Flood Safety Awareness

November 2018 Topics


flashFloodAwareness TADDFlood Safety Awareness

Flash flooding is the number one weather-related killer in Texas. More than 50 percent of all flash flood fatalities nationwide involve vehicles. Saving your life can be as easy as turning your car around when you see water on the road. Never attempt to drive through flooded roadways – Turn Around Don’t Drown (TADD)!

Remember:

  • Even in relatively shallow water, tires can act as flotation devices, lifting up big vehicles and sending them downstream. It takes only two feet of water to float a 3,000-pound car.
  • Beware that water covering roadways may hide washed-out bridges or gouged-out roadbeds. If you attempt to drive across, you may not be driving on a road.
  • In rainy weather, be alert and stay tuned to local radio or TV.
  • If you are in a low-lying area when flooding is occurring, get to higher ground quickly. Be sure to avoid canyons and washes that can channel swift water.
  • Do not attempt to cross-flooded roads or streams on foot. It can take as little as six inches of water to knock an adult off his or her feet. Furthermore, water may be flowing more rapidly than it appears.
  • Never allow children to play near ditches and storm drains.
  • During stormy weather, do not camp or park vehicles along streams or washes.

Night Driving

Flooded roads are especially dangerous at night. Saving your life – and preserving your vehicle – can be as simple as choosing a different route when you see water across a roadway.

Night driving makes it especially difficult to judge how water depth. Nearly eight of ten vehicle related flood fatalities in Texas occurred between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Day or night, the best advice always Turn Around, Don't Drown.

Always Be Prepared

Always be prepared for any severe weather or emergency that may arise. Preparing and maintaining an emergency supply kit is a simple and effective way to sustain you and your family following a disaster. Developing an emergency plan for you and your family is another way to protect yourself should a disaster occur.

More information about TADD can be found at: www.nws.noaa.gov/os/water/tadd/

For more information on emergency supply kits visit: www.dps.texas.gov/dem/Preparedness/emerSupplyKits.htm.

Additional information on emergency planning is available at: www.dps.texas.gov/dem/Preparedness/emerPlanningTips.htm.


Metabolism-winterWhat happensto our metabolism in winter?

It slows down. Why and what to do?

Insulin Resistance in the Winter

Our bodies naturally transforms to undergo an insulin-resistant state. This aids our system to be more fuel-efficient and is a natural occurrence during seasonal changes. This survival mechanism has been going on for almost 400 million years of evolution. It’s clear how important it is to regulate our metabolism.

When seasons change, our brain sends signals to our body to increase its insulin resistance. Our liver can boost fat production, and our adipose and non-adipose tissues can store fat to prepare for winter.

Our central nervous system is in control of our peripheral fuel metabolism functions like: liver glucose, lipid metabolism, adipose metabolism, muscle physiology, pancreatic insulin, glucagon secretion as well as our cardiovascular biology.

Our liver is required to boost glucose production to be able to send blood glucose to the brain. The brain also maintains the status of peripheral tissues that can decrease glucose usage and raise fat levels.

Hibernation Mode: Switching On and Off

The brain’s command-and-control center is located deep in the spot between our eyebrows, near the hypothalamus. Orders are transmitted via the neuroendocrine axis with different signaling pathways that switch our system to hibernation or vice versa. This low brain area, which controls the hypothalamic dopamine activity, is the key player for the insulin-resistance state in humans.

Interestingly, a low level of dopamine activity also has been found to be associated with obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

If you suffer from diabetes and manage it with insulin as your main treatment plan, you might have felt the impact of these cyclical changes. For example, have you ever felt that your blood sugar levels are suddenly higher in early fall? In early spring, have you felt that you began more hypoglycemic (lower than regular blood sugar levels) despite maintaining a standard intake of insulin, food and physical activity? This could be linked to your unique metabolic cycle.

Now what can we do? 
While we continue to pay attention to what we eat, stay active, we can also include the following metabolism booting foods in our diet easily. 

Cinnamon

Cinnamon - 

Cinnamon is said to increase insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar - both key components for losing weight and controlling type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon is also thought to boost metabolism because your body uses more energy to process the spice than it does for other foods.

Ginger

Ginger - 

Ginger is a vasodilator,meaning it increases the diameter of small arteries and enhances circulation of the blood. Increased blood flow and circulation typically lead to a small increase in body temperature, called the thermogenic effect, which promotes metabolism and burns more calories, according to “Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition.”

avocado

Good fat -
Avocado's nick name is "Belt Shrinker". It is rich in monounsaturated and oleic fatty acids can spot reduce abdominal fat, which may decrease the risk for metabolic syndrome. With its proven ability to lower cholesterol,  spot-reduce belly fat, the avocado is arguably one of only a few perfect foods to lose weight.

peppers

Hot peppers -

If you like spicy food, you may be glad to read this! Adding some spicy hot peppers to a healthy meal isn't a magic bullet, but it may help you burn a few extra calories and a bit more fat, according to a new study by researchers from the University of California Los Angeles, they tested a compound related to the capsaicin found in hot peppers to see if it could give dieters a boost. It's called dihydrocapsiate or DCT, and it's not spicy hot like jalapenos. Generally, studies have shown that on average a meal containing a spicy dish, like a bowl of chili, can temporarily increase metabolism by about 8 percent over a person’s normal rate, an amount considered fairly negligible. 

From Jalapeno to habanero and other forms of hot peppers, such as Cayenne pepper, these spices will help boost your metabolism by up to 25% on another Canadian research. This is related to the capsaicin found in hot peppers.

water

Water - 

We cannot leave this out! A recent German study found that subjects who drank 17 ounces of water before meals increased their metabolic rate by about 30%. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that eliminates bloating and it flushes out toxins in our bodies. Even if you don’t feel thirsty in colder weather, you still want to drink up the water!

We are excited to start our Fitness and Welness column in our newsletter! Hope you find this informative and benefitial. If there is a specific topic you would like to see in our next health column, tell us and we will deliver the information directly to your inbox.


ENERGY WORLDNET—API 1169

As many of you are aware the API 1169 certification is one that is gaining acceptance at an overwhelming rate amongst a vast amount of owner/operators within the oil and gas industry. In fact many of these owners are requiring 25% of their inspection staff to be certified now and 75% by the end of this year. What this means is that these owners are preferring individual inspectors who are certified over those who are not. This is creating a higher employment opportunity for those that are already certified. Applied Cleveland Holdings is encouraging those who are not certified to start the process of attempting to get this completed. 

We have partnered with API so that you will be able to obtain a discount for the cost of the exam. During registration within the ICP portal on API’s website put Applied Cleveland Holdings as your current employer and you will receive a $100.00 discount off the cost of the exam. To register for the exam please go to www.api.org and then enter the ICP (individual certification program) under products and services. Select apply in step 2 and follow the instructions that are listed. We have also partnered with Energy Worldnet (EWN) that has developed an amazing tool for preparation and we highly advise that you take this prep course to ensure that you pass the certification on your first attempt. We have included this information as well.  

In preparation, Applied Cleveland Holdings has partnered with ENERGY worldnet (EWN), the trusted leader in compliance management and workforce development, for API 1169 Exam training.  EWN’s Pipeline Inspector Training Program consists of fifty (50) computer based training (CBT) modules designed to fulfill the specific regulatory and training needs of pipeline inspectors throughout the industry and aligns directly with the published knowledge base requirements of the API 1169 Inspector Certification Program. Each course has been created with the inspector in mind to enhance the inspector’s knowledge of industry construction standards, best practices, and federal regulations. The training which is normally $895 will be offered at the discounted rate of $645, due to our relationship with EWN. The training modules will be accessible to you for a year upon registration.  EWN’s industry leading system will allow for the training to be taken at anytime, anywhere as it is a computer based training that allows for flexibility in your schedule and lifestyle.

Once training is complete with EWN, you will be equipped with the tools to take and pass the API 1169 test.  Due to the number of clients that are requesting 1169 Certified inspectors this will be a great addition to your resume and skill-set. 

In order to take advantage of the negotiated pricing secured with this relationship with EWN, you must call (940.626.1941) and mention the discount code “CIS”. By doing so, an EWN representative will take your payment, register you and associate it with CIS automatically. Once registered you will be provided login information to access the system and begin taking advantage of EWN’s Pipeline Inspector Training Program immediately.

Test Dates Available: 

January 25 - February 8, 2019
Register by no later than November 23, 2018

April 5 – 19, 2019
Register by no later than February 1, 2019

August 16 – 30, 2019
Register by no later than June 14, 2019

December 6 – 20, 2019
Register by no later than October 04, 2019


Near Misses Reported in October

  • While observing a hydro test it was noticed that the body of a valve had begun to leak due to a small crack.
    • The test was bled down, and the valve was replaced. Once the valve had been replaced and all personnel were clear of the test site, the test was brought back up to pressure.

  • Observed a welder using a cutting torch without gloves or double eye protection stopped work.
    • We had a safety meeting going over the gas company expectations.

  • While dewatering the line, the contractor did not have the discharge hose properly secured to the ground.
    • Notified the project foreman and discussed issue. Had a small JSA meeting with hands on site and discussed issue, importance and how to properly secure discharge hose.

  • Using a crane to make a critical lift spotter and tag line in place. Started the lift and the spotter and tag line employee were giving hand signals at the same time to the crane operator.
    • Stopped work and went over critical lift document and expectations. Then designated one employee to give hand signals.

  • Pallets being stored on end not laying down, pallets fell and nearly landed on employee’s foot.
    • Stopped work and went over housekeeping policy and proper way to store pallets.

  • A few weeks ago A operator was running the vac truck when a rock got lodged in the suction hose The operator raised the suction hose to see if he could dislodge the rock meanwhile he had the wireless control panel hanging around his neck after shutting the suction off he reached his arm in there to grab the rock when he did he accidentally pinched the remote between his body and his arm which activated the suction, the suction caused his arm to be sucked in, and he struggled to pull his arm back out.  Luckily, there was a safety watch standing next to the truck and hit the emergency shut off switch.
    • We held a safety stand down meeting where we talked about situational awareness and how we could prevent this from happening again The most obvious is the truck should be fully shut off, removing the wireless control from      around neck, and also never raising the suction hose to an elevation above your body where something could get sucked in it.

  • Crane was disassembling a trench box vertically without a ladder. Crew members were climbing on top of support bars to disassemble.
    • Work was stopped and crew was informed that work could not procced without a ladder or proper fall protection. Incident was discussed at next tailgate meeting, reminding all the need for ladders and or fall protection when working from heights above reach.

October Newsletter Winner

Platinum - Sal Pitarro
Gold - Brandi Brooks
Silver - Jay Don Howe
Bronze - Leland Walker
Bronze - Joey Bishop
Bronze - Craig Rawle


Questions for Discussion

aci-prizes