Winter Safety Zone: Space Heater Safety | Radon Action Month | Frostbite | Workers' Safety Program

Winter 2022 Space Heater Safety: What You Need to Know as Temperatures Fall While there are many great benefits to the conveniences of space heaters, err on the side of caution when thinking about thawing your toes under your desk. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 25,000 residential fires every year are linked to the use of space heaters, leading to more than 300 deaths. Roughly 6,000 people are hospitalized for burn injuries from contacting the hot surfaces of room heaters, mostly in non-fire situations. Space heater capacities are typically between 10,000 Btu and 40,000 Btu per hour and generally run on electricity, kerosene, propane, and natural gas. Vented and Unvented Combustion Space Heaters Unvented Unvented combustion space heaters are not permitted for use inside your home or indoor workspace due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, increased nitrogen in the air, and the introduction of water vapor into the air. Most states have banned indoor use of unvented heaters. Vented Vented space heaters need to be professionally inspected annually. Improperly vented (and unvented), blocked, separated, rusted, or corroded small space heaters may emit dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and other gases into the area, causing sickness and death. Carbon monoxide can also be emitted if the heater is not correctly assembled and adjusted for the type of fuel needed. According to the CDC, January is the deadliest month for carbon monoxide poisoning. Electric Space Heaters Electric space heaters are typically more expensive to operate than combustion space heaters Although they avoid indoor air quality problems, electric space heaters pose burn and fire hazards when not correctly located and monitored. Space Heater Checklist Purchase a heater with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory. Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including people. Choose a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection. Place the heater on a solid, flat surface. Make sure your heater has an auto shut-off to turn the heater off if it tips over. Keep space heaters out of the way of foot traffic. Never block an exit. Keep children and pets away from the space heater. Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet. Never use an extension cord. Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to bed. Make sure the heater is proportionate to the area you are heating. Find additional information on space heater safety from https://www.energy.gov, http://www.nfpa.org, and http://www.consumerreports.org January: Radon Action Month In 2021, the EPA established January as National Radon Action Month. This acknowledgement was made to promote the idea of testing the air quality in your work place, schools, and home for potentially harmful gases and vapors, such as radon. Doing these air quality checks should be considered on an annual basis and more frequently when the potential of an occurrence is increased by the operations being performed. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has been linked to lung cancer. This is an odorless and transparent gas that can only be detected by testing. Radon is the #1 cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. You can visit https://www.epa.gov/radon to find out what Radon Zone you live in. Contact your insurance carrier to learn more about getting your air tested for potentially harmful gases and vapors. Keep Frostbite at Bay This Winter Frostbite occurs due to the freezing of skin and underlying tissues. Most commonly, exposure to cold-weather conditions is the cause for frostbite. But it can also originate from very cold liquids, direct contact with ice and freezing metals. Risk increases as air temperatures fall below 5°F. In wind chill of minus 16.6°F, frostbite can occur on exposed skin in less than 30 minutes. Signs and Symptoms of Frostbite At first, cold and prickling feeling Numbness Skin that appears red, white, bluish-white, grayish-yellow, purplish, brown or ashen, depending on the severity and normal skin color Hard or waxy-looking skin Poor dexterity of joints and muscles Blistering after warming, in severe cases Stages of frostbite Skin not affected by cold damage (1) has no change in texture and color. Frostnip (2) is slight frostbite that disturbs the skin, causing changes to skin color and a chilled sensation followed by numbness. If treated with first-aid measures, frostnip can be prevented from permanently damaging skin. Superficial frostbite (3) is when the skin feels warm. A fluid-filled blister could appear 12 to 36 hours after rewarming the skin. Deep frostbite (4), will likely result in a numbness and discomfort. Joints or muscles may stop working. Large blisters form 24 to 48 hours after rewarming as well as tissue turning hard and black as it dies. Sign-Up for Missouri Workers' Safety Program Services The Missouri Workers' Safety Program helps employers to improve workplace safety and reduce their workers' compensation insurance costs. We work to ensure that Missouri businesses have access to individualized safety and health services. There are three ways for an employer to receive service: Your workers' compensation insurance carrier must provide you with individualized safety assistance at your request. Ask your carrier about these services today. If you feel that your carrier is not providing you with adequate service, contact the Missouri Workers' Safety Program. The Missouri Workers' Safety Program maintains a list of certified safety consultants and engineers that can offer you independent services. The Missouri Workers' Safety Program offers free safety and health services to Missouri businesses. Contact us today for additional information. Complete a Request for Services (WSP-6) PDF Document or call 573-526-5757. Upcoming Events & News 2022 Missouri Mine Safety and Health Conference – January 20-21 Participants will gather at Lake of the Ozarks to learn from industry experts and leaders, share safety ideas and techniques and talk to vendors offering the latest technology and safety gear. To register or find out more: http://www.mmshc.org/ Minimum wage increase Effective January 1, 2022, the minimum wage rate increased to $11.15. Find more information and download a new minimum wage poster here: https://labor.mo.gov/DLS/MinimumWage Contributing author: Kyle Elkins Missouri Workers' Safety Program   Questions? Contact Us STAY CONNECTED: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Subscriptions  |  Help This email was sent to ignoble.experiment@arconati.us using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Missouri Department of Labor · P.O. Box 59 · Jefferson City, MO 65104-0059 · 1-800-320-2519