Lincoln University College BEC 2653 Keeping Children Safe From Home PDF

COURSE CODE: BEC 2653 1  TOPIC 2 PERSONAL SAFETY By the end of this topic, you should be able to: Learn about importance of personal safety Car, bike, water and street saf...

COURSE CODE: BEC 2653 1  TOPIC 2 PERSONAL SAFETY By the end of this topic, you should be able to: Learn about importance of personal safety Car, bike, water and street safety How to handle abusive calls Personal protective equipment Handling hazardous waste materials The concept of Personal Safety Education works to allow every child the right to feel safe all the time, using a methodology that promotes the safety of self against abuse. The program is an extension of the safety rules we teach our children, that is, don't play with fire, look both sides before and while crossing the road etc. Besides empowering children to take part in their own protection, it strengthens the ability of those morally, socially and professionally responsible for the protection of children, that is, the State, parents, educators, and the larger community. What is Personal safety? Personal Safety empowers children to take part in their own protection by giving them age- appropriate information, skills, and self-esteem. Personal Safety teaches children that their body belongs only to them and nobody has the right to touch them in a way they don't like or understand. Personal Safety teaches children to understand their emotions to help keep them safe, using fear and anger in positive ways. Personal Safety teaches assertiveness skills, helping children to stand up for their own rights without violating the rights of others. 2  Personal Safety builds the support system of each child, including the family, school, community, and friends. Personal Safety builds the self-esteem of each child to empower them to practice assertiveness skills for their own protection. Personal Safety builds empathy for one another. Personal Safety teaches children that only the offender is to blame for any inappropriate sexual touch. It's important to understand sexual abuse need not always involve touching the child. It includes other non-contact acts as well. Personal safety rules for children 1. It is NOT OK to touch someone else's private body parts 2. It is NOT OK for someone to touch his or her own private body parts in front of you. 3. It is NOT OK for someone to ask you to touch his or her private body parts. 4. It is NOT OK for someone to take photos or videos of you with your clothes off. 5. It is NOT OK for someone to show you photos or videos of people without their clothes on. 6. If this happens or if you feel confused, uncomfortable or unsafe about any touch say 'NO' and get away. Remember, IT'S NEVER YOUR FAULT. 7. Never keep a secret about a touching problem. Tell a trusted adult and keep telling till you get the help you need. Kinds of Touches that children need to be aware Children need to be aware that there are three kinds of touches. 1. SAFE TOUCH are those touches that are experienced by the receiver (child) as warm, caring, nurturing, and supportive. They do not diminish the receiver and do not take from the receiver. All persons need to receive this kind of touch. 2. UNSAFE TOUCH are those that hurt the receiver, that make the receiver feel bad, that inflict pain or that seem to disregard the receivers (child's) feelings. It is usually very clear that the child does not want this kind of touch, which is experienced by the child as manipulative, coercive, abusive, and frightening. 3. CONFUSING TOUCH are those which make the receiver feel uncomfortable, uneasy, confused, or unsure. The receiver experiences confusion and conflicting feelings about the touch and/or about the person who does the touching. The intent of the adult may be unclear, the touch may be unfamiliar. There are times when this kind of attention "feels good" but is also frightening, such as a touch that is sexually stimulating, being asked keep the experience a secret or being given undue intimate attention in front of others. Thus, the attention or touch that "feels good" is not always good or safe. 3 What determines the nature of the touch? Whether the touch or attention is "safe" or "unsafe" or "confusing" is determined by how the receiver experiences it, NOT by the intentions of the person giving the attention of doing the touching. The adult may intend the touch/attention to convey a certain kind of message (support, affection, etc.) but the message is entirely dependent upon how the receiver perceives the touch/attention, and the adults have no control over this. The adult's intentions are irrelevant. 2.1 Safety when Working, Studying and in Residence When Vicky Dougherty dropped her 17-month-old son, Warren, off at a family child care home, she assumed that he would be well-cared-for and safe. There was a certificate hanging on the wall from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the provider had been operating in the community for deca des. But on September 5, 2007, Vicky and her family received the tragic news that Warren had been injured when his head got stuck in an outdated, defective crib, causing him to suffocate. He passed away two weeks later.1 After the death of her son, Vicky was surprised to discover that many of the safety standards she had reasonably assumed to be in place were not being practiced. It turned out that the seemingly official, framed certificate hanging on the wall of the child care home was merely a self-certification checklist that the child care provider had completed herself. No official or inspector had actually come to the provider’s home to inspect its compliance with health and safety measures. At the time, inspections of family child care homes were random in Pennsylvania, meaning that providers could go several years without an inspection designed to identify safety hazards such as outdated cribs. 2 Child care is a necessity for most working families, and millions of parents across the country rely on it each day.3 Like Vicky, they expect that providers have successfully passed a background check, are well - trained, and are recipients of regular inspections that ensure that the children in their care remain safe. Health and safety standards are not unique to child care, but in some states, standards for child care are minimal compared with other industries such as beauty salons and barbershops. 4 Child care safety protections have garnered bipartisan support. In 2014, Congress reauthorized the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and included additional safety protections for child care programs. States have also been making gradual progress toward improving child care standards. 5 This issue brief discusses the importance of child care safety protections and explores how these protections can help ensure that parents are able to choose among child care providers who provide safe, high- quality child care. Child care licensing and health and safety standards States have the freedom to choose which child care providers are licensed in their state and may exempt certain categories of providers, such as relatives or faith-based providers, from licensure. It is the state’s role to decide the number of children that a child care provider’s home can accommodate before the provider must become licensed. Therefore, licensing only covers a subset of providers and varies considerably from state to state. 6 4 Ensuring that the youngest and most vulnerable among us are safe is something on which Democrats and Republicans agree. The Child Care and Development Block Grant of 2014 (CCDBG)—the most recent reauthorization of the grant, which received almost unanimous support in Congress—includes protections such as low adult-child ratios, first aid and CPR trainings, and comprehensive background checks.7 Most providers that receive public funding must now abide by the regulations established in the CCDBG. However, states can exempt from health and safety requirements providers who do not receive federally funded subsidies. While the federal government sets broad standards and issues guidance, in many cases it is up to states to define specific regulations. This means that safety standards can vary dramatically based on where a family lives and the type of child care setting that a child attends. For example, fewer than half of states require license-exempt providers that receive subsidies to receive annual inspections.8 Some providers are not subject to licensing or CCDBG requirements at all. Practices necessary to ensure that providers offer safe, quality child care As reflected in the CCDBG, there is a set of basic, evidence-based practices that help keep children safe and healthy in child care. Among these are background checks, trainings for child car e providers, and maintaining certain teacher-child ratios. These practices ensure that teachers are qualified and prepared to care for young children as well as give parents peace of mind that their children will be in a safe and enriching environment while they are at work. Background checks Vicky Dougherty and her husband own a television repair company, and their employees must pass a background check before they can enter a home to repair a television. Vicky assumed that since her own employees were vetted, the woman caring for her child would be as well. She was surprised to find that at the time of Warren’s death, his provider had not been required to pass a comprehensive background check. Background checks are commonplace across most industries. Most parents receive background checks before they can start a job, so they assume that their child care provider is also carefully vetted. A national poll found that 85 percent of parents think that all “child care providers undergo a background check.”9 The CCDBG includes important steps toward making comprehensive background checks a standard in the child care industry. The law requires states to implement a comprehensive criminal background check—which includes a fingerprint check against state and federal criminal records; the sex offender registry; and the child abuse and neglect registry—for all child care providers.10 Background checks that include fingerprinting are critical for protecting against providers’ use of aliases. While a person could change the spelling of their name or use a different name altogether to conceal their identity, fingerprints positively identify an individual. Beyond direct care providers, background checks should also be conducted on adults who are around children throughout the day, such as volunteers, janitors, bus drivers, or adults living in a family child 5 care home. However, only Maryland and Wyoming had fully implemented this requirement as of March 2016, for which the most recent data are available. 11 It is crucial that all children are safe no matter where they live or what kind of child care program they attend. Young children should not be in the care of people with a record of endangering children. Background checks are commonplace for employees across industries, and the adults who are entrusted to care for and educate young children must be held to the same standard. Teacher trainings Child care providers should have training that reflects the most recent research in safety and child development. Three in 4 parents assume that “providers have training before caring for children,” and 96 percent of parents with young children “support requiring child care providers to have basic training in health and safety and child development before working with children.” 12 Training in basic safety practices equips early educators with the skills to keep children safe during their daily routine and in emergency situations. The CCDBG requires provider trainings in first aid and CPR, safe sleep practices, prevention of shaken baby syndrome, and emergency preparedness. Beyond initial trainings, it is crucial that caregivers participate in ongoing trainings and professional development to keep their skills up to date. When providers have basic training and skills, they are more likely to practice procedures that keep children safe. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is one of the leading causes of death for infants in the United States and can occur when infants are not placed in a safe sleeping position. 13 The Safe to Sleep campaign—an initiative backed by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development—educates child care providers, parents, and the public about safe sleep practices and has played a critical role in reducing the prevalence of SIDS. In the first five years of the campaign, which began in 1994, the prevalence of SIDS decreased by more than 50 percent. 14 Unsurprisingly, providers who are trained in SIDS prevention are more likely to utilize safe sleep practices than those who do not receive training.15 In addition to establishing safety requirements, states must develop a framework to support providers as they pursue trainings and professional development opportunities by offering technical assistance, financial support, and paid time off to complete trainings. 16 Teacher-child ratios and group size limits Teacher-child ratios set a minimum number of adults needed to care safely for a group of children, and group size limits cap the maximum number of children under the provider’s care in a given child care setting. In Pennsylvania, for example, there is a maximum limit of six children in a family child care home.17 Yet although this was the limit at the time of Warren Dougherty’s death, he was one of 10 children in his child care home on the day he died. 18 Low teacher-child ratios ensure a basic level of child safety and set the stage for high-quality caregiving. Small group sizes and low teacher-child ratios are associated with fewer situations that threaten child safety, as well as more positive caregiving.19 6 Research demonstrates that the best indicator of high-quality child care is positive and engaging interactions with an adult. Caregivers who make eye contact; are responsive and supportive of a child’s emotions; and engage in activities that teach the child new words and concepts create a high-quality early learning environment. Low teacher-child ratios and group size limits help ensure that educators have the bandwidth to give children the kind of careful attention that they require. Research shows that providers in settings with lower ratios tend to be less stressed, engage in more dialogues with children, provide them with more individualized attention, spend less time managing children, and spend more time educating them. 20 These kinds of quality interactions contribute to important outcomes for children, including enhanced cognitive, linguistic, and academic development.21 When even the most qualified teacher has too many children in her care, it is impossible for her to engage with every child enough for them to benefit fully. States establish ratios, which can vary depending on where a family lives. There is, however, a consensus in the early childhood community about the acceptable standard for ratios and group sizes. The National Association for the Education of Young Children—a national organization whose accreditation is regarded as the gold standard in child care—requires a teacher-child ratio of 1-to-3 or 1- to-4 for infants and toddlers and a maximum group size of six to eight children. 22 Safety protections help parents make informed decisions Baseline safety protections are designed to provide transparency so that parents can be informed consumers. The CCDBG requires states to make provider information public, including licensing and inspection history; quality information; annual number of deaths; injuries and instances of chil d abuse; and state suspension and expulsion policies. With this information at their disposal, parents can choose a provider that is right for them. While many states are in the process of developing these systems, in 2016, only eight states reported having fully implemented a publicly accessible website for licensing and monitoring reports of child care programs. 23 As consumers, Americans expect that their health and safety will be protected in their daily lives. Things such as health inspections, building codes, and safety regulations ensure that people can safely perform everyday activities. For example, people eat at a restaurant without inspecting the kitchen, trusting that health inspectors have confirmed that food safety measures are in place and the building is up to code. When questions pertaining to this minimum level of safety are no longer a concern, the customer can make judgements about the restaurant based on its food quality, service, and atmosphere. Thus, it only makes sense that a service as important as child care—where the well-being of vulnerable children is at stake—would receive at least as much safety oversight as a restaurant. Parents leave their children with a child care provider trusting that while they are gone, minimum safety protections are in place. With the assurance that these basic practices are being followed, parents can focus on other important aspects of child care like quality, location, and affordability. Rolling back regulations will not solve the child care crisis There is no doubt that there is a child care crisis in the United States. Parents are paying more than they can afford in tuition, and providers are going out of business due to insufficient revenue. 24 The lack of 7 affordable, high-quality child care has become a significant barrier to parents’ participation in the workforce, so increasing access to child care must become a national priority. 25 But rolling back vital safety protections for young children is not the solution to making child care more affordable or accessible. In fact, deregulating the child care system would limit a family’s access to high- quality child care, as they would have a smaller pool of regulated, high-quality providers from which to choose.26 Reducing this access would have serious consequences for working parents who rely on child care each day, forcing them to drop out of the workforce, change jobs, or settle for an unsafe care environment.27 Some proponents of deregulating child care argue that with higher adult-child ratios, providers would be able to pay teachers more and charge parents less by hiring fewer, but more highly qualified educators.28 However, this disregards several key components of providing children with high-quality care. It would be impossible for even the most highly qualified, attentive caregiver to keep track of 20 infants or toddlers in a chaotic environment, let alone engage them in the high-quality interactions and activities that they need to thrive. Basic safety protections are just the first step in ensur ing quality child care. Their adoption must be nonnegotiable. Conclusion Tragedies like the death of Warren Dougherty happen when child care providers do not abide by safety regulations, demonstrating just how important it is to have them in place. Children’s basic safety should not depend on how much money their parents have or where they live. 29 The federal government needs to make a public investment in child care to ensure that programs are safe and high-quality and to support providers with the resources that they need to practice these critical safety measures. 30 Deregulating the child care system would be a step in the wrong direction for families and providers alike, and millions of children’s lives would be put at risk as a result. While stakeholders have varying opinions on how to best solve the child care crisis, basic safety protections for young children must not get caught in the debate. 2.2 Car, bike, water and street safety In their early years, children need lots of assistance from adults to manage the considerable risks associated with road use. They need particular help in detecting the presence of traffic and judging the speed and distance of oncoming traffic. As they grow and develop, and with the help of adults, children become increasingly aware of how they can manage their own safety, and become safer road users. Helping children to be safe around traffic Road safety skills are best learnt in the real traffic environment. Children learn by experienc e, and adult interaction helps them to learn. You can help by talking with your child as you walk. Ask questions about roads, signs, traffic, and how and where you can cross the road safely. Road safety for children under five 8 Always carefully supervise children in traffic situations. It is important to: Talk with your child about the traffic environment. Hold your child's hand when you are near cars. Talk with your child about why it is important to hold hands. Explain what you are doing when you cross the road together. Involve your child in deciding when it is safe to cross the road – of course you still make the decision, but you are teaching your child to think in the traffic environment. Always be a good role model for your child by wearing your own seatbelt, obeying road rules, driving courteously and crossing roads safely. Make eye contact with road users, especially at intersections. Involve your child in choosing safe places to play. Separate play areas from driveways. Ask if your child's early childhood service includes road safety education in the program. Road safety for children between five and nine Your child still needs adult supervision and assistance in the traffic environment. It is important to: Talk together about signs and traffic lights. Identify and discuss places where it is safe to cross the road. Teach your child how to cross roads using the 'stop, look, listen and think' process – stop at the kerb, look and listen for traffic and then decide whether it is safe to cross. Take the trip to school together along the safest footpaths and use safe crossing places, such as pedestrian crossings and on straight sections of road. Supervise your child on the way to and from school. Always be a good role model for your child by wearing your own seatbelt, obeying road rules, driving courteously and crossing roads safely. Ask at your child's school what road safety programs are being taught. Road safety for children between 10 and 13 Children between 10 and 13 can cope more safely in traffic on their own. This will depend, however, on how much practice the child has had in the 'real traffic environment’. It is important to: Check that your child always 'stops, looks, listens and thinks' when crossing the road. Ask them to explain to you what they are doing and why they are doing it. Talk with your child about road laws. Go for regular rides and walks together. Plan with your child safe routes to school and to places your child often visits. Make sure your child wears bright colours that can be easily seen by road users. 9 Why Is Bike Safety So Important? Bike riding is a lot of fun, but accidents happen. The safest way to use your bike is to get places, not to play. Every year, lots of kids need to see their doctor or go to the emergency room because of bike injuries. Why Should Kids Wear a Bike Helmet? Wearing a helmet that fits well every time you're on a bike helps protect your face, head, and brain if you fall down. That's why it's so important to wear your bike helmet whenever you are on a bike. Bike helmets are so important that the U.S. government has created safety rules for them. Your helmet should have a sticker that says it meets the rules set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If your helmet doesn't have a CPSC sticker, ask your mom or dad to get you one that does. Wear a bike helmet every time you ride, even if you're going for a short ride. And follow these rules: Make sure your bike helmet fits you well. Always wear your helmet the right way so it will protect you: Make sure it covers your forehead and don't let it tip back. Always fasten the straps. Don't wear a hat under your helmet. Take care of your helmet and don't throw it around. If it's damaged, it won't protect you as well when you need it. Get a new helmet if you fall while you're on your bike and hit your head. Put reflective stickers on your helmet so drivers can see you better. Toddlers are most at risk near water Toddlers aged between one and three years are most at risk, because they are mobile and curious, but don’t understand the danger of water. You can considerably reduce the risks by supervising your child around water at all times and by teaching them to swim. Taking precautions to reduce the risk of drowning around your home isalso very important. A toddler or child can drown in five centimetres of water. Every exposed water source, no matter how shallow, poses a significant danger. It is important to provide barriers to prevent access to water sources. You should also learn resuscitation techniques so that you know what to do if you are faced with an emergency. Supervise your child around water The most important preventive tactic is to supervise your child around water at all times. This means actively watching them, keeping them within arm’s reach and not just glancing up every now and then. 10 Don’t assume they will splash and yell for help if they get into trouble. Twenty seconds is all it takes for a toddler to drown. Learn to swim Children can take formal swimming instruction from the age of four years. Water safety skills make up part of the tuition. Swimming programs are available for younger children and babies, but the emphasis is on building confidence and encouraging the child to enjoy water, rather than teaching them to swim. Children under five years of age may not be able to use their swimming skills in an emergency, so never rely on this to keep them safe. Flotation devices If you buy personal flotation devices like inflatable vests or ‘floaties’, make sure that they conform to Australian Standards – always check the label. You should think of these devices as something to help familiarise your child with water, not as a safety item. A flotation device is not a replacement for supervision. Always supervise your child when they are wearing their personal flotation device, in case they tumble upside down or slip through the vest. Water safety around the house Suggestions for reducing the risks of your child drowning in and around the home include: Always supervise your child in the bath. Never leave an older child to supervise the younger child in the bath. Take your child with you if your telephone or doorbell rings while supervising your child in the bath. Empty the bath immediately after use. Always keep the doors to the bathroom and laundry securely closed. Use a nappy bucket with a tight-fitting lid, and keep the bucket closed at all times and out of your child’s reach. Cover ponds, birdbaths and similar water sources with mesh. Keep pet water bowls, aquariums and fish bowls well out of little children’s reach. Water safety around backyard pools and spas To reduce the risk of your child drowning in the backyard pool: Install a fence – pool fencing is required by law for any swimming pool or spa in excess of 300 mm (30 cm) in depth – and it must be maintained for the life of the pool or spa. Pool fencing must comply with the Australian Standard AS1926. Your local council can provide information on pool fencing laws. Regularly check that the safety latch on the gate is in good working order. 11 Clear surrounding area – don’t leave any items or equipment close to the pool fence that would allow your child to climb up and over the fence. Pack toys away – don’t leave floating toys in the pool or your child may try to reach for them. Tip out water – empty wading pools immediately after use. Check your surroundings – when visiting other people’s houses, ask whether or not the owners have a pool, spa, pond or other body of exposed water on their land. Water safety at the beach Suggestions for reducing the risk of your child drowning in a public swimming pool include: Supervise your child at all times. Children under five years must be within arm’s reach at all times and children under 10 years must always be in your sight. The supervision of children in aquatic facilities is not the sole responsibility of lifeguards. Lifeguards are employed on a 1:100 ratio. This is based on the expectation that parents will provide direct supervision of children. Parents are required to provide the constant and direct supervision needed for young children. Suggestions for reducing the risks of your child drowning at the beach include: Supervise your child at all times. Don’t assume that a beach that was safe in the past is safe now, since the action of waves, weather and wind can influence depth and rips. Only take your child to beaches with lifesaving patrols. Make sure you and your child swim between the red and yellow flags. Teach your child what to do if they get into trouble: remain calm, float and raise an arm to signal for help from a lifesaver or lifeguard. Water safety at dams and waterways Suggestions for reducing the risks of your child drowning in dams and other waterways include: Supervise your child around waterways. Warn your child of the dangers of swimming in dams and rivers. Make sure you have a safe play area for your child well away from any dam or waterway. 12  Obscene/Abusive telephone calls 2.3 An obscene phone call is an unsolicited telephone call where a person uses foul or sexual language to interact with someone who may be known to them or who may be a complete stranger. Making obscene telephone calls for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure is known as telephone scatologia and is considered a form of exhibitionism. Telephone scatologia is usually classed as a paraphilia from a psychiatric viewpoint. It is in the DSM-5 as an other specified paraphilic disorder. Related psychiatric terms (such as coprophonia) were coined in Australia, the United States, and Germany; most of the pertinent literature is North American. From the viewpoint of the recipient of the calls, obscene calls may be considered to be a form of sexual harassment, stalking, or both. In some U.S. states, making obscene telephone calls is a Class 1 Misdemeanor. In the United Kingdom, obscene phone calls are punishable by a fine of up to £5000 or up to six months in prison under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act of 1994. Generally, unwilling recipients of obscene phone calls are advised to simply hang up on obscene callers and then report the incident to the telephone company or the police. Even when Caller ID is not shown, calls are logged by the telephone company, so the perpetrator's phone number can be discovered. However, many people who regularly engage in obscene phone calls use payphones or prepaid cell phones, and in these cases, a more extensive investigation is necessary. The prevalence of internet telephony, and sophisticated international operations have also stymied the investigation of nuisance phone calls. The demographic that most commonly commits obscene phone calls ranges from the age of 12 to 16 years, with an average of 14 years of age] Often they are emotionally or behaviorally maladjusted and have shown previous signs of sexual abuse, as well as having already committed sexual abuse. Obscene phone callers are often male, feel inadequate, have feelings of isolation, have trouble forming relationships and consider making obscene phone calls to be the only way that they can sexually express themselves. Coping With Obscene Phone Calls Commercially available telephone sex with women has been available at all hours of the day or night for over 25 years to anyone who pays the fee. Commercially available telephone sex with women has been available at all hours of the day or night for over 25 years to anyone who pays the fee. Explicit sex on screen or interactively in chat rooms is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the Internet. In the 1970s, arrests of voyeurs decreased in Scandinavia when cheap, 5-minute, explicit sex videos could be bought in pornography shops (personal observation, 1981). However, obscene phone callers have not become extinct. 13 Police often consider obscene call complaints as trivial and a nuisance. They are not easy to trace, so very few obscene callers are actually apprehended. Phone companies report that 20% of all complaints they receive are from women reporting obscene calls from men. Women may make obscene calls or direct solicitations for “business” to men. However, men very rarely report these to the phone company or police because they tend to be amused rather than upset by such calls. Making an obscene call is a criminal sex offense just as is public display of the genitals (exhibitionism). In fact, scatologia is considered verbal exhibitionism. Explicit sexual conversation with an unwilling listener is illegal-it is an act of public indecency that can result in arrest, a fine, or a jail sentence in the United States.1 Characteristics of an obscene caller What kind of man makes an obscene call? The caller may be a teenager, a brain-damaged or mentally retarded person, or a very bright adult con artist. He may be a juvenile or a married father; someone with manic depression or schizophrenia; he may be intoxicated with alcohol or drugs; or an anxious, shy, lonely man afraid of rejection and unable to make a close personal relationship. The range of possible perpetrators is wide. If caught, each will require a careful psychiatric evaluation to answer the question, “What kind of man is this obscene caller?”2 What purpose is served by the obscene call? Sexual arousal is the usual goal. There is also anonymity while the caller attains something forbidden-ie, a girl or woman’s ear for his sexual thoughts. An insensitive teen prankster may think it funny to show off and laugh and huddle around a cellular phone with buddies while he makes an obscene call to a girl he knows by name, inconsiderate of her reaction. One such prank call does not qualify for a paraphilic diagnosis (302.9 telephone scatologia, obscene phone calls).3 The behavior must recur for at least 6 months; there must also be an intense preoccupation about talking on the phone about sex explicitly, while the caller becomes aroused, masturbates, and attains orgasm. There may be comorbid exhibitionism or pedophilia. Direct inquiry is essential. The recipient’s reaction of surprise, fear, upset, and anger may provide the caller with a sense of power and masculinity. Obscene callers describe a strong or intense time-consuming, obsessive preoccupation about making the call. They know it is wrong and possibly legally dangerous. Some callers risk re-arrest for the sake of brief moments of sexual excitement. Evidently, the anticipation is arousing. An obscene caller may be taking medications, or he may be in therapy. Yet he may feel compelled to repeat the illegal act. On each visit, therefore, the therapist must ask, “Have you made any sex calls since your last visit? When? Do you keep a list?” Many obscene callers are under a court order to complete a year of psychotherapy. Thus, many callers are not willing patients. A caller may also not show up at therapy until shortly before his court date. Medication (such as an SSRI) can reduce his intense drive for repetition but will not cure his need to make repeat calls. At every visit, the caller should be clearly told this. Recipients of obscene calls 14 Police and the scant scientific literature report that most obscene callers are troubled, immature men who are not dangerous. But how does a victim know that the perpetrator is not dangerous? There is no way to tell. The woman’s first reaction is most often, “Why me?” It may be reassuring for her to realize that the call is incidental or random. However, if the caller uses her name or address, the recipient has reason for caution. With this indication that the call is not random and that she is not anonymous, the context has changed. If the caller is psychotic, he may be unpredictable. She will worry. Is it her ex-husband, an old boyfriend, someone from work, or a stalker on a car phone outside her home? Did the caller threaten injury to her, a family member, or her property? Was there a demand or blackmail? Should the police be called immediately? Fortunately, the great majority of obscene calls are made to anonymous recipients. Obviously, the recipient should not give her name or make conversation. She must hang up quietly and expect an immediate repeat call. She should quietly hang up again and again. She could call the phone company’s business office to report the obscene call and request observation and tracing of the originating phone to make a detailed police report. Volunteers at suicide hotlines are specifically trained to deal with obscene callers because while on duty they frequently receive an obscene call from a masturbator seeking a random female voice/ear. The volunteers are instructed to say, “Please get professional help” and to give their clinic’s office hours because some obscene callers are psychiatric patients who need to resume their medications. A woman who receives recurrent obscene calls could ask a male relative or friend to record her answering machine message, so that a “random” obscene caller will not hear a woman’s voice. She could also change her phone number or use caller ID, which may solve the problem.1,3 New technology brings new problems. Each person seeks to minimize the negative impact of an unwanted obscene sexual caller on everyday life. A few individuals may benefit from brief counseling as a safe place to discuss fears which may have been triggered by an old remembered horror movie. Medication may be used temporarily to reduce anxiety and restore calm and confidence. Personal protective equipment (feet, eye, hand, head, hearing, respiratory 2.4 protection) PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, are the tools that ensure the basic health protection and safety of users. PPE is any device or appliance designed to be worn by an individual when exposed to one or more health and safety hazards. PPE includes all clothing and other work accessories designed to create a barrier against workplace hazards, and using PPE requires hazard awareness and training on the part of the user. Employees must be aware that the equipment does not eliminate the hazard; if the equipment fails, exposure will occur. To reduce the possibility of failure, equipment must be properly fitted and maintained in a clean and serviceable condition. 15 Employers are required to assess the workplace to determine if hazards that require the use of head, eye, face, hand, or foot protection are present or are likely to be present. If hazards or the likelihood of hazards are found, employers must select, and have affected employees use, properly fitted PPE suitable for protection from these hazards. Before doing work requiring the use of PPE, employees must be trained to know when PPE is necessary, what type is necessary, how it is to be worn, and what its limitations are, as well as its proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal. Head Protection Protective hats for head protection against impact blows must be able to withstand penetration and absorb the shock of a blow. In some cases, hats should also protect against electric shock. Recognized standards for hats have been established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Each type and class of head protector is intended to provide protection against specific hazardous conditions. An understanding of these conditions will help in selecting the right hat for the particular situation. The wearer should be able to identify the type of helmet by looking inside the shell for the manufacturer, ANSI designation and class. Protective hats are made in the following types and classes: ▪ Type 1 - helmets with full brim, not less than 1 and 1/4 inches wide; ▪ Type 2 - brimless helmets with a peak extending forward from the crown. For industrial purposes, three classes are recognized: ▪ Class A - general service, limited voltage protection; ▪ Class B - utility service, high-voltage protection; and ▪ Class C - special service, no voltage protection. Hats and caps under Class A are intended for protection against impact hazards. They are used in mining, construction, shipbuilding, tunneling, lumbering, and manufacturing. Class B utility service hats and caps protect the wearer's head from impact and penetration by falling or flying objects and from high-voltage shock and burn. They are used extensively by electrical workers. The safety hat or cap in Class C is designed specifically for lightweight comfor t an impact protection. This class is usually manufactured from aluminum and offers no dielectric protection. Class C helmets are used in certain construction and manufacturing occupations, oil fields, refineries, and chemical plants where there is no danger from electrical hazards or corrosion. They also are used on occasions where there is a possibility of bumping the head against a fixed object. Foot and Leg Protection According to one survey, most of the workers in selected occupations who suffered foot injuries were not wearing protective footwear. Furthermore, most of their employers did not require them to wear safety shoes. The typical foot injury was caused by objects falling fewer than 4 feet and the median weight was about 65 pounds. Most workers were injured while performing their normal job activities at their worksites. 16 For protection of feet and legs from falling or rolling objects, sharp objects, molten metal, hot surfaces, and wet slippery surfaces, workers should use appropriate footguards, safety shoes, or boots and leggings. Leggings protect the lower leg and feet from molten metal or welding sparks. Safety snaps permit their rapid removal. Aluminum alloy, fiberglass, or galvanized steel footguards can be worn over usual work shoes, althoug h they may present the possibility of catching on something and causing workers to trip. Heat-resistant soled shoes protect against hot surfaces like those found in the roofing, paving, and hot metal industries. Safety shoes should be sturdy and have an impact-resistant toe. In some shoes, metal insoles protect against puncture wounds. Additional protection, such as metatarsal guards, may be found in some types of footwear. Safety shoes come in a variety of styles and materials, such as leather and rubber boots, oxfords, and even tennis shoe models. Safety footwear is classified according to its ability to meet minimum requirements for both compression and impact tests. These requirements and testing procedures may be found in American National Standards Institute standards. Protective footwear purchased prior to July 5, 1994, must comply with ANSI Z41.1-1967, USA Standard for Men's Safety-Toe Footwear. Protective footwear purchased after July 5, 1994, must comply with ANSI Z41-1991, American National Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear. Eye and Face Protection Suitable eye protectors must be provided where there is a potential for injury to the eyes or face from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, potentially injurious light radiation, or a combination of these. Every protector shall be distinctly marked to facilitate identification of the manufacturer and must meet the following minimum requirements: ▪ Provide adequate protection against the particular hazards for which they are designed ▪ Be reasonably comfortable when worn under the designated conditions ▪ Fit snugly without interfering with the movements or vision of the wearer ▪ Be durable ▪ Be capable of being disinfected ▪ Be easily cleanable ▪ Be kept clean and in good repair. Ear Protection Exposure to high noise levels can cause hearing loss or impairment. It can create physical and psychological stress. There is no cure for noise-induced hearing loss, so the prevention of excessive noise exposure is the only way to avoid hearing damage. Specifically designed protection is required, depending on the type of noise encountered and the auditory condition of employee. Disposable earplugs should be used once and thrown away; non-disposable ones should be cleaned after each use for proper maintenance. Earmuffs need to make a perfect seal around the ear to be 17 effective. Glasses, long sideburns, long hair, and facial movements, such as chewing, can reduce protection. Special equipment is available for use with glasses or beards. Arm and Hand Protection Burns, cuts, electrical shock, amputation and absorption of chemicals are examples of hazards associated with arm and hand injuries. A wide assortment of gloves, hand pads, sleeves, and wristlets for protection from these hazards is available. The devices should be selected to fit the specific task. Rubber is considered one of the best materials for insulating gloves and sleeves and must conform to ANSI standards (copies available from ANSI, 1430 Broadway, New York, NY 10018). Other glove and clothing materials such as latex, nitrile, butyl rubber, neoprene, etc. are available. Each material is thoroughly tested and rated against specific chemical compounds. You need to know what hazard you are protecting against to choose the correct material. Torso Protection Many hazards can threaten the torso: heat, splashes from hot metals and liquids, impacts, cuts, acids, and radiation. A variety of protective clothing is available, including vests, jackets, aprons, coveralls, and full body suits. Fire retardant wool and specially treated cotton clothing items are comfortable, and they adapt well to a variety of workplace temperatures. Other types of protection include leather, rubberized fabrics, and disposable suits such as those made from tyvek. Respiratory Protection Information on the requirements for respirators to control the development of occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, and vapors is available in the Respiratory Protection part of our website. 2.5 Hazardous Waste Materials Hazardous wastes are wastes or products that have the potential to harm humans or the environment, either now or in the future. There are many options to help you dispose of household hazardous wastes safely, protect the environment and keep your home safe. Recycling programs are available for some hazardous wastes. Over the last two decades, there have been major changes to the way Australians manage their waste. Recycling has increased but so has the amount of waste we are generating, including the quantity of hazardous waste. Household hazardous waste The average Australian household stores many hazardous substances or products that contain harmful elements. It can be dangerous to dispose of hazardous wastes through regular rubbish collections. Examples of household hazardous waste include: 18  Solvent-based paints Pesticides and other garden chemicals Batteries (for example car, mobile phone or regular household batteries) Motor oils (for example from cars or mowers) Petrol and kerosene Cleaning and polishing chemicals Swimming pool or spa bath chemicals Pharmaceuticals (all medicines) Obsolete computer equipment Thermometers, barometers, thermostats, fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent globes (CFLs). Handling and storage suggestions To handle hazardous waste at home safely you should: Keep the goods in their original containers if possible. If containers are leaking, use new containers but never use food containers like soft drink bottles. Don’t mix chemicals when decanting a substance into a new storage container. Make sure all labels, including warning labels and manufacturer’s instructions, remain intact on the packaging. Store goods upright with lids secured tightly and out of the reach of young children. Keep all ignition sources, such as matches, well away from the storage area. Keep the storage area cool and dry. Buy the smallest amount for your needs. How to dispose of hazardous waste Always store hazardous wastes properly while waiting for a suitable disposal method. There are various schemes in Victoria to recycle and dispose of household hazardous waste. For example: Computers – materials used to make computer equipment contain valuable resources that can be re-used. They also contain hazardous materials that could pose a threat to the environment if they are not disposed of in a responsible manner. In Victoria, unwanted computer equipment – monitors, keyboards, laptops, CD and disc drives – can be recycled through the Byteback scheme. Some councils and equipment manufacturers also provide a disposal service for unwanted computers and equipment. Contact your local council or equipment manufacturer for details. Mobile phones and phone batteries – some mobile phones and accessories contain heavy metals. Mobile phone retailers, some banks and other retail stores will accept used mobile phones for recycling as part of MobileMuster, the mobile phone industry recycling program. Rechargeable batteries – batteries can be taken to Detox your home collections and some permanent sites or to one of a small number of Batteryback or company-owned retail locations. 19  Car batteries – these are collected at many council waste transfer stations, landfills and some major battery retailers. Contact your local council. Gas cylinders (LPG) – these include cylinders used for BBQs, patio heaters, caravans, camping and lamps. These cylinders can be returned through swap programs provided by retailers for replacement, refilling or disposal. Charges may apply in some instances. Used motor oils – these can be recycled. There are over 100 motor oil collection points at transfer stations across Victoria. You can return a maximum of 20 litres of motor oil per visit. Contact your local council or use the Oil directory. Laser and printer inkjet cartridges – these can be taken to Australia Post and Harvey Norman outlets for recycling. Fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent globes (CFLs) – fluorescent lamps and other mercury products, including mercury spills, can be taken to Detox your home collections, selected retail outlets and some permanent sites. Plastic shopping bags – supermarkets have collection bins for used plastic shopping bags for recycling. Plastic shopping bags create an ugly litter problem if not recycled or disposed of properly. If these bags get into waterways, they may be a threat to wildlife. Unused medicines – take unused pharmaceuticals, including prescription and non-prescription drugs, to a pharmacist for disposal through the Return of Unwanted Medicines program. Always store unused pharmaceuticals out of reach of children before you dispose of them. The Detox your Home household chemical disposal service Sustainability Victoria operates a mobile Detox your home service, which collects household chemicals for safe, responsible disposal or recycling. This service is delivered in collaboration with local government. The service moves around the State. Collection events are run on weekends. Items accepted for recycling and disposal at Detox Your Home mobile events are: Empty aerosol cans Insect spray Floor-care products Kitchen and bathroom cleaners Ammonia based cleaners Pharmaceuticals Nail polish and remover Fluorescent tubes Batteries Fuels Gas cylinders Paints Fertiliser Weed killer 20  Rat poison Pool chemicals Solvents and glues Paint stripper Engine oil Coolant and antifreeze Mobile phones Fire extinguishers Old car batteries Car wax Brake fluid Transmission fluid Car body filler. Sustainability Victoria has also established a network of permanent drop-off centres at local transfer stations. These centres are available during transfer station operating times. These centres ONLY accept paint, motor oil, batteries, fluorescent tubes and, in most cases, gas cylinders. Detox your Home does not accept: Containers larger than 20 litres or 20 kilograms Chemicals for uses other than household purposes Chemicals used for farm, commercial or industrial purposes Waste asbestos. Disposing of industrial or farm chemicals To dispose of industrial waste and asbestos: Check the Yellow Pages for waste reduction and disposal services. Go to the EPA websitefor a list of licensed companies that receive certain types of industrial waste. What happens when you DON’T dispose of dangerous waste properly You should never put hazardous household wastes into regular rubbish collections, tip it down the sink, toilet or gutters, or bury it in the ground. This is what can happen if you don’t use correct disposal methods: Buried in the garden – dangerous chemicals and poison can leach into the surface or groundwater. This can affect the soil, plants and water for a long time. Tipped down the sink – wastes may corrode the pipes or block stormwater drains and cause problems at water treatment plants. 21  Put into the regular garbage – this can put the health and safety of garbage collection workers at risk. It may also pollute waterways and drinking water if sent to normal landfills. Hazardous waste should only be stored in specially designed landfills. Plastic shopping bags – these can create an ugly litter problem if not recycled or disposed of properly. If these bags get into waterways, they may be a threat to wildlife. Most supermarkets now collect plastic bags for recycling. Illegal disposal, dumping or misuse of wastes is a serious offence and subject to large financial penalties. THE END 22