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Risk Management – Have a Safe Summer!
HAVE A SAFE SUMMER!
by Tom Harp, Risk Manager and Immediate Past Governor
This will be my final article during National Safety Month. I hope that our District Kiwanis Clubs and their members are taking safety measures seriously. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Outdoor events during the summer months require additional attention to details. Get an accurate weather forecast for the day of your event. See if hazardous weather may affect your event. Most of us know that as soon as we see lightening and/or thunder approaching, to seek shelter away from metal objects like baseball backstops and bleachers. Late summer is often time when yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps frequent picnic grounds. Come prepared with bug repellents and sting relief wipes, ice or instant ice packs to reduce swelling. Watch out for poison ivy or sumac. Rinse the exposed areas with Tecnu or even Fels Naptha soap to remove urushiol oil before a rash develops.
Food safety at picnics is another important consideration. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration provides the following guidelines:
It is also important to keep surfaces and hands clean throughout a picnic event. Another consideration of outdoor events during summer months is sun and heat protection.
At any outdoor Kiwanis event, it is wise to have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher readily available. Identify members of your club who are certified in first aid, CPR, and even AED if those devices will be available on-site. I will never forget an incident years ago when the member of a local Kiwanis club went to her granddaughter’s college volleyball game during which she collapsed and turned “code blue.” Fortunately there was an AED nearby as well as an EMT on-site to resuscitate her. Many of our Kiwanians are in their “Golden Years” and have heart conditions. Having life-saving equipment available at our events is good practice.
I will be conducting a “breakout session” on Safety and Risk Management at our District Convention in Gettysburg this August. I invite you to join me at that session, and to appoint a Club Safety Coordinator to work with me and others in preventing avoidable accidents during Kiwanis meetings and events.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
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