Cardiovascular Disease
Published 2.7.2022
February is the month that is dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular disease and this week we are committed to educating ourselves about the prevention of this disease and how we can get on track to better heart health. Let’s first talk about some important facts about cardiovascular disease.
ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC):
- Every 39 seconds, an adult dies from a cardiovascular disease such as a heart attack or a stroke.
- Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of more than 800,000 adults every year. From that total, about 19% of those are adults under the age of 65.
- Approximately, 900k+ Americans will have a heart attack in a year.
- Approximately 600k+ of the predicted statistic, will be the individuals' first heart attack.
WARNING SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Upper body pain/discomfort along the arms, back, neck, jaw, and upper stomach
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats
Many sudden cardiac deaths occur outside of a hospital; this suggests that many people with heart disease are uncertain of how to navigate or recognize the early warning signs. Acting early can reduce these unsettling statistics. Most recognize chest pain as a symptom of a heart attack but knowing all the major symptoms and knowing to call 9-1-1 when someone is experiencing a heart attack is what saves lives.
Heart attack and strokes are life-or-death emergencies; every second counts. Not all these signs occur in every heart attack or stroke, some go away and never return. Today, heart attack and stroke victims can benefit from new medications and treatments unavailable to patients in years past. For example, clot-busting drugs can stop some heart attacks and strokes in progress; reducing disability and saving lives. For the medication to be effective, these drugs must be given relatively quickly after heart attack and/or stroke symptoms first appear.
REMEMBER THIS!
IT ONLY TAKES SIX MINUTES OF BLOOD LOSS TO THE HUMAN BRAIN FOR BRAIN DAMAGE TO OCCUR. AFTER 10 MINUTES, IRREPARABLE DAMAGE BEGINS TO OCCUR. DON'T DELAY, GET HELP RIGHT AWAY!
Commitment To A Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
Published 2.14.2022
So why does coronary heart disease & stroke rank as the No. 1 & No. 3 killers of Americans? One reason is undeniably a lack of commitment to a heart-healthy lifestyle. Your lifestyle is not only your best defense against heart disease & stroke, but also your
responsibility. Last week we talked about some of the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and strokes, this week we are going to discuss the prevention of cardiovascular disease. About half of Americans have at least one of the three key risk factors for heart disease. But what are they? High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), and smoking.
Other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, which are:
- Diabetes
- Overweight and obesity
- Poor diet
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol
So after some of this staggering data, where's the silver lining? How do you protect yourself or your loved ones? Well, I do have good news for you! Here are 6 ways you can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Consult a doctor: follow their instructions and stay on your medications.
- Limit alcohol intake: drinking too much alcohol raises your blood pressure.
- Eat a healthy diet that is low in salt, low in total fats, and full of fruits and vegetables.
- Take a brisk 10-30 minute walk, five days a week.
- Decrease and eradicate any smoking habits you may have.
- Lastly, creating a stress management system. Scientists have noted a cause-and-effect relationship between coronary heart disease and stress in a person's life that may affect the risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
REMEMBER THIS!
TAKE ACTION TODAY TO PROMOTE A POSITIVE, HEALTHY HEART LIFESTYLE.
Knowing What To Do In An Emergency
Published 2.21.2022
When dealing with workplace safety, most of our focus is given to preventing injuries and incidents. While being proactive in preventing negative events from occurring is critical to an effective safety program, we also need to spend time to discuss what to do in different emergency situations if one does occur. Nobody wants to think of something bad happening at work, but when it does occur you need to be prepared for it.
There are many different kinds of emergency situations that can occur in a workplace. Depending on factors such as the type of work being performed, jobsite setup, the geographical area the office or warehouse may be located in, etc. will impact what kind of emergencies could occur. Some common types of emergency situations that should be considered when discussing emergency response include the following,
- Medical emergencies such as heart attacks or strokes.
- Caught-in or between moving equipment.
- Electrical-related incidents.
- Fires and weather-related disasters.
Every emergency will have a completely different response, so a few reminders to consider when discussing emergency response in the workplace:
- Before helping a victim of an incident or before assisting in an emergency, always ensure it is safe for you to do so. Sometimes the best plan is just to get to safety. An event such as a failed confined space rescue resulting in multiple fatalities is an example of making a bad situation worse by trying to help.
- Rushing or making poor choices when dealing with an emergency can result in more victims or create a worse situation in general.
- Understand our policies and procedures regarding specific weather emergencies.
- Know where emergency meeting points are on your worksite. Also, be familiar with the address of where you're at on a jobsite or for your workplace. If you have to call 911, one of the first questions that will be asked is "Where are you located?"
- Know the signs and symptoms of common medical emergencies or medical emergencies that can occur in your workplace. Knowing what to look for can make the difference in whether someone gets the medical attention they need or not.
REMEMBER THIS!
KNOWING WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS KNOWING HOW TO PREVENT THEM FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. ALL TOO OFTEN BAD SITUATIONS ARE MADE WORSE WHEN ARE ILL-PREPARED FOR THE BAD THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN - WHETHER THAT IS AT WORK OR HOME.
Ensuring Employee Safety
Published 2.28.2022
At Hudson Bay Insulation, we rely on all of our employees to work as teams to complete our projects, and without teamwork we would not be able to accomplish any of our tasks. If you look across our company, the very fabric of Hudson Bay is very diverse, we are comprised of different trades, races, genders, religions, etc. We feel that the diversity we have throughout our organization is one of the many things that has made us great for so many years.
Many lives have been badly affected by sexual harassment, bullying and other forms of harassment. Harassment is also a safety issue, because a distressed worker may be unable to concentrate on the job and stay alert to hazards. Harassment can also lead to workplace violence. Therefore, it is expected that all HBI employees know and understand that we are committed to providing a professional work environment that maintains employee equality, dignity, and respect.
In keeping with this commitment, Hudson Bay strictly prohibits discrimination or harassment that is sexual in nature and/or discrimination or harassment that is based upon race, color, national origin, religion/creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability or any other basis protected by local, state and federal laws. All discrimination or harassment whether verbal, physical or environmental is unacceptable and will not be tolerated whether it occurs in the workplace or at outside work-sponsored activities. Persons engaging in such discrimination or harassment will be subject to appropriate corrective action up to and including termination.
Any employee, or other person associated with Hudson Bay Insulation in any capacity, who is aware of any instance of discrimination or harassment should report the matter IMMEDIATELY to Human Resources. All complaints will be investigated immediately and upon completion of the investigation, the appropriate parties will be notified of the findings. Any supervisor, employee or other individual affiliated with Hudson Bay Insulation who has been found to have harassed another individual will be subject to appropriate corrective action up to and including termination. No person submitting a complaint or report in good faith, or participating in an investigation, regarding discrimination or harassment will suffer retaliation. It is the Company’s policy to encourage the reporting of all perceived incidents of harassment regardless of the position of the alleged offender. All information regarding complaints under this policy will be kept in confidence to the greatest extent practical and appropriate under the circumstances.
