Several items to share today relating to safety:

1. Children in Hot Cars – I just saw again this week a story of a parent that accidently left a two-year old child buckled in a car seat thinking the child had been dropped off at the day care center.  The parent inadvertently left the child in the car all day thinking the normal routine stop at the day care had occurred.  Sadly, the child died and life changed forever for these parents.  Nothing breaks my heart more that hearing of parents losing a child.  For you parents or grandparents that routinely have children in the car with you, please establish a system that requires that you verify that you cannot possibly leave a child in the car.  Setting a reminder on your dashboard, or using a mirror, or some other positive technique to verify that there is no child left behind might prevent a similar tragedy in your family.
2. Push-button Car Starters – There have been a number of articles warning lately about the push-button starters on many newer cars.  There have been numerous examples where the driver was distracted and forgot to turn off the car in the garage and individuals in the home died from carbon monoxide poisoning.  I have also heard examples of individuals inadvertently leaving their cars on all day at work.  It can happen!  So, once again, establish a normal routine that requires that you verify that the car is off before exiting.  Establishing a system that requires positive verification is considered a “best practice.”
3. Eye Protection at Home – We all know that eye protection is required in the workplace when performing risky activities.  But, how many of you routinely use eye protection at home when doing equally risky tasks?  I have a good friend that lost an eye while mowing his lawn.  He hit a rock that bounced off a tree back and hit his eyeball.  He had several surgeries, but lost sight in the eye.  He now struggles to do many of the tasks he formerly did routinely, such as play golf, drive at night, and read.  Honestly, mowing or weed trimming at home without eye protection is not worth it.
4. Skin Protection – Well, it is summertime again.  So, it is time to get back into the routine of using sun screen and/or wearing a hat outside in the sun.  Take it from me… protecting your skin is worth it.  My wife and I now have annual check-ups from a dermatologist to detect and remove suspicious skin lesions.  Each of us has had to have items removed or treated.  Start early protecting your skin!

Please be safe at work and at home!  Have a fabulous day!