SAFETY

More states crack down on 'boating under the influence'

As the recreational boating season splashes into its last month, several states are working to cut down on cases of drunken boating.Boating deaths due to alcohol are up since last year.

Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. It was the main factor in 17 percent of deaths involving registered recreational vehicles in 2012. That was an increase from 16 percent in the previous year.

Georgia lowered its blood alcohol limit for boaters from .10 percent to .08 percent for boaters, the same threshold as for drivers. It also enacted harsh penalties for those convicted of boating while drunk. The Governor's Office of Highway Safety says they want to get drunken boaters stopped before they get back into their cars.

The Illinois Legislature has passed a bill that authorizes the state to suspend a person's driver's license if caught operating a motorboat under the influence. They can test suspected intoxicated boaters in accidents causing deaths.

Democratic State Senator Julie Morrison introduced the new bill after her 10 year old nephew was killed. He was being towed in an inner tube by his father and his pontoon boat. The boy fell into the lake. Three of his siblings and his father watched in horror as a 29 foot power boat slammed into him.

Morrison says, with her bill, they are going to try to change the culture. It's changing already and there's more public awareness. She says, "We're not in the same place as drunk driving, but we're getting closer."

Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed into law a bill that aligns boating under the influence with its DUI law. It also adds penalties for those under the influence of marijuana, and it extends the implied consent concept to boaters.

Observe and report threats and incidents

Violence shakes up the workplace long after the crime has been committed causing damage to every person's sense of security and trust. Experts say nearly all violence in the workplace occurs at the end of a trail of signs, visible to everyone around the actor.

When a co-worker becomes short tempered, ill mannered, mean and abusive verbally in the workplace, this is a sign of something wrong. Especially if the person is known to be experiencing domestic issues. Such behavior should immediately be reported to a supervisor. Other kinds of workplace violence are not as easy to predict.

Violence by personal relationships is committed by someone such as the spouse or partner of a worker. Sometimes there are clues to impending trouble when employees report they are frightened of their spouse, or are the victims of abuse.

Finally, violence by customers and clients can be a serious threat depending on the workplace. Prison systems have the highest risk but most public offices can and do encounter dangerous situations with disturbed customers.

Remember that workplace violence is not limited to company offices. As defined by the U.S. Department of Labor:

"A workplace may be any location, either permanent or temporary, where an employee performs any work related duty. This includes, but is not limited to, the buildings and the surrounding perimeters including parking lots, field locations, clients' homes and traveling to and from work assignments."

Drowsy driving kills: An obvious fact needs to be emphasized again and again

Most people say they would never continue to drive if they were in danger of falling asleep at the wheel. But when they really want to make time or arrive on time at their destination, they'll do it anyway. They think if they shake their heads, open the window for a breeze or stomp their feet, they'll wake up enough to get there. But sometimes nothing works and they wind up wrapped around a tree, drowning in a pond or causing someone else's death in addition to their own.

One problem is that a person who is sleep deprived may not realize it. That person might just seem vaguely tired before their eyes close ... permanently. Drowsy driving facts:

• According to a National Sleep Foundation "Sleep in America" poll, 60 percent of adult drivers, about 168 million people, say they have driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy in the past year, and more than one-third, (37 percent or 103 million people), have actually fallen asleep at the wheel!
  
  
• Of those who have nodded off, 13 percent say they have done so at least once a month.
  
  
• Four percent, approximately eleven million drivers, admit they have had an accident or near accident because they dozed off or were too tired to drive.
  

A national health problem? Sleep experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep each night to function properly. But many Americans get about six hours, according to an NSF survey. NSF's recommendations:

• Avoid alcohol and taking medications while driving.
  
  
• On a trip, take a passenger along, someone who will talk to you.
  
  
• Schedule regular stops every two hours.
  
  
• Recognize signs of drowsiness and realize that the only cure is sleep.
  
  
• Get off the road and at least take a power nap. Then drink coffee.

Gas fireplaces are safe, but take a few precautions

As the cool breezes of September and October begin, few people want to start an expensive heating system. Instead, they take off the evening chill by using a fireplace.

Gas fireplaces are a modern choice for people who don't want the task of building a fire. A vented fireplace should be your first choice. You can install one even if you don't have a chimney because they require only a small vent pipe.

Unvented gas fireplaces can go anywhere in a house, look nice, and are safe, according to a study by Consumer Reports.

Whether vented or unvented, be cautious when buying and using a unit:

• First, read the specified room dimensions carefully. The National Fuel Gas Code and many local codes call only for the fireplace to be sized so sufficient air is available for combustion.
  
  
• Buy a certified package rather than a separate firebox and log set.
  
  
• Limit its use. Though occasional extended use poses little health risk, experts recommend using it for only a few hours at a time.
  
  
• Use a CO alarm. All units they tested showed no tendency for high carbon monoxide levels, but study authors recommend a CO alarm for any combustion appliance.
  
  
• Provide extra ventilation. Open the window when using an unvented fireplace because air pollution can build up after several hours of use.

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