April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In 2016, research states that at least 3,450 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents involving distracted drivers, including those who were texting and driving. Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, playing with the radio, entertainment system or navigation- basically anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving. Texting is the most alarming distraction. Reading and sending texts takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. That's equivalent to driving 55 mph with your eyes closed the length of an entire football field. Driving safely requires your full attention. You increase your risk of crashing by engaging in any non-driving activity. To prevent tragedies due to distracted driving, motorists are urged to: Turn off electronic [...]

The third leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths is falls.  A worker doesn't have to fall from a high level to suffer fatal injuries. Construction workers are most at risk for fatal falls from height-more than seven times the rate of other industries-but falls can happen anywhere, even at a desk job. Falls are 100% preventable.Whether working from a ladder, roof or scaffolding, it's important to plan ahead, asses the risk and use the right equipment. Discuss the task with coworkers and determine what safety equipment is needed. Make sure you are trained properly on how to use the equipment. Before starting the job look around for any potential hazards. Set up equipment on level ground. Be sure to check the weather before beginning job. Never work in inclement weather. Make sure stepladders  have a locking device. Always keep two hands and one foot or two [...]

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Americans, claiming 647,457 lives, in 2017.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 50% of Americans experience at least one of the top three risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and smoking. Other factors include obesity, lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits. This is a great time to discuss prevention and lifestyle changes you and your coworkers can take to improve health. For instance, offer healthy food options to employees, create a wellness program and offer incentives to employees for participating. Other benefits of this include: lower health costs, more productive employees, behavioral changes and tax incentives. Raise awareness of Heart Month and improve heart health with the following member-exclusive materials: 5-Minute Safety Talk: Managing Stress at Work Checklist: It’s Never too Late to Form Healthy Habits Quiz: Employee Wellness   To remain healthy, start at home. [...]

In these colder days, workers must be trained not only about cold-induced illnesses and injuries, but also to determine environmental or work site conditions that may cause cold stress. They should be especially trained in recognizing the signs and symptoms of cold stress or cold-induced injuries like hypothermia and frostbite.

As the weather gets colder, it's time to be aware of the signs of Carbon Monoxide build-up. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a gas that is odorless, tasteless and colorless that results when fossil fuels are not burned properly.

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Pancreatic cancer is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and is anticipated to become the second by 2020.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, so it’s not a surprise that skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer, with about 3.5 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer diagnosed in the United States each year. These cancers in the outer layer of your skin occur most where your skin is exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, neck, lips and the backs of your hands. Melanoma, a more dangerous type of skin cancer that begins in the cells that make pigment, will account for about 73,000 new cases this year. You can reduce your risk of getting skin cancer by protecting your skin from overexposure to ultraviolet rays, which are emitted by the sun but also by tanning beds and sunlamps. The American Cancer Society notes the best way to avoid overexposure to harmful rays is to stay in the shade. [...]

"Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. When spotted early, skin cancer is highly treatable. Early detection starts with you!" May is National Skin Cancer awareness month. DEFEND! CATCH! TAKE ACTION! Knowing early signs of detection can be the difference between life and death. Here is where to begin: Perform Regular Skin Cancer Exams on yourself and loved one's by checking your partner's skin and taking note of all the spots on the body, from moles to freckles to age spots. Catch Suspicious Spots by using the ABCDEs of Melanoma.4 A - Asymmetry - one half is unlike the other. B - Border - Irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border. C - Color - Varied from one area to another; has shades of tan, brown or black; sometimes white, red or blue. D - Diameter - While melanomas are typically greater than 6mm ( the [...]

"Just" Is All It Takes. Put Your Phone Down And "Just" Drive. "Distracted driving is a public health issue that affects us all. The latest statistics show motor vehicle fatalities are up 6% from 2015." Distracted driving doesn't mean just texting, it includes anything that takes your eyes and attention off the road including eating, grooming, reading, taking pictures/videos, talking on the phone and checking email or social media apps. All of these fall under three main types of distractions; visual, manual and cognitive. A visual distraction draws the driver’s eyes off the road while a manual distraction causes the driver’s hands to leave the steering wheel. A cognitive diversion veers the driver’s attention from driving. All of these can endanger drivers and passengers alike! According to the National Safety Council (NSC) - "the ability to multitask while driving is a myth, especially when it comes to using a cell [...]

Celebrating Women in Construction Week 2018  After many years of creating a movement in which to recognize Nationally recognize Women in History's Achievements Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month in perpetuity in 1987. A special Presidential Proclamation is issued every year which honors the extraordinary achievements of American women. Consequently and thanks to this movement and declaration we also have the opportunity to recognize and celebrate Women in Construction (WIC) week every year in March! The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) was founded in Fort Worth, Texas in 1955, it is an international association serving 125 chapters in the United States. NAWIC also has affiliates in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Rutkoski Fencing is proud to acknowledge and celebrate all the women in the construction work force!  NAWIC’s mission is to enhance the success of women in the construction industry. “The [...]