Wellbeing 24/7
Promoting a culture of health, fitness and safety
Features for October
October is National Fire Prevention Month
Our homes contain many potential fire hazards that we may not notice
because we take them for granted. Fireplaces, furnaces, clothes
dryers, gasoline-powered lawn equipment, electrical appliances and
connections, and of course the kitchen range, all are potential sources of a
home fire. And don't forget the outdoors -- a spark from a grill can
be even more dangerous in autumn, if it lands in a pile of dry leaves.
Take
precautions to avoid fires. And be prepared if you do have a fire:
- Have an
emergency
escape plan for your home and practice it with your family.
- Install smoke/CO detectors according to fire safety
guidelines. Test them regularly and replace the batteries
twice a year (a good way to remember is when Daylight Savings Time
begins and ends).
- Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and anywhere else where
there is risk that a fire could begin. Test and replace as
necessary. Find out more about
different types of fire extinguishers and which are appropriate for
your home.
Taking a few simple steps in advance can help you protect your family and
your home.
Regular Features
Due to order processing problems and security concerns, the
discount website for home-use PPE is not available at this time. We
hope to be able to provide this service again soon.
Program of the Month - Healthfest
October is
Healthfest month at BNL. This annual event has grown from one week
and a few events to a month-long celebration of health, safety and fitness.
It includes free trial participation in many BERA activities, a health and
safety fair, educational events, health screenings and fun outdoor
activities such as a walk and a mountain bike ride around the site.
Sign up, show up, live it up! Healthfest is the essence of 24/7
Wellbeing.
National Events
Safety, Health and Fitness Programs and Activities
at BNL
Municipal employees in
Toronto missed 3.35 fewer days in just the first six months of a fitness
program, compared with colleagues who didn't participate. Many BNL
employee injuries on the job are so-called "life-style" injuries that are a
consequence of a sedentary lifestyle. Many back injuries can be
avoided through improved abdominal strength and weight loss. Physical
activities such as yoga or dancing help improve balance, reducing the risk
of injury from slips and falls.
Brookhaven Employees Recreation Association (BERA) Clubs and fitness
activities
BERA offers a wide variety of clubs and activities to employees and their
families. There are over twenty
clubs that
promote fitness and health along with fun. They range from league sports and
ultimate Frisbee to ballroom dancing and a Reiki Community Circle.
Other activities and classes are offered at various times during the year.
Check the BERA
fitness activities web page for details.
Recreation Facilities
Indoor and outdoor
recreation
facilities provide opportunities for both team sports and individual
activities. Facilities include a gym, weight room, tennis courts,
indoor swimming pool, and par course (exercise trail). A Recreation
Park is located at the east end of Brookhaven Avenue. It features athletic
fields (softball, football, soccer and cricket pitch), an archery range, and
volleyball courts. There is also playground equipment is for children.
Employee Discounts
Many local businesses offer
discounts to BNL
employees on health, safety and fitness products and services.
These include:
- Personal protective equipment (PPE), includes clothing, emergency
preparedness kits, flu prevention, more, for home use. Watch for
the PPE Featured Product of the Month.
- Massage and wellness services
- Discount nutritional supplements
- Exercise equipment and accessories
- Fitness club memberships
Health Promotion
Program
BNL's Health Promotion Program fosters a work environment that supports
positive health and fitness practices so employees can reduce health-risk
factors, achieve healthy lifestyles, and become more fit. The Health
Promotion Program provides health education seminars, workshops, fitness activities,
and
screenings for the BNL community.
Employee Assistance
Program
Safe and healthy employees are BNL's greatest asset. Personal and
family concerns can distract workers, causing them to pay less attention to
safety and reducing productivity. The
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
offers a wide range of programs and services to employees, including
articles, videos, health screenings and self-assessments, and counseling
services.
Defensive Driving Class
BNL sponsors a
defensive driving class several times each year. This New York State approved program not only emphasizes safety on the
road, it saves you money on your car insurance. The course is open to
BNL, BSA and DOE employees, BNL facility-users, contractors and other
guests, and their family members. The
2008
schedule is now available.
Sitewide
Safety Steward (S3) Recognition
The
Sitewide Safety
Steward (S3) program seeks out and recognizes
people in the Lab community who demonstrate outstanding awareness and implementation of health and safety improvements
and corrective actions. All BNL employees, contractors, visitors, and guests are eligible for
an S3 award. See the
Sitewide Safety Steward website for information on how to nominate a
candidate and the criteria used for selection.
On March 27, 2008, five Brookhaven employees were given the second annual
Sitewide Safety Stewardship (S3) Award. Four others received Honorable
Mention at the award ceremony.
Read about the
winners...
Safety
Solutions (S2) Program
The BNL Safety Solutions (S2) Program is designed to seek out and fund
health and safety improvements and corrective actions derived from employee
suggestions. All BNL employees, contractors, visitors, and
guests are eligible to submit a project for funding consideration. The
scope of the program includes eliminating or reducing safety and health
hazards and enhancing safety and health through equipment and process
improvements. See the
Safety Solutions website for information on criteria used to select
projects and how to apply for funding.
Recent S2 award-winning projects have included installation of automatic
external defibrillators at large experimental areas in RHIC; purchase of
UV-blocking eyewear; replacing a broken curb with a ramp; and closure of a
driveway at Bldg. 179.
Wellbeing 24/7 is a philosophy that emphasizes a "whole person" approach,
that promotes physical and emotional health in a culture of safety at work and
off the job, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Wellbeing 24/7 has three components:
- Awareness - There are fewer accidents when awareness of
safety and health is part of everyone's value system and lifestyle.
-
Participation
- Being aware of health and safety opportunities is just the start. To
enjoy the benefits of a culture of health, fitness and safety, you need
to participate.
- Ownership - Let's face it: no one cares more about your
personal wellbeing than YOU. When you take ownership of your
wellbeing, it's an ongoing way of life that also touches your family,
friends and co-workers.
Wellbeing 24/7 is the one place where you can come to find information
about all of the Lab's many health and safety programs, events and
facilities - information that you can use at home and at play, as well as at
work. Each month a different program or special event and an item from
the BNL home discount PPE catalog will be highlighted.
As Wellbeing 24/7 continues to develop, it will feature a member of the
BNL community sharing his or her safety or health-related personal
success story. Your friends and colleagues have taken charge of their
own safety and health and improved their lives in the process.
Last Modified: October 16, 2008
Please forward all questions about this site to:
Mary Daum
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