Tag: safety vest

Visibility of children in traffic

In the darker months of the year, children must be visible in traffic. Rain or fog creates additional dangers on the roads. With these tips, your children are safe on the move in autumn and winter.

Reflective material increases visibility in the dark;

A safety vest must meet standard EN ISO 20471 or EN 1150;

The school satchel must meet the DIN 58124 standard.

Children are particularly at risk in the autumn and winter months: in bad weather and the dark, they are often barely visible to drivers – especially not if they are not wearing light-colored, reflective materials. A dark-clad pedestrian can only be recognized by a driver from a distance of around 25 meters in poor visibility. For comparison: the stopping distance of a car in an emergency braking from 50 km / h is about 28 meters – too long to come to a stop in time in an emergency in front of a road user at risk.

However, if a pedestrian wears clothing with reflective materials,

visibility improves up to 140 meters.

When buying reflective material, pay attention to the norm

If you are out and about in the dark, you should wear shoes and jackets with integrated reflective material. A safety vest is worn over clothing also

significantly increases visibility. The material must meet the EN ISO 20471 or EN 1150 standards. There are also reflectors for sewing and gluing. When buying a school satchel, parents should make sure that it complies with the DIN 58124 standard.

If you cycle to work or school, you should also check the lights on the bike and attach the required reflectors. You can find more information about roadworthy bicycles here.

Mutual consideration

Drivers can also help improve road safety by adapting their driving style to the visibility and driving more slowly. Visibility can also be significantly improved with clean windscreens and headlights as well as functional wiper blades.

Tips from the ADAC Foundation for a safe journey to school

In addition to reflectors on clothing, school bags, and bicycles,

groups of joggers, for example, are a good way for schoolchildren to get to school safely. A group of up to 12 children, accompanied by one or two adults, walk to school together in the morning.

The Millennium activated the stowage in Mar del Plata

The Millennium looked like a newly kicked anthill when ants start to come out in all directions. Located in section 13 of pier 3 of the port of Mar del Plata, it was the only boat in the more than 200 meters long that has the jetty, which promoted unusual activity in this sector.

Stevedores loading tablets onto the wooden pallets that are then transported to the empty containers that wait a little further away. The Small Navy crane lifting cargo from the hold, sailors waiting to be able to get on as relays, other stevedores resting in the shadow of the elevator. Everything around the first ship that unloads illex in Mar del Plata in this 2020 season that can be interrupted on Monday if CAPA and SOMU do not seal the agreement with the salary update.

“We are 40 stevedores, half from the Little Navy and the other half from the Hiring Center,” says the manager of the troupe of booties, gloves, and girdles, but without helmets. “We have them in that trailer, nobody wants to use them,” he says of a breach that is already a tradition in Mar del Plata. Stevedores without protection and nobody who works the acts of infringement. Then, to be sorry for an avoidable accident, they are the first.

The Millennium entered with 350 tons of the whole squid, mostly S and SS, says the fleet chief, dressed in a fluorescent-colored safety vest that sets him apart from the rest. “The boat fished very well, in ten days the Patagonia Blues will enter”, anticipates Alfonso Villegas.

The Millennium had two and a half days of travel to reach Mar del Plata from the fishing area, one of unloading and another two of return. “We always operate in this port because the stowage is efficient and we have containers and very good repair service. The ship is celebrating its 50th harvest next year and things must always be done to it,” said the owner’s representative.

While the stevedores unloaded the 350 tons in less than twelve hours, electricians reviewed the power machines and the cold compressors. “If we were to unload in the south, we cannot take more than 200 tons per day, there you already discount one of the days of the trip, it is a little more expensive and there is not always a priority in unloading. And here we feel at home, it works very well”, values ​​the task of the stevedores who come and go without stopping.

“If God is everywhere but attends in Buenos Aires, in fishing the example is valid for Mar del Plata. It is everywhere but it serves here; here you have everything you need, mechanics, electricians, turners, welders; all items to solve problems quickly and go back to fishing, “says Villegas, who watches that sizes S and SS go to the appropriate container.

As the season progresses, he maintains that the task is irregular, with nights of good catches and others with very little, and a period of bad weather that forced them to shelter in Bahía Camarones.

“The squid is a little bit bigger than last year’s, within the same sizes but a little bit bigger,” he says, although he admits he does not know what stock it comes from, whether it is the summer spawning season or the subpatagonic. “Talk to me about iron, not about catches,” he says, begging for mercy, before laughing.

High-visibility vest for cyclists available over the internet is too close to ours, police say

POLICE fear a high-visibility vest being sold on the internet matches their vests so closely it could be used to impersonate an officer.

NSW Police said they only became aware of the vests when what was thought to be a highway patrol officer riding a white motorcycle in Sydney turned out on closer inspection to be a rider in a vest marked “Polite”.

The man said the vest had been ordered over the internet and he had not intended to imitate a police officer. He was released without charge but a war of words has now broken out between NSW Police and the vests’ UK-based manufacturer Equisafety.

Managing director Nicky Fletcher said the company has been selling the line into Australia for six years.

“Equisafety has sold and will continue to sell the Polite range,” she said. “It comes in yellow and pink, with either blue or black reflective tape.”

“I would like to point out that not one Australian police officer has contacted me.”

Police spokesman said police had contacted the company and also had legal advice­ that wearing the safety vest could be illegal in NSW.

“The clothing in our view breaches the Police Act here in NSW and we are well aware of the ongoing concerns of law ­enforcement in the UK,” the spokesman said.

“This particular range uses long-established police markings such as the chequered band and coloring that is associated with police in NSW.”

“A member of the public could easily mistake this clothing for that of a police officer.”

Ms. Fletcher said she believed she was legally entitled to continue selling the line.

Why wearing reflectors should take a look at the instruction as well

There is no doubt that a reflector can protect against a traffic accident, injury, or even save a life. Nevertheless, often the light-reflecting element is hung, but it is not considered whether it is visible. This is why there are cases when it is still impossible to notice a person with a reflector in the dark.

There is more than one mistake that is made. For example, often a strip-shaped reflector is wrapped not on the arm or leg, as it should be, but on the handle of the backpack or handbag. Hanging reflectors on handbags and backpacks are also often hung in such a way that they hide, so these light-reflecting devices are not visible to car drivers. How pedestrians make mistakes There are times when people know how to hook a reflector correctly, but forget that it cannot be covered with various objects. This is especially common among students when, for example, a backpack with light-reflecting elements is covered by a sports bag without reflectors.

Danger also arises when a pedestrian walking on a country road wears a brightly colored vest with reflective elements but covers it with a backpack. It may be almost impossible for the driver of the oncoming vehicle to notice the person walking on the road, as only the edge of the vest can shine from under the backpack at best. There are cases when purchased vests, reflectors, are of poor quality and do not reflect light. Before buying such safety devices, it is suggested to make sure that they work. The easiest way is to use a flashlight to illuminate a reflector or a safety vest in a dark room, even if you are on the phone. This way it will be immediately clear if the light is reflected. If brightly colored vests that reflect light are used for a long time, are frequently washed, they will lose their properties over time. The same happens with trailed or worn reflectors that are affected by temperature changes, sunlight, precipitation. It would, therefore, be worthwhile replacing existing safety measures with new ones every few years.

Important and instructions for use It is important not only to have a reflector but also to use it properly. Pedestrians on the highway, if there is no sidewalk or footpath, must walk on the curb in front of the direction of travel. When walking on the highway on the left side of the road, the reflectors-strips should be worn on the right hand just above the wrist or the right foot below the knee. Suspended reflectors should be mounted so that they swing freely at the height of the car’s headlights. It is best to attach hanging reflectors to the outer garments on the right side. Those who want to take maximum care of their safety and visibility, in an unlit road, should wear not only reflectors, but also a vest, or carry a switched-on light, illuminate with a mobile phone flashlight. Moreover, it is advisable to wear a brightly colored vest even when you have to go on a country road during the day. After all, in autumn, when the weather conditions are constantly changing, even during daylight hours, it can be extremely unsafe.

It can also be difficult to spot a pedestrian during the day if heavy rain starts to form or thick fog forms. It is because of such threats that pedestrians should choose brighter clothing and avoid dark colors, as well as take care of a brightly colored vest. The latter will not reflect the headlights in the day as it does at night, but will certainly help to keep a pedestrian out of the environment, making it much easier for the driver to notice. The information was prepared in cooperation with the Lithuanian Road Administration under the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Here’s how to provide first aid

A first-aid box is part of the must-have equipment in a car, but how many of us know what’s in there and how to use that material?

According to the latest packing ordinance, there should be 16 items of medical supplies that are sufficient to provide first aid to all those in need, says the Red Cross of Montenegro.

“In the first-aid package, you will find sterile gauze, bandages of various sizes, triangular scarves, leucoplasts … All the necessary materials that you need to provide first aid,” says Igor Jokanovic, first aid coordinator at CKCG.

However, to use this material, you need to know some basics, so this is a mandatory part of the driving test. However, very little attention is paid to this matter, we learn from high school representatives, and it mostly comes down to a set of well-established theory questions.

So here we explain the most important rules. First and foremost, when assisting the injured, you must not endanger your safety, as it also endangers the safety of other road users.

“First of all, we need to shut down the motor vehicle, secure the vehicle by activating the parking brake, put on a safety vest and put a safety triangle at a safe distance,” Jokanovic explains. “After that, we can do triage, the degree of injury ranking and evaluate what we can do there.”

A very important step to follow is to call the police, the ambulance and, if necessary, the fire department, depending on the situation. All this in Montenegro, but also in Europe, we can do by calling 112.

Then it goes to showing help. One of the most common mistakes is that the injured person is immediately pulled out of the vehicle.

“In a collision, it can injure the cervical spine, and by not examining the injured person and finding out what type of injury we are dealing with, we can cause permanent damage, disability, and even death,” says Jokanovic. If there are injuries to the cervical spine, we will determine by touching the injured person on the legs and arms and asking him if he feels the touch.

“If the injured person is unconscious and unable to answer questions, it is best to wait for immediate medical attention and possibly try to stop the bleeding on the spot.

In the Red Cross, they say that sometimes it is enough to talk to the injured while an ambulance arrives because it is better not to give help than to give it the wrong way.

Sterile gauze should be occasionally renewed

Before you rush to renew your first aid kit in your vehicle, first check its contents, as you may find all the necessary items.

For example, we looked at the contents of the box that came with the Volkswagen Passat, manufactured in 2003, at the factory, and found that it had more than necessary. The only thing that needs to be restored is sterile gauze that loses its sterility after five years. So check the shelf life of the individual components in the package.

Here are some examples of how to deal with a particular type of injury, with the help of CKCG volunteers.

1. The first example is a low-speed traffic accident where an unattached driver hits his / her head on the steering wheel and the passenger tries to assist him (top row photos). After all the above-mentioned security steps, the first visual contact you have found is nosebleeds, which is not too serious and the person is not life-threatening. Then we check for damage to the neck of the spine and only then pull the injured one out of the car. We then pull the gloves out of the PP box and place the person in the proper position. In this case, this is the so-called elbow-knee position. It is recommended to hold sterile gauze on the nose and the person should breathe on their mouth and speak as little as possible.

2. The second case. After completing all the necessary steps to secure the accident site, we found that there was an injury to the arcade with severe bleeding and a fracture of the forearm, which we nonetheless put into the background. If it is a head injury with severe bleeding, it means that the person is at risk of life, so that injury is a priority. We place the person in the so-called shock position that applies in the case of severe bleeding – lying down with arms raised and half-bent legs. To stop bleeding as quickly as possible, direct pressure is applied to the wound with sterile gauze, and fixation of the gauze with a bandage.

For bone fracture treatment, it is recommended that the person move as little as possible. We can put cold linings on the fracture site to reduce the swelling. We can also fix the fracture site after the injured person bends his arm to the threshold of pain. Then there is the connection with the triangle scarf.

Here’s what the first aid kit contains:

1. Self-adhesive elastic band (for fixing sterile gauze that is screwed to the wound)

2 First bandage sterile (bandage wrapped around sterile gauze)

3. Sterile gauze (larger gauze used to buffer major injuries)

4. Burn bandage (bandage used to bandage burns with ribbon)

5. Burn aluplast (metalized side of the aluplast is placed on the burn)

6. Calico bandage (smaller bandage)

7. Isothermal cover (used to cover the injured to protect against heat or cold)

8. Curved scissors (used to cut necessary material)

9. Sterile gauze compress (sterile gauze pieces that are screwed directly to the wound to stop bleeding while protecting against infection)

10. Antiseptic cartridge patch (intended for minor scratches and cuts)

11. Spool on the spool (used to wrap around the injured finger)

12. Triangle scarf (used for immobilization, but also sterile dressing (MVI 3416)

13. Gloves (used to protect the person helping the injured)

14. PVC bag (bag used to pack amputated body parts or evidence)

15. Packaging – box with zipper

16. Instruction manual

Crossing guard ignores signs to stop

Elnora Williams has been a crossing guard for the city of Palmetto for 17 years.

The portable breathing machine is strapped to her back, the tubes connected to her nose. She is not sure what is wrong. Maybe they will tell her to the doctor on Friday. Hopefully, it’s nothing. After all, she doesn’t want to end up “stone and lonesome,” which is how she describes dead.

Who would cross the kids then?

Her name is Elnora Williams. She is 81 years old and is a crossing guard at the corner of 10th Street West and 14th Avenue West in Palmetto. Each morning — and again in the afternoon — she helps elementary school students — and the occasional mother duck and her ducklings — cross the street safely.

She wears black pants, a white shirt and the lime-green safety vest she keeps on a clothes hanger near the front door of her home. To wear it “makes me feel important,” she said.

She drives to Palmetto from Bradenton each morning in a car with Betty Boop seat covers. On the front is a license plate frame that says “Foxy Cougar,” which was a gift from her granddaughter. The back license plate frame reads “Air Force Wife.”

She said her husband served in the Air Force and they lived in places like England, Spain, South Dakota, and Arkansas until he retired in 1992. Then they moved to Bradenton. He passed away four years ago.

She has four children, ages 54-60. Crossing the kids at Palmetto Elementary reminds her of taking her kids to school. Where did the time go? It was picture day last week. The kids were all dressed up. Another reminder of when she did the same to her own.

She works for the city of Palmetto and has been a crossing guard for 17 years. Across the street from her post is a cemetery. There is life on her side, death on the other, and the message is clear: Keep moving, or wind up “stone and lonesome.”

After the last person was crossed Tuesday morning — a child riding on the back of his father — she drove home to clean before she had to return to her corner in the afternoon.

She’ll be there tomorrow as well, holding out her stop sign, hooked to her oxygen tank, wearing her lime-green crossing guard vest and feeling important all over again.

Car EDC, or what is worth carrying in a car?

Better to wear than to beg – it’s an old but still good rule that makes life easier. Of course, there is no shortage of those who claim that a smartphone, credit card, and good assistance policy is a set that should be sufficient for most emergencies that may happen on the road. Well, if you are lucky and have a lot of time, it usually is.

Unfortunately, in real life it varies – a failure can happen where the telephone is out of range and the only workshop in the area accepts cash only. Sometimes you also need to help other traffic participants or ensure your safety, and even the best card and the best policy are not enough. Here are our proposals for necessary, useful and accessories that only a few need.

Do you know what “EDC” is?

The abbreviation EDC comes from the English “Everyday Carry”, which someone deftly translated into Polish as “Cranes Daily”. Specialists in survival or the so-called preppers (people who try to always be ready for any disasters) without the right set of accessories that can be useful in a crisis, do not leave the house. Usually, the set includes dressing materials, knife, lighter, watch.

Warning safety vest and warning triangle

The warning triangle is must-have car equipment – it must be on board. The most important thing is that it has good reflections and is stable, even with strong gusts of wind. In Poland, there is no obligation to have reflective vests with reflective tapes in a passenger car, but it’s still worth it – and it’s the best one for each passenger. The cost and weight are negligible, and the importance of safety – enormous.

Paper towel and wet wipes

A roll of paper towel and a pack of wet wipes are accessories that come in handy in the car often. From wiping a steamed or dirty glass up to an ad hoc fight with stains on the upholstery – they have a lot of applications, and they do not weigh or take a lot of space and are not very expensive.

Spare wheel and wheel jack

More and more cars do not have a full-size spare wheel on board or even a narrow driveway – instead, there is a repair kit in the trunk, consisting of a sealing compound and a compressor. In the vast majority of cases, such a set in an emergency turns out to be completely useless, because in new cars with low-profile tires it is more common than, for example, to break a nail as a result of breaking the rubber as a result of driving into a hole or running too fast on the curb.

In such situations, no repair kit will help. Of course, we have cell phones and assistance at our disposal, but take it for granted that replacing the wheel by yourself is usually faster than waiting for help in a remote area on a rainy night. A wheel can be useful, and if the car does not have a large enough recess, then the drive-in can be put away in the trunk.

Work gloves

Once a pair of work gloves was a standard feature on many factory-made automotive tool kits. There is a reason! If you take into account the fact that you will have to, for example, change the wheel or start the car using the jumper cables, or do any other “dirty” work on the car, then resistant gloves will also be useful.

First aid kit

It is not mandatory to have a first-aid kit in a private car. This, however, does not mean that it is not needed – in our opinion a good first aid kit should be found in every car.

Carleton Police awarded a grant for new safety equipment

The AAA Auto Club has helped provide high-visibility gear such as vests and traffic cones to the village shelves.

Throughout his law enforcement career, Officer Gene Taylor was struck by vehicles three times while directing traffic.

Although he was wearing a safety vest, Taylor, a part-time patrol officer for the Carleton Village Police Department, said older reflective equipment sometimes struggled with the darkness in rural communities.

“I was on dark roads, and all I had was a flashlight,” Taylor said. “Because of the oncoming traffic and headlights, they just want to see me. It was never serious because traffic was moving slow, but it could have been much worse.”

It was these types of preventable injuries that inspired the department to seek supplementary funds to purchase updated, high-visibility safety equipment to protect traffic officers and other first-responders while on the highways.

The department’s vision was met Friday morning at the station when the American Automobile Association (AAA) formally presented the agency with a check for nearly $ 750 to purchase much-needed traffic incident management equipment, including high-visibility vests with reflective tapes, collapsible flashing traffic cones and traffic safety wands.

As part of the annual AAA Traffic Safety Grant, the department was selected among about a half dozen other police and fire agencies throughout the state seeking new safety equipment unavailable through existing financial resources. “With the equipment having a lot of past years, this is quite an improvement,” Taylor said.

“When we started, we all had our uniforms and a flashlight to direct traffic, but people would still see you. The reflective vests, wands, and cones will help protect our first responders.”

When applying for the grant, Taylor said he and Chief Roy Johnson specifically proposed purchasing high-visibility equipment because of the darkness in both the village and throughout Ash Township.

When directing traffic, the department targets each of its officers to be equipped with high visibility safety vests and flashing traffic wand, along with bright traffic cones to alert motorists and protect other first responders in the area.

The total cost for the vests, wands, and cones came to $ 731.15, purchased in full by AAA. Now every Carleton police vehicle is equipped with at least one adjustable news and wand, as well as a tote filled with portable, collapsible traffic cones.

Any time the officers, including three full-time officers and up to eight part-timers, are on the roadways – excluding traffic stops – they may be required to wear the vests, Taylor said.

The hope, he added, is that the equipment will not only reduce but prevent injury, while also helping the department to exceed safety standards set by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

“This is exactly what we want these grants to do, as far as saving lives,” said Adrienne Woodland, AAA spokesperson.

The Traffic Safety Grant program has been providing funding for potentially life-saving equipment throughout the state since 1993, Woodland said.

Since its conception, the program has provided nearly $ 1.5 million worth of traffic safety equipment donated to agencies through Michigan.

Officials say the grant program is part of the AAA history of traffic safety advocacy efforts.

The 7 commandments for running at night

We choose a known course. In the dark, there is no question of leaving room for the unknown. So we choose a circuit that we are used to and that is safe. Especially since at night, it will look completely different from your daytime runs. We avoid venturing on new paths which we do not know the frequentation and where we could get lost. There will be plenty of time to explore during the day during the long weekend outing.

We make sure to be visible. It is important to wear clothing with reflective strips to be visible to motorists, bikers, and cyclists who may cross our path. Clear colors, even fluorescent, and reflective bands everywhere (leggings, jacket, gloves, hat …) will be your best allies in the dark. A yellow safety vest can also help gain visibility.

We equip ourselves with a headlamp. To know where you set foot and be even more visible at night, a small lamp with an elastic band to put around your head to watch where you are going is more than useful. We will choose if possible with a light power of 200 lumens minimum to be able to pass everywhere, even in the night without fear of tripping on a root or hurting my ankle because of a hole.

We multiply the layers to be warm but not too much. Difficult in winter to choose the right equipment to be warm enough without sweating more than reason. First reflex: protect the extremities. We put on gloves (not too thick but if possible windproof) and a thin cap but in micro-fleece. Then the rule is to multiply thin layers. First, a long-sleeved T-shirt that wicks away breathing, then a waterproof but breathable windbreaker to protect yourself from the elements. The leggings will be a little thicker than the one used in spring. It is best to be a little cold at first but to be comfortable once the body has warmed up by running. If it is really cold (below 0 degrees), we will opt for leggings lined with micro-fleece and a third thin layer between the T-shirt and the windbreaker. On the other hand, we forget the down jacket which is not breathable enough.

We continue to stay hydrated. In the cold, the feeling of thirst is less present, but that is not why we sweat less and that we must drink less. To avoid swallowing too cold water, you opt for a water bag with a pipette that you will carry on your back. Body heat should warm the liquid a little. And we try to keep the rule of half a liter of water drunk per hour of racing. If necessary, you put an alert to take a sip every 10 minutes on your watch or phone.

We warm-up before running. The cold can increase the risk of muscle breakdown. The warm-up stage is more crucial than ever. But beware: we forget about passive stretching before running (more harmful than useful) and we opt for dynamic warm-ups based on small jumps. We start to trot by gradually accelerating then we do a few ranges over a few tens of meters each time, to repeat two or three times (knee rise, buttocks heels, legs stretched, not chased, running backward). We finish with two or three progressive accelerations over 100 meters to increase the cardio. After that, your jogging can start safely.

Opt for shoes suitable for winter. If you run on sometimes muddy trails or paths with many puddles, it may be useful to wear shoes with a Gore-Tex membrane or equivalent. This prevents water from entering the shoe while retaining sufficient breathability.

Be visible on the road, put the reflectors on!

It has been a year since the introduction of regulations that require everyone who walks in the undeveloped area after dark, wear reflectors. Policemen remind them that they have to check if we “shine” in the dark.

“It does not necessarily have to be a yellow safety vest. You can have a headband, tinsel or a key ring that has reflective elements,” explains asp. Marzena Szwed, from the KWP traffic department in Katowice. The reflector must be visible when we go sideways. For lack of it, the police may punish with a ticket. Up to PLN 500!

Pedestrians with reflective elements are seen on the road from a distance of more than 150 meters.

Good pedestrian visibility gives the driver a chance to notice him early and thus to avoid an accident. You don’t have to worry about trinkets only pedestrians walking on the sidewalk in built-up areas.

Don’t forget about it:

1. Always have your reflector with you. You don’t necessarily have to wear a yellow vest with reflective tape. You must have a fluorescent band. They are available on the market in yellow, white and blue. Bicycle drivers wear such leg and armbands, you can do that too.

2. Ladies can attach small reflective pendants to their bags. Such a strip in the spotlight can be seen from afar. This is a sign for the driver that pedestrians are traveling along the road. Gentlemen may have armbands, legs or vests, which we can buy for 5-10 zlotys.

3. The youngest kids can buy glare in the shape of teddy bears, elephants that flash. The idea is to attract the eyes of road users. The cost of buying such a gadget is 3 to 5 PLN. We place it in a visible place on a backpack, jacket or pouch that holds the toddler returning home.

4. When buying a jacket for fall, it is worth choosing one that already has reflective stripes sewn in. Many sports stores have these garments for sale. If you do not have such a jacket, you can buy a reflective tape in haberdashery and sew the child to a jacket or school bag.

5. Watch out for the ticket. If you are not visible at dusk moving in an undeveloped area you can get a ticket. From 20 to 500 PLN. How much we get depends on the policeman and the threat we have caused. The traffic participant is not only the driver on the road but also the pedestrian.