National Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week is September 20-26th, 2020! Now is a great time to check that your car seats are properly installed in your car!

Every 33 seconds a child under the age of 13 is involved in a car crash. 33 seconds! With the correct use of car seats, boosters, seat belts those accidents can lead to less injuries & deaths.

Luckily we have evolved from the ways of our parents & grandparents & now have stricter car seat laws. In Nebraska, children 2 & under must be rear-facing & all children under the age of 8 must ride correctly secured in an approved child safety seat. It's not enough to just have your child in a car seat or booster but to make sure it is properly installed & your child is properly buckled in!

If you're involved in a car accident, whether your kids or in the vehicle or not, it is best & highly advised to replace your car seats. Even if they don't look like they have been damaged they could be compromised & be less reliable about keeping your child safe!

Head over to safekids.org for more car seat safety tips. & if you're concerned about installing your car seat correctly you should be able to stop at your local fire or police station where they will gladly do a safety check & help teach you how to properly install it!

National Pet Fire Safety Day is July 15th, while you aren't able to talk to your pets about fire safety there are things you can do to reduce the chance of your pet getting hurt or worse during a house fire.

Pets can unfortunately be the culprit of the fire, on average 1,000 fires a year are started because of a pet. Make sure you keep electrical cords out of reach of pets and remove or cover stove knobs when not home because stove or cook top fires are the most common fires started by pets. You should also consider flameless candles so pets can't accidentally knock them over or start their own tails on fire. Although pets can sometimes be the cause they can also be the fire heroes! There are thousands of stories about the household pet either warning the family or getting the family out during a fire!

Every household should have a fire evacuation plan and should practice it regularly, make sure to include your pets as well! If the pets are small designate someone to carry the pet otherwise have someone set to walk the pet to safety. Have pet carriers or leashes in a convenient location that can be accessed easily in case of an emergency. If you are unable to locate your pet during a fire, exit the house and leave a door open while calling for your pet from a safe area. About 40,000 pets die in fires every year, that number can be reduced if you have a fire plan set out and stick to it.

It's smart to get a Pet Fire Safety Window Cling for your house so firefighters are aware of pets in the house and can look for them to get them to safety. These window clings are especially important if you're not home and can't inform the firefighters of your pets being inside! Update the window clings as you add more four-legged members to your family and if you move be sure to remove the old cling! There are several websites that will send you a free window cling all you have to do is pay shipping and handling. To help firefighters get to your pets when you're not home it's a good idea to keep them in a room or area near an entrance to the house and to leave their collars on them.

To end this on a heartwarming note, several animals that are rescued by the firefighters end up being adopted by either the firefighter who rescued them or even the entire fire house, like the two below! Can't be more of feel good ending than that!

National Lightning Safety Awareness Week was started in 2001 to draw attention to one of the deadliest weather systems in our country. Prior to 2001 there were on average 50 lightning fatalities a year, however that has dropped to about 30 since National Lightning Safety Awareness week has been observed.

Since lighting can strike from over 15 miles away there really is no safe place to be when you're outdoors during a thunderstorm. "When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!" - If you can hear the thunder you are within striking distance so seek shelter immediately, delayed actions have led to many of the lightning injuries and deaths.

To minimize your risk of being struck plan ahead! Consider postponing any activities if a thunderstorm is predicted or have a plan in place to get to safety quickly. Sheds, tents, soft-top vehicles, dugouts, open sided shelters, etc are not safe from lighting strikes. Hard-topped vehicles or a substantial building are the only safe places. Make sure to wait about 30 minutes after the last strike or thunder before going outdoors, as you are still at risk until then.

If someone is struck they may require immediate medical attention. Call 911, monitor the victim, and if needed start CPR. Lightning victims are safe to touch as they do not carry electrical charges.

Here are some facts about Lightning Strikes
-About 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur in the US each year.
-Only about 10% of those struck by lightning are killed, but the other 90% often have varying degrees of discomfort and disability, sometimes permanently. 
-Vast majority of victims each year are male.
-Typical lightning flashes are about 300 million volts and 30,000 Amps compared to a household current which is 120 Volts and 15 Amps.
-Contrary to the myth lightning does strike the same place repeatedly. The Empire State Building is hit an average of 23 times a year.
​-Odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are 1/1,222,000. Odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime are 1/15,300.
-Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela receives the most lightning strikes. Massive thunderstorms occur on about 150 nights per year with an average of 28 lightning strikes per minute lasting up to 10 hours at a time. That's as many as 40,000 lightning strikes in one night!
-Earth is hit by lightning an average of 1.4 billion times a year!

​For More Information
Check out www.weather.gov or go to www.lightning.org for more information on how to protect yourself.

Protect your home from winter weatherGet your home ready for freezing weather hazards with these simple tips
​Ice, snow and wind can have devastating consequences to your home—and to your household budget. Fortunately, there are precautions you can take to avoid the expense and inconvenience of winter damage—and even help you save on heating costs. Get started when the leaves begin to turn so your home is well prepared when the cold, harsh weather hits.

Winter weather prep for the outside of your homeWhen temperatures drop dramatically and the snow flies, you'll be glad to have taken these measures to safeguard your house.

• Clean out the gutters. Remove leaves, sticks and other debris from gutters, so melting snow and ice can flow freely. This can prevent ice damming, which is what happens when water is unable to drain through the gutters and instead seeps into the house causing water to drip from the ceiling and walls.
• Install gutter guards. Gutter guards prevent debris from entering the gutter and interfering with the flow of water away from the house and into the ground.
• Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice, snow and, wind could cause weak trees or branches to break free and damage your home or car, or injure someone walking by your property.
• Repair steps and handrails. Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice.
•  Use caulking to seal cracks and wall openings to prevent cold air and moisture from entering your home. Caulk and install weather stripping around windows and doors to prevent warm air from leaking out and cold air from blowing in.

Winter weather prep for the inside of your homeFrigid temperatures, snow and ice can wreak havoc on water pipes and tax heating systems. Ensure all your home's internal systems are "go" for winter safety and efficiency.

• Add extra insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. Water then can refreeze, leading to more ice build-up—and may even lead to ice dams that can damage your roof. Well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will also help protect pipes. Consider insulating garages and other unfinished areas to keep pipes from freezing.
• Provide a reliable back-up power source. In the event of a power outage, continuous power will keep you warm and help to prevent frozen pipes, or a frozen battery operated sump-pump. Consider purchasing a portable power generator to ensure safety—and be sure to follow all guidelines for safe operation.
• Have your heating system serviced. Furnaces, boilers and chimneys should be serviced at least once a year to prevent fire and smoke damage.
• Check pipes closely for the presence of cracks and leaks. Have any compromised pipe repaired immediately.
• Protect pipes in attics and crawl spaces with insulation or plug-in heating cable. Be sure to purchase UL®-listed models of heating cables with built-in thermostats; these will turn on the heat on when it is needed. When using the cables, always follow manufacturers instructions closely.
• Install an emergency pressure release valve in your plumbing system. This will protect the system against increased pressure caused by freezing pipes and can help prevent your pipes from bursting.
• Move combustible items away from near any heat sources that you'll likely be using. This includes fireplaces, wood stoves and space heaters.
• Install or check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Not only do residential fires increase in the winter, but so does carbon monoxide poisoning—so regularly check that your detectors are in working condition.
• Know where your pipes are located and learn how to shut the water off. If your pipes freeze, speed is critical. The quicker you shut off water or direct your plumber to the problem, the better your chance of preventing major damage.
• Hire a licensed contractor to look for structural damage. If damage is found, have all necessary repairs performed as soon as possible.
• Take steps to prevent flooding. Your licensed contractor can also advise you about measures to prevent flooding from melted snow and ice runoff. Plastic coatings for internal basement walls, sump pumps and other improvements can prevent water damage to your home and belongings.
• Consider insuring yourself for a sewer backup. Flooding related to melting snow can overburden sewer systems. Raw sewage backed up into the drains in your home can cause thousands of dollars in damage to floors, walls, furniture and electrical systems. Sewer backup is not covered under standard homeowners insurance or renters insurance policies, nor is it covered by flood insurance but can be purchased as either a separate product, or an endorsement.

Seat belts
Do you use your seat belt on every ride? Buckling up on every ride is the single most important thing a family can do to stay safe in the car. Here are a few tips to make buckling up a part of every car ride.
Hard Facts about Not Wearing Seat Belts More than half of teens (ages 13-19) and adults (ages 20-44) who died in crashes in 2015 were not wearing a seat belt. (NHTSA)
Top Tips about Wearing Seat Belts

1. Don’t be in a hurry to move your child out of the belt positioning booster seat. The adult seat belt usually does not fit well until sometime between the ages of 8 and 12, depending on the size of your child.
2. Find out if your child is ready for the seat belt alone by doing the Safety Belt Fit Test:
   • Check knees and feet. Your child’s knees should bend at the edge of the seat when her back and bottom are against the vehicle seat back. Her feet should touch the floor for comfort and stability.
   • Check the lap belt. The vehicle lap belt must fit snugly across the hips or upper thighs.
   • Check the shoulder belt. The shoulder belt must fit across the shoulder and chest, NOT across the face or neck.
3. If your child doesn’t pass the test, keep him in a booster seat until he does.
4. Remember, just because the seat belt fits your child in one car doesn’t mean the seat belt will fit in all cars. Do the Seat Belt Fit Test in every car before permanently moving from the booster seat to seat belt alone.
5. Be a good example. We know that when adults wear seat belts, kids wear seat belts. So be a good example and buckle up for every ride. Be sure everyone in the vehicle buckles up, too.

Learn More
Learn more about other areas of safety in and around cars, including car seat safety and booster seat safety; how to protect your kids from heatstroke in cars; driveway safety; how to avoid getting trapped in the trunk; and how to prepare teens and preteens for driving before they get behind the wheel.  

​The National Weather Service along with Nebraska Emergency Management and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Division have declared March 26 through March 30 as Severe Weather Awareness Week.  
Knowing when severe weather is possible will give you time to prepare!
You can always find the latest forecasts and hazardous weather conditions at weather.gov. If you’re not on your computer, you can access the same information via your mobile device at https://mobile.weather.gov. Wireless Emergency Alerts are life saving messages that will pop up on your mobile phone when you are in a geographic area that is under a Warning. Visit www.weather.gov/wirelessalerts for more information!
Each day during Severe Weather Awareness Week…the National Weather Service in Omaha will cover severe weather topics and have this information available on our webpage as well as on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.
Topics which will be covered include…
Monday...Severe Weather Terminology
Tuesday...Thunderstorms
Wednesday...Tornadoes
Thursday...Lightning
Friday...Flooding
Saturday...How to Report Severe Weather
The National Weather Service will conduct a Tornado Drill on WEDNESDAY, March 28th, at 10 a.m. with the TEST Tornado Warning drill at 1015 a.m. CDT. Please note the data change!  The purpose of this drill is to ensure that Nebraskans and Iowans can adequately receive a Tornado Warning and can practice any actions that would be taken in the event of a real tornado. The test warning will be sent through all communication channels normally used for severe weather dissemination.

​Driving at night can be challenging, and many drivers don’t realize they must adjust their daytime driving styles. Read on for some common roadway risks and how to mitigate them.
1. Nocturnal animals, especially deer. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that there are more than 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions each year.
What you can do:

• Watch for animal eyes shining along the road
• Remain alert in areas where deer are likely, especially if you see road signs that indicate animals are in the area
• Be cautious when deer are on the move (between late October and early December in most areas, and generally early in the morning and early evening)
• Schedule out-of-town meetings to avoid prime deer movement times, especially if you’ll be driving through a rural or wooded area to get to your destination

2. Your vehicle’s features. Darkness can amplify problems with your vehicle’s lights, windows and mirrors.
What you can do:

• If you drive a vehicle without automatic lights, get in the habit of driving with your lights on
• Check headlights’ aim, alignment and cleanliness to make sure you can see the road and other drivers can see you
• Keep lights inside the vehicle off to avoid distracting the driver
• Keep a microfiber cloth or old newspapers to clean the inside of your windows
• Clean and adjust exterior mirrors before you begin driving and again after each stop or driver change
• Adjust the inside rear-view mirror for nighttime driving by flipping the tab at the bottom

3. Daylight saving time. Many experts suggest that when we “fall back” in October or November, drivers are at greater risk for accidents as it darkens. However, research conducted at the University of Colorado showed that the springtime shift is even more deadly, with the first six days of daylight saving time resulting in hundreds of deaths.
What you can do:

• Drive with extreme caution during the first few days of daylight saving time, both in the spring and in the fall, postponing any long-haul trips if possible
• Ensure you are getting enough sleep

4. Body rhythms. Even night owls are sleepier and less alert after dark. Highway hypnosis caused by the darkness and the lights from oncoming cars can lead to accidents at night.
What you can do:

• Pull off the road if you catch yourself dozing off
• Keep the vehicle on the cool side
• Listen to music, and turn it up a bit louder than normal
• Take frequent breaks, as moving around can help perk you up
• Keep your eyes intent and your brain alert by watching your surroundings as closely as possible

Remember that the driving dangers you face during the daytime are still present and often more dangerous after dark. These include:

• Driving too fast for conditions
• Tailgating
• Distracted driving
• Wet or icy conditions, especially black ice, which is difficult to see even in the daytime

            PVC cement (glue) and primer is used to soften pipes and weld pieces of plumbing together. Polyvinyl chloride secures pieces of pipe quickly in a process called solvent welding. First the primer is applied and then the cement to join the pipes. Although the glue dries quickly and forms a strong bond, it can be hazardous to your health if it comes in contact with skin or is inhaled.
            PVC glue or cement can and will cause damage to your lungs if inhaled too often. When using this glue, do not directly inhale.  Ways to help keep PVC glue away from your face include wearing a mask when dealing with this material.  One can also keep cans and containers in a specific location labeled to remind the one using it that it is not to be taken lightly.
            Another danger that PVC glue has a reputation of is eye contact.  According to ”eHow, the Hazards of PVC glue and Primer,” if this material comes in contact with your eyes it can cause burning, stinging, severe watering and inflamed conjunctiva (http://www.ehow.com/list_7635699_hazards-pvc-glue-primer.html).  To prevent eye contact with this glue or cement, wear eye goggles when working with PVC materials to avoid injury to the eyes. If somehow you have contact with the glue, rinse your eyes for five minutes (or longer, if necessary) with a constant stream of water.  According to OSHA.gov, a company must have an eye wash station for situations such as this.  Providing a wash station will ensure the best possible treatment for any PVC glue contact.  When a wash station is not available, like at a job site, use bottles of water continuously for at least five minutes.  (https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=24886 ). 
            Learning how to safely use PVC glue or cement is key to a safe installation and work environment.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQF_XDISuSw is a link to a video that shows how to properly use PVC glue. 

Agri-City Insurance is Farm Certified and we are committed to protecting the farmers and ranchers in our communities.  You can count on us for all of your agricultural insurance needs both now and in the future.

Whether you're hosting a Super Bowl party for 50 or greeting the New Year with a few friends, if you're planning to serve alcohol at your home take steps to limit your liquor liability and make sure you have the proper insurance.

Social host liability is the legal term for the criminal and civil responsibility of a person who furnishes liquor to a guest. Social host liability can have serious consequences for party throwers.

Social host liability law
Also known as “Dram Shop Liability,” social host liability laws vary widely from state to state, but 43 states have them on the books. Most of these laws also offer an injured person, such as the victim of a drunk driver, a method to sue the person who served the alcohol. There are circumstances under these laws where criminal charges may also apply.

While a social host is not liable for injuries sustained by a drunken guest (as the guest is also negligent), the host can be held liable for harm to third parties, and even for passengers of the guest who have been injured in their car.

Social host liability—insurance considerations
Homeowners insurance usually provides some liquor liability coverage, but limits are typically $100,000 to $300,000, which, depending on your assets, might not be enough. Before planning a party in your home, speak to your insurance professional to review your homeowners coverage for any exclusions, conditions or limitations your policy might have that would affect your social liability risk.
​
Protect yourself and your guestsRemember that a good host is a responsible host. If you plan to serve alcohol at a party, promote safe alcohol consumption and take these steps to reduce your social host liability exposure:

• Make sure you understand your state laws. These laws vary widely from state to state (see final chart). Some states do not impose any liability on social hosts. Others limit liability to injuries that occur on the host’s premises. Some extend the host’s liability to injuries that occur anywhere a guest who has consumed alcohol goes. Many states have laws that pertain specifically to furnishing alcohol to minors.
• Consider venues other than your home for the party. Hosting your party at a restaurant or bar with a liquor license, rather than at your home, will help minimize liquor liability risks. 
• Hire a professional bartender. Most bartenders are trained to recognize signs of intoxication and are better able to limit consumption by partygoers.
• Encourage guests to pick a designated driver who will refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages so that he or she can drive other guests home. 
• Limit your own alcohol intake as a responsible host/hostess, so that you will be better able to judge your guests’ sobriety. 
• Offer non-alcoholic beverages and always serve food. Eating and drinking plenty of water, or other non-alcoholic beverages, can help counter the effects of alcohol. 
• Do not pressure guests to drink or rush to refill their glasses when empty. And never serve alcohol to guests who are visibly intoxicated. 
• Stop serving liquor toward the end of the evening. Switch to coffee, tea and soft drinks. 
• If guests drink too much or seem too tired to drive home, call a cab, arrange a ride with a sober guest or have them sleep at your home. 
• Encourage all your guests to wear seatbelts as they drive home. Studies show that seatbelts save lives.

Courtesy: Insurance Institute Information

Ryan Batenhorst

It’s that time of year again and winter is knocking at our door. It is important to remember to bundle up if you plan on working out in the cold this winter. As an employer it is also a good idea on very cold days to schedule periodic times to come inside and warm up if possible. Cold weather is no joke and should not be taken lightly.  People have lost toes and fingers due to working in in the cold for long.
Hypothermia occurs when the core temperature of your body falls below the normal level. If your body becomes too cold, your organs stop functioning properly. If left unrecognized in the early stages, hypothermia can eventually result in death. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, chattering teeth, confusion, slurred speech, lack of coordination and eventually unconsciousness. Frostbite is when your flesh actually freezes. It can occur even without the symptoms of hypothermia. Your extremities, such as your ears, feet, fingers and cheeks, are prone to frostbite in extremely cold weather. Symptoms of frostbite are quite different from hypothermia. The exposed skin will first appear reddish, and then a greyish-white color. You’ve probably seen on movies where mountain climbers have been rescued and their noses or fingers are jet black. It is because the skin has died.
So it is very important to remember to remember to plan the day before and find all of your winter weather gear such as hats, gloves, insulated boots, coveralls etc. It’s also important to keep in mind, 0 degrees Fahrenheit and a wind speed of 15 mph creates a wind chill temperature of -19 degrees Fahrenheit. Under these conditions frost bite can occur in just 30 minutes. If you have become too cold here is what you are to do
-Get into a warm room as soon as possible.
-Unless absolutely necessary, do not walk on frostbitten feet or toes—this increases the damage.
-Immerse the affected area in warm—not hot—water (the temperature should be comfortable to the touch for unaffected parts of the body).
-Or, warm the affected area using body heat. For example, the heat of an armpit can be used to warm frostbitten fingers.
-Do not rub the frostbitten area with snow or massage it at all. This can cause more damage.
-Don’t use a heating pad, heat lamp, or the heat of a stove, fireplace, or radiator for warming. Affected areas are numb and can be easily burned.
 
                All in All, cold weather is nothing to be taking soft, many people have died and also lost feeling in their extremities from working in cold weather. Remember to pack as many winter clothes the night before, you can always take layers off, but you can put layers on.  As an employer as remember to schedule breaks to warm up on extremely cold days.  Stay Safe, Stay Warm!
 

THE SAFETY HAZARDS OF BELLY DUMP TRAILERS
Kristina Goldman
 
 
Belly dump trailers are used for transporting certain materials from places like sand and gravel pits and asphalt plants to job sites or other sand and gravel pits. These materials are usually sand, gravel, dirt, rock and asphalt. But, you have to be careful when cleaning them. 

Belly dump trailers have their gates on the underside of the trailer. These gates open to unload the trailer. The gates are controlled by air. There are open and close buttons and an on/off switch in the cab of the semi. There are open and close buttons on the trailer as well. In order for any of these buttons to work, the switch in the cab of a semi needs to be on. and air in the tank needs to be full. Hitchcox, A. 1999, April 1. Air Valve Commands Bottom-dump Trailer. And here is a video showing how to unload asphalt from the back of a belly dump trailer from the outside buttons.  YouTube, 2011, June 5. Dumping Asphalt.

The trailer needs to be checked for safety issues before use. The doors and the rest of the trailer needs to be greased. The air lines need to be checked for leaks and they need to make sure the connections are good going to the cab so that the air can build in the tanks. Once the air is built, you can turn the switch on in the cab and open the gates to see that they are working properly, assuming that the trailer is empty.
With belly dump trailers, there is the possibility that the gates can shut without warning. There can be times when a person is standing inside these gates for spraying, maintenance, or to clean. Before he stands inside these gates, all safety bars have to be in place. He then needs to disconnect the power and release the air. He is now safe to properly enter the inside of the trailer.

There have been injuries and fatalities with belly dump gates. There was an OSHA investigated accident in 2008 that resulted in a fatality. This was found in OSHA’s website as a publication dated 12/09/2008. This employee was cleaning dirt on the inside of his trailer when the gates suddenly shut and he was then crushed. This fatality happened due to not following procedures for entering and cleaning the trailer. He did not lock the gates in the open position like he should have. To sum it all up, knowledge of safety procedures of any equipment should be followed.