Alabama Personal Injury Blog - Safety

Pet Doors are a Danger to Small Children

Billy Cunningham — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:16:23 GMT

This past week in Mobile a 2 year old girl crawled out through a pet door and nearly drowned in the family swimming pool. Her mother had left her in front of the family TV long enough to go check on laundry. When she returned, her daughter was not there and her 7 year old brother spotted her in the pool. The family pulled her out and called 9-1-1. CPR was performed at the home by the paramedics and she was taken to the hospital. On last report she was in critical condition at the hospital. The only way she could have gotten out to the pool was through a pet door was all the other doors were locked and the alarm system was on.

A website has been created by Carol Ranfone who lost a 2year old son, Matthew, by drowning. She created http://www.petaccessdangers.org/ to provide access for the public to be aware of the problem. Her tragic story was followed by Good Moring America ABC News report on May 12, 2009. It is too bad that the Mobile family did not see that report or know of the website.

More than a hundred children have died or been seriously injured in the last decade after squeezing through tiny pet doors and getting into swimming pools or other dangerous places, new research has found. "What we see is a picture that's emerging which shows that the pet door is a really serious hazard in a home that no one has really had on the radar screen," said Sean Kane, of Safety Research and Strategies. The pet door that the Rafones had contained no warning that young children could get through them. The news report also demonstrated the possibility of children getting through these rather small door. You can view it here. Click here to see the demonstration.

In most states the law requires that if there is a known hazard in the use of a product, the manufacturer is obligated to either ‘engineer’ out the hazard, guard against the hazard (like a guard over a pinch-point) and/or warn against the hazard.

The manufacturer of the door that Matthew went through also makes a pet with a remote device attached to a pet's collar unlocks the door as the pet approaches. The door then locks again after the pet exits. In its marketing materials, the company touts that the electronic lock "will prevent children from leaving the home." I also read reports where some manufacturers supply a plate that go over the opening to prevent the pets access. Those certainly should be employed to keep children from gaining access.

If you have pet door and small children around, please take all safety steps you can to make sure they do not get out through the door undetected.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Billy Cunningham

Tips to Prevent Medical Errors

Jan Boswell — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:22:02 GMT

This blog is written in response to the blog, 98,000 Reasons to Care about Patient Safety, by Jane Ayre at InjuryBoard.com. This is the number of Americans who die from medical errors each year. As a nurse, I know that patient safety is a concept that is foremost in the minds of healthcare providers, administration, and regulatory agencies. How can you, the consumer, help prevent medical errors ? In this blog, I will outline tips to help the consumer prevent other medical errors.

1. Be an active part of your healthcare team. Ask questions not just in the hospital but anywhere you receive healthcare. If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification.
2. If you have a choice, choose a hospital at which many patients have had the procedure and surgery you need and have had good results.
3. When choosing a specialist, ask your own physician for a personal recommendation. I have been known to ask my primary doctor: “If this were your wife, who would you send her to for this condition?”
4. Ask all healthcare workers who have direct contact with you whether they have washed their hands. Adequate hand washing is a primary way to prevent infection.
5. Before you leave the doctor’s office or hospital, make sure you understand the treatment plan. This includes understanding about your medications, follow-up care, and when to contact the doctor.
6. Before you leave the hospital, make sure you understand when you can resume regular activities. Make sure your doctor understands your regular activity level. You should know when you can shower, take a tub bath, lift 5 lbs, return to work, etc.
7. If you are having surgery, make sure that you, your doctor, and your surgeon all agree on what exactly will be done. For example, if you are having surgery on your right arm, make sure all involved knows it is the right arm. Make sure the site is marked before surgery.
8. Make sure someone is in charge of your care. This could be your personal physician. You need a point person to direct your care.
9. Make sure that all health care professionals involve in your care has your important health information. I love patients who come in with a written history. It is important that healthcare professional know your allergies, past surgeries, past and current medical conditions, etc.
10. Have a family member or friend designated as your advocate. Ask that person today. Make sure they know your medical history and your preferences in regards to medical care.
11. Before a test or treatment, ask why it is needed and how it can help you. Be informed before you consent.
12. If you have a test, follow-up and get the results.
13. Learn about your condition and treatments. If you use the Internet, use reliable sources. Treatment recommendations based on the latest scientific evidence are available from the National Guidelines Clearinghouse at http://www.guideline.gov. One of my favorites is www.mayoclinic.com.
You can visit my previous blogs on detail ways to prevent medication errors. I have outlined below the top 6 tips:
1. Make sure all healthcare professionals involved in your care know everything you are taking. This includes over-the counter medications, vitamins, herbs, and dietary supplements. Review these with your doctors once a year.
2. Make sure all healthcare professionals involved in your care know about any allergies and adverse reactions you have had to any medications.
3. When you get a new prescription from your doctor, make sure you can read it.
4. Understand your medications. What is it for? How is it to be taken and for how long? What are the side effects? Can I take it with other medications? What should I avoid while taking this medication?
5. Ask the pharmacist if you have any questions about the directions on your medication labels.
6. Ask for written information about the side effects.

Be involved in your care. Ask questions until you understand. Never consent to a test, surgery, or procedure until you are informed. Do not feel like a nuisance, you are standing up for your right to safe medicine that is appropriate for you and your condition. Your diligence could save your life. Share this with your family and friends.

Adapted from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jan Boswell

Burn Safely This Fall

Pete Mackey — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:17:04 GMT

Fire is an alluring medium. Kids love it - so do adults. Watching kindling slowly take flame is like watching magic. The Fall means leaf and trash burning in back yards all across the country.

While everyone knows to watch kids around fire, there's a hidden danger that many folks are unaware of - chances are the gas can in your garage does not have a flame arrester installed in the spout. A flame arrester is a small ball or pane of wire mesh material that fits in the spout of the gas can. It lets the fuel flow out, but lowers the temperature below the flash point for the vapors in the can, which prevents explosions.. These arresters cost less than a dollar to install.

Still, you ask, why would anyone put themselves in that situation in the first place? Well, consider the following scenario and see if it rings any bells. You have been working around the yard all day. The weather is crisp and cool and dusk approaches. You had been burning leaves and tree limbs, but the fire went out an hour ago. Your son wants to start a fire and the idea of the warmth it will provide sounds good to you. So you decide to pour some gas on the pile, not realizing that there are still some smoldering embers ... That is the recipe for an explosion.

A few tips to remember:

- When you buy a gas can, buy one with an installed flame arrester.
- Never use gasoline as an accellerant. There are many safer alternatives.
- Make sure that your burn area is clear (overhead, as well) of flammable debris.
- Use an enclosed space (like a 55 gallon drum) instead of a pile. Cover the top of the space with a heavy mesh cover to keep sparks in.
- Don't burn on windy days.
- Keep the water hose handy.
- Never burn aerosol cans.
- If children have access to the burn area (and they probably will), make sure that they understand the danger present and then assume that they will not follow your instructions.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pete Mackey

Safe Sidewalks

Gaines Drago — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:23:56 GMT

8 Schools in the Mobile, Alabama, area are finally getting safe sidewalks around their campuses. The cost of this federally funded project was just over one million dollars. While the percentage of students who walk or ride their bike to school has dropped from nearly half to 15% this is a very positive step towards improving the health, and safety of our children. American children are far more obese than they were forty years ago. They get very little exercise at school and certainly very little once they return, so if they are able to ride their bike or walk to school this thirty minutes of exercise could make all the difference in the world. In addition, broken sidewalks can lead to injury and just look unsightly. It is a little step, but one in the right direction.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Gaines Drago

Males Die More Than Females

Jon Lewis — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:13:59 GMT

According to a study done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more males have died in automobile crashes from 1975 through 2007. Why? Men typically drive more and take more chances such as speeding and driving drunk. The study can be viewed here.

The article has some very interesting facts regarding the statistics relating to males and females in car crashes. For example, "Almost one-third of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2007 were females. Females accounted for 29 percent of passenger vehicle driver deaths, 47 percent of passenger vehicle passenger deaths, 30 percent of pedestrian deaths, 12 percent of bicyclist deaths, and 9 percent of motorcyclist deaths."

Check ou the study for more interesting statistics.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jon Lewis

Your Dryer - Is There A Fire Inside?

Pete Mackey — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:10:03 GMT

I ran into a friend in court a few weeks ago who looked distressed. As we spoke, the cause of that distress spilled out - a fire had just about destroyed a weekend getaway he owns nearby. The cause - his dryer vent hose became obstructed with lint and overheated. Only an alert neighbor saved a total loss.

What really took me back was what his insurance agent told him when he reported the loss - his agency gets about one claim a month for a fire caused by an obstructed dryer vent. If you need any proof, check it out. There are steps that you can take to make sure that you and your family don't become victims:

Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.

Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust path, it may be necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer. Remember to reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the dryer again.

Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.

Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, which provides maximum airflow. The flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow

Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, or finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothing more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on the clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has a cool-down period at the end of the cycle. To prevent clothes from igniting after drying, do not leave the dried clothes in the dryer or piled in a laundry basket.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pete Mackey

Driving while pregnant

Danny Lehane — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:09:40 GMT

According to AAA, September 12-18 is National Child Passenger Safety Week. AAA passed along some helpful tips for mothers-to-be. First and foremost, seek the advice of a medical professional if you have any questions regarding seatbelt use when pregnant. AAA also suggests the following:

Buckle the lap strap under your belly and across the hip/pelvis.

Never place the belt across your belly. Impact from a crash could cause serious injury.

Never place the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.

Never turn off the air bags in your car. Instead, tilt your seat backward and move it as far back as possible from the dashboard or steering wheel.

If you are in a crash, regardless of how mild you may think it is, see your doctor as soon as possible.

Buy the appropriate car seat for your baby prior to your due date.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Danny Lehane

Safety - Protect Yourself and Your Family

Jon Lewis — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:27:45 GMT

Our society values safety and health, and really, what is more important? Safety is defined on Wikipedia as:

Safety is the state of being "safe" (from French sauf), the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be considered non-desirable. This can take the form of being protected from the event or from exposure to something that causes health or economical losses. It can include protection of people or of possessions.

That is a broad definition. We see our societal values in health and safety in the recent discussions over national healthcare reform. We all believe our citizens deserve the best healthcare, and no one should be left behind.

Our law firm is usually hired after someone has already been injured. In those instances, had safety precautions been taken BEFORE the injury occurred, it is likely that the injury would have been prevented. Unfortunately, that is not the case once we get involved.

For this reason, our firm and InjuryBoard promote safe practices. We try to educate the public on how to be safe. Whether you are driving a car or working in a plant, there are steps you can take to be safe and lessen the risk of injury and harm.

In this regard, we have developed a Safety Shop where you can search for items to help you and your family stay safe. The domain is www.USSafetyShop.com. We plan on developing this site further to include many more products which you can review and purchase to help prevent harm to you and your family. Let us know what you think, and on this Labor Day holiday, BE SAFE!!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jon Lewis

Court Allows Apartment Fire Lawsuit

Michael Roberts — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:44:40 GMT

A recent decision from the Alabama Supreme Court permits a lawsuit, arising from an apartment fire, to go forward. In Collins v. Scenic Homes, Inc., a fire caused death of one tenant and serious injuries to others. The tenants argued that the apartment complex had not been provided with adequate fire-suppression safeguards or fire escape routes. The companies who built and maintained the apartments, however, argued that, because the fire had been intentionally set by an arsonist, this was an “intervening criminal act,” that under Alabama law, meant that the companies were not responsible, even if they were negligent. The Alabama Supreme Court agreed with the tenants, stating that the companies had a duty to construct and operate a reasonably safe apartment building, equipped with appropriate exits and fire-suppression safeguards designed to reduce the risk of injury from a fire, regardless of the origin of the fire. It is a foreseeable risk that an apartment complex fire, however started, can cause harm to the tenants if there are inadequate fire-suppression safeguards and fire-escape routes. For further discussion of Alabama law concerning premises liability see Chapter 8, and for further discussion of Alabama law concerning intervening criminal acts in negligence cases, see Chapter 11, in Alabama Tort Law.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Michael Roberts

Safety tips to remember for July 4th....

Troy Schwant — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:39:36 GMT

As the July 4th holiday approaches, many people will take to the road to celebrate our country's independence, and hopefully everyone will be able to their home safe and sound.

In order to make sure that happens, please remember the following safety tips:

Never Drive a car or boat while intoxicated. I know it is a simple reminder, but every year lives are lost on the roads and water because of alcohol. Nothing wrong with having a drink, just make sure someone else is behind the wheel.
Never leave a child in the car while you run a quick errand. With the tempatures reaching 100 degrees in most of the beach communities, leaving your child in the car just to grab a gallon of milk, or a pack of gum, could put your child's life at risk.
Be careful how you use your cell phone. Just today while driving back from the beach, I watched a young girl walking along side of the road, texting on her phone while she walked into the road. Luckily for her, the vehicle that was approaching was watching and was able to avoid striking her.
Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration can be a severe problem for many people during the summer months, if you are drinking alcohol, this only compounds the problem. Always have bottled water with you during the July 4th holiday.

Have a safe and Happy Fourth of July.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Troy Schwant