FALL 2002   

INSIDE this ISSUE..............

| How Safe are Our Children's Schools? | 4 Steps to Food Safety |
| Safe Sleep for Baby | Preventing Workplace Injuries |
| Plug Into Electrical Safety |Home Fire Prevention | Contact Us |

This email newsletter can be seen in its entirety at URSecure.com.

Welcome to the 7th online issue of the The Security Seeker Newsletter. The Security Seeker offers security advice, statistics and stories.  If you find this email interesting, forward it to a friend and keep your friends secure, too!   

How Safe are Our Children's Schools?

Most, if not all, schools have some level of potential risk and, while the threat level may vary, parents, school and community officials must take safety and security into account. Here are some specific things to look for when evaluating the safety of your school.

How do students feel about safety?  
Students often know where gaps in security exist and what can be done to improve school safety. Where do they feel most safe? Least safe? Why? 

Identify comfort levels and methods for reporting safety concerns. 
Do students have at least one adult they would feel comfortable in reporting safety concerns to at school? Are there other methods (hotlines, email tip lines, etc.) for students and parents to report their concerns. 

Examine access to the school.  
Are there a reduced number of doors that can be accessed from the outside (while still allowing children to exit from the inside in an emergency)? Do faculty and staff greet visitors, challenge strangers and know who is in their school? Are there sign-in and sign-out procedures, visitor identification badges, etc.?  

Are there policies and procedures on security and crisis preparedness? 
Does your board and administration have written policies and procedures related to security, crisis preparedness planning, and overall school safety planning? If so, are they communicated clearly and regularly to students, school employees and parents? 

Are you doing your part?  
Do you follow parking, visitor and other safety procedures at your school? Do you support teachers and administrators with safety initiatives? Do you talk with your child about personal safety considerations, drug and violence prevention issues, and related topics. 

4 Steps to Food Safety

September is National Food Safety Education Month, an annual observance to focus attention on the importance of safe food handling and preparation. Listed below are Four Steps To Food Safety that you can take to help prevent food-related illness in your home or business:

1. Clean! Everything that touches food should be clean. Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing food borne illness. Even with food safety inspection and monitoring at Federal, State, and local government facilities, consumers have the role of ensuring that food is handled safely after it is purchased.

2. Separate! Fight cross-contamination. Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from other foods, cutting boards, and utensils. An example of cross-contamination is cutting raw meat, poultry, or fish on a cutting board and then slicing salad vegetables on the same cutting board without washing the cutting board between uses.

3. Cook! Use a food thermometer in cooking. Using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy harmful micro-organisms. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of foods, such as meat, hamburgers, poultry, egg casseroles, and any combination dishes to ensure that a safe temperature is reached and that harmful bacteria is destroyed.

4. Chill! Make sure the temperature in the refrigerator is 40 °F or below and 0 °F or below in the freezer. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow most rapidly in the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 °F—so it's important to keep food out of this temperature range. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers within 2 hours of purchase or preparation, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F. Thaw food in the refrigerator. For quick thawing, submerge in cold water in airtight packaging, or thaw in the microwave, and cook the food immediately.

Information provided by the National Restaurant Association.  

www.restaurant.org.

Safe Sleep for Baby

Baby's sleep safety is an important issue for parents and caregivers. The following points have been provided to educate parents and caregivers about  the dangers that exist from improperly placing babies in beds and what can be done to prevent hazards. 

Wherever your baby sleeps should be as safe as possible. Babies placed on adult beds risk suffocation from several hidden hazards such as: 

• Entrapment between bed and walls

• Entrapment involving the bed frame, headboard or footboard,

• Falls from adult beds onto piles of clothing, plastic bags or other soft materials resulting in suffocation 

• Suffocation in soft bedding (such as pillows, thick quilts and comforters) 

Always put your baby to sleep on his or her back, not the stomach. 

When using a crib, make sure it meets current safety standards, has a firm, tight-fitting mattress and tight-fitting bottom sheet. 

When using a portable crib or play yard, be sure to use only the mattress or pad provided by the manufacturer. 

Bed rails should be used as a training aid on adult beds only for children approximately 2 years of age and older that are able to get in and out of a bed without help. Never use bed rails .on beds without both a mattress and box spring. 

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) produces Safe & Sound for Baby, a 16-page safety brochure consumers can receive for free by sending a business-size self-addressed, stamped envelope to JPMA Safety Brochure, 17000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054. 

Preventing Workplace Injuries 

The typical workplace injury can cost a company $28,000 in wage and productivity losses, medical and administrative expenses, and other costs. When these losses add up, everybody suffers. Improving workplace safety improves your bottom line.  Avoid, or at least minimize, workplace injuries with the following suggestions:

Take frequent breaks throughout the day. Stop what you're doing at least once an hour and stand up. Move around. Stretch out. 

Watch your posture. Many of today's workplace injuries are aggravated by poor posture. Many people stick their necks out to see the computer screen better, or use their necks and shoulders to cradle telephones. The best thing you can do for your neck is to keep your entire spine in its proper alignment. 

Keep in shape. If you aren't in shape, get there. Part of the cause of many back problems is weak back and stomach muscles caused by a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Strengthening your abs is one good way to provide good back support, as is gently building your back muscles. You don't need to join a fancy health club -- walking 20 minutes a day and practicing a regular stretch regimen (such as yoga) can do wonders to tone and strengthen your entire body. 

Develop an ergonomically-sound work space. Even if you can't afford those fancy chairs and desks, you can convert your workspace into one that's easier on your back, neck and wrists. Make sure your chair has a straight back and is set so your feet are flat on the floor (use a footstool, if necessary). Place a small "lumbar roll" in the small of your back for support. Raise your keyboard so that your wrists don't "break" when you type, and make sure that your forearms are parallel with the floor. Also, set your computer monitor high enough so you're looking at it straight on. One final note, if you use the phone a good deal, invest in a telephone headset so you aren't forced to "balance" the phone between shoulder and neck. 

Plug Into Electrical Safety

Get plugged into electrical safety and help protect yourself from electrical accidents by taking a few minutes to check your home or business for unsafe conditions. 

Make sure cords are in good condition. A frayed or cracked cord could cause a shock or fire. Replace old and damaged extension cords with new ones having the certification label of an independent testing laboratory on the cord.

Check to see that extension cords are not overloaded, as indicated by the ratings labeled on the cord and the appliance. Overloaded extension cords could cause fires. Change the cord to a higher rated one or unplug some appliances, and remember that extension cords should only be used on a temporary basis and are not intended as permanent household wiring.

To reduce the risks of electric shock, make sure that Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection is provided for outlets at kitchen counters, in bathrooms, and at outdoor receptacles. Test GFCIs monthly to make sure they are working properly.

Check the wattage of all bulbs in light fixtures and lamps to make sure they are the correct wattage. Replace bulbs that have a higher wattage than recommended to prevent overheating that could lead to a fire. 

Check to see that fuses are the correct size for the circuit. Replacing a correct size fuse with a larger size fuse can present a serious fire hazard.

If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit breaker, or has given you a shock, unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.

Check to see if outlets and switches are unusually warm or hot to the touch. If so, an unsafe wiring condition could exist. Do not use the outlet or switch and have a qualified electrician check the wiring as soon as possible.


These safety tips, along with many more, are published in a pamphlet entitled A Home Electrical Safety Check. To receive a free pamphlet, send a 55 cent stamped, self-addressed envelope to NESF, 1300 North 17th Street, Suite 1847, Rosslyn, Va. 22209. 

Home Fire Prevention 

Team Up To Prevent Fires During Fire Prevention Week:  October 6-12.

Effective fire safety depends on teamwork. That's why the theme for this year's Fire Prevention Week is "Team Up for Fire Safety™." It's a simple idea: team up with the people with whom you live, work, play, and worship so that everyone will be better prepared to prevent, and if necessary, survive a home fire. 

This year´s Fire Prevention Week campaign touches on three simple but essential safety lessons provided by the National Fire Protection Association that everyone can learn:

Installing and testing smoke alarms 
Practicing home escape plans 
Hunting for home hazards

Visit www.nfpa.org for additional tips on preventing fires in your home, or for more information about Fire Prevention Week.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The Security Seeker is a customer service publication designed for security-minded consumers.  If you have any questions or suggestions of how we might better service your security needs or have a success story you would like to submit for consideration, please contact Editor Tia Harrison at (773) 725-0222 or (800) 827-3624, ext. 6033. Visit our web site: www.ursecure.com.