TSS News – November 2021

SAFETY NEWS

November 2021

From the CEO

In the next few weeks, we’ll begin our holiday season. It will look a bit different for many, this year. Heavy price increases, delayed delivery schedules, and financial difficulties may make it a tough few months. However, you can also see this time as an opportunity to begin thinking about what the year ahead and your future could look like.

What do you want for yourself, your family, your career? I’m a long-time believer in writing those things down. I like vision boards of various types. Some like to set goals, with a task schedule. Others like to set intentions and post those in visible areas. Regardless of how you like to plan for the future, the most important thing is that you do it. Soon we’ll see folks declaring resolutions for the new year. Why wait? Decide today and start now. I believe that we each have the power to create our future and it starts by deciding.

I’ve long used a coach to help guide that process for me. It helps with accountability, it helps me meet challenges that I might need extra support with and it helps to keep my creativity flowing if I get stuck. Now that I have started coaching, I am so honored to be that navigator for others. To be a small part of someone's journey provides the fuel for me to continue being of service to others. My coaching company, NO SPEED LIMIT, is designed to carry you through a journey to success, at your pace. If you are interested in learning more about having a coach, visit the NO SPEED LIMIT Facebook page. Or if you would just like to talk about how you or your employees can benefit from coaching, just give me a call at t 907.228.6166.

Start where you are. Start today.

Best regards,

Renee Schofield

We Value Your Health

As you are reading this, the Ketchikan Health Fair is in full swing. Held each year in November, the Health Fair creates an opportunity for uninsured or underinsured people to get an annual lab workup.

TSS has been able to hold the costs down to the same price for a decade, bringing much-needed screening to the area. Persons attending the health fair may choose between several packages for screening, designed to give a comprehensive look at their basic health.

The Health Fair runs through November 12, 8 a.m. to noon. No appointment is needed. You should bring your photo ID and be fasting for at least 8 hours. Payment may be made via cash, check or card.

The Schofield COSS Report

In my role as a Certified Occupational Safety Specialist, I often hear from employers who tell me that impairment is affecting their workplace productivity in greater numbers than ever before.

That’s not surprising when we know that the drug screen positivity rate has gone up by 30% or more. Why the sharp increase? One word… and one we are all tired of hearing… COVID.

Regardless of how we feel about the vaccine or the politics, COVID has touched every single one of us, at home and at work. With new rules being created daily, employers are scrambling to keep up with those demands and maintain business productivity. As employees were transitioned to home, and their children began remote learning, the storm inside the storm was created. People were dealing with new stresses, pressures and worries. Our mental health suffered and our routines were destroyed.

In response, many people turned to substances for self-medication. What starts as a glass of wine to relax, may develop into a future problem. And what used to be a 5 o’clock somewhere drink, now is happening at 2 o’clock because I am not driving, and I am at home.

So, what does an employer do?

Get Ready for OSHA's New COVID Rules

Earlier this month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced its new temporary emergency standards mandating employers with 100 or more employees to either require their employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or to ensure that their unvaccinated employees are tested weekly for Covid-19 by January 4, 2022.

The mandate is currently tied up in court, facing many lawsuits. However, legal experts recommend that employers should start preparing now for it to go into effect.

Click below to listen to OSHA’s recent podcast with advice on how businesses can get ready.

Pedestrian Safety Tips for Fall

It’s that time of year again; dark mornings and early evenings are upon us. Since the sun rises later and sets earlier pedestrians are more likely to be out and about during low-visibility hours. With a lot more people walking around in the dark, it’s not surprising that motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians tend to increase in the fall.

Consider that many fall activities including football, Halloween and the holiday rush cause people to be distracted and may involve alcohol consumption, and you have a recipe for increased risk.

Pedestrian fatalities throughout the year, have been consistently on the rise for more than a decade, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data. In 2020 pedestrian deaths rose 21% across the U.S., the largest annual increase ever recorded, according to data from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Even though the pandemic kept many people at home, 6,721 pedestrian deaths were recorded last year.

To address these concerning statistics and make changes, we need to understand the conditions and circumstances that make the roads dangerous for pedestrians.

Important FMCSA Announcement

If you employ commercial vehicle operators, double-check the status of their commercial driver's license or learner's permit.

The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration recently announced that states must now downgrade CDLs and learner's permits within 60 days of being notified that a driver tested positive for drugs or alcohol through the FMCSA Clearing House.

You can read a full explanation of the change in the National Safety Council's Safety + Health Magazine.

The Benefits of Working with a Coach

There are many reasons to hire a coach. Certainly, people benefit from working with someone completely dedicated to their vision of health and lifestyle.

Sometimes folks need to navigate a job change, design a workout plan or even figure out why they feel so blah.

Even working with your healthcare provider, the coach can be the support you need between appointments. The clinician will also benefit from reports from the coach.

Coaches are not physicians or magicians. You cannot expect that one call/visit will be the answer to all your issues. What you can expect is that we’ll dig deep into finding ways for you to improve your life, of which there are many avenues.

How do you know if having a coach could help you?

TSS TRAINING

Webinar, online, blended

Through webinars and

interactive online training courses, TSS offers a wide range of options that can help you reach your professional development or safety learning goals.

These include DOT mandated and OSHA-recommended safety trainings as well as courses about home safety or those geared to keeping you secure behind the wheel.

If you don't see a course you need on our website, our team of safety specialists are more than happy to customize a training, or series of trainings, for you. Just let us know how we can help.