The Impact of Culture on Safety: Why Rules Only Get You So Far
Nov 30th, 2023
November 30th, 2023 at 7:30 AM AKDT
Description | The Safety Culture of all organizations creates the observed results regardless of rules. Learn why rules only get you so far and how to create a culture of safety in your organization.
Presenter | Mason Mimnaugh and Paul Bragenzer
Here is the registration link | Register HERE
- Published in Events
Biden Signs Executive Order Addressing AI
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
President Joe Biden issued an executive order (EO) on Oct. 30, 2023, to establish standards for artificial intelligence (AI) safety and security, protect privacy, advance equity and civil rights, and advocate for consumers and workers. It also seeks to promote innovation and competition and advance American leadership around the world while ensuring responsible and effective government use of AI.
Directed Actions
The EO seeks to build on the voluntary commitments of 15 leading companies by:
- Requiring developers of the most powerful AI to share their safety test results and other critical information with the U.S. government
- Developing standards, tools and tests regarding AI’s safety, security and trustworthiness
- Protecting against the risks of using AI to engineer dangerous biological materials
- Protecting against AI-enabled fraud and deception by establishing standards and best practices for detecting AI-generated content and authenticating official content
- Establishing an advanced cybersecurity program to find and fix critical software vulnerabilities
- Ordering the development of a National Security Memorandum on AI use and security
The EO also seeks to address privacy concerns by calling for the passage of bipartisan data privacy
legislation and directs actions to prioritize federal support for accelerating the development and use of privacy-preserving techniques. It calls for action to strengthen privacy-preserving research/technologies and privacy guidance for federal agencies, develop guidelines for federal agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of privacy-preserving techniques, and evaluate how agencies collect and use commercially available information.
To advance equity and civil rights, the EO directs actions to provide clear guidance to landlords, federal benefits programs and federal contractors; address algorithmic discrimination; and ensure fairness in the criminal justice system. In support of workers’ rights, the EO calls for actions to develop principles and best practices, produce a report on AI’s potential impacts on the labor market, and study and identify options for strengthening federal support for workers facing labor disruptions.
In the pursuit of innovation and competition and advancement of American leadership, the EO directs action to catalyze AI research; promote a fair, open and competitive AI ecosystem; and expand the ability of highly skilled immigrants with expertise in critical areas to study, stay and work in the United States through existing authorities. The EO directs action to expand bilateral, multilateral and multistakeholder engagements to collaborate on AI; accelerate the development/implementation of vital AI standards; and promote the safe, responsible and rights-affirming development and deployment of AI abroad.
To ensure responsible and effective government AI use, the EO directs action to issue guidance for agencies’ use of AI, help agencies acquire specified AI products and services, and accelerate the rapid hiring of AI professionals. The White House states the administration will work with allies and partners to govern the development and utilization of AI. For more information, contact us today.
- Published in Blog
Understanding Protective Safeguards Endorsements (PSEs)
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
When it comes to property insurance, it’s not just about securing a policy; it’s about fully understanding its nuances to ensure you have the highest level of protection for all your assets. In some cases, misunderstanding the details of your property coverage can mean the difference between safeguarding your investments and costly oversights.
One often overlooked policy detail is the protective safeguards endorsement (PSE). These endorsements, embedded within many commercial property policies, stipulate specific safety and security measures businesses must uphold. Failure to adhere to these measures can leave your property vulnerable and lead to insurers denying claims when disaster strikes. As such, business owners and property managers must recognize, understand and actively maintain the conditions set by PSEs to ensure the integrity of their insurance coverage and the safety of their commercial property.
What Are Protective Safeguards Endorsements?
In property insurance, PSEs are conditions of coverage requiring policyholders to ensure that specific protective devices and services are installed, maintained and in proper working order. Regarding property insurance, common examples of PSEs include automatic sprinkler systems, automatic fire alarms, burglar alarms, leak detection systems, security services and surveillance systems. If the PSE conditions are not met, the insurer will likely not pay for losses incurred.
For example, if a fire damages a restaurant and a subsequent investigation finds that the sprinklers weren’t functioning properly, an insurer can deny coverage due to a PSE.
The common types of PSEs added to a commercial property policy include:
- Fire protection system endorsement—An endorsement stating losses resulting from fire will not be covered by the insurer if fire alarms, sprinkler systems and other fire prevention systems are not in use or maintained.
- Security systems endorsement—States that security equipment like closed-circuit television (CCTV), motion sensor devices, weapon detection systems and intruder alert notification systems must be operational and retained. It may also require a service contract with security personnel.
- Water detection systems endorsement—Requires the use and upkeep of water detection equipment like water sensors and leak detectors in areas where water damage can occur, including toilets and laundry areas.
- Heating system endorsement—Requires insureds to utilize and maintain hot water radiators, furnaces and boilers, solar heaters and similar devices.
- Automatic commercial cooking exhaust and extinguishing system endorsement—Requires commercial kitchens in the food service industry to operate and maintain automatic fire extinguishers, hood exhaust fans and wet chemical systems.
Implications for Policyholders
PSEs have a variety of implications for policyholders. Chiefly, if an insured has a PSE in their policy, they are responsible for:
- Monitoring protective devices and keeping them in proper working order; and
- Notifying the insurer promptly of any malfunction or impairment of protective devices or services listed in the PSE over which they have control.
Beyond these obligations, there are a number of benefits to PSEs. Notably, since PSEs encourage loss prevention measures, they can positively impact the cost of premiums. In many states, insurers provide a premium discount or credit when such an endorsement is attached to a policy.
Key Considerations for Policyholders
There are essential considerations for policyholders when dealing with PSEs:
- Compliance with endorsement—Policyholders need to meet the conditions of the endorsement to prevent claims denial.
- Periodic inspections—Some endorsements may require regular inspections of protective devices and services.
- Ongoing maintenance—Having protective devices serviced at recommended intervals is necessary to comply with PSEs. Building owners and landlords may need to clarify in their agreements which party is responsible for maintenance duties and how to keep detailed records of maintenance activities.
- Notification responsibility—PSEs mandate that insurers be promptly informed when protective devices are suspended or turned off, even for repairs. It’s essential for policyholders to establish protocols—like where and how to send notices—for proper notification.
- Understanding potential impairments—To ensure that all listed systems, devices and services remain functional, it may be necessary for property owners and tenants to consult experts, such as system vendors or engineers, to learn how non-impairment can be maintained.
- Communication with insurer and broker—Insureds should maintain open dialogue if any change is made to systems or if they have concerns about compliance.
Conclusion
Commercial property insurance policies that have PSEs impose additional duties on insureds. To avoid the hassle of being denied coverage, ensure that protective devices and services are well-maintained and functioning as intended, and notify insurers immediately if these are suspended or impaired.
By taking these necessary steps, property owners, managers and tenants can better protect their interests and ensure they have the coverage they need when it matters most.
Contact us today for more information.
- Published in Blog
The Impact of Secondary Perils on Property Insurance
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Secondary perils, such as severe convective storms, floods, wildfires and hailstorms, have significantly impacted the commercial property market. In fact, according to industry data, secondary perils have consistently accounted for over 50% of insured natural disaster losses in recent years.
This article provides more information on secondary perils, including their impact on the property insurance market. It also offers tips on how businesses can mitigate associated risks.
What Are Secondary Perils?
Secondary perils are generally small to mid-sized loss events or secondary effects that follow a primary catastrophe such as an earthquake or a hurricane. According to credit rating agency AM Best, secondary perils account for a larger share of losses from catastrophes compared to primary perils, and it is now the norm that at least one secondary peril event creates losses greater than $10 billion each year.
This is a shift from historical patterns where primary perils represented the highest loss potential. Factors including climate change and population growth in coastal areas and other areas susceptible to catastrophes have led to this shift in the risk landscape.
Evolving Risk Modeling for Secondary Perils
The insurance industry has tried to address the challenges presented by secondary perils. For example, more sophisticated modeling tools are being developed to better understand and manage the risks. However, modeling capabilities are still limited compared to models for primary perils. Additionally, AM Best notes that it will be vital for secondary peril models to be continually recalibrated due to the quickly changing risk landscape.
Pricing Challenges and Capacity Constraints
Pricing challenges arise as secondary peril weather events become more common and severe. Since the technology used to model secondary perils is not as mature as those for primary perils, there is more uncertainty in underwriting them. This can lead to volatility in insurance pricing, making it harder for businesses to account for costs.
Capacity constraints also pose a significant challenge in the property insurance sector, particularly as it relates to secondary perils. These constraints can also lead to market volatility. They may result in insurers limiting coverage or pulling back from high-loss areas, leaving insureds to bear a larger portion of the risk.
Coverage Gaps
Coverage gaps for secondary perils are primarily due to underinsurance and limited availability of coverage. Additionally, property insurance policies may not cover losses caused by secondary perils like floods, leaving businesses to pay out of pocket for resulting expenses. Businesses should engage with insurance brokers and carriers to understand their coverage options and ensure they have adequate protection.
Risk Mitigation
Comprehensive risk assessment is challenging due to a lack of understanding and modeling capabilities. However, to mitigate the risks of secondary perils, businesses can adopt several risk management strategies. One such approach is business continuity planning, which involves identifying potential risks and creating procedures to minimize their impact. Additionally, investing in risk mitigation measures, such as infrastructure improvements or changes in operational practices, can reduce a business’s vulnerability to secondary perils.
Conclusion
While secondary perils present significant challenges, businesses can take proactive steps to understand these risks, ensure adequate insurance coverage and implement strategies to mitigate their impact. Contact us today for more information.
- Published in Blog
Getting the Most Out of Your 2024 Open Enrollment Communications
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Open enrollment is a crucial period for both employers and employees. It’s when employees can make important decisions about their benefits and an opportunity for employers to engage with their workforce effectively. As organizations continue to adapt to evolving workforce needs and changing regulations in 2024, open enrollment communication becomes more critical than ever.
This article highlights why open enrollment communication matters and provides tips on what to do before, during and after enrollment to maximize its effectiveness.
Why Communication Matters
Although open enrollment is critical, some employees make uneducated decisions or even miss deadlines. Some common reasons for this are that open enrollment information is often full of confusing jargon, employees may not receive enough communication from their employer or they simply don’t understand the enrollment process.
Communication matters because it enables employees to understand the open enrollment process in a clear and assessable manner, which can boost active participation in benefits selection. Employees who feel valued and informed about their benefits are more likely to appreciate their employer’s efforts and stay engaged with their work.
Before Open Enrollment
Educating and informing employees about their benefits package is integral to open enrollment. Effective communication is critical to educate and inform employees about new, returning or expanded benefits options.
Consider the following communication tips before the open enrollment period begins:
- Review previous communications. It can be enlightening for employers to review and evaluate past open enrollment communications to identify what worked and what didn’t. This information can be used to improve the current communication strategy.
- Develop key messaging. After solidifying benefits options, employers need to plan their communication strategies. The first step is figuring out key messaging, focusing on new or updated benefits offerings, and developing FAQs to address common concerns quickly.
- Customize communication. Communication is often more successful when it’s tailored to different employee segments. Consider the needs of various age groups, life stages and demographics within the workforce.
- Gather resources. Before the open enrollment period begins, it’s important for employers to have all the necessary resources—such as printed materials, digital platforms and support staff—ready.
During Open Enrollment
During the open enrollment period, employer communication efforts take center stage, as it’s when employees actively make critical decisions about their benefits. Effectively guiding employees through this process is essential for ensuring they make informed choices that align with their needs and preferences.
Consider the following communication tactics to engage employees during the open enrollment period:
- Vary communication channels. Use multiple communication channels such as email, printed materials, webinars and in-person meetings to reach employees effectively. Not everyone consumes information the same way, so a diverse approach is key.
- Prioritize clear and concise messaging. Open enrollment messaging should be simple and easy to understand. Avoiding HR or benefits-related jargon is best to help make benefits easier to understand. Additionally, many benefits are acronyms, so employers should help decode and explain the alphabet soup to employees.
- Make it digestible. It’s crucial to catch employees’ attention and present the key message immediately before they lose interest. Traditional benefits booklets can be lengthy; instead, employers could deliver bite-sized information to employees through videos and emails. If all open enrollment information is given at once, it’s easy for employees to become overwhelmed and, ultimately, disengage with the information. Digestible communication makes it easy for employees to know what to focus on and take action.
- Use real-world examples. When possible, employers can put benefits offerings in context with real-world scenarios. Employees can relate to stories, so find ways to bring the options to life. For example, instead of describing telemedicine as a 24/7 benefit, highlight that an employee could get health care answers in the middle of the night when they or a child are running a high fever. The chances of employees needing to use health care benefits during the next year are highly likely, so help reiterate the importance of complete coverage.
- Personalize communication. A personalized approach can help employers engage employees with open enrollment information. Additionally, employers may yield better results by personalizing communications to individual employees whenever possible. For example, communications could address employees by name and highlight benefits relevant to their circumstances. This builds off the earlier tip of segmenting employee groups based on age and other factors.
- Remain available. Those leading open enrollment efforts should offer opportunities for employees to ask questions and get clarifications. This can be done through webinars, town hall meetings, dedicated question-and-answer sessions or HR open office hours.
After Open Enrollment
Although open enrollment is the most pivotal time to highlight employee benefits, employers can educate employees throughout the year. Ongoing communication after open enrollment can help employees understand and utilize their available benefits.
Consider the following communication strategies after the open enrollment deadline passes:
- Follow up. Although the enrollment period is over, employers can continue communicating with employees to remind them of their choices and deadlines. Additionally, they can send reminders about important events or changes to benefits.
- Collect feedback. Gather feedback from employees about the open enrollment process. Surveys or focus groups can be used to understand what worked well and where improvements can be made.
- Evaluate and optimize. As with any workplace effort, analyzing the outcomes of open enrollment communication efforts is important. Check if goals were achieved and use the data to refine next year’s strategy.
- Provide ongoing education. Employers shouldn’t limit communication to just the open enrollment period. They can periodically remind employees of the benefits and resources available to them.
Summary
Open enrollment communication is a crucial aspect of benefits administration that directly impacts employees’ well-being and satisfaction. By planning, customizing communications and continually improving their approach, employers can make the most out of their 2024 open enrollment period. Effective communication helps employees make informed choices and strengthens their connection with the organization, leading to a happier and more engaged workforce.
Contact us for additional open enrollment support.
- Published in Blog
Understanding Auto Liability Coverage
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Auto insurance is one of the most frequently purchased types of coverage in the United States. However, while these policies may be common, they can still be complex and nuanced. Policyholders must be diligent and meticulous to ensure they fully understand their auto coverage and have ample financial protection.
One of the most common and crucial components of an auto insurance policy is adequate liability coverage. Any time a driver gets behind the wheel, they risk being involved in accidents that could harm others and incur devastating financial consequences. This article provides an overview of auto liability coverage and its importance.
What Is Auto Liability Coverage?
The liability portion of auto insurance is strongly advisable and is usually required by law. Although minimum requirements may vary among states, all drivers are generally mandated to carry certain liability coverage to ensure they can pay for losses for which they are at fault.
Liability coverage can insulate drivers from significant losses affecting third parties, including the following:
- Bodily injury—If a policyholder is responsible for an accident that injures another party, such as a pedestrian or occupants of another vehicle, this coverage can help pay resulting expenses, such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Legal expenses
- Property damage—If a policyholder is at fault for damaging someone else’s property, such as by colliding with another vehicle or crashing into a building, this coverage can provide financial assistance to compensate affected parties and pay for costs arising from resulting lawsuits.
Most auto insurance includes three separate liability limits within a policy. These clauses establish the maximum amount of financial aid capable of being covered and generally are listed as the following:
- Bodily injury liability limit per person
- Bodily injury liability limit per accident
- Property damage liability limit
Another type of coverage that could help you financially protect yourself in an accident is uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage, which is sometimes sold separately as uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage, can often be added to your personal auto insurance policy to help you avoid high out-of-pocket costs if you’re involved in an accident with a driver who doesn’t have any liability coverage (uninsured motorist coverage) or doesn’t have enough liability coverage (underinsured motorist coverage).
Ensuring Adequate Coverage
Motorists should consult with a qualified insurance professional to understand applicable auto insurance requirements. Failing to comply with relevant laws could lead to significant fines and legal penalties. Their lender may also require those who purchased their vehicles with the help of an auto loan to adhere to additional requirements.
Even if not mandated to do so, carrying sufficient auto liability coverage is strongly advisable. Without suitable insurance, an accident could lead to devastating out-of-pocket costs that jeopardize a driver’s financial situation.
It’s also essential to understand the limitations of auto liability coverage, which should not be relied upon to cover a policyholder’s own losses. Such financial assistance generally must be acquired through including additional coverages in an auto insurance policy, such as the following:
- Collision coverage—This may help pay for damage sustained by a policyholder’s vehicle resulting from striking another car or stationary object (e.g., building, fence, tree)
- Comprehensive coverage—This may provide coverage for incidents not included in collision coverage, such as fires, crime and severe weather.
- Medical payments coverage—This may provide financial assistance for a policyholder and their passengers if they are injured in an accident, regardless of who was at fault.
Making Sure You’re Covered
Auto liability coverage is an essential form of financial protection for any person who owns or operates a motor vehicle. For more information or guidance regarding optimal auto insurance solutions, contact RISQ Consulting today.
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OSHA Launches New Compliance Initiative to Protect Stone Fabrication Workers from Silica Exposure
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
On Sept. 22, 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a new initiative focused on enhancing enforcement and providing compliance assistance to protect workers in the engineered stone fabrication and installation industries. This policy is effective as of the date of this memorandum and will be ongoing until otherwise directed.
Silica Hazard
OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health identify silica dust exposure as a health hazard for workers involved in manufacturing, finishing and installing natural and manufactured stone, including man-made, engineered artificial and cultured types of stone.
When inhaled, tiny crystalline silica particles expose workers to the risk of silicosis, an incurable, progressively disabling and sometimes fatal lung disease. Unsafe silica dust exposure can also lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or kidney disease.
Compliance Initiative Overview
Supplementing OSHA’s current National Emphasis Program for Respirable Crystalline Silica, this initiative focuses enforcement efforts on industry employers to ensure they’re following required safety standards and providing workers with the protections required to keep them healthy. It establishes procedures for prioritizing federal OSHA inspections to identify and ensure prompt abatement of hazards in covered industries where workers face exposure to high levels of silica dust.
Industries subject to the prioritized programmed inspections include those engaged in cut stone and stone product manufacturing, as well as brick, stone and related construction material merchant wholesalers. Outreach efforts will continue to include additional industries that may work with engineered stone. Programmed inspections will be prioritized in the following two NAICS codes:
- 327991 – Cut Stone and Stone Product Manufacturing; and
- 423320 – Brick, Stone, and Related Construction Material Merchant Wholesalers.
OSHA area offices will focus enforcement efforts on these two NAICS codes using the targeting and site selection procedures outlined below. This initiative requires each area office in regions 1 through 8 to complete a minimum of five programmed inspections (i.e., targeting sites selected from NAICS 327991 and 423320) of establishments working with engineered stone within 12 months from the date of this initiative.
Workers involved in manufacturing, finishing and installing manufactured stone countertops are at risk for significant crystalline silica exposure. Facilities in NAICS codes 327991 or 423320 may be selected for inspection under this initiative if they meet one of the following criteria for work processes:
- Manufacturing and/or finishing engineered or manufactured stone products at the facility; and
- Finishing and/or installing engineered or manufactured stone products off-site.
Activities occurring at manufacturing, finishing engineered or manufactured stone facilities include:
- Cutting, grinding, chipping, sanding, drilling and polishing engineered or manufactured stone products
- Opening bags of ground quartz, moving or mixing bulk raw materials, cleaning and scraping mixers, or cleaning dust collector bag houses
- Changing filters on dust collectors
- Making the engineered or cultured slabs—involves mixing crystalline silica, resins and pigments
- Operating powered hand tools such as saws, grinders and high-speed polishers
- Casting departments that mix and heat raw materials, including silica sand (which comprises more than 70% of each countertop by weight), epoxy resin, PA (a known respiratory sensitizer) and pigments
Employer Next Steps
Affected employers and stakeholders should become familiar with this OSHA initiative by studying the memorandum and the fact sheets on dust control methods and safer work practices for engineered stone manufacturing, finishing and installation operations. These employers should also review the OSHA silica standards and ensure their operations comply with the required regulations and prevent employee exposure to silica.
- Published in Blog
Staying Healthy And Safe During Wildfires
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
In many parts of the United States, the risk of wildfires begins early spring and continues into the fall. Being prepared for fire activity is crucial if you live in a wildfire-prone area. Wildfires can be a serious threat to lives and property—and smoke pollution can affect your health. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), wildfire smoke mostly consists of fine inhalable particles known as PM2.5, which is of greatest concern to public health. Air pollution from large wildfires can be widespread and linger over other states or countries.
This article highlights strategies for staying healthy and safe amid wildfires.
Health and Safety Measures
When wildfires create smoky conditions, everyone needs to reduce their exposure to the smoke. Wildfire smoke irritates your eyes, nose, throat and lungs. It can make it hard to breathe and make you cough or wheeze.
Consider the following tips for protecting you and your family during a wildfire:
- Follow guidance from local and state officials. Pay attention to emergency alerts for information and instructions, and listen to authorities for guidance on evacuating your home and when it’s safe to return.
- Keep smoke outside. Staying indoors is highly recommended for reducing exposure to smoke pollution, but contaminants can make their way inside. To protect yourself, you should:
- Choose a room you can easily close off from the outside air in your home. It could be helpful to use a portable air cleaner or filter to maintain clean air in the designated room or space. A quality heating, ventilating and air conditioning system with air filters can also help remove particles from the air.
- Keep all doors and windows shut in your vehicle and put the air on the recirculate setting.
- Wear a fitted N95 mask. The EPA recommends using a particulate respirator labeled NIOSH, N95 or P100. Two straps above and below your ears will create a good seal. Masks only protect against particles, so experts advise staying indoors on poor air-quality days.
- Protect pets. Smoke can also irritate your pet’s eyes and respiratory tract. Animals with heart or lung disease and older pets are especially at risk from smoke and should be watched closely.
- Track wildfires. Be prepared for wildfires and smoke pollution by tracking fires near you. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fire weather outlook website maps fire watches and warnings.
- Monitor your local air quality. Websites, including the EPA’s gov, can explain which air quality levels may be hazardous and how much outdoor activity you should engage in. Apps reporting on local air quality are also available.
- Pay attention to health symptoms. Children and people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart disease need to be especially careful about breathing wildfire smoke. Older adults and pregnant people are also more likely to get sick if they breathe in wildfire smoke.
For More Information
During wildfire season, it’s important to monitor wildfires that may be happening in or around the country to best protect your health and safety.
Monitor local authorities for updates, and contact your health care provider with further questions about how wildfires can impact your health.
- Published in Blog
Quit For Your Loved Ones
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
You likely know that smoking is dangerous for your health, and can cause many diseases and serious health conditions, but did you know that you are putting your loved ones at risk as well?
Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke has two forms: the smoke that is exhaled by a smoker and the smoke from a burning cigarette, cigar or pipe. Anyone breathing in any type of smoke is taking in the same dangerous chemicals and toxins as the person who is smoking.
Do you smoke in your home, in your car or at work? If so, you are endangering your friends, co-workers, pets and family members.
Health Risks
Secondhand smoke can cause a variety of health conditions and diseases, including:
- Heart disease
- Lung cancer
- Asthma
- Middle ear infections in children
- Chest discomfort, coughing and trouble breathing
- Pneumonia and bronchitis, especially in children
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
Surgeon General Report
The U.S. Surgeon General conducted a report on the effects of secondhand smoke. Here are some of the key findings:
- There is no safe exposure level to secondhand smoke.
- Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke.
- Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for many respiratory conditions and ear problems.
- Secondhand smoke immediately affects heart and blood circulation in a harmful way.
- Despite the increasing limitations on smoking in public places, millions are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces.
- The only way to prevent secondhand smoke exposure is to prohibit all smoking in that building. Walls and ventilation systems do not prevent secondhand smoke exposure for nonsmokers.
Why Quit?
If you’re looking for motivation to quit for good, do it for your loved ones. You can improve and protect their health along with your own.
- Published in Blog
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