A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
"Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
With warmer weather just around the corner, I am looking forward to spending time outdoors, enjoying our delightful springtime weather. This is the time of year when many citizens are eager to put the winter season behind them and to begin their spring cleaning and outdoor home repair projects. These activities can be very beneficial, but they also involve a variety of health and safety hazards that can be avoided with the proper precautions. This week’s column will share several spring safety tips that will assist you in keeping your family safe this spring and summer.
Cleaning Safety:
· Household and pool chemicals, paints, and poisons should be properly marked and stored under lock and key, away from children’s reach. Dispose of any that are leaking, expired, or that look bad.
· When cleaning up hazardous chemicals wear rubber gloves and follow the safety directions on the packaging. Never mix chemicals in the same container and if you don’t know how to dispose of them, seek outside advice. Never put them into the trash or pour them down the drain.
· Make sure gasoline and cleaning fluids are well marked and stored in a cool, dry place away from the house and out of the reach of children and pets. Use only approved containers for gasoline storage.
· Never use gasoline to clean skin, clothes, auto parts, or floors.
· Clean up work areas. Put dangerous tools, adhesives, matches, or other work items away from children’s reach.
· Check your barbeque grill for leaks and cracks, and be sure to store any propane tanks away from your house and garage.
· Remove all fire hazards, including stacks of rags, newspapers, and magazines. Pay special attention to the spaces around your furnace, hot water tank, fireplace, space heaters, and dryer, as well as under the stairs.
Yard Work Safety:
· Always wear protective clothing when you handle pesticides and fertilizers.
· Rake your yard before you mow to prevent any stones and loose debris from launching into the air.
· Never operate a mower in your bare feet and avoid wearing loose clothing.
· Never start a mower indoors.
· When refueling your mower, make sure the engine is off and cool. Don’t spill gasoline on a hot engine, and don’t smoke while pouring gasoline.
· Never leave your mower operational while unattended.
· Don’t use electrical mowers on wet grass.
· Wear proper eye protection when operating trimmers, lawn edgers, pruners and power saws.
· When pruning trees, be careful not to let metal ladders or trimmers come into contact with overhead wires.
Ladder Safety:
· Read the manufacturers instructions that come with your ladder. They contain guidelines for weight and height limits as well as for the proper use of their product.
· Inspect the ladder before using it to make sure there are no loose or broken rungs.
· Make sure the ladder is the right height for the job. Many accidents happen when people over extend their reach because their ladders are too short.
· Never stand on a ladder’s bucket shelf.
· Make sure the ladder is completely open and that all of its feet are planted on a firm, level surface. Extension ladders should not be placed at an angle that is too extreme.
· Avoid using a metal ladder near electrical sources.
· Face the ladder when climbing down and make sure your weight is centered between the two sides.
The health and safety of our residents and their loved ones is very important to me and by working together we can make sure that everyone remains safe this spring and summer. The strong working relationship between City Hall and the residents we serve is yet another example of why O’Fallon is such a great community in which to live.
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