Defeating Winters Dry Air!

MAKE-IT-SAFE MONDAY

For most people, the dry air blowing outside makes it feel much like a desert! By now you most likely have heard the news of the Groundhog Day on February 2nd of this year. The results were that Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow, thus forecasting that there will be more weeks of winter ahead into March according to folklore. This means that the bitter cold, and dry air of this season will probably still be upon us for a while yet to come, so it is important to still be prepared for the conditions.

In winter the air is very dry due to the lack of moisture in the air during the season. Combine this crisp, dry air with the frigid winds that are blowing outside and you have a perfect recipe for some damage to the skin.
As mentioned in our previous safety blog “Frostbite”, Frostbite can easily occur when not properly dressed for the weather. It is crucial that when going outside one must bundle up to fight the wind. This means wearing a hat to protect the head, a scarf or face mask to protect the neck and face, and of course a warm coat and gloves. The less skin that is exposed to the wind, the less risk of frostbite and drying out of the skin. Which brings me to my next topic of discussion, and that’s keeping skin moisturized during the winter.

With the air being so very dry during this season, it is very common for people to get cracked or flaky dried skin as well as dandruff on the scalp. Ways to prevent and cure these symptoms would first include the obvious solution of applying lotion to the skin every morning as well as whenever mild dryness begins to occur. It is said that natural lotions with Jojoba oils and Shea butter are the most effective for curing dry skin.

Often a major mistake many people make that creates dry skin is simply drying off improperly when exiting the shower. By rubbing yourself with a towel vigorously, you are stripping your body of natural oils it produces to keep your skin moisturized in the first place. This goes the same for drying out your hair. The safest way of drying off yourself would be to “pat-dry” yourself which is where you pat yourself down instead of the “rub-dry” technique. The website  Prevention.com encourages that for drying hair it is often best let your hair dry on its own momentarily, and then use a blow dryer on its lowest setting to gently dry the hair.

Another very useful way to work with the dry air of winter would be to install a humidifier in your home. By doing so, this will create moisture and fill your home with it. In addition to moisturizing skin, this also is very helpful for relieving sinus issues caused from the dryness as well as prevention of bloody noses.

By dressing properly and taking extra good care of your body, you will be able to confidently take on winter without having to worry about the dry air!

Thank you for your time and attention, let’s make it safe this Monday!

Phil Kwitek
Demand Generation Specialist, Lift’n Buddy, a Southworth Company

Texting

MAKE-IT-SAFE MONDAY

It may obvious after seeing many ad campaigns that texting while driving is dangerous, but while driving I still see people looking down at their phones rather than looking up at the road. 

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found out that drivers that are distracted from the road due to texting are 23 times more likely to get in a car crash than a driver who isn’t texting.  It’s estimated that 23% of all crashes each year are due to the use of a cell phone, that’s 1.3 million crashes.

These statistics might be surprising, but if you think about the math behind it, a person driving at a rate of 55 miles per hour looks down at their phone for 4 seconds travels a total of 323 feet, that’s longer than a football field! Traveling that far completely blind is crazy to think about.  A lot can happen in the length of a football field.  The car in front of you could slam on their breaks, an animal could be attempting to cross the road, or a person could be.

The problem is mainly in the younger drivers who have a false confidence of their abilities to maintain full control of their vehicles while operating their cell phones.  77% of young adult drivers say they are very or somewhat confident that they can safely send a text while driving and 55% say it is very easy to do it. 

Young drivers aren't the only ones guilty of this.  27% of adults admit that they have sent and received a text while driving.

What can be done?

You can see videos and hear statistics about texting and driving all day long and it still would stop some people for doing it until it’s too late.  The biggest and easiest thing that can be done is to be a role model, as a parent don’t be talking on the phone, sending, or looking at a text message, especially when your kids are in the vehicle with you.  If you are driving with others make sure your phone is put away and that you don’t use it, this will set a good example for them.  If you are riding with a close friend, family member, or someone you don’t know as well, there is no shame in asking them to not use their phone if you see them using it.  There are already many states that have made texting and using your cell phone while driving illegal.  That should be reason enough to set the phone down.  Your life or the life of others is more important than a text or a phone call.  It can wait.   

Thank you for your time and attention. Let’s make it safe this Monday.

Dale Bromenshenkel

Demand Generation Specialist, Lift’n Buddy, a Southworth Company

Identity Theft

MAKE-IT-SAFE MONDAY

This past holiday season, according to NBC News, an estimated 110 million people who had shopped at Target had their credit card and personal information stolen. Even if you were not one of the people affected by this security breach, it is important to be aware of the potential safety risks in relation to identity theft and credit card fraud. 

The amount of money and time that is lost yearly due to credit card fraud is unacceptable.  According to Ohio University, the cost of credit card theft and fraud is well into the billions of dollars per year.  Because of this it is a good idea to become aware of the safety precautions you can take to help keep your credit card information safe from potential threats. 

Some of the most important steps you can take to protect your information include, but are not limited to: 

• Checking your bank statements and credit history regularly. If you check these on a weekly basis, you are more likely to notice any unauthorized purchases on your account. If you notice anything unusual, report it immediately. It doesn’t take long for someone to charge thousands of dollars to your account. 

• Being careful when shopping online. With the recent increase in online shopping, it is not surprising that there are a lot of people trying to steal your information through this technology. Make sure the website you are entering you personal information and credit card information into is safe and secure. 

• Never leave your wallet unattended. It only takes a moment for someone to look inside your wallet. In that moment they could take a picture of your ID and credit card information with their cellphone without you even knowing that anything was stolen. 

I have highlighted a few important steps you can take to improve your safety; however, there are many more precautions to help protect you from credit fraud and identity theft. I encourage you to research this topic and learn how to better protect yourself. Let’s continue to educate ourselves now, so we can save time and money later. 

Thank you for your time and attention.  Let’s make it safe this Monday.

Christopher Feigal

Demand Generation Specialist, Lift’n Buddy, a Southworth Company

Starting the New Year off the Healthy Way!

MAKE-IT-SAFE MONDAY

With the New Year just having settled in, many people have been rushing to get fit and see some results! In fact, large retailers and gyms statistically have massive sales of health products during the month of January because of so many people trying to start the year off healthy. More than 12 percent of gym members join in January, compared to an average of 8.3 percent per month for the full year, according to the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). The problem comes from the fact that most people new to the fitness life often expect instant results, and when they don’t see these results right away, they often get disappointed and give up. This is something that is all too common for most people.

The key to avoid failing your resolution is to stay encouraged mentally. A lot of people often get the misconception that fitness is all physical, that there is no mental aspect. Well this is very much incorrect; in fact, the mental aspect is just as crucial. You need to develop the correct mindset to be able to get yourself up, work out at the gym, and start seeing the results that you really desire. 

Probably the most important step is you must decide what results you actually want. Be practical. The problem many people have, which in turn leads to giving up, is that many people set their standards way too high. If weight loss is your goal, don’t expect to lose massive amounts of weight with ease. It takes a lot of work, and the same goes for muscle building. By setting your goals more practically you will have greater chances of reaching these goals which will leave you feeling accomplished and wanting to work out more.  

Next, scheduling is crucial. You need to decide how often you are able to work out. Develop a schedule that works around your school/work schedule and try finding a time where you can consistently attend the gym. 

Though the work in the gym is very important, most people overlook the two most crucial parts of fitness when it comes to results, and those are diet and rest. Eating healthy foods and keeping a balanced diet are extremely crucial when trying to live a healthier lifestyle. The progress you make in the gym working out will easily become useless if your diet consists of unhealthy, fatty foods. Also getting an optimal amount of rest each day is very important. When working out, your muscles get torn. Though this sounds bad, your muscles will heal where they were torn and in turn grow even stronger than they were before. If you continue to work these torn muscles without rest you run the risk of damaging these muscles and countering any growth that could have occurred. This means that you must allow your body to rest properly. 

Thank you for your time and attention. Let’s make it safe this Monday.

Phil Kwitek

Demand Generation Specialist, Lift’n Buddy, a Southworth Company