People’s Law Talk

Symbolic Free Speech: Beyond the First Amendment

As Americans we learn from a young age about the Bill of Rights and the first ten amendments to the Constitution. First and foremost is the freedom of speech. Ratified December 15, 1791 it states,

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Freedom of speech and the First Amendment is ingrained into the fabric of our society, so much so you’ve probably heard it used as an argument for the controversial kneeling during the anthem at NFL games. While not a literal act of speech, the kneeling is protected as an act of symbolic speech. Symbolic free speech has woven its way in and out of court cases over the last half a century. From Tinker v Des Moines to Spence v Washington, acts that communicate elements from the first amendment and attempt a message with a likelihood to be understood have been protected.

Listen in as Kevin King discusses symbolic free speech, where it came from, and its relation to the current kneeling controversies in football on People’s Law Talk.

Want to hear more talks from Peter and Kevin King? Tune into WCIS 1010 AM Columbus, IN the first and third Friday of every month for People’s Law Talk.

Heads Up on Youth Sports Concussions

With eight million boys and girls playing high school sports in 2016 and 2017, it’s expected that some will get hurt. What’s unexpected is the number of concussions that are happening. Annually, there are 3.8 million concussions from competitive sports and as many as half of them will go unreported in youth sports. That’s a lot of concussions and a lot of recovery time for young athletes.

Football is commonly associated with concussions, but they come from many other sports as well. The leading organized sports at the cause of most concussions are football, wrestling, soccer, and girls’ basketball. Females in playing basketball and soccer have higher concussion rates than males because the female anatomy is different. Youth are also different in their concussions in the fact it can take them much longer to recover due to their developing brains.

As a parent or a volunteer, inform yourself about the prevalence of concussions then learn how to recognize, prevent, and treat them as needed. Listen in as Kevin King discusses all about concussions, including what causes them as well as how to recognize, prevent, and treat them, all on People’s Law Talk.

For more information and resources on youth concussions and prevention visit the CDC’s Heads Up website. Also review this articles:

Moreno, M. A. (2012). Youth Sports and Concussion Risks. F Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 166(4), 396. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from archpedi.jamanetwork.com/data/Journals/PEDS/23311/pap120002_396_396.pdf.
Concussion recognition tool 5©. Br J Sports Med 2017;51:872. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/11/872.
CDC. (2015, December). A Fact Sheet for Youth Sports Parents. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/pdfs/youthsports/parents_eng.pdf

Want to hear more talks from Peter and Kevin King? Tune into WCIS 1010 AM Columbus, IN the first and third Friday of every month for People’s Law Talk.

Backyard Pools: Keeping the Fun Safe

Backyard pools are a staple of summer pastimes but pool and water safety must be addressed. We’ve shared about pool safety before but we’ll risk sounding like a broken record to share again to help keep summer safe and fun.

In 2017 200 children ages 1-14 died in pools and spas.
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1-2.
Drowning is the second leading cause of death for ages 5-24.
It only takes two minutes for child to lose consciousness.
There are approximately 800 spinal cord injuries from diving annually.

So how can these tragedies be prevented? First, pool owners should ensure their backyard pool is safe with appropriate water barriers and water sensors. Keep young children from reaching the pool unsupervised. Second, remove diving boards from backyard pools. You need a minimum of 18-20 feet for safe diving but most backyard pools have a maximum depth of 8.5 feet. Next, move any pool slide to the deepest end of the pool. Adults need at least seven feet of water for safe use of a slide in a sitting position. Everyone should use the slide feet first and one person at a time.

Outside of the pool, ensure any installed decks are water resistant or have a way to manage water. Slippery decks can lead to slips, falls, and drownings. Also, pool owners should be trained in CPR. Being prepared by knowing CPR and keeping life saving equipment around the pool could save a life in the event of an emergency.

These are starting points for proper backyard pool safety. Listen in as Kevin King discusses pool safety and our risk perceptions on People’s Law Talk to learn more about keeping your pool safe and fun.

For more information and resources on pool safety design visit the National Safety Council and the CPSC‘s websites.

Want to hear more talks from Peter and Kevin King? Tune into WCIS 1010 AM Columbus, IN the first and third Friday of every month for People’s Law Talk.

How Cold is Cold?

OSHA. The cold stress equation. 1998.

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog’s Day and says we’re going to have another six weeks of winter! That means many can expect cold weather through February and into March. How much of this cold can we really handle?

In terms of safety, there are limits to how much cold a person can handle at any given time. While it may vary slightly from person to person, the general rule of thumb is 15 minutes inside for every hour spent outside working in the cold to prevent cold stress like hypothermia, frost bite, trench foot, chilblains, and angina. As the temperature drops, however, these time frames need to change to prevent cold stresses.

Outside workers should consider three key factors of temperature, wind, and moisture when determining how much time outside is safe. OSHA and NIOSH have both created Cold Stress Equation guides to reference for more details in terms of temperature, wind, and safe time frames to be outside.

Learn more about cold stress, cold stress symptoms, and how cold is too cold by listening to Kevin King on People’s Law Talk.

For more information on cold stress and safety, review these articles:

Ferguson, Alan. (2017). Out in the Cold. Safety + Health. Available from: http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/16353-out-in-the-cold
Anttonen, H., A. Pekkarinen, et al. (2009). “Safety at work in cold environments and prevention of cold stress.” Ind Health 47(3): 254-261. Available from: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/16b4/2c4f0d0d98f71f469bc94672b2cea6c47342.pdf
Chalupka, S. (2009). “Cold stress in the work environment.” AAOHN J 57(1): 40. Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.3928/08910162-20090101-06
Holmer, I., K. C. Parsons, et al. (2009). “Cold stress at work: preventive research.” Ind Health 47(3): 205-206. Available from: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/indhealth/47/3/47_3_205/_pdf/-char/en
Holmer, I. (2009). “Evaluation of cold workplaces: an overview of standards for assessment of cold stress.” Ind Health47(3): 228-234. Available from: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/indhealth/47/3/47_3_228/_pdf/-char/en
Makinen, T. M., J. Jokelainen, et al. (2009). “Occurrence of frostbite in the general population–work-related and individual factors.” Scand J Work Environ Health 35(5): 384-393. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tiina_Ikaeheimo/publication/26789895_Occurrence_of_frostbite_in_the_general_population_-_Work-related_and_individual_factors/links/0f3175357b307e60f3000000/Occurrence-of-frostbite-in-the-general-population-Work-related-and-individual-factors.pdf
Elliott, F. (2004). “You’d better watch out. Colder weather moves hypothermia and slip-and-fall prevention to the top of many work sites’ hazards list.” Occup Health Saf 73(11): 76, 78. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8153194_You%27d_better_watch_out_Colder_weather_moves_hypothermia_and_slip-and-fall_prevention_to_the_top_of_many_work_sites%27_hazards_list
Anttonen, H. and H. Virokannas (1994). “Assessment of cold stress in outdoor work.” Arctic Med Res 53(1): 40-48. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15150249_Assessment_of_cold_stress_in_outdoor_work

Want to hear more talks from Peter and Kevin King? Tune into WCIS 1010 AM Columbus, IN the first and third Friday of every month for People’s Law Talk.

Fire Alert: House Fires and Cooking Dangers

It’s almost time for feasts and celebrations of all the things we hold dear. At the same time many will be celebrating all they have, some will be losing their material possessions and those they love. Thanksgiving Day is the leading day for house fires.

While there is an average of 490 cooking fires per day in the United States, on Thanksgiving that number jumps to approximately 1800! That’s 3.5 times the daily average. The day before Thanksgiving as well as Christmas also see a jump to approximately 850 cooking fires.

The majority of Thanksgiving day cooking fires start on range tops or cooking tops, including ovens. Another leading cause of Thanksgiving day fires are Turkey Fryers. While popular for a delicious turkey, they are the leading cause of extensive fires on Thanksgiving. Due to the use of hot oil, lack of a regulator, and lack of stability, turkey fryers can very easily cause a catastrophic fire. Underwriters Laboratory will not certify a turkey fryer for consumers. Watch the video below to learn more about their research and the risks that come with turkey fryers.

Listen in below for more cooking safety information. Kevin King discusses cooking fires, turkey fryers, and how to extinguish fires properly to keep your family safe and thankful during the holidays.

For more information on kitchen fires and safety for your Thanksgiving, review these documents:

NFPA Cooking Fire Safety Infographic
NFPA Thanksgiving Safety Tips
NFIRS Snapshot: Thanksgiving Day Fires in Residential Buildings
NFPA Report Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment

Want to hear more talks from Peter and Kevin King? Tune into WCIS 1010 AM Columbus, IN the first and third Friday of every month for People’s Law Talk.

Looking Up: An Eye on Ladder Safety

Gutter cleaning and holiday decorating seasons are upon us. These quintessential fall and winter outdoor home projects have one thing in common, a lot of ladder usage by homeowners like yourself.

With more than 500,000 people treated in emergency departments each year due to ladder falls, it’s clear ladders pose safety hazards of which many consumers are not aware. In the construction industry alone, there are approximately 115 deaths annually due to falls from ladders. Falls like this cost society more than 24 billion dollars annually for medical bills, legal costs, lost wages, etc.

For many though, ladders are a necessary part of life to complete work and chores. Even with the safety hazards they pose, ladders will continue to be used so it’s up to manufacturers to design safer, easier to use equipment. Consumers like yourself should also know how to choose and use the correct equipment for the job.

Listen in as Kevin King discusses the hazards ladders pose, what designs to look for when choosing a ladder, and how to safely use your ladder.

For more information on choosing a ladder and ladder safety:

Visit AmericanLadderInstitute.org
Read OSHA Report 3625

Also, don’t forget to download the Niosh Ladder Safety App before you begin using your ladder.

Want to hear more talks from Peter and Kevin King? Tune into WCIS 1010 AM Columbus, IN the first and third Friday of every month for People’s Law Talk.