Drowsy Driving Collisions

Statistic
“NHTSA estimates that approximately 100,000 crashes each year are caused primarily by driver drowsiness or fatigue. In 1998, drowsiness and fatigue contributed to 1,400 crash-related fatalities.” – US Dept. of Transportation


Introduction
Many studies have been done that show “fatigue” or driving while drowsy can play a major role in accidents.

Normal “tiredness” can be caused by three categories of stress factors:

1) physical environment – exposure to extreme temperatures and even vibration or noise
2) physical condition - poor or inadequate sleep, medications and alcohol, or medical conditions that interfere with sleep such as sleep apnea
3) prolonged periods of emotional upset (anger, fear, frustration, etc.)

Employees who drive as part of their job are exposed to many of these factors every day.

Avoiding “Fatigue”
Although getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis is best and seems obvious, there are many things that keep us from ideal sleep patterns. Here are some tips that should help:

1. Proper Nutrition - Do your best to eat a well-balanced diet that includes a reasonable balance of the major food groups.
2. Adjust Your Sleep Environment - Check for noise, poor ventilation, high or low temperatures, and bedding firmness, etc.
3. Maintain Fitness - plan your exercise program to build your stamina. Trainers at your fitness center should be able to help you adjust your program.
4. Reduce Any Excess Weight – Any excess pounds can contribute to poor sleep quality or lack of sleep.
5. Adjust Your Sleep Pattern - Experiment by sleeping more or less, going to bed earlier or later, to discover proper sleep time.
6. Time Management and Relaxation – Planning your days and nights to avoid stress and rushing can be helpful.
7. Reduce Caffeine. Caffeine is a drug that may overstimulate the body and mind, interfering with sleep and increasing anxiety.
8. Quit Smoking and Avoid Alcohol – Both nicotine and alcohol can interfere with sleep, especially when consumed near bedtime.

Warning Signs
Most people cannot tell when they are falling asleep while driving. Recognizing the warning signs that sleepiness is overcoming you include:

• You find yourself drifting from your lane or tailgating
• You miss signs or drive past your exit
• You have trouble keeping your eyes open and focused
• You yawn frequently or rub your eyes repeatedly
• You can’t keep your head up
• You daydream or have wandering, disconnected thoughts
• You drift off the road and hit the rumble strips

If you recognize any of these symptoms, you could be in danger of falling asleep.

Coping with “Drowsiness”
If you must drive despite your best efforts to avoid drowsiness – what options do you have? Several research organizations have published tips on dealing with fatigue:

• www.sleepfoundation.org
• www.nhtsa.dot.gov
• www.aaafoundation.org

Here’s their advice:

1. Sleep – even a short nap can help (followed by exercise to wake up). Make sure you use a secure rest area – not the side of the road where another vehicle might collide with you.
2. Exercise – get out of the vehicle and walk, stretch and move your body to wake up. Take driving breaks to stretch your legs and get your blood moving, heart pumping, etc.
3. Caffeine – As a short-term fix, caffeine can help to wake you up, but don’t rely on it to get you through a long drive – its effects usually wear out after the first couple of cups of coffee.
4. Companions - When possible, travel with a companion who will stay awake with you to monitor your driving and talk to you.
5. Timing - Try to avoid “sleepy” times of the day – after dark and especially after midnight are peak times for your body to decide to sleep – and when most “drowsy driving” crashes occur.


Check out the web sites mentioned above for even more tips and helpful information. Have a good, safe night!

Drowsy Driving Is Dangerous!
• Prepare for night driving by getting enough sleep or by improving the quality and duration of your sleep patterns
• Recognize the warning signs of Drowsy Driving – nodding off, excessive yawning, etc.
• When you must drive, take naps, exercise and for short term use – some caffeine may help.


This information provided by B&B Ice, Inc, "The Clear Choice!" Please visit our website www.bnbice.com or call us at 409-727-5714. We only have Ice & Water for you!

Useful Water Facts

Here are the facts about the water crisis. Every day, thousands of people die from lack of access to clean water. The safe water issue is intimately linked to hygiene education and proper sanitation, which is why we take an integrated approach to bringing safe water to the world’s poor. This page is broken into the following sections:

1. Water
2. Sanitation
3. Impacts on Children
4. Impacts on Women
5. Impacts on Productivity
6. What Can You Do?
7. Water in the News
8. Lesson Plans
9. Resource Links

Water
• 3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease. (11)
• 43% of water-related deaths are due to diarrhea. (11)
• 84% of water-related deaths are in children ages 0 – 14. (11)
• 98% of water-related deaths occur in the developing world. (11)
• 884 million people, lack access to safe water supplies, approximately one in eight people. (5)
• The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns. (1)
• At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease. (1)
• Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water (or about 0.007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use. (12)
• An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the typical person living in a developing country slum uses in a whole day. (1)
• About a third of people without access to an improved water source live on less than $1 a day. More than two thirds of people without an improved water source live on less than $2 a day. (1)
• Poor people living in the slums often pay 5-10 times more per liter of water than wealthy people living in the same city. (1)
• Without food a person can live for weeks, but without water you can expect to live only a few days. (4)
• The daily requirement for sanitation, bathing, and cooking needs, as well as for assuring survival, is about 13.2 gallons per person. (3)
• Over 50 percent of all water projects fail and less than five percent of projects are visited, and far less than one percent have any longer-term monitoring. (10)
Sanitation
• Only 62% of the world’s population has access to improved sanitation – defined as a sanitation facility that ensures hygienic separation of human excreta from human contact. (5)
• 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation, including 1.2 billion people who have no facilities at all. (5)
• The majority of the illness in the world is caused by fecal matter.(9)
• Lack of sanitation is the world’s biggest cause of infection. (9)
• At any one time, more than half of the poor in the developing world are ill from causes related to hygiene, sanitation and water supply. (9)
• 88% of cases of diarrhea worldwide are attributable to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene. (9)
• Of the 60 million people added to the world’s towns and cities every year, most occupy impoverished slums and shanty-towns with no sanitation facilities. (8)
• It is estimated that improved sanitation facilities could reduce diarrhea-related deaths in young children by more than one-third. If hygiene promotion is added, such as teaching proper hand washing, deaths could be reduced by two thirds. It would also help accelerate economic and social development in countries where sanitation is a major cause of lost work and school days because of illness. (6)

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OUTSIDE WORKERS: REDUCTION OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESS

GENERAL

These procedures provide the minimal steps applicable to most outdoor work situations and essential to reducing the incidence of heat related illnesses. in working environments with a higher risk for heat illnesses (e.g., during a heat wave, or with severe working or environmental conditions), it is everyone's duty to exercise even greater caution and additional protective measures beyond what is listed in this document, as needed to protect employees. Additional protective measures include:

1. Increased employer vigilance for frequent water consumption and symptoms of heat illness for non- acclimatized employees or during the first 2 weeks on job, and for all employees during heat waves or prolonged high heat stress conditions.

2. Graduated work schedule and greater opportunities for cooled work breaks for first 2 weeks on job.

Replenishment Procedures

1. The Supervisor should ensure at least 2 quarts per employee at the start of the shift. Employees will replenish as needed by way of clean portable water at jobsites, service stations or other means.

2. The Supervisor should monitor water containers every 30 minutes and encourage employees to report to low water levels, warm or dirty water.

3. The Supervisor should remind employees to drink water prior to starting their shift and give reminders throughout the shift to drink water.

4. The Supervisor should hold meetings in the morning to remind workers about the importance of frequent water consumption.

5. Water containers should be placed close to or, where accessible in the immediate work area.

6. The Supervisor should retrain employees during a heat wave or if it is observed that employees are not drinking enough water.

ACCESS TO SHADE

Access to rest and shade are important preventive steps to minimize the risk of heat related illness.

1. Employees shiouldl have access to the office or construction trailer, or other building with air conditioning.

2. Vehicles with air conditioning are also acceptable for the purpose of providing shade.

ACCESS TO A PREVENTATIVE RECOVERY PERIOD

Every morning there should be a short meeting to remind workers about the importance of rest breaks and the location of shade.

PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO SYMPTOMS OF POSSIBLE HEAT ILLNESS

Each employee should be informed that emergency medical services will be provided hould they become necessary. Procedures for contacting emergency medical services should be posted at the job site. If necessary employees should be transported to a point where they can be reached by an emergency medical service provider. Procedures should be posted at the job site. Clear and precise directions to the work site should be provided as needed to responders. Directions should be posted at the job site.

TRAINING

Training is critical to know how to respond to possible heat related illness and to assist with obtaining emergency assistance without delay. All employees should receive heat illness prevention training prior to working outdoors, particularly newly hired employees.

Supervisors should be trained prior to being assigned to supervise outdoor workers. On hot days, and during a heat wave, supervisors should hold short meetings to review this important information with workers.

For more about heat related illness visit our website or call 409-727-5714 for a safety presentation. Continue to follow us on facebook and twitter. We are "The Clear Choice!" B&B Ice & Water