National Wear Red Day is Feb. 2

MoDOT Lends Hand to Bi-State Child Seat Safety Check

While many of us took it easy over the weekend, or even found the ambition to clean out the gutters of the house, Emergency Response Operator Ed Jackson had other plans.

Jackson took part in a monthly child seat safety check event on Saturday, Jan. 27 held at the McCarthy Chevy Dealership in Olathe, KS. 

Jackson was invited because he is a certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technician. 

While at the event, Jackson was able to show parents if their child safety seat was installed properly, or to see if they needed a new one. Sometimes, kids just outgrow the seat they are in. 

Jackson says 37 new child passenger seats were given out for free, including two from MoDOT.

The program is vitally important, because too often children are placed into child passenger seats that are not properly secured.

According to the National Child Passenger Safety Certification website, a majority of parents still misuse their restraints and need help.

The event over the weekend gave parents one-on-one personalized instruction on how to properly use their child seats.

Parents will have another opportunity to learn Friday, March 16th. The next event will be from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. again at McCarthy Chevy. It will be first come, first served.

 A big salute to Ed Jackson for taking time out to make sure children are safe while riding in vehicles. 

Lifestyle Tips to Manage Your Blood Pressure

Help Us Identify These MoDOT Artifacts

Thank you to everyone who donated items for the MoDOT Museum at the Kansas City District Office. 

While the museum will be housed in conference room 252 in the Kansas City District Office, items are currently being stored next door in the former Design/Build office awaiting identification and organization.

We need your help in identifying some of the items we wish to display! Please feel free to stop by the room and take a look at the items. 

If you know what the item is or any additional information, we ask that you write it down on the sheets of paper we've provided next to the items.

We appreciate your help and look forward to forward to creating a one-of-a-kind historical display for our team and visitors to enjoy. 

 If you haven't donated any items yet, you still may! Details here.

Safety Shout: Safe Towing

Operating a vehicle with a trailer in tow makes driving exponentially more difficult. No matter how good a driver you are, towing changes everything. Don’t trash your trailer! Follow these tips:

• Take some time to become familiar with what you’re about to tow. Read the operator’s manual. Safety-check the equipment, such as lights and signals, harnesses and the hitch assembly. Do not use a trailer with inoperative safety equipment or a bad hitch. Use the right pin. Remember, pintle and some other hitches require periodic lubrication. Use a light penetrating oil on the joints only, do not lubricate the load-bearing faces.
• When backing, start with the tow vehicle and trailer in a straight line and all tires parallel. Put the vehicle in reverse, and with your left hand in the six o'clock position slowly back up while moving your hand in the direction you would like the trailer to go. Some find it easier to put their hand at the twelve o'clock position and steer opposite of the intended direction. It is important that all turns you make with the steering wheel are small. If you don’t make small turns your trailer can easily jackknife.
• Once your trailer is pointing in the right direction you will need to steer and back in the opposite direction until your vehicle and trailer are once again in line with each other. Then, you can back the trailer to where you need it in a nice straight line.
• Using a spotter is even more important than ever when backing a trailer. However, both the driver and the spotter must be extra careful to avoid the natural pinch points caused by two vehicles with a pivot point in the middle. If you lose sight of your spotter, stop until you can see them again.
• Towing changes the handling characteristics of the tow vehicle, sometimes significantly. Always account for differences in turning and increased sway in curves. Remember that at high speeds a trailer will apply a huge amount of torque to the tow vehicle at the hitch point during an emergency turn or in an emergency stop. This torque, or “twist,” can literally pull your tow vehicle over on its side or even pull the front wheels up off the road. That won’t end well, so slow down before it happens!
• You know you should use a spotter when backing, but it’s also a good idea to have a spotter beside you when you’re parking. It’s sometimes difficult to estimate clearances around a trailer, and having someone spot you can make parking much safer and easier.
• Always load a trailer properly, taking the center of gravity into account. Remember that as the driver, you’re legally responsible for securing your load by tarping, netting, tiedowns, or some other appropriate means. Debris falling from trailers injures and kills hundreds of people every year, so this is a serious issue. No one deserves to be injured or killed by trailer trash.

Being careful and taking your time are the best ways to avoid stubbing your tow. If you would like more information on this or any safety topic, contact district Risk Management staff.

A Call for Submissions: District Museum

Do you have a dented, stickered but well-loved hard hat that you can’t use any longer? We’ll take it! 

The Communications team is assembling a new Kansas City District museum and we are looking for submissions. 

In particular, we need pins, buttons, stickers, stamps or magnets that commemorate some of our bigger projects or moments as a department. 

We also hope to find some of the older safety items such as hard hats and vests that are no longer usable. 

Anything that highlights the history of construction, design or maintenance is welcome in the museum.

Display cases have been ordered and we are excited to showcase these awesome pieces of MoDOT history! 

Once submitted, the items will become a permanent part of the installation so if you really love it, keep it. 

Otherwise, send all submissions to Michele Sewart or Melissa Black at the district office. We look forward to creating a one-of-a-kind historical display for our team to enjoy. 

Retirement Reception: Don Wichern, Northwest District Engineer

Bob Ralston Bids Farewell

On Friday, Jan. 19, Bob Ralston bid farewell to MoDOT after 34 years of service to the department.

Bob was a maintenance supervisor out of Odessa. 

Friends, family, and co-workers gathered in conference room 136 at the District Office to share memories and celebrate all of Bob's accomplishments at MoDOT!

Assistant District Engineer Chris Redline was also there to present Bob with a plaque and to congratulate him on this major accomplishment. 

Cake and refreshments were enjoyed by all afterwards.

Safety Shout: Wellness Update 2018

Shingles (or Herpes Zoster) is a potentially debilitating condition that occurs when the dormant Chicken Pox virus “reawakens” in the body decades later. Almost every American over the age of 40 carries the virus, and about one in three adults over 50 will develop shingles at least once in their lifetime. Influenza (the good old flu) has been officially declared by the CDC as being at “epidemic” levels this winter. Both are nasty neighbors, and one can feed off the other. Prevention is your best bet.

• Shingles causes a blistering rash on only one side of the body. It is exquisitely painful and usually lasts for two weeks to a month. Some victims also develop lingering nerve pain that lasts for years and is difficult to treat. This year’s strains of flu are prevalent in every state, and cause severe respiratory distress that can lead to hospitalization and even death. And, it’s expected to worsen through the winter.
• There are two vaccines generally available for Shingles prevention, Zostavax and Shingrix. Zostavax has been around since 2006, and Shingrix was only recently approved by the FDA. Zostavax is one shot; Shingrix is two shots about eight weeks apart. The flu vaccine is readily available and significantly reduces your risk of serious illness.
• As with any disease, good hygiene is helpful in prevention. You may not be able to prevent shingles by hand-washing and other basic virus prevention techniques, but you can help prevent colds and the flu. Frequent handwashing, keeping hands away from your face, and using sanitizing gel often are vital. Shingles is an opportunistic infection, and tends to erupt when you are weakened by something else. Having both at the same time would surely rival another Chiefs playoff loss in terms of misery. Almost.
• Both shingles vaccines, and the flu vaccine, are normally covered by MoDOT’s health insurance plans. In fact, Shingrix is a very recent addition. Other coverage such as Medicare will likely be adding Shingrix to their covered options soon. Some plans offer shingles shot coverage as early as age 50, while others begin at 60. The flu vaccine is widely recommended for almost anyone. Consult your medical plan details, after first consulting your doctor.
• f your immune system is compromised in any way, it is even more important to see your healthcare provider about your risks, since shingles may develop earlier and be devastating to your health. That said, Shingrix, which contains a live (but weakened) shingles virus may not be appropriate for immuno-compromised people under some circumstances. Zostavax contains a dead virus, and may be a better choice for some.
• Remember that sermon you got about saving your sick leave for when you really need it instead of using it as it accrues? The last thing you need when dealing with a case of shingles and/or the flu is a simultaneous case of “done-gone-off-payroll-itis.” Shingles can make it difficult to do almost anything, including basic functions like eating and sleeping. While some folks are able to continue working, many simply cannot work due to the intense pain and may miss weeks.

Although they may sound awful, shingles and flu aren’t all bad. When properly installed, shingles will shed water like magic and keep the weather out of your home. The flu will vent your furnace or fireplace. Just keep both off your back. If you would like more information on this or any safety topic, contact district Risk Management staff.

Showcase Your Talents in Off the Clock

Do you have a special talent, hobby, or other special job? We'd love to hear from you! 

Off the Clock is a podcast series all about showcasing MoDOT employees when they're not at MoDOT! 

Whether you play in a rock band, have a passion for baking, or enjoy volunteering at a shelter, we want to interview you!

If you're interested in participating in the series, please contact Communications (kccr@modot.mo.gov).

District Office Chili Cook-Off Will Take Place on Feb. 1

The Kansas City district will host a Chili Cook-Off on Thursday, Feb. 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the district office break room. Admission is $5 and includes a sample of all chili and a dessert. All proceeds go to the Employee Assistance Fund. First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded! We hope to see you there!

If you would like to enter a pot of chili to the cook-off, please contact Megan Green (Megan.Green@modot.mo.gov) or Krystal Jolly (Krystal.Jolly@modot.mo.gov).

Thank You from EAF

The Employee Assistance Fund would like to thank everyone that donated monies through the fall meeting's Coin War and Silent Auction, as well as the Concordia Maintenance Shed for their $250 Visa Card donation. 

Because of all these donations, we were able to assist a total of 9 families with gifts for the holidays. 

There was a total of 31 children ranging in age from 12 months to 17 years of age that were able to receive multiple gifts or a Visa gift card.

Again, thank you to everyone that donated towards our efforts to Adopt-A-Family!

Safety Shout: Quiz Time!

Seriously? Another quiz? Yes, sorry. What’s your MoDOT safety IQ? See how many of these questions you can get right without peeking. Correct answers are below!

1. When working tiring shifts, the following snacks are poor choices because they result in “let downs” and low blood sugar after a quick boost: 
(A) Sugary snacks like candy 
(B) Nuts or fruit 
(C) Peanut butter 
(D) Yogurt

2. The maximum allowable distance between the wheel and the rest on a bench grinder is: 
(A) One inch 
(B) 1/2 Inch 
(C) 1/8 Inch 
(D) About eight light years 
(E) Any reasonable distance based on task

3. Which of the following is a disaster waiting to happen? 
(A) Storing oxidizers with argon 
(B) Storing oxidizers with acetylene 
(C) Storing propane with oxygen 
(D) The Chiefs in a playoff game

4. When securing heavy equipment, chains must be: 
(A) Grade 100 or better 
(B) Grade 70 or better 
(C) Grade 30 or better 
(D) Never used in conjunction with whips.

5. Generally, an employee’s pay while out on worker’s comp is capped at: 
(A) Their normal rate of pay 
(B) Two-thirds of normal pay 
(C) Half the normal rate including overtime 
(D) A million dollars

6. MoDOT policy requires chaps for: 
(A) Horseback riding 
(B) Any chainsaw operation over 15 minutes 
(C) Any chainsaw or polesaw operation no matter how brief 
(D) When you want to look preppy and smell good

7. At MoDOT, a positive drug test or refusal to test results in: 
(A) A 90 day CDL suspension 
(B) Immediate termination of employment 
(C) Mandatory rehab and a one year probationary period 
(D) A lifetime reemployment ban with the department 
(E) A transfer to Colorado

8. Acceptable way(s) to mow slopes greater than 3-1 is/are to: 
(A) Use a slope mower 
(B) Use a boom mower 
(C) Mow up and down rather than horizontally 
(D) Tie off your mower to the overpass structure 

9. “Suspension Trauma” refers to: 
(A) Acute de-oxygenation and poisoning of blood after prolonged use of deployed fall protection 
(B) The adverse or even fatal effects of poisoned blood rushing to one’s body after getting out of a fall protection harness 
(C) The shock-loading effect on your body after an initial fall 
(D) That sick feeling you get after getting a nasty letter from HR

10. Based on National Safety Council numbers, drivers using cell devices are:
(A) Twice as likely to crash 
(B) Four times as likely to crash 
(C) 1.5 times as likely to get the “You’re Number One!” signal 
(D) Probably vegetarians



Safety Quiz Correct Responses
1. (A) Sugary snacks like candy
2. (C) 1/8 Inch
3. (B) Storing oxidizers with acetylene, and (C) Storing propane with oxygen, AND ABSOLUTELY (D) The Chiefs in a playoff game. Inert gases like argon are safe to store with fuels like acetylene and propane, but oxidizers should never be stored with fuels because oxygen adds fuel to the proverbial fire and may result in an explosion. The Chiefs in the playoffs, on the other hand, simply assures a meltdown. No maybe about it.
4. (B) Grade 70 or better
5. (B) Two-thirds of normal pay
6. (C) Any chainsaw or polesaw operation no matter how brief
7. (B) Immediate termination of employment, and (D) A lifetime reemployment ban with the department
8. (A) Use a slope mower, and (B) Use a boom mower. Mowing up and down DOES NOT allow you to mow slopes over 3-1, and (D) is just stupid.
9. (A) Acute de-oxygenation and poisoning of blood after prolonged use of deployed fall protection, and (B) The adverse or even fatal effects of poisoned blood rushing to one’s body after getting out of a fall protection harness
10. (B) Four times as likely to crash


What’s your MoDOT Safety IQ?
All 10 right without looking: You’re the Zeus or Hera of safety!
8-9 right without looking: Hermes or Aphrodite, maybe?
6-7 right without looking: You’re kind of a Mediocrites.
Less than 6 right without looking: Well hi there, Andy Reid!

MSHP Sends Thanks to MoDOT

The Kansas City district, much like the rest of the state, was under the threat of severe winter weather on Thursday, Jan. 11. Crews were out as soon as possible to help treat and keep an eye on the roads. 

While the day was a little crazy at times, the efforts of MoDOT did not go unnoticed to Missouri State Highway Patrol's Master Sergeant Barry Kumpf - Clay County Zone Commander. Take a look at his email below.

MODOT did an outstanding job today.  The precipitation outlook (freezing rain into sleet into snow) for today looked like gloom and doom, and that precipitation came exactly as it was forecasted.  Also, the temperatures and wind were a huge factor in possibly making this a horrible day of travel.  In my 23 years on the Patrol, I have never experienced such a good result from MODOT during a weather event like this one.  So far, Clay County troopers have only investigated two crashes, which we drove up on, and have not been called to any slide-offs.

Thank you,        

B. A. Kumpf, Master Sergeant

Troop A, Zone 4

This is truly something for us to be proud of here in the district.  Thank you all for doing what you do!

District Office West Doors to be Replaced

The district office is having the West doors replaced on January 15 and 16.

That entrance and stairs will be shut down completely for the 15th and maybe briefly closed on the 16th. Please use the main door or doors on the east side of the building. 

MoDOT and MSHP Total Wellness Update

Check out our MoDOT and MSHP total wellness update below.

Realistic Resolutions - New Year’s resolutions are little motivators that push us to be our healthiest selves. But too big a resolution can set us back. Check out this flyer to get tips on how to make resolutions stick. 
 

Thinking about quitting smoking or chewing? - Members of the MoDOT and MSHP Plan can receive FREE tobacco cessation coaching. Participants will receive free eight-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy (gum and patches) for completing three sessions with a coach. Click here to learn more or call 1-866-213-0153 to enroll.

Need help reaching your health goals for 2018? - Did you know that digital coaching programs are included in your health plan? All online — all personalized to your health goals — whether you’re managing a health risk, overcoming an old habit ... or just eating healthier. To learn more about the Simple Steps to a Healthier Life online coaching program click here.
 
Make 2018 the year you are prepared! – Do you have some basic supplies on hand in order to survive for at least three days if an emergency occurs? Check out this list of items to include in a basic emergency supply kit from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 
 
Save the Date! - National Wear Red Day is Friday, February 2! The purpose of National Wear Day is to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke in women. Did you know that heart disease and stroke kill 1 in 3 women, yet it’s 80% preventable? Help us raise awareness to end this killer of women by wearing RED on Friday, February 3th! Stay tuned for more details.
An important initiative of National Wear Day is encouraging all women to schedule a visit with their doctor to learn their personal health numbers including Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Blood Sugar and Body Mass Index (BMI) and assess their risk for heart disease and stroke. Do you know your numbers?  Make an appointment with your doctor today!

Like us on Facebook! – MoDOT and MSHP Total Wellness is on Facebook! On this page you will find recipes, videos, events, and articles to help you improve your health and wellbeing. Like our page by giving us the thumbs up! 

Safety Shout: Eye and Face Protection

The importance of eye protection is off the chart. Read the bottom line. Whether you’re a pessimist or an optometrist, whether your glasses are half empty or half full, just wear them. You may even need two tears of protection for some jobs. If training new employees, tell your pupils. Don’t do it because eye said so, do it because safety glasses work. Put them on! Whether cutting brush or clearing snow and eyes, be good guys and lashes and set the example. Okay, brow? My vision is to make each pun cornea than the one before.

• MoDOT policy requires approved eye protection for work on or near MoDOT right-of-way, grounds and facilities. Exceptions are common areas like hallways and break rooms, public parking areas, fuel pumps, ceremonies, while operating enclosed cab equipment and vehicles, and in declared safe zones.
• As a general rule, the easiest way to remember when to wear your safety glasses is to remember they are required whenever your hardhat is required.
• Additional protection, such as both safety glasses and a face shield, is required when the risk of flying sparks or particles exists, for example, when grinding or cutting (including cutting with a grinding wheel).
• There are very compelling reasons to protect your eyes and face. Your eyes are delicate, easily damaged, and hard to repair. You only have two (if you have more than two, see your doctor). You don’t want to lose one. Additionally, the bones of your face are thin and can be pierced by flying debris, allowing foreign objects into your sinus cavities. This can result in a life-threatening infection that’s nearly impossible to get under control.
• Make sure you’re wearing the right protection for the job. Some work may require side-shields or goggles, while other work may require multiple layers of protection or specialized PPE. Know before you start.
• Just like sunscreen protects your skin from damaging ultraviolet (UV) light, safety glasses protect your eyes and help prevent cataracts and ocular cancer. Polycarbonate plastic naturally blocks over 99 percent of UV rays, even without sunglasses tint. Most safety glass lenses are made of polycarbonate so they provide the same protection against UV sun damage as sunglasses do.
• Contact lenses do not provide significant protection from eye hazards in the work place. However, there is no evidence that the wearing of contact lenses increases the risk of eye injury. It’s fine to wear either prescription safety glasses, or plain safety glasses or goggles over contact lenses. Regular non-safety-glass prescription lenses are not allowed in place of safety glasses.

Remember, it’s all fun until somebody loses an eye! Don’t be that somebody! No blinking way! If you would like more information on this or any safety topic, contact District Risk Management.