The Right Way to Lift

Back injuries cost American industries 10 to 14 billion dollars a year in worker compensations and about 100 million lost work days annually according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH.) If you have a healthy lifestyle that includes the following you can help maintain a healthy back.

«     Attention to posture

«     Conditioning and body mechanics

«     Avoiding obesity

«     Smoking

«     Minimizing emotional stress

Diane W. Braza MD. Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Medical College of Wisconsin says that if you have proper posture, conditioning and body mechanics will help lead to healthier back and limit back injuries. She also states that up to 80% of Americans suffer back pain at some point in their lives. The cause of 90% of back pain is caused by strains or sprains of back muscles, ligaments or soft tissues. The remaining 10% of back pain is caused by more serious conditions like degenerative disk disease or herniated disks in the spine. All the cases mentions above can be prevented or treated by using her three key components in preventing back injuries.

Posture

Proper posture is very important whether you are standing, sitting or sleeping. A good technique to help with proper posture is holding in the belly to keep it from protruding and putting excess stress on the spine. Over time poor posture can lead to a weakened spine and abdominal muscles that can contribute to back pain and injuries.

Conditioning

Conditioning of the body and cardiovascular system with aerobic exercise as well as strengthening and stretching out the muscles. Some studies have shown that smoking can contribute to back injuries. Swimming, walking, and short distance running is a great way to help condition your body. These exercises can also help increase the blood flow to your spine which will help reduce the risk of back injuries.

Body Mechanics

Body mechanics refer to the way we use our body. These mechanics include lifting, bending and stretching. Anytime that we are lifting we need to think of how we are lifting an item before we lift it. Remember to always to lift with your knees and keep that item close to you as you lift it up. If the item is too heavy ask for help. Make sure that you pace yourself while you are at work. Make sure that you take your breaks. This will help your back relax so that you do not strain it. When standing you want to vary the position of your body.

Here are some key techniques to remember to help prevent back injuries.

«     Keep you back as straight as possible and maintain proper posture when lifting an object

«     Bend with your knees and hips not at the back or waist

«     Pivot the hips and not the back

«     If possible lift from an area that is waist high

«     Never reach above your head to lift an object use a step ladder.

Pete Munoz - Manager of the Year

I wanted to share with everyone that Pete Munoz, our account manager at the Ventura Beach Marriott was selected as Minuteman Parking Company’s manager of the year for 2008 at our annual managers meeting this January.

Pete started as a valet in 1999 and worked his way up thru the ranks at different locations before becoming an account manager in Sherman Oaks and now Ventura. Pete has been at Ventura for the past two years in the manager’s role overseeing the self parking and valet operations.

Some factors contributing to Pete’s selection were his excellent scores with internal audits, annual performance review, claims ($0 paid claims in 2008), lunch compliance policy and revenue vs. payroll targets for his location.

Pete has done a great job this past year and has become an integral part of the Ventura Beach Marriott’s Management team with his willingness to help out the hotel in any way. Pete lives the spirit of “WOW” and delivers on our mission every day.

For Pete’s efforts he was presented with a 42” Sony Bravia HD TV by Chris Fox, President of Minuteman Parking Company at the conclusion of our Managers meeting this year at the Ventura Beach Marriott.

Congratulations on an outstanding job this past year Pete! Let’s keep the “WOW” going at Ventura Beach!

What Do We Do? Chris Just Stopped Breathing!

Fast action is critical when someone stops breathing. Minutes after someone stops breathing they can suffer brain damage or die. If someone stops breathing at your location do you know who to contact? Can you make the call quickly for help? Make sure the help comes to the victim. Moving a victim can cause more injuries if you are not properly trained on how to move someone.  So remember never move the victim.

When a guests, patient or fellow team member stops breathing we want to react quickly. These situations can be stressful but we want you to be prepared on what can happen while you are at work. Here are some steps to help you in case someone stops breathing while at work. Here are some helpful steps for you in case someone at your location stops breathing.

• You want to make sure that it is safe to approach the victim.
• Knell beside the person, tap him/her and shout “Are you Okay?”
• Shake the person gently to determine consciousness
• Check to see if there is possibility of neck or back injury
• Call for help or have someone in the area call for medical aid and to bring a pocket mouth-to-mouth resuscitation device if there is one available in your first aid kit.
• After calling to the victim and shaking the victim and they still do not respond. You want to check for breathing by:
  • Looking to see if his/her chest is rising and falling without assistance
  • Putting your ear to the person’s mouth and nose to listen and feel for breathing.

If the victim is not breathing and there is no one trained in CPR around. You should:

• Lay the victim on his/her back.
• Loosen the clothing around the victim’s neck.
• Check that nothing is blocking the mouth or throat.
• Tilt the victim’s mouth open with your thumb.
• Pinch the victim’s nose and cover his/her mouth with yours. Try to make a leak proof seal.
• Use a disposable pocket mouth-to-mouth resuscitation device, if available.
• Blow into the victim’s mouth once every 5 seconds (every 3 second for a child.)
• Repeat until you see the victim’s chest rise and fall, and see or feel breathing form his/her mouth.
• Remover your mouth and let the victim exhale.
• Blow into the victim’s mouth several more times until he/she is able to breathe unaided.

You never know when a situation like this might happen and Minuteman Parking Company wants you to be prepared. If you have taken a CPR class please inform your manager that you can assist in an emergency situation if one arises. If you have not been trained in CPR the Red Cross and other similar agencies regularly offer CPR course. But remember your safety comes first. So make sure that you are protected before you enter any emergency situation.