Is your office anthropometrically correct?
What is Anthropometry? | First Freeze of Winter | Power Outage Safety

Anthropometry is the study and measurement of the human body, including people's height, weight, and leg and trunk length.

Musculoskeletal injuries (MSDs) strike 1.8 million workers annually and cost businesses up to $60 billion in workers' compensation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports. ErgoWeb, Inc., a noted source for ergonomics news, says that one MSD can cost a company an average of $22,500. National debate continues over the establishment of ergonomics regulations designed to minimize work-related injuries.

It's important to remember that even if employees do the exact same job, providing them with cookie-cutter workstation setups may not prevent injuries. ErgoWeb says foot rests, adjustable chairs, keyboard and mouse trays, monitor arms and risers are all relatively inexpensive tools that help create a workspace that fits its occupant. Work surfaces that can be raised and lowered as employees sit or stand while performing their tasks are other ergonomic tools, although more costly up front.

One thing is certain: you want to be safe and healthy on the job. Visit www.ergoweb.com for a wealth of helpful information on this topic.

That first freeze of winter sometimes takes people by surprise

Here are 10 ways to protect your home's pipes before and after that first cold snap.

1. Find the main water shut-off valve and mark it with a tag or paint it red. The valve will be located where the water supply pipe enters the house. Look in the basement, garage or outside near one of the faucets.
2. Test the valve by shutting it off. Water should not continue flowing through the faucets.
3. If the valve doesn't work or your house doesn't have one, have a plumber repair or install one.
4. Before the cold weather hits, disconnect garden hoses and wrap outdoor pipes and faucets with rags, newspapers or other insulation. Then cover them with plastic and tie-off with string or wire.
5. If possible, turn off valves inside the house that control exterior faucets. Then open the faucets and leave them open through the cold months.
6. In severe cold, drip warm water from the indoor faucet furthest from where the water enters the house.
7. If a house is to be unheated for an extended period, turn off the main valve and water heater, then open all the indoor and outdoor faucets to drain the pipes.
8. If a pipe does freeze, your best choice is to call a plumber.
9. One do-it-yourself option that works in some circumstances is to wrap the frozen pipe or faucet with rags and pour hot water over the rags until water is flowing again. Then remove the wet rags and re-wrap the pipes with dry insulation.
10. If a pipe breaks, immediately shut off the main valve and call a plumber. If you can't get the water to shut off, call the water company. Ask them to send someone out to turn off the water at the meter. Warning: This will probably cost you a service charge and may take awhile for workers to arrive.

Stay safe in power outages

The U.S. receives up to 20 million lightning strikes a year from an estimated 100,000 thunderstorms. If that news from The Weather Channel and American Red Cross isn't enough to make your hair stand on end, think about this. Lightning can stretch across five miles, attain 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit and contain more than 100 million electrical volts. The organizations also report that lightning hits the earth 100 times a second, or 8.6 million times a day.

When Mother Nature picks on you at work by causing power outages, follow the same safety practices recommended for people in their homes. You should:

• Contact your local utility even if a neighbor has called. You could be on a different circuit. On the other hand, be patient after you've phoned. Don't inundate the utility's office workers with repeated reports of the same outage. They will be busy fielding calls from other customers, which could include people who rely on electricity for life-saving oxygen machines.
• Turn off and disconnect equipment that will automatically turn itself on when power is restored. This prevents potential damage from surges. Examples include computers, televisions and air-conditioners.
• Never touch fallen power lines. They still may be “live.” Also don't touch structures such as fences, guardrails and gutters that the power lines may have energized.
• If an employee is in a car that is struck by fallen power lines, they should remain inside the vehicle until help arrives, if possible. No one should touch the vehicle and ground simultaneously until authorities ensure it's safe.
• Prepare your property in advance of any potential attack by Mother Nature. Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that can cause damage if lightning strikes or severe winds blow. Keep healthy trees pruned so their branches don't touch overhead power lines.

For more information, contact your local American Red Cross chapter, or go to www.weather.com/safeside.