SafetyDude Safety Tip of the Week
Protect yourself at a Vehicle Accident Scene
A serious vehicle accident is a terrible, often traumatic situation to come across. Some people not directly involved in the accident drive right by and don't want to get involved or help. Sometimes, it is simply not safe for you to stop.
Others like myself, have that instinct to immediately jump into action to provide first aid for those injured. Most of the time, those drivers that do stop put themselves and others in harms way without realizing it.
Experts suggest that our first thoughts should be: "What can I do to protect victims from sustaining additional injuries?" The goal should be to make the scene as safe as possible.
Pausing for a few seconds, literally, and looking over the situation, you'll probably see several things that should be done before caring for victims.
Please keep these tips in mind the next time you stop at an accident scene to protect yourself and others.
· Probably the hardest thing to do is to ....remain calm. If others see you in control and calm, they will remain cool and calm.
· Pre-plan buy having the appropriate items in your vehicles emergency kit
o First aid kit
o Flashlight
o Flares (or strobe light)
o Reflective triangles
o Reflective clothing or vest
· It's best if possible to park your car safely out of the traffic lanes, and turn on your emergency flashers and head lights.
· If there are injured persons on the roadway, position your vehicle to protect them. Turn on your emergency flashers and headlight.
· If you have a reflective vest in your emergency car kit put it on, FIRST.
· Use road flares to alert on coming vehicles ONLY AFTER you have secured that there is no gas or fuel hazards.
· Instruct drivers of other vehicles to position their vehicles in such a way as to:
o Protect injured persons on the roadway
o Alert oncoming traffic of the accident scene
o Don't forget to tell them how to do this safely!
· Instruct several bystanders or passengers to call for Emergency Services.
o Make sure they know exactly where they are and how to relate it
o If the following information is known at the time that the call is being made, ensure that it is provided to the Emergency Services
o number of injured persons and their conditions
o number of persons trapped
o number of vehicles involved
o if power lines, fuel spills or other serious hazards exist
o Have them report back to you when they have completed the call
· Those persons not involved in assisting directly at the accident scene should be told to remain in their vehicle or well off the highway (not just on the shoulder of the road)
· Keep well clear if power lines are down and touching the damaged vehicles
· As safety permits, ensure that the motors of the vehicles involved are switched off.
· Don't allow anyone to smoke within 1000 feet of the accident scene.
· It is safer to leave injured persons in their vehicle secured by their seat beat than to have them walking or laying about the accident scene. Only remove those injured persons that have to be immediately removed to protect them from any chances of further injury.
From the Courts
A Toronto company that produces plastic auto parts using injection and blow moulding, was fined $50,000 for a violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, after a worker was injured.
A worker was working at the company's plant, where parts were assembled and spray painted. The worker was working indoors near a loading door.
Outdoors, a lift-truck operator was bringing in three stacks of large plastic containers into the plant. The operator was attempting to secure the third, and final, stack of containers on a forklift when the stack became unbalanced due to a build-up of snow and ice. The stack tipped and crashed into the loading door, injuring the worker inside.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the company failed to keep the ground in the area clear of accumulated ice and snow.
The Company was found guilty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to keep the floor or other surface that are used by workers free of obstructions, hazards and accumulation of refuse, snow or ice.
Picture of the Week
Not the best place to park your car
