Distracted Driving

We’re all guilty of doing it. We lead busy lives, and it seems like a good portion of it is spent in our cars. So, we’ve learned to adapt by “multitasking” behind the wheel. We eat breakfast while driving to the office. We eat our lunch while running errands during our lunch break. We are constantly scanning through the radio stations trying to find a good song while driving through traffic. Those of us with kids may be opening yogurt pouches or packages of crackers. And those of us with fur babies may be yelling at them to get off our lap or stop barking. And many of us are doing any of the above-mentioned activities while also having a Zoom meeting. Does any of this sound familiar? No one can see you right now so it’s okay to raise your hand if you’ve done any of those things. Just know that you’re not alone because yours truly has done every single one of those things while driving. Eek!

Distracted driving isn’t just driving while making a phone call or texting. It occurs anytime the driver does not have their full attention on the road while operating a vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2021, there were 3,522 people killed because of distracted drivers. That number is up by 380 compared to 2020. Yikes. Did that make you grimace a bit? It certainly made me take pause. That’s 3,522 humans that had friends and families and maybe even fur babies too. They had a life and then it was gone because someone was too busy doing something else besides driving. I’m not proud of my past choices and I’m grateful that I didn’t contribute to that statistic. In safety, we always talk about risky behaviors and their consequences. Just because no one was hurt when I was looking up my favorite podcast while driving, that doesn’t mean that I’ve been driving safely. It just means that I got lucky. But today, I’m making a change to be more aware of the dangers of distracted driving and so I’m pledging right now to drive phone-free. I’m doing it because I’m a mom of an awesome 6-year-old boy and a sweet 8-year-old doggo. I’m also doing it because it’s the right thing to do to protect other people. I encourage everyone reading this message to think about their “WHY” and make a commitment to drive phone-free too.

National Ladder Safety Month

Almost everyone homeowner has one stashed away in their house or garage. Even if you’re not a “handy” person, you probably have a 2- or a 3-stepladder at home. I’m not “handy” AT ALL, and I have all three ladders at home. Don’t ask. 🤦🏽‍♀️ But have you ever received training to use it? Though it’s one of the most common devices found in the home and the workplace, most people have never received training in the proper use of a ladder.

Falls from ladders are one of the most common incidents at home and the workplace. It kinda makes sense after what I just told y’all, right? From Mar 2021 – Mar 2024, OSHA investigated 237 accidents involving a fall from a ladder that resulted in either a catastrophe or a fatality. I should mention that almost half of those accidents (122) resulted in a fatality. There are a whole bunch more statistics that I could quote here but, the point here is, that people are seriously injured or die from a ladder. But, those injuries can be prevented with proper training, which should also include how to choose the right ladder for the job. 

Keep safety front of mind. Join Colorado Safety Services in celebrating #LadderSafetyMonth this March – the only movement dedicated exclusively to the promotion of ladder safety, at home and at work.

Is your company providing proper ladder safety training? 76% of surveyed individuals felt that ladder accidents in the workplace could have been avoided with proper training. Learn more about how [company name] is putting people first by participating with us for #LadderSafetyMonth: https://bit.ly/3kbqwW8. You can also visit OSHA’s webpage to download the Ladder QuickCard—it’s available in both English and Spanish.

Stay safe y’all!

Meet Shelley

Who am I?

To my son, Mom. To my dog, the lady who gives me belly rubs and yummy treats. :)

I'm just like you. I hard all day and then pick up my son from school, drive him to hockey and baseball practice and then try to squeeze in time to get the dog out for her walk. I cook and clean. I care for my family, my community, and I care for my clients and their employees. I’ve been hurt on the job and at home so I know how painful it is when you can't take care of yourself and your family.

What do I do?

I work closely with employers - and their employees - to establish trust and credibility. I help businesses with environmental and safety needs and identify where they have workplace safety and environmental risks, and I work with everyone to reduce those risks. Risks can mean a number of things, from slips, trips and falls, to chemical exposure, leaks or spills - even hazardous waste.

Working with employees, as well as employers, helps everyone to feel empowered to bring serious issues straight to management in order to stay safe and compliant, which makes them feel more ownership in what they are working on.