Good & Bad Exercises for Low Back Pain

When you experience low back pain, you might think resting is the best remedy, but moving is good for your back. Exercises for lower back pain can strengthen back, leg, and stomach muscles. They help support your spine, relieving back pain. Before starting an exercise regimen, always talk to your doctor for advice as to the benefits and which activities will be best for your condition. Depending on the cause and intensity of your pain, some exercises may not be recommended and can be harmful. The following are some exercises to try or avoid when dealing with low back pain.

Avoid: Toe Touches - standing toe touches put greater stress on the disks and ligaments in your spine. They can also overstretch lower back muscles and hamstrings.

Try: Partial Crunches - can strengthen your back and stomach muscles. Lie with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest, tighten your stomach muscles, and raise your shoulders off the floor. Breath out as you raise your shoulders, hold for a couple of seconds, then slowly lower back down. Repeat 8-12 times. Proper form prevents excessive stress on your lower back. Your feet, tailbone, and lower back should remain in contact with the floor. Any mild discomfort felt at the start of exercises should disappear as muscles become stronger, but if pain is more than mild and lasts longer than 15 minutes during exercise, stop the exercise and contact your doctor.

Avoid: Sit-Ups - although you might think sit-ups can strengthen your core or abdominal muscles, most people tend to use muscles in the hips when doing sit-ups. They may also put a lot of pressure on the discs in your spine.

Try: Hamstring Stretches - lie on your back and bend one knee with your foot flat on the floor. Loop a towel under the ball of your opposite foot, straighten that knee and slowly pull back on the towel, extending the leg up toward your head. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg. Hold this pose for 15-30 seconds. Do the stretch 2-4 times with each leg.

Avoid: Leg Lifts - they are sometimes suggested to strengthen your core or abdominal muscles. Lifting both legs together while lying on your back is a very demanding exercise on the core. If back and stomach muscles are weak this activity can make back pain worse. Instead, try lying on your back with one leg straight and the other leg bent at the knee. Keep your back flat on the floor. Slowly lift the straight leg up to about 6 inches and hold a few seconds, lower the leg slowly. Repeat this activity 10 times, then switch legs.

Try: Wall-sits - stand 10-12 inches from the wall, then lean back until your back is flat against the wall. Slowly slide down until your knees are slightly bent, pressing your lower back into the wall. Hold for a count of 10, then carefully slide back up the wall. Repeat this activity 8-12 times.

Try: Press-up Back Extensions - lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. Push your hands so your shoulders begin to lift off the floor. If it’s comfortable for you, slide your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders and hold this position for about 10 seconds. Repeat activity 8-10 times.

Try: Bird Dog Pose - start on your hands and knees, and tighten your stomach muscles. Lift and extend one leg behind you. Keep your hips level, hold for 5 seconds and then switch to the other leg. Repeat 8-12 times for each leg, then try to lengthen the time you hold the position. As you gain strengthen and balance attempt to lift and extend your opposite arm in front of you for each repetition. This exercise is a great way to learn how to stabilize the low back during movement of the arms and legs. While doing this exercise don’t let the lower back muscles sag. Only raise the limbs to heights where the low back position can be kept steady and maintained.

Try: Bridging - lie on your back with knees bent and just your heels on the floor. Push your heels into the floor, squeeze your buttocks, and lift your hips off the floor until shoulders, hips, and knees are in a straight line. Hold for 6 seconds, then slowly lower your hips to the floor and rest 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise 8-12 times. Avoid arching your lower back as your hips move upward. Avoid overarching by tightening your abdominal muscles prior to and throughout the lift.

Spending just a few minutes each day doing some basic exercises will strengthen muscles in your back, stomach, arms, and legs. Movement is good for the back and making a lifestyle choice to be more active can lessen back strains and pains.

Back Basics: An Ounce of Prevention

Back strains are one of the nation’s most common types of workplace injuries. Approximately 80% of the American population will have a back injury in their lifetime. Back injuries are painful and have the potential to significantly impact daily activities. They are seldom the result of a single event but are usually caused by years of not maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There are a number of ways to lessen your chance of a back injury: using proper lifting and handling techniques, being more active in your daily life (walking more, taking stairs, exercising), eating properly (watching what you eat and how much), and being aware of your posture (how you stand, sit, and even sleep).

Maintaining A Healthy Back

Back health involves more than just using proper lifting techniques. Other contributing factors include:

• Good posture, whether at home or work, reduces back, neck, and shoulder strain.

• A well-balanced diet will keep your weight under control. Carrying extra weight can alter the back’s natural curves and place unnecessary stress on the lower back.

• Learning to relax (participating in a leisure activity or hobby) can reduce stress and muscular tension that builds up in the back during the day.

• Smoking negatively impacts your back by reducing the amount of oxygen and nutrients available to spinal discs that are needed for good health and healing.

• Regular exercise appears to be more effective at preventing back injuries than lifting training programs, smoking cessation, and losing weight. Exercising strengthens and improves flexibility of the back and abdominal muscles. Exercise also lessens the severity of back injury and promotes the healing process. Having a daily exercise routine is good, but for some it is hard to discipline yourself to do it. Try just getting more movement in your day – walk more, take the stairs, take mini-breaks and walk around the office or outside for just a few minutes at a time. Doing a little something is better than doing nothing.

• Using proper lifting techniques lowers stress placed on the back. No single lifting technique works in all situations. Sometimes you have to make the best of a difficult situation. Think before you lift, have a plan of action, and if it is more than you can handle on your own ask for help or use a mechanical lift (a cart, hoist, etc.). Always lift properly using multiple muscle groups, not just your back muscles. Do this whether you are at work, at home, or at play.

Basic Lifting & Lowering Techniques

• Plan the lift, including the route, obstacles, doors, and stairs.

• Estimate the weight of the object by tilting the corner.

• Spread your feet about shoulder width apart.

• Bend your knees.

• Securely grip the load.

• Keep the load close to your body.

• Tighten your stomach muscles before you lift.

• Lift slowly and evenly; avoid rapid jerky motions or simultaneously lifting and twisting.

• When changing directions, step in the direction of the intended travel, turning your entire body at the hips, pivot your feet, don’t twist at the waist.

Other Back Stressors

Prolonged sitting or standing can lead to back strain. If sitting for long periods of time, it is important to use good posture, frequently change your position, and take regular walk breaks. When standing, use good posture, wear soft-soled shoes, use arch supports, and do not lock your legs in position. Do isometric exercises to lessen the tension on muscles that have been overworked and stretch muscles that have not been being used.

Slips, trips, and falls are a leading cause of back injuries. Proper housekeeping of spills and debris and keeping aisle-ways clear of materials and equipment can significantly reduce the potential for back injuries caused by falls.

Using ergonomically designed lifting and moving tools can also reduce back injuries. Take the time to get and use carts, pallet movers, and lift trucks to lift and move heavy or awkward loads. Finally remember if the load is too heavy or awkward don’t be afraid to ask for help.

City of Weatherford: A CMOM Success Story

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has stated that “The maintenance and repair of [city] sewers is a corporate or proprietary function of a city and the city is liable for injuries sustained because of its failure to maintain and repair sewers properly.”  Oklahoma law requires municipalities “to use reasonable diligence and care to see that such sewer is not clogged ... and is liable for negligence in the performance of such duty to a property owner injured thereby after reasonable notice of the clogged condition of its sewer.”[1] 

During 2004, the City of Weatherford had 48 sanitary sewer overflow claims resulting in a Consent Order from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Included in the Consent Order was the development of a CMOM (Capacity, Management, Operations, and Maintenance) Program to control their sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs).  

The 2005 implementation of Weatherford’s CMOM program included the purchase of a trailer-mounted jetter and a dedicated crew of two full-time employees tasked with sanitary sewer collection system maintenance and record keeping for annual reports to OK-DEQ. Today their program has grown to three full-time employees, two trailer-mounted jetters, two vacuums, and a rover CCTV camera complete with a van. Weatherford has gone from having 48 SSOs in 2004 to averaging less than 2 per year from 2005 through 2018. Liability costs are greatly diminished and quality of life for the residents of Weatherford has improved. 

The City of Weatherford’s sewer maintenance crew cleans over 250,000 feet of sewer line per year and video inspects about 3,400 feet per year. Their CCTV camera (OMAG has a grant for CCTV camera purchase assistance) removes the guesswork in determining what obstructs the line (roots, grease, debris, line collapse, etc.) and where exactly the problem is in the line. Then they can develop a plan to fix the problem and service the line. Weatherford uses root foam on about 7,000 feet of line per year (OMAG has a grant for Dukes Roots purchase assistance). Larry McKillip and his crew recommend using a Warthog jetting nozzle when jetting lines especially if they contain root balls. Larry says the Warthog is much more effective than mechanical cutters and saws, because the saws get stuck and are hard to dislodge, resulting in the need to dig up a line and break the pipe to retrieve the tool.  

Trent Perkins, Public Works Director for Weatherford stated, “maps are critical for productivity.” That is why the city contacted their local COG (Council of Government)- SWODA for assistance in locating and mapping their water and sewer lines.  Through a grant (COG provides grant assistance for REAP and CDBG programs provided by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce,) the city has a viable computerized map showing the locations of all their water and sewer lines as well as manhole locations. OMAG can also assist member municipalities in gaining helpful information about their sewer systems using the SL-Rat (Sewer Line -Rapid Assessment Tool). This tool is loaned to cities and towns to quickly assess and map their sewer lines and determine what areas of town need maintenance, repair, or replacement, so municipal leaders can formulate a plan and budget for said infrastructural improvements. It is our belief the SL-Rat is an excellent tool for municipalities to use if they are seeking a REAP or CDBG grant.  

Since sanitary sewer overflows are the most frequent liability claim filed against municipalities and authorities annually, and the cost of SSO claims continues to increase each year, OMAG recommends our cities and towns investigate utilizing resources to rehabilitate their aging sewer infrastructure. 

A CMOM or any sewer line maintenance program is a costly start-up investment in time, staffing, and money, but it will quickly pay for itself by reducing sanitary sewer back-up claims. Citizens like to see capital improvements like new fire trucks, police cars, parks, and ballfields (the stuff we can see), but it’s also true they don’t like to have raw sewage running into their homes and businesses. Oklahoma leaders have been talking about our aging and disintegrating infrastructures for years. It is time to start making plans for major overhauls of these systems. Don’t wait for a consent order from OK-DEQ - take advantage of the resources available to you and start making the changes now.  

According to Trent Perkins, “Personnel is the most important factor in the success of a sewer maintenance program, that and having the proper equipment, but support from the city’s mayor and council is key to our success.” Mike Brown, Mayor of Weatherford stated, “The City of Weatherford is thankful and proud that OMAG recognizes our efforts utilizing the CMOM program. Trent Perkins and his crew do an outstanding job maintaining our water and sewer lines. We appreciate the partnerships with SWODA and OMAG working with Weatherford to provide the best services available to our citizens.”  

[1] Spencer v. City of Bristow, 2007 OK CIV APP 67, ¶ 12, 165 P.3d 361, 364 

How to Dress for Cold Weather

On days when the air is cold, the wind is blowing, and the humidity is high or it’s raining, your clothing strategy is key to keeping you from getting a cold stress injury. Here are some tips for how to dress when the temperatures drop.

Layering lets you adjust your body’s temperature by putting on and removing items of clothing and maintaining an even comfort level as conditions or your exertion levels change. To dress for cold weather, you need three layers for maximum warmth and protection.

• Base layer: Your long underwear needs to keep your skin as dry as possible.

• Middle layer: Your fleece or puffy jacket needs to preserve as much body heat as possible.

• Outer layer: Your rain gear needs to protect you from rain and wind.

 Choosing your base/underwear layer

Warm skin starts with dry skin, so long underwear’s job is to wick perspiration away from you. Synthetic fabrics like polyesters are great at both wicking and drying. Wool is a good natural fiber option that holds its insulating abilities even when wet. Avoid cotton fabrics, as they do not retain their insulating abilities when they get wet.

Think about the fit. Wicking cannot occur in places where fabric is not touching skin, so you want a comfortably snug (not tight) fit everywhere.

Thickness or weight: Heavyweight makes sense for sub-freezing temps and low activity levels. Midweight is a good all-around choice. Lightweight is left to milder conditions.

Choosing your middle/insulating layer

This is the layer most people think about in cold conditions, so it’s not surprising that this layer’s job is to retain warmth.  Insulating materials like fleece are a good start. Make sure your jacket is a heavyweight fleece. When you are working outdoors in serious cold weather conditions, then a puffy jacket/coat should come into play. Down coats and jackets are a good standard if you are not working in wet conditions. They lose their insulating ability when they get wet. Puffy jackets/coats with synthetic fills are a better option when conditions get damp.

Insulating thickness can be tricky because you can’t rely on thickness to indicate warmth level when insulation types differ. Temperature ratings on labels are not reliable because there are too many variables (wind, rain, activity level, etc.) You can eyeball 2 jackets with identical insulation specs though and conclude that puffier equals warmer.

Full coverage: Don’t just think about jackets/coats - save some love for the legs. Keep some insulated or fleece pants with you, so your lower half can stay as warm as your top half.

Choosing your outer layer (shell coat and pants)

This is our outer line of defense. Even though it’s often referred to as “rainwear”, this layer’s job is to shield the underneath layers from snow, sleet, rain, and wind. There are 3 important attributes to consider when choosing your outer layer.

•  Precipitation protection: A wicking base layer can’t keep your skin dry if moisture is soaking you from the outside. In winter you don’t want to sacrifice any warmth to evaporation cooling. Wear a shell that is “waterproof” rather than merely “water resistant”.

• Breathable protection: Perspiration wicked by your base layer needs a way to escape. Wear a shell that is breathable, or moisture can build up inside it and soak you. You don’t need the most expensive GORE-TEX rainwear – any shell that is designated as “waterproof/breathable” should work fine.

• Windchill protection: The good news is that any shell that is “waterproof” is also “windproof”.

Shell pants- Cold, wet ankles are no fun, so be sure your boot tops are covered. If your pants don’t cover your ankles, then consider wearing a pair of gaiters.

Keeping Your Head, Hands, and Feet Warm

To prevent extremities from getting cold, cover up everywhere. The warmest options in hats, gloves, and footwear do the same thing as layers elsewhere: wick, insulate, and block rain/wind.

Hats- Wool or synthetic beanies work well, and you can rely on your shell jacket/coat’s hood for rain coverage. Full-on winter hats will have insulation inside the shell material. Make sure your headwear covers your ears. If your face is uncomfortably cold, wear a balaclava.

Gloves- Fleece gloves provide basic warmth. Insulated gloves, especially ones with waterproof/breathable shells are better. Mittens are warmer than gloves, because they share finger warmth.

Boots- with thick non-cotton socks can provide warmth when conditions are merely cold, but not wet or snowy. Waterproof boots are the next step up. Winter boots, in addition to offering traction on snow and ice, will also include insulation.

A Warmer Coat- Think of this as a twist on “cold hands, warm heart”. If your heart is warm and toasty, then it has plenty of warm blood to pump out to the hands and feet. Choose a well-insulated waterproof winter coat.

Chemical Warming Packets- Add warmth by slipping hand and foot warmers inside your gloves and socks. They come in a variety of sizes.

Additional Layering Tips for Cold Weather

Don’t wait to adjust layers: Throw on a shell at the first sign of rain or wind and remove your insulating jacket the minute you start to sweat. Staying warm and dry is easier than warming up or drying out.

Cotton is a no-no in any layer: Set aside your love of cotton flannel (or anything cotton) because it soaks up moisture and takes forever to dry out. That is a recipe for hypothermia.

Layers should play well together: Middle and outer layers need to glide on and off. When they fit too tightly over the layers beneath them, adjustments become cumbersome and you risk constricting circulation. Purchase middle and outer layers that are big enough to provide another layer (that of air) between them. This layer of air stays warm and keeps you warmer.

Taking time to make some smart decisions about your winter clothing will keep your warm and toasty and safer this winter.

SEWER NEWS: Understanding CMOM (Capacity, Management, Operations and Management)

CMOM programs are a best practice for sewer line collection system owners and operators. Both comprehensive and holistic, a CMOM provides an information- based plan to effectively run a sewer collection system and help lower the risk of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit violations and discharge violations. The EPA notes in their Asset Management for Sewer Collection Systems fact sheet: “Lacking adequate focus on operations and maintenance, many collection system utilities have slipped into a reactive mode, with most of their operational resources allocated to emergency response and rehabilitation or replacement of failed systems.” Instead, a proactive and even predictive approach is encouraged by following the CMOM program.  

In 2005, the EPA published a guide to evaluating and structuring a Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance program. The CMOM approach is not enforced by regulatory authorities, nor is it legally binding, but can be mandated as a response to consent decrees. CMOM program documentation and subsequent audits may also be required when submitting applications for an NPDES permit. The goal of the CMOM process is to assure that discharge from treatment facilities is free from pollutants. Therefore, preventing sanitary sewer overflows, which are illegal under the Clean Water Act, is a priority. 

In a CMOM program, emphasizing all four segments equally will reap the most benefits, but the backbone of the program is the management portion. Utility optimization through CMOM programming aims to be adaptable, changeable, and frequently updated, moving away from the traditional long-interval master plans. Therefore, it is difficult to implement a CMOM program without reviewing the internal components of managing a collection system – things like organizational structure and staffing, training and budgeting. An effective management system helps ensure the operations and maintenance portions of the program can fully be addressed. 

Collection system operation also supports review, standardization, and transcription of activities and procedures within a department. Proper documentation allows for increased accessibility and accountability with a collection system’s organization. Operators and administrators thus identify and reflect best practices and ensure processes are kept consistent. This information, time and again, proves valuable in the event of an emergency. 

The EPA notes some of these responsibilities may include “monitoring discharges into the collections system for individual users; monitoring to determine the effects of sanitary sewer overflows on receiving waters; and recording any sampling that is done, according to the Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collections Systems. Other operational activities include safety procedures and emergency preparedness and response programs. The EPA guide also lists modeling and mapping under the operations umbrella. New technologies, like tracking with flow rate monitors, are making it easier to create and structure managerial and operational tasks and even automate some maintenance activities. 

Operation and maintenance are often grouped together because their activities are so interrelated. The goal is to keep maintenance planned, as opposed to unplanned. Efficient assets have a longer useful life and reduce the likelihood of failure, decreasing emergency response costs. Like other aspects of a CMOM program, establishing written protocols helps standardize procedures and provides data that can be analyzed for patterns and trends. 

Ensuring pipelines are prepared to carry the necessary capacity is a complex task. The capacity of a collection systems relies on a number of variables, including the population being served, total system size, and location of house lateral lines. A routine evaluation of capacity can be coordinated in conjunction with the other operations and maintenance activities to round out a CMOM program. Determining capacity requires both testing and inspecting, which largely focus on finding sources of inflow and infiltration (I&I). I&I is a significant contributor to SSOs and CSOs during wet-weather events. Inspections are moving away from confined-space entry methods for the safety of inspection personnel, instead opting for qualitative testing and methods that utilize CCTV inspection technology and collect comprehensive data. Rehabilitation programs are also essential to CMOM and the goals of avoiding emergency situations and staying preventive and predictive. 

Implementing a CMOM program is not an easy task. It is both comprehensive and complex but worth the investment of time and resources because the benefits can be felt in both the short and the long term. In the pursuit of increasing efficiency, a CMOM program helps collection system owners and operators identify where the system and the organization as a whole are thriving and what areas need improvement. 

Thankfully, the bulk of the work in putting together a CMOM program is to codify and fine-tune existing processes within a collection system. The EPA and other government sources have released numerous resources to assist owners and operators in putting a CMOM program into action.  

2019 Municipal Budget Act Checklist

MUNICIPAL BUDGET ACT ANNUAL CHECKLIST 

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

•  Before June 1st – Budget Prepared by CEO & Presented to the Governing Body [11 O.S. §17-205]

•  Before June 16th – Public Hearing [11 O.S. § 17-208]

• Publish Notice of Date, Time, & Place of the Hearing and the Budget Summary at Least 5 Days Before the Public Hearing [11 O.S. §17-208]

• Published on the Municipal Website & in a Newspaper of General Circulation [11 O.S. §17-208]

• Copies of the Budget Available with the Municipal Clerk [11 O.S. §17-208]

• Before June 24th – Adopt the Budget by Resolution [11 O.S. §17-209(A)]

• July 1st – Beginning of the Fiscal Year

• July 30th – Adopted Budget Transmitted to the State Auditor [11 O.S. §17-209(B)]

 BUDGET BY FUNDS & DEPARTMENTS

• Does Not Apply to Budgeting by Purpose [11 O.S. §17-217-218]

• Includes a Budget Summary [11 O.S. §17-206(B)(1)]

• Includes a Budget Message – Explains the Budget and its Important Features [11 O.S. §17-206(B)(2)]

• Tabular Form for Each Fund, Itemized by Department & Account Showing:

• Actual Revenues & Expenditures for the Immediate Prior Fiscal Year [11 O.S. §17-206(B)(4)(a)]

• Revenues & Expenditures for the Current Fiscal Year as Adopted or Amended [11 O.S. §17-206(B)(4)(b)]

• Estimates of Revenues & Expenditures for the Budget Year [11 O.S. §17-206(B)(4)(c)]

 IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS OF THE BUDGET

• Resolution That the Governing Body Elects to Come Under the Provisions of the Municipal Budget Act [11 O.S. §17-203]

• Budgeted Expenditures Cannot Exceed the Estimated Revenues [11 O.S. §17-206(C) & 11 O.S. §17-209(A)]

• No More Than 10% of any Fund can be Budgeted for Miscellaneous Expenses [11 O.S. §17-206(C)]

• Expenditures Cannot Exceed 90% of Appropriations for Any Fund Until Actual Revenues Equal to Estimate are Received [11 O.S. §17-211(B)(2)]

• Determine Needs of the Municipality for Sinking Fund Purposes & Include Those Requirements in the Debt Service Fund Budget [11 O.S. §17-207]

• File the Estimate of Needs with the County Excise Board (11 O.S. §17-209(B))

• Budget Shall Present a Complete Financial Plan (Past & Anticipated Revenues & Expenditures) [11 O.S. §17-206(A)]

 FISCAL YEAR REVIEW

• Submit All Contracts That Require Annual Approval

• Submit Annual Contract Renewals for Approval

• Determine if Sales Tax Pledges Need to be Renewed or Appropriated

 BUDGET AMENDMENTS/TRANSFER OF FUNDS

• CEO as Authorized by the Governing Body May Transfer Unexpected/Unencumbered Appropriations from One Department to Another Within the Same Fund (so Long as no Appropriation for Debt Service or Other Appropriation Required by Law or Ordinance is Reduced by Minimums Required) [11 O.S. §17-215(A)]

• Governing Body May Transfer Enterprise Funds to Another Fund [11 O.S. §17-215(B)]

• Governing Body May Transfer Funds When the Necessity for Maintaining a Fund Has Ceased [11 O.S. §17-215(C)]

• Budget Amendments Must be:

  • Adopted by the Governing Body [11 O.S. §17-216(A)]

  • Filed with the Municipal Clerk & the State Auditor [11 O.S. §17-216(C)]

  • Used for Revenues Received or Not to be Received [11 O.S. §17-216(B)]

  • Used for Unexpended or Unencumbered Fund Balances at the End of the Fiscal Year [11 O.S. §17-216(B)]

  • Used if Insufficient Revenues or Emergency Expenditures to Transfer Funds [11 O.S. §17-216(B)]

  • Also Used to Reduce Appropriations [11 O.S. §17-216(B)]

 CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS

• Ensure Taxes Are Being Levied & Collected for Public Purposes Only [Art. X, Okla Const. §14]

• Ensure Taxes Levied & Collected for One Purpose Are Not Devoted to Another Purpose [Art. X, Okla Const., §19]

• Ensure No Appropriations for any Corporation, Association or Individual (No Appropriations for Private Enterprises) [Art. X, Okla Const. §17]

• Ensure Not Pledging or Loaning its Credit to Any Individual, Corporation, or Association [Art. X, Okla Const. §15]

 REMINDERS

• Taxpayer May File Protest Against the Levy of Ad Valorem Taxes Within 15 Days  [11 O.S. §17-210]

• If No Protest is Filed, the Budget & Any Appropriations Thereof Are Legal & Final Unless Amended by the Governing Body [11 O.S. §17-210]

• Expenditures Incurred, Made, or Authorized Which Exceeds the Fund Balance [11 O.S. §17-211(C)]:

  • Becomes the Obligation of the Officer or Employee

  • Is Not Enforceable Against the Municipality

  • Forfeits Their Office

  • Subject to Civil & Criminal Penalties

  • Expenditure is Void

  • Budget as Appropriated Constitutes an Appropriation for Each Fund [11 O.S. §17-209(C)]

March 2019 Risk & Safety Newsletter

Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness

Spring has long been the time of year for annual cleaning projects around homes and offices. However, when it comes to safe food handling, everything that comes in contact with food must be kept clean all year long.

Food that is mishandled or not stored properly can lead to foodborne illness. Follow a “Be Food Safe” policy. Being food safe means preventing foodborne illness by following four easy steps:

1. Clean – wash your hands and surfaces often and disinfect with food-safe Clorox wipes or Lysol.

2. Separate – don’t cross contaminate. Keep food covered in airtight containers or sealants.

3. Cook – Cook all foods to proper temperatures and don’t let them stay out in the open air too long.

4. Chill – Refrigerate promptly.

Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illness. Even with food safety inspections and monitoring, the consumer’s role is to make sure food is handled safely after it is purchased. Everything that touches food should be clean. Here are some suggested steps to take to help prevent foodborne illnesses:

• Wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds

  • Before and after handling food

  • After using the bathroom

  • After changing a diaper

  • After handling pets

  • After tending to a sick person

  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

  • After handling uncooked eggs, meat, fruits and vegetables

If your hands have any kind of skin abrasion or infection, always use clean disposable gloves. Thoroughly wash with hot soapy water any surfaces that have been in contact with raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs. Use disposable paper towels to clean surfaces, not dishcloths or sponges. Spray or wipe surfaces with disinfectant after cleaning them.

Keep cutting boards clean, wash them with hot soapy water after each use, and then rinse and let air dry. Don’t use the same platter or utensils that held raw meat to serve the cooked product. When using a food thermometer always thoroughly wash it after each use with hot soapy water. Remember to keep pets, household cleaners, and other chemicals away from food and food preparatory stations. Keep refrigerators clean and sanitized; remove old food frequently. When eating out, eat at reputable restaurants and establishments. Avoid eating foods openly exposed in convenience stores like hotdogs, sausages, and taquitos – there are lots of germs floating around in those places.

Taking some time to “be food safe” could keep you and your co-workers or family from experiencing a very uncomfortable foodborne illness. Bon Appetit!

Bloodborne Pathogens - Protecting Workers

Every year municipalities, just like any other business, must train their employees about bloodborne pathogens. The following information can assist you in keeping your employees from contracting a bloodborne illness.

Bloodborne pathogens are infectious micro-organisms in human blood that include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. The can infect a healthy body through contact with blood and other body fluids, secretions, and excretions (except sweat). In many cases, contact with infected fluids happens via used needles or other contaminated sharp objects that have not been properly disposed of or properly cleaned and disinfected.

Exposure Control Plan

All organizations where employees could be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) must follow the bloodborne pathogens standard. Employers are responsible for determining which jobs, tasks, and procedures involve an occupational exposure. According to OSHA standards, occupational exposure is a “reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or OPIM that may result from performance of an employee’s duties.” If your workplace carries a risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, you are required to develop an exposure control plan to minimize or eliminate occupational exposures. Start by identifying all the hazards workers may be exposed to. This exposure determination needs to contain a list of jobs with potential exposure and list of procedures that could result in worker exposure. Based on this determination, you should design and implement adequate safety controls using training, providing PPE, and administrative or engineering controls.

Implementing Controls

Elimination of hazards is not feasible in some workplaces. In these situations, it is important to follow basic controls. These controls can include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Use “universal precautions”; treat all blood or OPIMs as if they were infected.

• Implement safe practice controls; update and redesign them as needed.

• Practice safe decontamination; thoroughly wash and disinfect.

• Provide personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, and specialized clothing if needed. Remember employers are responsible for repairing or replacing PPE when required.

• Implement engineering controls such as sharps disposal containers or needleless systems.

• Ensure that hepatitis B immunizations are available to all workers, that they have been properly trained and understand how they could be exposed, that they know how to protect themselves from exposure, and that they know what to do if they have potentially been exposed.

• Use warning labels and signs on containers and in areas where contaminated materials may be stored.

• Keep and update worker medical and training records regularly.

• Keep and update a sharps injury log.

Other Employer Responsibilities

After any exposure incident, arrange for a post-exposure medical evaluation and make it available to affected workers. Document the reasons for exposure and test the source individual (the person whose blood or body fluids contacted the worker) for hepatitis B or hepatitis C or HIV infections. Employers are also responsible for offering the exposed worker post-exposure prophylaxis and counseling.

The municipal exposure control plan must be reviewed and updated annually to reflect any workplace changes that might affect safe work procedures. Employers should also make changes to engineering and practice controls based on input from workers.

Workers must receive regular training that covers all aspects of the exposure control plan including who to report incidents to and how to decontaminate after a potential exposure. All new hires must be trained concerning how they could be exposed in their work environment and what to do if they think they have been exposed.

Although engineering controls are the primary method of reducing exposure, behavioral training also aims to achieve this goal by changing how workers perform tasks. When providing training, consider a program that deals with the human factors. This will increase employee self-awareness and help workers see how situations like fatigue and complacency may put them, their co-workers, or families at greater risk of contracting an illness from a bloodborne pathogen. Safety needs to be addressed from all possible angles to provide workers with the best protection available.

Airborne Diseases

You can catch some diseases simply by breathing. These are called airborne diseases. Airborne diseases can spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, laughs, or even talks, spewing nasal and throat secretions into the air in particles of moisture. These particles take flight and land on people or surfaces, contaminating them. When you breathe airborne organisms in, they take up residence inside you. You also can pick up viruses or bacteria when you touch an infected surface and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Because these diseases travel in the air, they are hard to control.

Some of the airborne diseases contracted by millions of people each year are: The Common Cold, Influenza, Chickenpox, Mumps, Measles, Whooping Cough, Tuberculosis, and Diphtheria.

Treatment for Common Airborne Diseases

For most airborne diseases the best treatment is getting plenty of rest and fluids and letting the illness run its course. Some diseases like chickenpox have no targeted treatment, but medications and other supportive care can help relieve symptoms.

Some, such as flu, can be treated with antiviral drugs. Treatment for infants with whooping cough can include antibiotics, but hospitalization is often needed. There are drugs to treat and cure tuberculosis, although some strains of TB are drug resistant. Failure to complete a course of medication can lead to drug resistance and a return of the illness. If caught early enough diphtheria can be successfully treated with antitoxins and antibiotics.

With our world being so easily accessed today with air travel, airborne disease can potentially affect everyone in a brief period of time. Diseases are spread easily in close quarters such as airplanes, schools, malls, and church gatherings. Take precautions: get plenty of rest, exercise, keep your immune system up by using supplemental vitamins, and avoid large populated areas when there is a known outbreak of disease. If you become ill, take some time off from work so you don’t spread the illness.