Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from 2019

Holiday Safety Tips

The holidays are time for gathering, decorating, traveling and more. With increased activity, comes increased risk- taking small precautions can help keep you safe this time of the year. 1) Be aware of electrical risks Overloading electrical outlets and faulty wires are a common cause of fires around the holidays. 2) Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking and practice good food safety Handling food safely is important to decrease risk of food poisoning. Wash hands frequently when handling food, handle cooked and uncooked foods separate, and store food properly. Additionally as a general safety practice, do not leave stove or oven on unattended as this can also cause a fire risk and risk for injury. 3) Don't leave candles and fireplaces unattended. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, one in five house fires are caused by unattended candles. Make sure to keep candles where they cannot be knocked over or utilize flame-less candles. Never le

Mobile Medical Corporation Gives Back

This holiday season the Mobile Medical Corporation staff put together a care package for the troops and military K-9's full of items they specifically requested. The joint effort between MMC's Pittsburgh and Cleveland offices sent out three large care packages (pictured above) oversees right in time for Thanksgiving! A second round of donations will be sent before the Christmas holiday. The donations were sent oversees via Support Our Troops. According to their website, "SupportOurTroops.Org is a 501(c)(3) public purpose charity through which Americans strengthen the morale and well-being of their current military service members and their families. Without you we are an empty vessel. With you we are full of good works and good will for the complete military unit: the soldier, the spouse, the children. Support Our Troops, Inc. provides millions of dollars’ worth of goods and services that range from large scale enterprise-level container shipments to bases and battalion

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

Starting January 6, 2020 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)'s new database, Clearinghouse will be fully operational and use of it will be mandatory for employers reporting drug and alcohol violations. According the the FMCSA's official Clearinghouse website: "The Clearinghouse is a secure online database that will give employers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), and State law enforcement personnel real-time information about commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders’ drug and alcohol program violations." The Clearinghouse will contain records of drug and alcohol violations, including positive drug or alcohol test results and test refusals. When a driver completes the return-to-duty (RTD) process and follow-up testing plan. How does this impact MMC and our customers? - All MMC customers who require Department of Transportation (DOT) drug t

OHSA Safe + Sound Week

The Occupational Health and Safety Association (OHSA) hosts Safe + Sound Week each August to emphasize the importance of health and safety programs in the workplace. This year's observance falls on August 12-18th and the main emphasis for OSHA is: "Every workplace should have a safety and health program that includes management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards." The benefits of a safety program include: Prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses. Helping workers stay engaged. Reduced costs. Increased worker productivity. Ways to get involved in Safe + Sound Week: Host a discussion with employees to find out what they want in safety program. Attend a Safe + Sound event in your area. Find an event HERE. Take time to evaluate your workplace for hazards. See OSHA's tips on how to develop a health and safety program HERE.

National Safety Month

The National Safety Council (NSC) has established the month of June as National Safety Month. According to the NSC "National Safety Month focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road and in our homes and communities". Each week of National Safety Month has a different focus. Week 1: Hazard Prevention Week 2: Slips, Trips, and Falls Week 3: Fatigue Week 4: Impairment A few ways to celebrate National Safety Month: Post materials on social media, in a newsletter, or around the office. Identify hazards where you live and work. Encourage people to take the Safe at Work Pledge . Invite a healthcare professional to speak to your organization about safety. Mobile Medical Corporation believes that safety is a journey, not a destination. More info on National Safety Month . For free materials from the NSC to promote National Safety Month click HERE .

OSHA National Safety Stand-Down

Each May, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) encourages employers to take time to discuss fall hazard awareness. The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction emphasizes that even though falls are the leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 366 of the 971 construction fatalities recorded in 2017, all of the deaths are preventable. OSHA defines safety stand-down as a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety and according to the National Safety Council " Tens of thousands of employers nationwide and more than a million workers participate in the annual Fall Safety Stand-Down." Here are a few stand-down ideas: Toolbox talk Take a break to talk about fall risks Safety walk through Showing a safety video Taking time to do safety training Attend a stand-down event in your area Anyone can participate in a stand-down! Even if there is not fall risk, it can also be an opportun

Workforce Drug Positivity Hits 14 Year High in 2018

According to the annual Quest Diagnostics Workforce Drug Testing Index the rate of workforce drug positivity hit a fourteen-year high in 2018. In urine drug tests positives increased nearly five percent in both the safety sensitive workforce and general workforce. The largest percentage was seen in marijuana positives, where it increased in almost all workforce categories.For example in federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce, marijuana positives grew nearly five percent between 2017 and 2018 and nearly 24 percent since 2014. "Our in-depth analysis shows that marijuana is not only present in our workforce, but use continues to increase," said Barry Sample, PhD, senior director, science and technology, Quest Diagnostics. "As marijuana policy changes, and employers consider strategies to protect their employees, customers and general public, employers should weigh the risks that drug use, including marijuana, poses to their business." Additional trends in

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Every April the National Council and Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) organizes Alcohol Awareness Month as a way of increasing outreach and education for alcoholism and alcohol related issues. The theme for the month this year is “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow”. To go along with this theme, the NCADD plans to fill the month local, state, and national events "aimed at educating people about the treatment and prevention of alcohol addiction, particularly among our youth, and the important role that parents can play in giving kids a better understanding of the impact that alcohol can have on their lives." According to the NCADD, one in every 12 adults, or 17.6 million people, suffer from alcohol use disorder or alcohol dependence. While awareness of alcohol abuse continues to grow there is still a stigma and barriers to treatment. To help with this here are just a few ways to knowledge Alcohol Awareness Month: Encourage friends or family members to make small cha

MMC On The Road

MMC will be attending the following events in the upcoming months. If you are attending one of these events come visit us to see what we have planned for 2019! Cleveland Building Excellence and Craftsmanship Awards: Cleveland, OH. March 28th. IBEW Construction and Maintenance Conference: Washington, DC. April 4th-6th. NABTU Legislative Conference: Washington, DC. April 7th-10th. NSC Northeast Conference and Expo: Pittsburgh, PA. May 1st-3rd.

March is National Nutrition Month

National Nutritional Month is celebrated during March. The focus of Nutrition Month is to encourage people to make better food choices and develop better habits. Good nutrition can help reduce risk of illness, increase energy levels, and more. Below are a few tips to get started with good nutrition. 1) Pre-pack your meals and snacks. This gives you healthy options when you get to work 2) Cook and eat at home when possible. This will give you control over preparation and cooking methods. 3) Drink Water. Water is the best way to quench thirst. 4) Eat more fruits and vegetables. The phrase "eat the rainbow" is one to live by. Fruits and vegetables will provide you with vitamins and minerals and most are low in calories. 5) Be aware of the different types of fats. Eat foods with healthy fats like fish and nuts. Limit foods with high saturated fats. Avoid foods with trans fat. 6) Combine good nutrition choices with moderate exercise. When it comes to occupational h

Mobile Medical Corporation On-site Medical Services Supports M.A.S.H. Pantry and Resource Center

In December, Mobile Medical Corporation's On-site Medical Services team at the Turner Facebook NAO (New Albany, Ohio) project site hosted a food and personal hygiene drive for the M.A.S.H Pantry and Resource Center based in Franklin County Ohio. Spearheaded by Janie Donnelly the lead Paramedic for the project and Paramedics Dave Moore and Alex Matthews. They were able to assist in the resource centers expansion into Delaware County, Ohio, by filling their shelves with the collected items and monetary gifts. The drive was done in partnership with Turner Construction to raise awareness for the M.A.S.H Pantry and Resource center and support Mental Health Awareness Month in the construction trades. MMC's On-site Medical Services plans to continue to host M.A.S.H. Pantry and Resource Center’s PEER Support Group Meetings for the workforce. "(MMC and Turner's) generous support through the company 'food & personal hygiene drive' (monetary gifts to shop and elve

Heart Health Tips

February is the American Heart Month. The American Heart Association encourages spreading awareness about heart disease and how to prevent it. Here are some simple tips to help improve heart health. 1) Get Regular Health Screenings It is important to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and get diabetes screenings. If blood pressure is high it must be treated and blood pressure screens are recommended at least once every two years. Diabetes is a risk factor for contracting heart disease so you may want to go through a diabetes screening depending on your risk factors. 2) Don't Smoke or Use Tobacco- Avoid Secondhand Smoke Avoiding smoke is one of the best things you can do for your heart. Smoking damages the walls of blood vessels that supply blood to your body and heart by reducing the amount of oxygen in your blood. According to the American Heart Association, "exposure to tobacco smoke contributes to about 34,000 premature heart disease deaths and 7,300 lung cancer

Marijuana Use in Colorado

Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational Marijuana back in November of 2012. Now that five years have passed, researchers have been able to start to compile data about the effects of recreational marijuana across the state. The Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area released a report that looks at general use trends, the financial impact of legalization, as well as traffic and public health impact. Some statistics from the report include: -15.9% of people were self-reported past-month marijuana users compared to the national average of 8.6%. -People who visited a hospital due to marijuana use increased by 52% from 2012 to 2016. -Traffic accidents related to marijuana use jumped from 11.43% in 2013 to 21.3% in 2017. -Traffic deaths with drivers who tested positive for marijuana increased by 39% during the past four years, which equates to one person killed every 2 ½ days. Is your company prepared? Contact MMC, a premiere third party administrator of s