Outdoor Safety

Artificial turf has in recent decades become the standard for many sporting fields and local playgrounds. Recently, issues have been found that highlight certain safety concerns.

A fear of roofs is actually a fear of getting on top of a roof, or acrophobia, a morbid fear of heights. Acrophobia is a common fear that many believe stems from a normal fear of death or injury...

Like any source of water, pond water can contain a wide variety of contaminants with negative health effects. PCBs, pesticides, parasites, heavy metals, protozoa, bacteria and viruses can make...

For more than 60 years, lumber was treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) to help preserve it against insects and rot. Within the last decade or so, this pressure-treated lumber came under...

In order to stay safe, senior citizens need to stay vigilant for certain types of situations year-round. There are some situations and scenarios that are more common in the springtime, however,...

Ladder

The winter tick, also known as the moose tick or the white fern winter tick, is a parasite that tends to target only ungulates (hoofed animals), such as moose, elk and horses. It is usually not...

The use of zinc oxide is not dangerous to human skin. It has been used as an effective skin protectant in many cases and can also aid in the healing of wounded or damaged skin.

When you and your family spend time outdoors, it is important to stay protected from both the harmful rays of the sun and insects that may bring maladies such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease....

Copperheads are venomous snakes of the pit viper family, and are commonly found throughout the eastern United States and into eastern Mexico. In many areas, copperheads are the most common...

While the sun is a part of our everyday life, prolonged exposure without protection can lead to harmful effects on your body. There are, however, several arguments both for and against exposure to...

There are many reasons to make your own homemade fly repellent. For one, it is economical and you will know exactly what ingredients go into it. Also, you can avoid DEET, an ingredient in many...

Basic road safety equipment has grown significantly over the decades from traffic cones, barriers and signs to photo speed enforcement, surveillance cameras and infrastructure designed to minimize...

Doing construction or maintenance work often involves heights. According to the of Bureau Labor Statistics, about 429 construction workers died from falls in 2006. Not having any safety protection...

Overhead electrical lines are insulated to protect against the weather, but they are not insulated to prevent grounding if touched. Anything that comes into contact with a power line and touches...

Sun safety and skin safety go hand in hand. The skin is the one organ that is most exposed to the sun and receives the most damage from it over the course of a person's lifetime. For this reason,...

After working out or having a challenging day, dry heat saunas are a great way to be able to relax and improve your health at the same time.

An estimated 319 million people patronize U.S. amusement parks each year. Forty people were killed in roller coaster accidents from 1994 to 2004 because of falls and collisions, or cardiac or...

It's hard to resist the golden rays of sunshine on a warm, summer day, but sunspots, wrinkles and cancer can follow your suntan in later years.

If you are the victim of a shotgun accident you should consider yourself lucky to be alive. Treating your wound is essential to the recovery process and preventing infection and further damage.

Stairs can be treacherous in winter. They're a risk to safety and a potential liability. Steel stairs can be especially slippery when they're slick with ice or wet with snow. Improving the...

Water is a source of recreation for many, but danger lurks. Whether in your backyard swimming pool, out on the open seas or anywhere in between, it's important to use caution to ensure your...

Codamol is a pain reliever. It contains paracetamol and often contains codeine phosphate (a narcotic pain reliever) as well. Codamol may also be prescribed to lower a fever. Codamol is sold in the...

Mosquito nets are an inexpensive and proven method for protecting their occupants from diseases--most notably yellow fever and malaria--spread by mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects.

Learning correct pedestrian safety procedures is often thought of as something for kids. However, it is essential for people of all ages. According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, in...

A kiddie pool seems harmless, but knowing that a child could drown in just two inches of water, you can see that it could actually be quite dangerous. As a parent, it's up to you to make kiddie...

Soft ticks are nuisances that can cause serious illness. Removal is the best way to prevent health problems that can occur after a tick bite. Learning how to properly remove a soft tick could make...

Pepper spray is a great weapon of self-defense to use when faced with a dangerous situation. Pepper spray is made out of the juice extracted from chili peppers. If sprayed on the face of a...

Life safety concerns prevention of injury as well as injury control. Taking precautions will decrease occurrences of emergency situations. Even if you are prepared, accidents can occur. It is wise...

Spring water is an optional beverage of choice for individuals who cannot or do not choose to drink tap water. Spring water is typically sold in bottles and is readily available in a variety of...

A quagmire (the term often is used interchangeably with "marsh" or "bog") is a wetland that may appear solid but is actually quite spongy and full of water. It is so saturated, in fact, that any...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leptospirosis is a bacterially transmitted disease occurring in both humans and animals. Infection occurs through contact with urine of...

Repellents, traps and other tools meant to eliminate or prevent pest attacks or invasions can sometimes have questionable health effects or be considered inhumane. Ultrasonic devices are meant to...

Traveling at one-third the speed of light and with a temperature of up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, lightning cannot be controlled or predicted. It can cause devastating effects to humans, our...

One of the most harmful things to humans is all around us, but we cannot see it: ultraviolet (UV) light. Our sun releases almost all of earth's natural UV light, but how much exposure the average...

Artificial turf, first used in the 1960s as a way to reduce maintenance for playing fields, has often been blamed for increased injuries to athletes. AstroTurf, an early artificial surface...

Colloidal silver is the suspension of microscopic particles of silver in a liquid. The smallest possible particles of silver, monovalent silver, are electrically-charged in solution. Many think...

Some medical conditions can leave your spleen weakened or enlarged. The spleen, located on the left side of the body under the diaphragm, is necessary for good health. The spleen contains a...

In the United States alone there have been over 4 million cases of roundworm infection reported at any one time. In warmer climates, these infections are common when infected animal feces...

You can't drink ocean water because of its high salt content. Drinking seawater will make you dehydrated because it takes more water for your body to process the salt than your body has available....

Wilderness safety rules help to ensure an enriching experience for all who love the great outdoors. Observing the right rules will keep you and your loved ones safe.

Lightning rods are simple in design and yet can protect against dangerous weather efficiently. Without lightning rods, the damage to tall structures would be immense. Skyscrapers, radio towers and...

Hiking and camping in the wilderness is a great way to enjoy a vacation in the outdoors, and many people pack everything from sleeping bags to mosquito spray as they head out to enjoy a weekend or...

Many people drown each year in lakes across the country. Drowning deaths can be prevented by following basic lake safety rules. Following safety rules can protect you and your children while you...

Many people think they look better with a golden summer tan. But the truth is that tanning is the skin's reaction to harmful UV rays. These UV rays cause myriad problems for our bodies, from...

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 was enacted to help determine which species were endangered and devise ways to protect them. The act also made provisions to protect waters and creatures...

As women, we know only too well the sense of feeling like we are targets for whatever danger may be lurking. Knowing how to protect ourselves empowers our capabilities, softens the range of...

Danger in the wilderness doesn't always come in the form of a large, threatening animal. In fact, wilderness danger is more likely to be invisible to the human eye. Rivers, lakes and other bodies...

Bars and pubs present dangers because they are filled with tipsy people with fewer inhibitions--and sometimes a lot of testosterone because it is a known pick-up scene. A couple of precautions...