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‘Couldn’t let him go:’ Washington County woman saved stepfather’s life with CPR

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A Washington County woman jumped into action to save her stepfather’s life. The 26-year-old performed CPR until first responders arrived to help.

 

“I mean, it was crazy,” said Rachel Nelson. “You sort of have to block the chaos out and focus on the job at hand.”

Nelson and her stepfather, Curt Vorpahl, were hanging out with family on Friday, July 19.

“We thought it was going to be a great day to be out on the lake,” said Vorpahl.

Rachel Nelson, Curt Vorpahl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family was gathered when Vorpahl suddenly went into cardiac arrest.

“The last thing I remember was thinking how warm it was for it starting to become the evening,” said Vorpahl. Vorpahl’s pulse faded away, and Nelson quickly reacted.

“I started immediately with compressions, followed by rescue breaths. I continued that for five minutes or so,” said Nelson. It involved five minutes of intense focus.

“I was thinking of my family the whole time, how I couldn’t let him go. I didn’t want to let my family down,” said Nelson.

A first responder was nearby, providing a pocket mask and AED.

“He was shocked by the AED,” said Nelson. Vorpahl made it to the hospital.

“I still don’t believe it,” Vorpahl said. “It’s like it never happened.”

Hearing how many people fought for his life brought Vorpahl immense gratitude and emotion. “Every second count’s in a situation like this,” said Nelson.

Nelson learned CPR as a teenage lifeguard. Over the years, she renewed her certification and urged everyone to get theirs. The family was working with neighbors to hopefully put together a CPR course so more people can learn the life-saving skill.

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Source: https://fox6now.com/2019/07/24/couldnt-let-him-go-washington-county-woman-saved-stepfathers-life-with-cpr/

5 Forklift Safety Elements – Part 5 “Know About Load Basics”

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Forklift Safety Elements – Know About Load Basics

OSHA advises operators to check loads before picking them up with the forks, ensuring the load’s stability and dimensions will allow for safe transport. Move squarely in front of the load and move the forks apart as far as possible before driving them under the load. Make sure to not overload and that the load is centered.

Slightly tilt the forklift mast backward before lifting. Lift the load enough to clear the floor or rack. For stacking, OSHA recommends lifting the load above the lower stack by about 10 centimeters, or 4 inches.

When placing a load, operators should be squarely in front of the placement destination.  Make sure the area is flat and stable, and don’t place heavy loads on top of light ones. Lower the forks upon placing the load, and then back the forklift away. As always, ensure the load is stable.

 

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Source:https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/16138-elements-of-forklift-safety

5 Forklift Safety Elements – Part 4 “Understand The Stability Triangle”

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Understand the ‘stability triangle’

An unloaded lift truck’s center of gravity – where the weight has equal concentration – typically is higher than that of a personal vehicle. The load has its own center of gravity, and once it’s picked up, a combined center of gravity between the load and truck is established.

Lift trucks are built on three-point suspension systems, the physics of which resemble a triangle. Support points lie at both ends of the front axle, with another located at the center of the rear axle. Together, this forms a “stability triangle” that operators must stay within when the truck is in motion.

Numerous factors can cause a lift truck to vacate the stability triangle, including unstable, heavy, wide or raised loads; fast starts and stops; taking corners too quickly; and rough terrain.

Here are several tips to help prevent forklifts from tipping over:

  • Before operation, ensure a load is completely stable and secured on the forks.
  • Keep loads low to the ground during operation.
  • Keep loads uphill when climbing or descending an incline.
  • Drive slowly in wet or slippery conditions.
  • Slow down during turns, and honk the horn upon encountering traffic.

Stay tuned for Part – 5 ” Know about load basics” coming next week.

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Source:https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/16138-elements-of-forklift-safety

13-Year-Old Scientist’s Research Shows Hand Dryers Can Hurt Kids’ Ears

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Hand dryers are ubiquitous in public restrooms, the noise they make may be harmful to children’s ears.

According to research recently published in the Canadian journal Paediatrics & Child Health, And the study’s author can speak from personal experience.

 

“Sometimes after using hand dryers my ears would start ringing,” 13-year-old Nora Keegan from Calgary, Canada, tells NPR. “I also noticed that children would not want to use hand dryers, and they’d be covering their ears.”

So when she was 9, Nora decided to test the volume of hand dryers and find out if they were detrimental to children’s hearing. Nora’s research confirming her hypothesis was published in June.

Nora Keegan takes measurements in 2016 (Courtesy of the Keegan family)

“Hand dryers are actually really, really loud, and especially at children’s heights since they’re close to where the air comes out,” says Nora, noting that children’s ears are more sensitive.

For the study, which was conducted between 2015 and 2017, she visited more than 40 public washrooms in Alberta, Canada. She used a professional decibel meter to measure sound levels of hand dryers from various heights and distances.

The young scientist then presented her research at a Calgary Youth Science Fair earlier this year.

She discovered that Xlerator hand dryers and two types of Dyson Airblade hand dryers posed the greatest threats to children’s hearing. These types all exceed 100 decibels — a volume that can lead to “learning disabilities, attention difficulties, and ruptured eardrums,” according to the study.

“My loudest measurement was 121 decibels from a Dyson Airblade model,” she says. “And this is not good because Health Canada doesn’t allow toys for children to be sold over 100 decibels, as they know that they can damage children’s hearing.”

In response to these results, Dyson confirmed to NPR in an email that an acoustics engineer would be meeting with Nora to discuss her research. Excel Dryer, the company that sells Xlerator hand dryers, did not respond to a request for comment before this story was published.

“While some other units operated at low sound levels, many units were louder at children’s ear heights than at adult ear heights,” the study concludes.

Nora hopes her findings will spark more research into the issue and eventually lead Canada to regulate noise levels for hand dryers. But for now, she’s taking a break and spending her summer like many 13-year-olds — at camp.

Update July 12: Excel Dryer, which owns Xlerator hand dryers, provided this statement after this story was originally published:

At Excel Dryer, we are committed to our customers.  User experience is very important to us, which is why all our high-speed, energy-efficient models come with adjustable sound and speed controls as a standard feature. This allows facilities the ability to choose the best settings for their restroom environments.

Click here to read our post on hand dryer v paper towel hygiene – It’s shockingly dirty!

 

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Source: https://www.npr.org/2019/07/09/739783918/hand-dryers-harm-childrens-hearing-canadian-study-shows

5 Forklift Safety Elements – Part 3 (Know The Machinery & Rules)

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Know the machinery – and the rules

Although lift trucks and personal vehicles share some similarities, they ultimately are quite different.

Among the differences:

  • Open structure; the driver is not completely enclosed
  • Weights ranging from 9,000 to 30,000 pounds, with rough-terrain lift trucks at the heavier end
  • Traveling speeds of less than 20 mph, closer to a walking pace
  • Three-point suspension
  • More prone to tipping overloaded or not – and varying stability
  • Tighter turning radius for operating in tight spots

Operators should always wear seat belts. Neglecting to do so can cause an operator to be ejected from the forklift’s protective cage if the truck turns over, resulting in a possible serious injury or fatality.

An operator always should be aware of his or her surroundings on the job site, as the load or environment may obstruct visibility.

It’s vital that drivers are aware of and making eye contact with, pedestrians or other workers during operation. OSHA best practices for maintaining visibility include:

  • Keep a clear view.
  • Always look in the direction of travel.
  • Use spotters or aids such as rear-view mirrors to boost visibility.
  • Use headlights if working at night, outdoors or in areas in which additional lighting would improve visibility. OSHA requires forklifts to be equipped with headlights when general lighting is less than 2 lumens per square foot.

 

Stay tuned for Part – 4 “Understanding the stability triangle” coming next week.

 

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Source: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/16138-elements-of-forklift-safety

 

Less Than 20% Of Americans Are CPR Certified – Is Your Team Ready To Save A Life?

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CPR/First Aid Training – Corporate and Group Classes

Green Guard offers weekly CPR classes for companies and groups, Green Guard’s CPR, AED and First Aid training program will help employers meet OSHA and other federal and state regulatory requirements for training employees how to respond and care for medical emergencies at work.

This 2-year certification course conforms to the 2015 AHA Guidelines Update for CPR and ECC, and the 2015 AHA and ARC Guidelines Update for First Aid.

Looking for a Team Building opportunity? Learn to save a life while providing a great team building exercise.

Schedule Your Class Now

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Bucket Truck Inspection Checklists. What should you do…

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It seems there is little known about what’s required when checking bucket trucks and so we thought we’d share the consensus of findings…

The main OSHA Standard appears to be 1910.67 – Vehicle-Mounted Elevating & Rotating Work Platform states:

1910.67(c)(2)(i) Lift controls shall be tested each day prior to use to determine that such controls are in safe working condition.

If the vehicle is being used in the Construction industry, then the OSHA Standard 1926.601 Motor Vehicles, Mechanized Equipment and Marine Operations will also have to be followed which states:

1926.601(b)(14) All vehicles in use shall be checked at the beginning of each shift to assure that the following parts, equipment, and accessories are in safe operating condition and free of apparent damage that could cause failure while in use: service brakes, including trailer brake connections; parking system (hand brake); emergency stopping system (brakes); tires; horn; steering mechanism; coupling devices; seat belts; operating controls; and safety devices. All defects shall be corrected before the vehicle is placed in service. These requirements also apply to equipment such as lights, reflectors, windshield wipers, defrosters, fire extinguishers, etc., where such equipment is necessary.

Bucket trucks, of course, have all of the above features.

This video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MdUM_VJxok may also be useful as it explains what should be covered in a daily inspection.

Having understood the above, the challenge for most safety professionals is making certain these safety checks happen! If that is a challenge for you, and you are committed to achieving a safety culture, SG World USA’s patented Bucket Truck Safety Checklist Solution will make a significant difference in Safety culture and compliance.

Want to learn more?

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Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bucket-truck-inspection-checklists-what-should-you-do-nichols-mba/

Can I be sued for performing CPR? – What you need to know.

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Can I be sued for performing CPR?

The American Heart Association consistently supports and promotes CPR classes for people not in the medical profession—so when someone has a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital or medical facility, there will be a higher chance of a bystander stepping in to perform lifesaving CPR while the victim waits for emergency response teams to arrive.

Studies show that brain death begins within four to six minutes after a cardiac arrest, and those who do not get CPR within that time are extremely likely not to survive. Getting CPR immediately—and if you’re not in a hospital, that usually means from a bystander—could mean the difference between life and death.

First, whether or not you can be sued will vary depending on where you are and who you are. The 2000 Federal Cardiac Arrest Survival Act grants those who administer CPR or use an AED immunity from civil charges, except in instances of willful misconduct or gross negligence.

Good Samaritan laws exist on a state-by-state basis. Mostly, they provide at least some protection for those who perform CPR or use an AED. Some states actually require you to step in if you know CPR or, in some cases, if you are a medical professional. In Vermont, for instance, requires bystanders to give “reasonable assistance” or face a $100 fine.

Generally, however, Good Samaritan Laws are there to protect bystanders who perform CPR. Mostly, you are required to ask permission before performing CPR if a person is not already in your care. If they cannot reply, then consent is implied.

You will not be protected by Good Samaritan laws if you try to go outside your area of training—if you try to perform an impromptu tracheotomy to save a choking victim, for example, and you are not a trained surgeon. If your behavior has been judged to be reckless or negligent, or if you leave the victim after initially providing care, you could also be sued.

If someone has a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order that specifies lifesaving care must not be provided in case of a sudden cardiac arrest or another health crisis, you must do as it says and avoid giving CPR—if you know about it. If you didn’t know about it, you generally can’t be prosecuted for giving lifesaving CPR anyway. But what about first aid? Medical professionals and lay-rescuers often ask if they can be sued for first aid? Generally, the answer is the same, you can’t be prosecuted for giving first aid to someone in need and you are not required to do so if you feel uncomfortable about it. Be sure to practice good faith and common sense if you ever end up in a situation where someone might need CPR or first aid.

Medical professionals who give CPR to people with a DNR order can potentially be in trouble—if they know about the DNR. The issue of giving CPR to someone with a DNR is complicated, however. In some states, DNR orders are only valid inside a hospital setting; outside the hospital, they do not apply. This means that an emergency response team can legally give someone CPR even if they have a DNR order. In other states, however, emergency medical responders are allowed to abide by DNR orders when responding to emergency calls in the victim’s home.

In addition, in some states, patients who move from one healthcare facility to another are required to tell their medical teams about the DNR.  Usually, medical professionals are not required to abide by a DNR order they do not know about.

The truth is that you can be sued for anything, at any time. The question is not whether you can be sued for performing CPR; the question is whether you can be successfully sued. The answer in most cases is no; Good Samaritan laws in most states protect bystanders from legal consequences if they act prudently and in keeping with their training. Hopefully, widely publicized cases of people being refused CPR will not keep non-medical citizens from getting certified for CPR—and providing lifesaving care if it is required.

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Only 1 in 5 adults are CPR certified – Get certified now and help save a life

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CPR/First Aid Training – Corporate and Group Classes

Green Guard offers weekly CPR classes for companies and groups, Green Guard’s CPR, AED and First Aid training program will help employers meet OSHA and other federal and state regulatory requirements for training employees how to respond and care for medical emergencies at work.

This 2-year certification course conforms to the 2015 AHA Guidelines Update for CPR and ECC, and the 2015 AHA and ARC Guidelines Update for First Aid.

Looking for a Team Building opportunity? Learn to save a life while providing a great team-building exercise.

Call Now to speak with a Green Guard CPR/First Aid Training Specialist

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First responders save man after 45 minutes of CPR

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Six Lake County, FL first responders are being called heroes, after tirelessly performing CPR for more than 40 minutes, saving a man’s life.

 

Shabiah Gordon’s near-death experience began in the early morning hours of February 24, when his wife Rosa Gordon noticed that her 39-year-old husband’s breathing was not normal.

Rosa tried unsuccessfully to wake up her husband, who had not had any health issues previously.

She called 911, and first responders arrived and sprang into action to help the father of four, who was in cardiac and respiratory arrest.

That’s when the determined paramedics performed CPR for 45 minutes, determined to get a pulse.

Officials say after two weeks in the intensive care unit, Gordon was able to walk out of the hospital, regaining full neurological function.

First responders from both teams include Office of EMS EMT Nicholas Gammello and Paramedic Jacob Gault; Clermont Fire Department Engine 101 team Firefighter/EMT Bruce Mace, Firefighter/EMT Jordan Bennett, Engineer/Paramedic Blake McCorkle, Lieutenant/EMT Jason Ness.

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Source: http://www.fox35orlando.com/home/first-responders-save-man-after-45-minutes-of-cpr