Although we at Safety Systems Hawaii focus on construction and occupational safety, it doesn't stop when we clock out. Safety is something to consider in everything we do, every day in every way. To help promote safety in our everyday lives, the National Safety Council encourages business to get involved and participate in National Safety Month, held each June. This year the NSC is breaking the focus down into several topics...

• Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention (June 1-6)
• Teen Driving Safety (June 7-13)
• Preventing Overexertion at Work & at Home (June 14-20)
• Dangers of Cell Phone Use While Driving (June 21-27)
• Summer Safety (June 28-30)

Drugs are an important topic here in Hawaii, but the hidden risk is in prescription drugs - those drugs we use for everything from the common cold to lessening pain. In Hawaii, Hydrocodone is one of the most abused pharmaceutical drugs. Vicodin, Anexsia, Diodin and Lortab are trademark names for medications containing this pain reliever and cough suppressant. It is commonly made available in tablet, capsule and syrup form. Patients will go "doctor shopping" to acquire several prescriptions of medications containing Hydrocodone - and resell it on the street. Recreational hydrocodone use is particularly prevalent among teenagers and young adults because of the drug's widespread availability.

Driving in Hawaii can be a splendid excursion of vibrant scenery. Seeing roadside memorials is a bit sobering for drivers - particularly when the memorial is for a teen.

In 2002, teen drivers (ages 15 - 18) were involved in 1,124 crashes which resulted in 1,085 people being injured. Eight of these crashes were fatalities - with a total of 10 people being killed. In response to this, the State of Hawaii adopted a graduated licensing system for teen drivers in 2006. If a teen wants to drive, beginning at 15 years, 6 months, the teen will go through a battery of instructions and limitations, including the fact that a licensed driver 21 years of age or older must be present in the vehicle - and at night (11pm to 5am) that licensed driver must be a parent or guardian. It has been statistically proven that most accidents involving teen drivers occur when there is more than one other teen passenger, and the State of Hawaii has responded to this as part of the licensing process. If more than one person under the age of 18 is a passenger, then a licensed parent or guardian must be present - unless the passenger(s) are part of the same household as the teen driver.

Overexertion is the third leading cause for non-fatal injuries in the US. Besides straining muscles and joints, dehydration and hypoglycemia are also common when people overexert themselves. Dehydration occurs when the body doesn't have enough fluid to maintain the level of activity it is enduring. Body fluids are lost by simply breathing. Excessive sweating is common during strenuous activities as the body attempts to cool itself down. Drinking water with electrolyte and mineral additives is a great way to deter dehydration. Hypoglycemia, most commonly seen in diabetics, is low blood sugar. Both dehydration and hypoglycemia can happen when usually healthy people push themselves too hard with physical activities, strenuous exercising, constant lifting, alcohol abuse, and simply not eating or drinking enough to maintain a healthy diet.

Before participating in strenuous activities, either at work or at home, it is always a good idea to stretch the muscles, wear the proper personal protective equipment (gloves, back belt, etc.) and to make sure you take breaks periodically. Drink lots of fluids (not coffee or soda!) and take the time to eat.

Cell Phones are a part of our everyday lives - and are a serious distraction while driving. An estimated 28 percent of all traffic crashes – or 1.6 million each year – are caused by drivers using cell phones and texting. Many municipalities have banned the use of cell phones while driving, and Hawaii is no different. The County of Kauai just enacted its own ban on the use of electronic devices while driving on May 23, 2010.

Even the use of hands-free devices causes an effect called "inattention blindness" caused by the cognitive distraction of just talking. An in depth paper, "Understanding the Distracted Brain - Why driving while using hands-free cell phones is risky behavior" produced by the NSC highlights studies and explains how cognitive distraction works.

And finally, Summer Safety - covering everything from Motorcycle Safety to Heat-related Illnesses rounds out the National Safety Month. Summer is when we all tend to play more - we bring out our toys (motorcycles, jet-skis, boats) and head to the parks and beaches for some well deserved rest and relaxation. Hawaii, being "eternally in summer", must deal with these issues all the time. Awareness on our roads, on our beaches, in the water - know who is where and when so that you can act, and react, as necessary. If it is very hot outside, take water and some shade to keep cool. Use sunblock and UV protective clothing to avoid sunburns. And with summer being our hurricane season, don't forget to make sure your emergency preparedness kit is ready should it be necessary (see links to the left).

All in all, safety is a part of everything we do. Work or play, home or job, being safe is a top priority for all.

SourcesHawaii Drug Facts from the U.S. DEA website
Hydrocodone on Wikipedia
Hawaii Teen Crash Statistics
Overexertion Can Cause Hypoglycemia article at PreventDisease.com