KEEP SAFE

							                                     KEEPSAFE
                           A Monthly Publication for Texas Electric Cooperatives

                                                     February 2011

Seated stretching routine
         7 stretches that reduce stiffness and tension

W           hen you spend a lot of time sitting, especially at a
            desk or computer, it’s important to take stretch
            breaks. A couple of breaks each day will help you
stay alert and keep stiffness at bay. This set of stretches is
                                                                   Keep the shoulders relaxed and away from the ears. Repeat
                                                                   with opposite arm.

                                                                                    Shoulder stretch
perfect for people who are already sitting or those who prefer                     Stand tall or sit upright (not pictured). Bring
to stay seated for balance reasons. Make sure the chair you are                    your left arm across your chest, holding it
using is sturdy. Remember never to stretch to the point of pain.                   below the elbow with your opposite. Keep
                                                                                   the shoulders relaxed and away from the ears.
   Hold each stretch listed for 15-30 seconds, repeating two or    Breathe deeply and hold. Repeat on opposite side.
three times, depending on how you feel. Please note that while
some of these stretches depict various body positions, you can                      Wrist and biceps stretch
perform these upper body stretches while sitting in a chair.
                                                                                   Stand tall or sit upright (not pictured). Extend
                                                                                   left arm in front of you, palm facing outward
                 Neck stretch                                                      and fingertips pointing downward. Use your
                Sit or stand with shoulders relaxed, back                          right hand to apply light pressure to the hand,
                straight. Bring your left ear toward your left     as if pulling your fingertips toward your elbow. Keep the
                shoulder and hold. Roll your head toward the       shoulders relaxed and away from the ears. Breathe deeply and
                ground and bring your chin to your chest.          hold. Repeat on opposite side.
Hold and finally, roll your head to the right and bring that ear
to your right shoulder. Inhale and exhale in a slow and                             Wrist and forearm stretch
controlled manner.
                                                                                    Stand tall or sit upright (not pictured). Extend
                                                                                    left arm in front of you, palm facing outward
                 Chest and biceps stretch                                           and fingertips pointing upward. Use your
                 Stand tall or sit upright (not pictured).                          right hand to apply light pressure to the hand,
                 Interlace your fingers behind your back and       as if pulling your fingertips toward your shoulder. Keep the
                 straighten your arms. With arms straight, lift    shoulders relaxed and away from the ears. Breathe deeply and
                 arms up behind you while keeping your back        hold. Repeat on opposite side.
straight and your shoulders down. Keep the shoulders relaxed
and away from the ears.                                                             Torso stretch
                                                                                 Clasp hands together and slowly raise them
                 Triceps stretch                                                 above your head toward the ceiling. Reach as
                Stand tall or sit upright (not pictured). Place                  high as you can while inhaling deeply and
                your left elbow in your right hand. Reach                        hold for 20-30 seconds. Bring your hands
                your left arm overhead, placing palm on the        down slowly while exhaling.
                center of your back and supporting the elbow
in your right hand. Reach your fingertips down your spine.                   — Nicole Nichols, Fitness Instructor, SparkPeople
                    Happy Valentine’s Day
February —                                                     Loss Control Conference
Toddler proof your home
                                                                      March 15 – Golf Tournament
   In a recent Home Safety Council survey, more than 8 in             March 16 – 18 – Conference
10 parents with children age 2 to 4 admitted that they have
briefly left their toddler unattended to take care of a
personal need or household chore. Given a child’s sense of         Westin Park Central Hotel in Dallas
curiosity, even a few seconds alone could have serious
consequences. Take the time to minimize risks.

• Secure tall pieces of furniture, like bookcases and
armoires, by anchoring them to the wall stud so they won’t       Loss Control Scholarship
tip over if children climb on them.
• On the upper floors of your home, install window
                                                                  Auction Items Needed
guards or window stops. (Make sure an adult can open the
window quickly in case of fire.)                                Want to help send the sons and daughters of
• Reduce the chance of electrical shock by covering             electric cooperative, municipal or contractor
electrical outlets and switches with safety faceplates.                     employees to college?
• Know which products in your home are poisonous. If              This is where you can help. By donating
the box or bottle says ―Caution,‖ ―Warning,‖ ―Danger,‖ or
                                                              items to the Loss Control Scholarship Auction
―Keep Out of Reach of Children,‖ lock it away. Lock away
matches and lighters as well.                                           you are helping to raise money
• Make sure all chemicals and medications have child                        for this worthy cause.
safety caps and whenever possible look for them on
cleaning products as well. Store them, along with alcohol     If you would like to donate an auction item to
and other poisons, in a cabinet with a child safety lock or     benefit the Loss Control Scholarship Fund
latch.
• Very young children can drown in one to two inches of
                                                                     please email Tami Knipstein at
water in a short time — put locks on toilet lids and on the              tknipstein@texas-ec.org.
outside of the bathroom door.
• Turn over large buckets and wading pools so water                            Loss Control
cannot collect inside.                                                Scholarship Auction Fundraiser
• Stay within reach of young children when they are in or      held at 6:45 pm on Wednesday, March 16th
near the pool, the tub, or any large container of water.          at the 2011 Loss Control Conference.
                                   — Home Safety Council
           For more home safety tips, visit MySafeHome.org



   KeepSafe is originally published monthly by the Safety and Loss Control Department of Ohio Rural Electric
       Cooperatives, Inc., 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OHn43229 and reprinted by permission for
                                                                 o
              Texas Electric Cooperatives, 1122 Colorado Street, 24th Floor, Austin, Texas 78701.
                                                                e
                                                                x
                       Telephone: (512) 454-0311 Fax: (512) 763-3390 www.texas-ec.org
      2011 TEC LOSS CONTROL SCHOOLS (31 Schools)

Regulator Recloser Capacitors (Merkel)           January 11-14
Metering (Gonzales)                             January 18-21
2 Day Transformer (San Augustine)               January 26-27
Transformer (Livingston)                        February 8-11
Metering (Lubbock)                              February 15-18
Regulator Recloser Capacitors (San Augustine)   February 22-25
Advanced Pole Climbing (Gonzales)               February 22-25
Regulator Recloser Capacitors (Tahoka)          March 1-4
Troubleshooting (Greenville)                    March 8-11
Transformer (Gonzales)                          March 29-April 1
Metering (Merkel)                               April 5-8
Basic Pole Climbing (San Augustine)             April 5-8
Regulator Recloser Capacitors (McGregor)        April 12-15
Hotline 1-4 (Henderson)                         April 25-29
Basic Pole Climbing (Gonzales)                  April 26-29
Underground (Quitman)                           May 2-6
Regulator Recloser Capacitors (Gonzales)        May 10-13
Transformer (Tahoka)                            May 17-20
Hotline 1-4 (Merkel)                            May 23-27
Metering (McGregor)                             June 7-10
Basic Pole Climbing (Tahoka)                    June 7-10
Underground (Gonzales)                          June 13-17
Metering (Livingston)                           June 21-24
Troubleshooting (Livingston)                    July 26-29
Regulator Recloser Capacitors (Greenville)      August 16-19
Hotline 1-4 (Gonzales)                          August 29-Sept 2
Underground (McGregor)                          September 12-16
Hotline 1-4 (Levelland)                         September 26-30
Underground (Merkel)                            October 3-7
Underground (Levelland)                         October 17-21
Hotline 1-4 (Livingston)                        October 24-28