48th OSS safety tips for Safety Challenge

  • Published
  • By A1C Holden Phillips
  • 48th Operations Support Squadron
ROYAL AIR FORCE, England --  When you think of holiday celebrations, you may be picturing family gatherings, homemade cooking and parties. Unfortunately, busy airports and congested highways may also come to mind. Holiday travel is a necessary obstacle in order to reach loved ones living far away.

In the midst of being around family, shopping for gifts and partying, it's important to consider possible risks while traveling, which may affect your journey.    

Ensuring your home is secure enough to leave unattended for extended periods of time is extremely important before you set off. Arrange for someone you trust to do routine checks of your home, as well as perform lawn work to keep the appearance that someone is still there. Residences that appear to be empty can be easy targets for robberies and damaged property.

Properly preparing for a trip should include double-checking that you have packed all necessary items, such as medications and treatments for yourself and your family members. Creating a checklist of essential travel items can prevent leaving anything important behind. Medications, phone chargers, a travel itinerary, a backup credit card and a first aid kit should be included on a checklist of essential items.

Pre-planning for a trip should consider logistics of how you plan on arriving to your destination, duration of trip, the amount of money you are planning to spend and overnight accommodations.
The more planning completed prior to departing will decrease the amount of stress and anxiety you feel while gone. Following safety procedures, such as obtaining travel insurance, creating a checklist and securing your home will increase the overall enjoyment and relaxation of traveling and celebrating the holidays.

Safe drinking practices essential to being a good Wingman

By A1C Haley Fanthorp

In England, the drinking age is 18 years old, which means the majority of Airmen stationed at RAF Lakenheath can legally drink. Additionally, the United Kingdom and surrounding European countries have a wide variety of pubs, bars and beer gardens to purchase alcohol. The convenience and accessibility of drinking alcohol in Europe calls for an increase in situational awareness and emphasizes the importance of drinking responsibly.

Here are a few tips for practicing safe drinking and being a good Wingman while having fun.

· Never leave your drink unattended and keep an eye on your friends' drinks.

· Don't accept a drink from someone you don't know. If someone is purchasing a drink for you, follow them to the bar and watch it being made.

· Consider sticking to bottled drinks and avoiding punch bowls or jugs of cocktails to ensure you are aware of what is in your drink.

· Before going out, let someone know where you're going and what time you expect to be home.

· Make plans for your journey home or, if you are travelling abroad, be aware of the local area and where you can find help.

· If you think you may have been drugged, you have 15 to 20 minutes before you will become incoherent. Try to call a friend or talk to the bar staff to make an arrangement to get picked up or to seek help.

10 ways to reduce workplace injuries

By A1C Ashley Harris

In the past 20 years, computers have become a vital part of our workplace setting. As a result, the number of equipment-related workplace injuries has increased.  Occupational safety measures have been put into place to help minimize potential injuries; however, these measures can be forgotten in daily life. Working to create a safe work environment should be a goal for all team members.

Follow 10 easy steps to create a healthy work environment:

· Counter the effect of carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrist and hand by relieving yourself of the mouse and keyboard from time to time. Take breaks to let your fingers relax and enjoy hand rubs in between.

· Adjust the location of your computer in such a way that your body continuously maintains an unstrained and comfortable position. Your arms, forearms and shoulders should be fully relaxed.

· Eyestrain can be caused by a continuous exposure to the computer monitor. You should always have a quality glare filter fixed on your monitor screen to provide relief to eyes.

· Place the monitor and source documents, so that they are equal distance from your eyes. Use a document holder immediately next to the monitor.

· Rest the muscles of your eyes by focusing occasionally focusing on a distance object.

· Change your body position periodically throughout the day. The position of the keyboard should be at a proper level in front of you. It is important to ensure proper elbow height that enables you to type with straight wrists.

· A good chair significantly reduces the risk of lower back pain or injury. An ergonomic chair provides comfortable lumbar support and allows for a variety of seated postures.

Source:  SafetyED.org