Tag Archives: Safety

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA VI

Fire & Life Safety Education, Life Saving Education, Safety, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , ,

Hello Readers! It has been a while since I had posted my last blog. Sometimes Life throws you into a vortex and it takes time for you to come out of it. March was hectic with the training schedules and travel, April gave me a scare and a shock. Scare on the account of an unexpected health issue, which was immediately followed by the shock of the untimely passing away of my mentor Mr. Jayasheel Adapa, on whom I had written my blogs “Innovate or Evaporate” in 2 parts in 2020. Jayasheel Adapa is the younger brother of our main character Jaggy aka Mr. Jagadish Adapa. Both the incidents had their effect on me and the recovery process took its own time.

The other challenge I was grappling with was the eternal question -what to write? After serious contemplation, I decided to continue with my series “My India -Safe India” for this and the next post; and then move on to another topic.

Maggie and Jaggy continue their conversation on OUR AIM – ZERO HARM.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy! Long time, no see.”

Jaggy: “Yes Maggie, had been busy in March and had a tough April.”

Maggie: “Tough month of April!!!! What happened?”

Jaggy: “The first month of the new financial year is always tough. New plans, new targets and the annual conference.”  

Maggie: “Yes, it is always tough.”  

Maggie: “Jaggy, Now that we have met, can I ask you something?”

Jaggy: “Go right ahead. You don’t need my permission.”

Maggie: “Last time we had discussed the theme for the National Safety Week which was “Our Aim- Zero Harm”. How do we achieve that?”

Jaggy: “There are 2 ways in which we can do that. (1). TBT and (2). Gemba Walk.”

Maggie: “TBT and Gemba Walk? I am just perplexed.”

Jaggy: “These are jargons used by safety professionals all over the world. TBT stands for ‘Tool Box Talk’. Gemba walk is a Japanese concept called ‘Safety walk.’”

Maggie: “Can you explain both of them, in your ‘unique’ style?”

Jaggy: “Let start with the Tool Box Talk (TBT). A TBT is an informal safety meeting that is a part of the organization’s safety culture. It is a meeting which is conducted just before the starting of a job or a shift in a work place like a factory or site.”

Maggie: “Oh I see! What do they discuss in the TBT?”

Jaggy: “The discussion revolves round the work or task for the day, followed by the HIRA to be done and of course the reporting and analysis of any incidents the previous day. Sometimes it is just a topic on safety.”

Maggie: “Hey, that is another acronym that you just tossed into the mix: HIRA. Now, what is this one?”

Jaggy: “HIRA is Hazard Identification Risk Assessment. Do you not remember?”   

Maggie: “Sorry Jaggy! It slipped out of my mind. How long do these meetings last?”

Jaggy: “The meetings are brief, lasting not more than 30 minutes. They may go on for even longer if there were any incidents.”

Maggie: “What is achieved in the TBT?”

Jaggy: “A reminder about keeping the work place safe, not taking any undue risks, stopping the work if there are unsafe conditions etc.”

“The objective is to ensure the work planned is done without any harm to anyone. Our AIM- Zero HARM.”

Maggie: “Who conducts and leads the talks?”

Jaggy: “Good question. Usually the Safety executives lead it but anyone can lead the talks. Visualize the huddle in football or hockey or cricket or before any game starts. In the huddle, any player can give a pep talk.”

Maggie: “What if there are no incidents or accidents to discuss?”

Jaggy: “The meeting is used for a pep talk on safety, sharing safety practices observed or even any news of incidents or accidents elsewhere.”

Maggie: “Tool Box Talk seems to be an excellent way to start the day at work. Do different work places have different names for TBT?”

Jaggy: “Yes, though the nomenclature differs. They are called Safety talks or Morning Safety Meeting or something catchy which people love.”

Maggie: “Thank you Jaggy. You said something called Gemba Walk. What is that?”

Jaggy: “Gemba Walk is a walkthrough done by the safety executives when the actual work is being done.”

Maggie: “Can you elaborate?”

Jaggy: “Not today, Maggie. Too much of information is difficult to absorb for anyone.”

Maggie: “Ok. Take care of yourself.”

Jaggy: “You too stay safe and be safe.”

A Tool Box Talk is a good way to start the day. People and organizations who believe in safety as a Core Value treat these talks with a lot of respect and seriousness. It is never too late to have TBT or safety talks in your work places. Let us make it a habit as habits always tend to remain with us for a long time.

Keep reading, keep enjoying life. More in my upcoming blogs.

Live Life – Save Life!

Seshadri Varadarajan.  

MY INDIA – SAFE INDIA V

Life Saving Education, Safety, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , , , ,

The 4th of March is celebrated as National Safety Day across India. It was on this day 52 years ago the National Safety Council was established and the day is celebrated as National Safety day. Almost all the industries and establishments across India celebrate the entire week. Competitions are conducted on safety in different ways like making posters, writing slogans, and of course the safety pledge is administered. Every year there is a theme which is given and this year the theme is OUR AIM – ZERO HARM. Coincidentally it was the same Maggie and Jaggy were discussing. Zero Incidents. In this conversation they will discuss the theme of the National Safety day. Let us follow the conversation.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy trust you are on top of the world.”

Jaggy: “Yes Maggie. The month of March is a busy one for all trainers in Emergency Response.”  

Maggie: “Why March only?”  

Jaggy: “March being safety month that’s why.”

Maggie: “Yes you are correct. We are celebrating Safety week.” 

Jaggy: “That is great Maggie.” 

Maggie: “The theme of the Safety day OUR AIM- ZERO HARM, I just could not fathom the meaning behind it.”  

Jaggy: “The theme is quite simple. It matches with the zero accidents theme your workplace has taken up.”  

Maggie: “Oh! A great coincidence but how?”

Jaggy: “The message is very clear. It says we will aim to create a culture, or habits that will not cause harm to anything in the world what we live in.”  

Maggie: “I don’t quite follow you.”  

Jaggy: “When we say no harm to anything it means, People, Environment and Property.”  

Maggie: “I can understand harm to people and environment but property?”

Jaggy: “Yes property too. There are many things and equipment which help us in day to day life. They too must not be damaged is it not?”

Maggie: “But use of these things can cause harm to our health also.”

Jaggy: “Yes to an extent. Only when you use the things without any control. The theme says that too. Limit use of devices that can harm your health.”  

Maggie: “Now I understand. So what should one do, to achieve the aim no harm.”

Jaggy: “To do so first and foremost, one needs to follow safety rules at all times. No violation is permitted. Second, ensure housekeeping is perfect whether at home or the work place. Third, ensure the environment around you is clean and not harmful. Fourth, ensure safety becomes an attitude with everyone around you.”  

Maggie: “Will it help?”

Jaggy: “Yes, as long as you reiterate to everyone around you. Set a standard and then everything falls into place.”

Maggie: “Ok. Does no harm involve animals and plants too?”

Jaggy: “Definitely! When harm is caused to the environment it affects them too.”  

Maggie: “Can you explain better?”

Jaggy: “In this world of ours, there are 80 million living species. If all the earth worms of the world, become extinct the world, will be wiped out in 13 years. If all the insects, become extinct the world, will end in 3 to 5 years.”  

Maggie: “Oh! What if humans become Extinct?”

Jaggy: “If you ask me, the world, will simply be better than what it was before. Everything has a place in this universe by design. When the design is disturbed, then the balance collapses. Same with safety. It is upon us to ensure the design is not disturbed. Our Aim- Zero Harm.”  

Let all my readers wherever you are in the world, the theme of the National Safety day of India holds true. By aiming to cause no harm, safety standards can really be improved. Let us all strive for that.  

Keep the comments flowing, and do not hesitate to correct me if you want to. Always open to suggestions for improvement.

Stay safe and be safe.

Live Life – Save Life.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA IV.

Education, Life Saving Education, Safety, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , , ,

Happy New Year to all my readers and to everyone across the world. Trust all are Safe and living up your life. My resolution for this year is to make it the BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE. I do not know how to do it but will make it happen. I truly appreciate all who have read my last blog on HIRA and expressed their happiness over it. I was overwhelmed with the response I have received for the same. Continuing the conversation, Maggie and Jaggy take it a step forward by discussing about the ‘Incident, Accident and Disaster’. Let us enjoy the conversation.

Maggie: “Happy New Year Jaggy.”

Jaggy: “Wish you too the same Maggie. Trust all is well with you.”

Maggie: “Yes Jaggy, everything is just great and all the conversations with you, have been useful to me.”

Jaggy: “Thanks for the good wishes. The pleasure is always mine.”

Maggie: “One of the resolutions that my organisation has taken for this year is ZERO ACCIDENTS. I was very happy about it but did not know how we are going to achieve it.”

Jaggy: “That’s a great resolution to start the year. It can be achieved if you can minimize the incidents.”

Maggie: “Minimize incidents? Can you clarify the same?”

Jaggy: “Yes Maggie. It is quite simple. Every accident is preceded by an incident. If incidents are avoided, then accidents too can be prevented.”

Maggie: “Can you be more specific?”

Jaggy: “Sure. An incident is any occurrence, situation or happening which can result in injuries or even cause death. In an incident, a person may not necessarily be injured or hurt. In common language, it is termed as a ‘Near Miss’ or ‘Just Miss’.”

Maggie: “Examples please.”

Jaggy: “I will give them once I explain an Accident. An accident is an unexpected event or occurrence, in which a person is either hurt, or in a fatal state. The injury could even be major. For one accident to happen many incidents have to occur.”

Maggie: “You mean to say for one accident to occur we need many incidents to happen. Can you tell me the exact difference?”

Jaggy: “Slipping on a wet floor is an incident, falling is an accident. An object falling near you is an incident, falling on you is an accident. Stopping a vehicle suddenly is an incident, hitting the other vehicle is an accident. There are many examples and you are intelligent enough to understand.”

Maggie: “So how do we prevent accidents?”

Jaggy: “Every accident is preventable if all the incidents are reported. Every incident not reported can turn into an accident.”

Maggie: “You mean to say that even if I slip on a floor, I report it.”

Jaggy: “Yes, as it helps another person avoid falling. It is the old Banana skin on the floor story. There are people who on seeing the skin remove it, and put it in the trash can. Some others see it and just walk by it doing nothing. The attitude of doing nothing after seeing it can result in an accident.”

Maggie: “Now I understand. Our Safety Manager has given us formats to report the same. He calls it a Near Miss report and there are going to be rewards for people who report.”

Jaggy: “Yes exactly. He seems to know his responsibility and may there be many like him in all work places.”

Maggie: “Understood. Then what is a Disaster?”

Jaggy: “A disaster is nothing but the hardships created due to the accidents that occur. It may involve multiple loss of life, or even huge damage to property. That is why the damage caused by natural events like Earthquakes, floods are known as Natural Disasters.”

Maggie: “Oh now I understand.”

Jaggy: “As of now, look out and report the incidents so that accidents can be avoided. It is a responsibility for all.”

Jaggy and Maggie will be continuing to enlighten all of us with their conversations. Keep watching for the updates. As I had said earlier, accidents can be prevented if each one of us act responsibly to report any incidents. Let us aim for ZERO INCIDENTS so that accidents will never occur. Let us make incident or near miss reporting as one of the resolutions of the year.

Stay safe and be safe. Live Life Save Life.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA III.

Life Saving Education, Safety, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , ,

Trust all my readers are safe and happy. It has been sometime since I had last posted. Felt it is time to continue the series of conversations Jaggy and Maggie are having with related to Safety. In this blog too they will be discussing a very crucial element to safety which is Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA). HIRA applies everywhere. Let us understand this through the conversation.

Jaggy: “Hello Maggie!”

Maggie: “Hi! Jaggy. It has been more than a month since we last met.”  

Jaggy: “Yes Maggie. Was busy with my training activities.”

Maggie: “One always needs to be busy. Let us continue the conversation from where we left it.”

Jaggy: “Sure! I had told you that one should do a HIRA which is the foundation of Safety.”  

Maggie: “HIRA! The only HIRA I know is called a Diamond in Hindi.”    

Jaggy: “Spoken like a lady. Of course diamonds are the best friends of ladies. But here HIRA stands for Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment.”  

Maggie: “Phew! Never knew it. Can you explain?”

Jaggy: “Before starting any work, one should always know the Hazards present in the place where we work.”

Maggie: “Can you explain, what is a hazard?”

Jaggy: “To put it simply a Hazard means a Danger.”

Maggie: “I don’t get it.”

Jaggy: “A hazard is any event, situation, environment, activity, substance that can potentially cause an injury or illness to anyone is defined as a hazard by many international standards.”

Maggie: “Now I get it. It is simply a clear and present danger.”  

Jaggy: “Good Maggie now you are understanding definitions too.”

Maggie: “Then what is a Risk?”  

Jaggy: “Risk is a loss, injury, damage or harm caused due to the hazard.”

  • HAZARD
  • RISK

Maggie: “Could you explain in a more easy way please?”

Jaggy: “Knowing there is a danger and playing with it is a Risk.”

Maggie: “Explain with examples please.”         

Jaggy: “Riding a two wheeler on a good road is a hazard, riding without a Helmet is a Risk. LPG Gas cylinder in a home is a hazard, fiddling with it is a Risk. A Batsman facing a fast bowler in Cricket with protection is a hazard, without it is a Risk. Even investing in finance schemes are a risk if you don’t read the offer document carefully.”  

Maggie: “There seem to be hazards everywhere. What should I do?”

Jaggy: “Simple check out the hazard and assess the risk involved while working. Every hazard cannot be a risk at all times.”  

Maggie: “You are saying knowing the hazards and assessing risk will help in reducing injuries and accidents.”   

Jaggy: “Yes. Let me narrate a story to explain the same. In the epic Mahabharatha, the Kauravas presented the Pandavas a palace to live in. The Pandavas were happy to receive it but had the information it could be a trap. When they went into the palace the Pandavas on inspecting the interior of the palace they found it was made of wax a material which is highly flammable. They realised it was a trap to burn them alive. So they dug an underground tunnel and escaped. They had actually done a HIRA and initiated the appropriate control measures.”     

Maggie: “Wow! Glad to know even in those days they did that! But I did not understand, what are Control Measures?”  

Jaggy: “It is a process adopted to take care of the hazards and risk as every hazard can become a Risk at some point of time if not taken care of.”  

Maggie: “Oh I see! Tell me about it in our next conversation.” Jaggy: “It will be a pleasure of mine. Stay Safe and be safe.”  

Hazard identification Risk Assessments help in reducing accidents to a great extent. Safety professionals always live by HIRA. They know that if a HIRA is done properly, damages to property and life loss can be minimised. Problems cannot be eliminated but certainly can be minimised.  When kings and emperors of the yore did that, why not we? Till my next blog, I pledge to remain safe and do my HIRA to keep India Safe.  

Seshadri Varadarajan.  

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA II.

Fire & Life Safety Education, Life Saving Education, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , ,

A million thanks to all my readers of the last blog “My India Safe India”. By giving me an honest and critical feedback, you have motivated me to continue this series of conversations between Jaggy and Maggie.

A lot of things happened since the last blog. Some great memories, some not so good ones and the accidents which have happened all over the world during the month. Maggie and Jaggy will continue their conversation on Safety and in this episode, they will talk about unsafe conditions and unsafe acts. Enjoy the conversation.

Jaggy: “Hello Maggie!”

Maggie: “Hi, Jaggy. Good to see you again.”

Jaggy: “Nice to see you too!”

Maggie: “It was an interesting discussion on Safety and I have taken upon myself to be safe and keep others around me safe.”

Jaggy: “Good to hear that.”

Maggie: “Last time you had told me that I should avoid unsafe acts and unsafe conditions. Can you add more to that, please?”  

Jaggy: “Thanks for reminding me. Accidents happen anywhere due to unsafe conditions and acts.”

Maggie: “Is it so?”

Jaggy: “Yes.”

Maggie: “Can you explain further?””

Jaggy: “An unsafe condition is any situation, environment or place which can cause injury, loss of life or even damage to property.”

Maggie: “Any examples?”

Jaggy: “A water-logged road is an unsafe condition. Work being carried out without proper signs, equipment without guards, defective tools, poor housekeeping and something as simple as a wet floor, either at home or the work place.”

Maggie: “A wet floor in a home is an unsafe condition?”

Jaggy: “Elementary, dear Maggie. You can slip and fall, is it not? Poor lighting too is an unsafe condition.”

Jaggy: “Yeah, Maggie. Accidents many a time occur in the dark.”

  • A BAD ROAD
  • POOR HOUSEKEEPING

Maggie: “Poor lighting?”

Maggie: “Then what are unsafe acts?”

Jaggy: “Any activity you undertake which can cause injury or endanger your life is an unsafe act.”

Maggie: “Could you explain with examples?”

Jaggy: “Driving a vehicle on a water-logged road, ignoring safety signs, working without proper personal protection, rash driving, standing beneath suspended loads, walking in the dark without a light, not wearing seat belts or helmets.”

Maggie: “Wow! So many examples.”

Jaggy: “There are many more but listing them all is not possible.”

Maggie: “Then how do we improve Safety?”

Jaggy: “First thing to be done is to report an unsafe condition as and when we see it. Many don’t do that.”

Maggie: “Don’t we do that?”

Jaggy: “Many just walk past an unsafe condition or an unsafe act. Only a few take action and report it. When you observe anyone doing an unsafe act, ask them to stop it.”

Maggie: “Many use mobile phones while riding 2 wheelers which is an unsafe act. How do I stop it”?

Jaggy: “Sustained awareness campaigns by all of us can produce the results and reduce injuries and death.”

Maggie: “How can one prevent accidents from happening?”

Jaggy: “By doing Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment.”

Maggie: “I do not understand what you said?”

Jaggy: “We will discuss this in our next conversation. Till then, watch out and ‘Stay Safe’.”

We all are, in one way or other, responsible for the accidents which happen everywhere and as a Safety Teacher, I believe that all accidents can be prevented.

Happy reading. Jaggy and Maggie will discuss more on safety in the forthcoming blogs.

Till then,

“Live Life, Save Life”

“Seshadri Varadarajan. 

MY INDIA- SAFE INDIA I.

Life Saving Education, Safety, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , , ,

A HAPPY 75TH INDEPENDENCE DAY TO ALL MY READERS FROM INDIA AND ACROSS THE WORLD.

Independence brings upon us great glory but at the same time, increases responsibility in whatever we do. We have the power in us to reach great heights. The heights reached by independent India have been well documented and known to the entire world. The strides we have made as a Nation are enormous and made us the talk of the world. Euphoria of celebration is in the air all over the country and let us all soak in the moment. India takes pride in how far we have come as a country and Indians have incredible faith in how far we can go. Let us take India to unimaginable heights by just doing a bit more than what we do. But to achieve all this, Safety is paramount. I have been doing my bit for the past 3 years writing on First Aid, Fire Fighting and Rescue, Motivation. As I enter into my 4th year of blogs, I thank each and every one of you for the unstinted support. More than the praise, it was the critical feedback which has helped me improve.

Jaggy and Maggie have created a lot of awareness on various aspects of first aid through their conversations. Most of the readers believe that they should have a lot of conversations. In a fresh series of conversations, they will be discussing a lot of aspects on Safety. Safety is ever evolving and this is my attempt to make India and the world as a whole, a safer place to live in.

Over to Jaggy and Maggie.

Maggie: “HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, JAGGY!”

Jaggy: “Yes. HAPPY 75TH INDEPENDENCE DAY TO YOU TOO!”

Maggie: “75 years and we have grown so much, is it not?”

Jaggy: “We have grown to a large extent and the world knows it.”

Maggie: “We are indeed a great country, Jaggy and I am proud of that.”

Jaggy: “Me too, Maggie, at the same time I want to make it a Safe Country, too.”

“Maggie: Are we not safe in the country? What do you mean?”

Jaggy: “My meaning of a Safe country is to minimize loss of life and injuries everywhere across the country.”

Maggie: “Everywhere?”

Jaggy: “Yes, ‘everywhere’ meaning home, work place, roads, travel, occupational, behaviour, leadership and health.”

Maggie: “I get it, but I have a question. What is Safety?”

Jaggy: “Safety is everything. It is a Culture, which when implemented and imbibed, makes life a lot easier.”

Maggie: “Please explain in simple terms. I don’t want your philosophy.”

Jaggy: “Safety is an easy ABC. Always Be Careful.”

Maggie: “How can we be careful at all times? Is it practically possible?”

Jaggy: “Not every time but most of the time.”

Maggie: “How can we be careful at all times?”

Jaggy: “By taking responsibility.”

Maggie: “How?”

Jaggy: “Your first responsibility is towards yourself to not get injured. Second responsibility is towards your family. When we are injured, they suffer. Third responsibility is towards your organization and for the people whom you work with. Fourth, it is for the country and your countrymen.”

Maggie: “You mean to say Safety is the responsibility of every one.”

Jaggy: “Without a doubt.”

Maggie: “Can you give me more clarity on this.”

Jaggy: “Let me tell you a story. In a school, a girl was studying in the primary class. She used to be good in studies, sharp at grasping and excelled in whatever she did. Yet the teacher was perturbed.”

Maggie: “Why?”

Jaggy: “The girl though outstanding in the class was very shabby in appearance. Badly dressed, poor hygiene. The teacher used to wonder what is wrong with the kid till one fine day she took action.”

Maggie: “What action did she take?”

Jaggy: “She followed the girl to her home. While following her, she came to know that this girl came from a place which was filthy and dirty. The less said about the home of the girl and the parents. This shocked the teacher but also spurred her into action. One fine day, she took the girl home, bathed her, dressed her in new clothes and sent her home.”

Maggie: “Wow!”

Jaggy: “On seeing the girl come home dressed and looking beautiful, the parents even wondered whether it was their child. Realisation sank in. They looked at themselves in the mirror and their house. They immediately cleaned themselves, the house and also painted it with whatever minimum resources available. Seeing one house clean and painted, all the residents cleaned their homes, the streets and the area. In just a short time, from a filthy dirty area, it became the most beautiful area in the town.”

Maggie: “All because of one teacher taking up responsibility.”

Jaggy: “With Freedom comes great responsibility, and when all of us take it up, can we not make our country great but safe too?”

Maggie: “What else do we need to do to be careful?”

Jaggy: “Avoid unsafe acts and unsafe conditions.”

Maggie: “What?”

Jaggy: “Will tell more about it soon. Enjoy the extended Independence Day week end safely.”

Maggie: “You too.”

Jaggy: “Jai Hind.”

Maggie: “Jai Hind.”

The Indian Armed Forces say THE MORE WE SWEAT IN PEACE, THE LESS WE BLEED IN WAR. When all of us make Safety a responsibility, India can be great and safe.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

A Responsible and Safe Citizen of India.

LIVE LIFE SAVE LIFE —–BURNS

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, Diwali, Education, First Aid, , , , , , ,

Wishing all my readers across the world a Happy Diwali. Diwali or Deepavali is a festival of Lights celebrated by all in India no matter to what religion they belong. There is a lot of Happiness, bonhomie among everyone who celebrate the festival. This day is celebrated by wearing new clothes, meeting people, distributing sweets, and of course bursting a lot of Firecrackers. So, in this blog Maggie and Jaggy will discuss how to deal with Burns. Over to Maggie and Jaggy. 

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy! Happy Diwali to you and your family.”

Jaggy: “Thanks Maggie and wish you and your family too a Happy and Safe Diwali.” 

Maggie: “I was expecting you would use the word safe.”

Jaggy: “Yes. Safety is my passion and profession and I want everyone to be safe especially when using firecrackers.”

Maggie: “What precautions we need to take while bursting firecrackers?”

Jaggy: “Just a few precautions are enough like 

1. Wearing Cotton clothes and proper footwear. 

2.Having two buckets of water nearby. 

3. Elders supervising the Children when they burst the firecrackers. 

4. Ensuring the oil lamps lit are not near flammable material like clothing. 

5.As far as possible lighting the crackers in open spaces. In case of fire on clothing remember to STOP, DROP ROLL.” 

Maggie: “That’s nice. Simple precautions yet people do not follow them.” 

Jaggy: “Correct. That’s the reason why we see a lot of burn injuries during these times.” 

Maggie: “Can you tell me about the burns Jaggy and what is the first aid for Burns?”Jaggy: “Burns to the skin are based on the skin itself. The human skin has three layers the Epidermis, Dermis and Hypodermis. The burns are therefore called as First degree, Second degree and Third degree.”

Maggie: “Oh! Now I remember the biology lesson of the skin.”

Jaggy: “The first degree, burn affects the top layer of the skin and is usually superficial. There is pain, redness in the area and irritation for a few minutes and usually heals when given quick first aid. A second degree burn damages for the outer layer and penetrates to the middle layer and usually forms blisters at the burn site. The third degree, burn penetrates deeper into the inner most layer and can even cause damage to tissues and muscles. The area usually becomes black or grey in color and the damage is severe.”

Maggie: “You mean to say that if aid is not given on time the severity of the burn increases.” 

Jaggy: “Exactly. Hence quick first aid is imperative.”

Maggie: “What is the best first aid for a burn injury?”

Jaggy: “Burns to the skin can be through fire, chemicals, acids, hot water, steam and contact with any hot surface. Even an electrical injury can cause burns to the skin. The best first aid is to pour a lot of water on the affected areas for as long as you can. Pouring water cools the skin and water can penetrate to the deepest parts of the skin.” 

Maggie: “But many people say that water should never be used on a burn injury.”

Jaggy: “Those who say that are misguided. Water in fact has the best heat absorbing properties and is the best for any burn injury.” 

Maggie: “Now I get it. Is there other medication we can use like an ointment?” 

Jaggy: “Yes, you can if the area is sufficiently cooled with water.” 

Maggie: “What if blisters appear on the burn area?”

Jaggy: “Do not open the blisters. They will heal based on the treatment and time”. 

Maggie: “Do we need to take the victims to Hospital?” 

Jaggy: “Yes, that is always the best thing to do. Doctors are healers and they know better than first aiders like you and me.” 

Maggie: “There are lot of local treatments I have heard of like applying egg whites, using banana leaves and such is it correct?”

Jaggy: “They are not correct, and people do that in ignorance. These days there are burn gel liquids available in the market with sterile dressing and they can be used for the burn injuries.” 

Maggie: “One last question. I have heard that doctors treat based on percentages of burns. Can you throw some light on that?”

Jaggie: “Sure. It is calculated by the rule of nine. The front and back of the body is taken as 18% each. The legs are taken as 18% each. The arms including hands are 9% each. The head and neck as 9% and the genital area as 1%.” 

Maggie: “Thank you so much Jaggy. As usual you have given me the clear picture. See you soon. Stay Safe.” 

Jaggy: “Sure Maggie.” 

Festival times call for celebrations. Let us all celebrate but the pandemic is still not over, and we should still be careful. Stay Safe, Be Safe. 

Jaggy and Maggie will be back with more conversations.

Seshadri Varadarajan

LIVE LIFE SAVE LIFE HYPOTHERMIA

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, CPR, Education, Life Saving Education, , , , , ,

Thank you, readers, and my friends for all your support and comments on my last blog An Ode to Teachers. Trust all are safe out there and continuing to be safe. The surge of the pandemic seems to have slowed yet it is imperative on our part not to let our guard down. Jaggy and Maggie are back in this blog to discuss another situation on first aid which is HYPOTHERMIA. 

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy! Trust you are fine.”

Jaggy: “Yes, Maggie as always on top of the world.”

Maggie: “On top of the world as always. Good to hear that every time from you.”

Jaggy:” So, how was your trekking trip and did you encounter any Snakes?”

Maggie: “The trek went off very smoothly and we did not encounter any snakes thank God for that.” 

Jaggy: “Good to hear that and the trek seems to have refreshed you.” 

Maggie: “Yes, Jaggy it has refreshed me. I feel energised.” 

Jaggy: “Any situation you had encountered other than the aches and pains?”

Maggie: “There was one situation where we all got wet due to a sudden downpour. Most of us were ok but one of the guys was shivering very badly for a lot of time.” 

Jaggy: “Well, it must have been an attack of Hypothermia.”

Maggie: “Hypothermia what does that mean?”

Jaggy: “It is a medical condition for dropping of body temperature below normal.”

Maggie: “I know about body temperature, but could you explain a little more.”

Jaggy: “Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 98.6 F (37 C). Hypothermia (hi-poe-THUR-me-uh) occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C).”

Maggie: “How and when does this happen?”

Jaggy: “It happens when the body is exposed to extremely cold conditions like Wind, getting wet in cold water, and freezing temperatures whether indoors or outdoors. The person may be affected even if living in a home which does not have heating equipment in cold environs.” 

Maggie: “What are the symptoms and how do we recognise it?”

Jaggy: “It starts first with shivering, and then the skin becomes cold followed by mumbling or slurred speech and shallow breathing. The victim is usually confused as he is disoriented and there will be lack of energy and he may become drowsy. If not treated immediately it could lead to complications.” 

Maggie: “What do we do?”

Jaggy: “First get the person to a place of shelter out of the cold.  Remove wet clothing and pat the person dry. Put dry clothes on the person cover the body and head but not the face with blankets towels or even newspapers. Call for the local emergency services remained with the person until someone with more advanced training arrives if the person becomes unresponsive and he’s not breathing normally, or gasping give CPR.”

Maggie: “I remember now. One of our friends who is trained did exactly what you told and after some time, the guy recovered. We did not need the services of the ambulance or Hospital. It was scary though.” 

Jaggy: “Good Maggie. Your friend has done well. He might have even given him Hot Coffee to drink after a few minutes.” 

Maggie: “Correct but one of my other friends suggested to give him some brandy.” 

Jaggy: “Brandy or alcohol should not be given as it dilutes the superficial blood vessels and allows heat to escape making it even worse. The idea is to try and warm him up and in doing so never take him near places of radiant heat like a fireplace or hot water bottles as it causes burns to the skin.” 

Maggie: “Can we give him anything to eat if he is conscious.”

Jaggy: “Chocolates help as they are a high on energy.” 

Maggie: “What if it happens indoors?”

Jaggy: “Wrap up the person in a blanket. Give him hot soup or coffee or tea to sip slowly to regain warmth in the body. Minor Hypothermia can always be reversed but if severity increases it can be fatal.” 

Maggie: “What else can we carry apart from a first aid kit while trekking?”

Jaggy: “An extra sleeping bag, aluminium foils or wrappers can also be taken along, and oral rehydrating salts can be added too.”

Maggie: “Oral rehydrating salts what for?”

Jaggy: “In case you trek in summer. Nice talking to you Maggie.”

Maggie: “Thanks, Jaggy for all the inputs. Useful and lifesaving.” 

Maggie and Jaggy will be back with more in the next blog. Till then read, share, and teach so that we all can save a Life. See you all in my next blog.

Seshadri Varadarajan.  

Innovate or Evaporate – II

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Hello readers! Trust everyone is safe and staying safe. Safety today has assumed utmost importance as we are all going through a time which has been the toughest one in the century. The month of August was pretty tough for me personally, however the period taught me a lot of things which will help me a lot in life. This blog will be a continuation of the last blog where we had discussed innovative lifesaving products, patented and produced in India by Jayasheel Adapa. In fact, he has patented a total of 17 products of which I have written only about four of them. In this blog, we shall discuss three more products.

Mr.Jayasheel Adapa

The last blog ended with the product called Escape Smoke Hood and the one which we will discuss is an extension of the same. It is known as Emergency Escape Breathing Device or in short EEBD. In some factories and industrial establishments, it is not easy to evacuate immediately whenever an alarm is raised. Some processes have to be shut down properly before the employee can move out of the area. The inherent dangers in such situations are Smoke and Heat. The oxygen levels too go down and the smoke hood even if available will not be sufficient in such a situation. The EEBD consists of a cylinder filled with air and is connected to a Hood with a visor. The Hood is aluminized and as such can withstand heat. All this is placed in a bag which one needs to hang over his shoulder. To wear it one needs to open the bag, place the hood over his face and pull a pin in the cylinder to start the flow of air. The air in the cylinder can be used for 15 to 20 minutes thereby helping the person to breathe easy and come out. This facilitates easy evacuation and this is not a rescue device. Though popular in marine and shipping industry by the name ELSA (Emergency Life Saving Apparatus) it is not much known elsewhere and this is where Mr. Jayasheel stepped in by making and patenting it so that anyone in a process can easily use it.

EEBD

I was always fascinated by an old story written by Leo Tolstoy named “A SPARK NEGLECTED BURNS THE HOUSE”. Though the story talks about broken friendship this maxim is true in case of Fire. Most fire accidents that have been caused during the pandemic time can be attributed to Electrical malfunctions. Though we install fire extinguishers and smoke detectors near electrical panels, by the time anyone comes and uses it may be too late. There are a lot of micro environments and unmanned areas which are highly vulnerable to such electrical sparks. To take care and suppress the fire right at the Incipient stage a product called Fire Sniper was patented by Jayasheel. This is a micro fire suppression system which simply extinguishes the fire within 10 seconds of inception. The Sniper has a cylinder filled with the extinguishing media and has actuation and solenoid valves. To the valves is connected a pressurized polymer heat sensing tube which can be routed through the area that needs protection. If there is a fire and the flame touches the tube, it punctures and discharges the media right at the heart of the fire like a surgical strike thereby the fire is put out immediately and it will not go to the next stage. This product has not only been patented but has been approved by LPCB (LOSS PREVENTION CERTIFICATION BOARD UK). This certifies that this product is manufactured stringently and qualitatively to the highest standards. The snipers are available in various capacities. The extinguishing media used is either Mono Ammonium Phosphate Dry Chemical Powder, or Clean Agent gas.

Fire Sniper

Due to globalisation, many corporate and industrial houses have kitchens in their premises, as a lot of people have to be fed. The food courts in IT companies occupy huge space and the entire cuisine of the world is made available, and as such the kitchens have a lot of equipment and are big. Fire hazard is quite prominent and all these kitchens have Hoods which can be the cause and spread of fire. Heated fatty oils too are dangerous and are difficult to put out. Here is where the mind of Jayasheel worked overtime, to create a version of the Kitchen Sniper. This is similar in design to the normal fire sniper, with the only differences being the colour and extinguishing agent. The extinguishing agent here is the Wet Chemical specific for fatty oils and kitchen fires.  

The innovations in such products have reminded me of the verse of an old Hindi song

Suraj Dekh Rukh Gaya Hai,

Tere Aage Jhukh Gaya Hai,

Jab Kabhi Aise Koyi  Mastaana,

Nikhle Apni Dhun Mein Deewana,

Shaam Suhaani Ban Jaate Hain Din Intezar Ke,

Oh rahi Oh rahi,

Ruk Jaana Nahin Tu Kahin Haar ke.

God Bless You Mr. Jayasheel Adapa. May you create many more innovation in Life Safety.

In my next blog we shall be creating a complete fire fighter. Till then Stay safe and be safe.

For more info on the products visit ushafire.com and resguardo.com

Seshadri Varadarajan.

9840814353

Innovate or Evaporate

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Wish all my fellow Indians a HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY. It is exactly on this day 74 years ago India became free from the British rule. We have progressed quite a lot and still a lot remains to be done. We all need to proactively work towards making the country safe, and by doing that we build a stronger and a healthy country. Let us on this day Pledge to be SAFE and cut down life loss in Emergency situations.  

The world is going through a tough pandemic time and everyone of us has been affected. But this pandemic has forced us to think better and improve ourselves. We are doing many things which we had never done before. During an online interview of mine a question was asked what is new in the field of Safety and are there any one innovating in the field of safety? This blog is dedicated to one such man, who not only dared to innovate, but even put up a manufacturing unit for the products he innovated upon.

Mr. Jayasheel Adapa, is the founder director of Usha Fire Safety Equipments Pvt Ltd, Managing Director of Usha Armour Pvt Ltd and Managing Director of Resguardo Industries Pvt. Ltd. An Engineer by profession, an innovator at heart, and a business man with a noble cause, he is instrumental today in patenting and marketing Innovative Rescue Products in India. A passionate trainer, who believes that a trainer should not only train, but identify and eliminate gaps in safety and rescue. This part of him has led to many innovations in manufacturing and marketing rescue products. His innovations are many and hence this blog will be in 2 parts.

 As a trainer while conducting Evacuation drills or Fire drills in high rises, one of the major factors is about evacuating people with special challenges like mobility impairments or expectant mothers. During a drill they are exempted from participation, or they are evacuated in advance. However, in real time what do they do and where do they go and how they will be rescued? In advanced countries an Evacuation Rescue Chair is used for the same. They are made available in all the floors over there and the ERT (EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM) use it to save lives. A thought occurred to Jayasheel why not we make the same in India. He not only started manufacturing them, but even patented the product, something which not many do in India. This chair basically moves like a wheel chair on the floor and can glide on the stairwell to evacuate people with mobility impairments.

A separate model of the chair was designed for hospital use also where one can easily hang the intravenous tubes and keep all the relevant documents of the patient in a pouch. This helps in evacuating a patient from a hospital despite all the challenges.

We all are familiar with a wheel chair but how many of us are familiar with a liftable wheel chair? This Innovative chair is not only a wheel chair but it can also be lifted. The Liftable wheel chair was designed by him to evacuate people trapped in basements, and where there are no ramps it is difficult to bring up injured people. This equipment helps rescuers to easily and quickly rescue persons from basements. This product too is patented and manufactured by him.

One of the most important elements of rescue or medical evacuation is to carry patients in a stretcher. Most stretchers do not fit into elevators and the staircase is the only option. When the victim is carried in usually his legs protrude out, and if oxygen has to be administered it is even more difficult. Two problems which did not really have a solution till Jayasheel thought of it and designed a stretcher, with a Foot pouch to lock the feet, and a pouch for a portable oxygen cylinder. Now rescue and medical evacuation have become easier. It requires a high level of thinking to understand the problem, and to arrive at this kind of innovative solutions.

For the ERT team doing the evacuation one situation they always have to encounter during a fire is deadly smoke. We have discussed about smoke in the earlier blogs, and we know exactly what to do. But for the last person coming out, the density of smoke could increase and the life can be in danger, and here is where the Escape Smoke Hood comes into play. It is made of fire-retardant fabric and has a cartridge with chemicals, that can filter deadly gases like Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen Cyanide, Acrolein to name a few for a period of 15 minutes. This enables the last person whether an ERT, production manager in a factory, a doctor in an OT, and even a resident coming out of his home to be protected from Smoke.

When all these products were imported, one man dared to produce all these in his factory in India. All the products are registered with the Controller General of Patents and Trademarks, Government of India and other International approvals like LPCB.  This to me signifies Aatmnirbhar Bharat, the clarion call of the Prime Minister of India. More such products and innovations from Mr.Jayasheel in my next blog.

Till then stay safe and be safe.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

9840814353.

For more info on the products visit www.resguardo.com