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Show WINTER SAFETY os Hilltop Times editor Do the Hill Field Shuffle. as- signments. It isn't racgie require treatment at the dispensary, safety officials said. That number doesn't include all the lucky people who suffered simply a bruised ego. The Hill Field Shuffle provides a step in the right direction while walking on ice. If practiced, it will cut down on falls and keeping Hill workers healthy and on the job. First, use proper footwear. Wear a shoe or an overshoe with a good tread. Don't wear leather soles or soles worn smooth from years of use. Second, don't stride out springing from toe to heel as you would on dry gritty pavement. Shorten your step and keep your feet as flat to the surface of the ice as possible. This does two things. It keeps more tread area in contact with the slick surface, and it spreads your weight evenly over both feet. Also keep your hands out of your pockets. Your arms are good balancers, safe- - by Gary Hatch It isn't a scheme to jostle job Dec. 13, 1991 slip-resista- nt a unique way of handling paperwork. It isn't a dance either, although it demands deliberate, precise footwork punctuated at key interv als by flailing extremities and whip-likbody contortions. The shuffle is the Hill AFB Safety Office's way of showing the base populace how to put its best foot forward particularly on snow and ice this winter. Each year Hill workers require medical attention from falls on ice. Some years the people number near 200 who e ill' H.lltop T.me& C n n o InlDUU ty officials point out. You can wave them about and they'll help you stay standing if you lose your balance. If, despite your best efforts, the shuffle fails you, then safety officials advise you to turn falling into an art form. Take a lesson from judo. Make your upper and lower extremities hit the ground simultaneously just before your trunk makes contact. You can then use your elbow, shoulder, knee and thigh joints in concert to absorb the shock of the fall. What you don't want to do is catch yourself with just one part of an extremity an elbow, knee or hand. That greatly increases the pressure on that point and may result in a broken bone. , Another bit of advice safety officials stress is leaving for work early, so you're not trying to rush when you need to be extra careful. By all means, keep in step with winter. Avoid possible down time. Do the Hill Field Shuffle. ?0FpD!se Sln)Qlnniln)yS n ln)sl 1F by Brad Codard 2849th Civil Engineering Squadron ' I t's that time of year when many people start to use their fireplaces and wood burning stoves. Whether used for warmth or creating atmosphere on a cold snowy day, fireplaces and wood burning stoves can create potential fire hazards unless certain precautions are taken. It is important to build a fire in a fireplace with some type of screen or glass front to protect surroundings from popping embers or rolling logs. Fireplaces that don't have some type of protective barrier are extremely dangerous. Depending on how old your carpet is or what type you have, you may not be able to extinguish flying sparks fast enough. Another way to injure yourself or burn your house down is to squirt flammable liquids on logs to start your fire quicker. An explosion could occur, creating flames too big for the fireplace to contain. Flames would then travel back, burning you and possibly surrounding combustibles. When people fail to take the necessary precautions; it's only a matter of time before a catastrophe may occur. Accidents can lead to the loss of a home and often result in an injury or even the death of a family member. The following guidelines will reduce the risk of fire in your ' home. Never light a fire without a protective guard to keep sparks, embers or logs from carpets or floors. Never build a fire any bigger than it has be. to Ensure that any starter fluid used is approved for that purpose. Ensure there are no combustible items within 10 feet of fireplace or wood stove. S Ensure your flue or damper is open prior to lighting fire. Ensure your chimmney or pipe is cleaned once a year. Ensure the fire is out before you leave the house. Have a serviceable fire extinguisher within easy access, and know how to operate Keep children away from fires and never let them build or light fires. For additional information concerning fireplaces or wood burning stoves, call the technical services section of the Fire Department, Ext. it 70236. Snow blowing, shoveling risky; flying objects, heart attacks by Gary Hatch Hilltop Times editor The snow blower is a piece of equipment. It will gobble up and spew out freshly fallen snow by the ton. But it will also turn inert sticks, rocks and ice into dangerous projectiles, or dismember a careless person's fingers and toes. The difference is the operator. Snow blowers will be user friendly if the user first smart. becomes snow-blowtime-trieway of Ironically, the also health carries snow shoveling removing risks, most notably heart attacks and muscle er old-fashion- ed d, strains. A little forethought and generous application of common sense will go a long way toward the safe and effective use of equipment, according to Hill AFB safety officials. Hill employees injure their hands each winter by trying to free up clogged augers without turning the motors off. Even though most snow blowers have a clutch that disengages the auger, there is still a rapidly spinning fan, responsible for throwing the snow, that turns whenever the motor is running. "On smaller snow throwers a person may only suffer minor cuts, but on some of the bigger models, if a person gets his fingers caught, it'll whack them right off," .said safety specialist Matt Barnhart. "The biggest "key is common sense. People have to learn to turn the machine off and never put their hands anywhere near the moving parts," said snow-removin- Barnhardt. g A snow thrower should be given the same respect as a lawn mower. Don't rely on the clutch, because it could easily fail. And don't put your fingers anywhere near where there may be moving parts, especially if the area is hidden from view. The following are some safety tips. Snow throwers Know the controls and how to stop quickly. I! Disengage all clutches and shift into neutral be- fore starting. Never put a hand, foot or any article of clothinside the discharge chute or near any moving ing parts while the engine is running. Stop the motor before cleaning the auger or dis- charge fan from packed snow or debris. Never use hands to clean debris from a clogged auger. The compression in the engine can cause the chute or blade to flip violently as the clog is dislodged. Adjust the machine's height to clear gravel or crushed rock. Snow shoveling Only shovel snow if you are in good physical condition and if you exercise regularly. Govern the rate of your shoveling to the wetness and heaviness of snow. Dress warmly while shoveling snow because cold itself can pose a strain on the circulation. Don't shovel snow right after eating, and don't smoke right before, during or right after shoveling snow. |