PICNIC SAFE: Don’t Get Sick This Summer

If you’ve ever had food poisoning, you don’t want to get it again. It can begin 30 minutes to three weeks after consuming something contaminated, lasts a few hours to 10+ days, and usually causes stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Yuck.

Food poisoning is caused by perishable foods that are left out too long, undercooked, or contaminated. The CDC estimates that, in the U.S. each year, roughly 1 in 6 people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from food poisoning.

Stay safe during #NationalGrillingMonth and #NationalPicnicMonth with four simple steps:

  1. CLEAN. Before preparing food, wash your hands with soap and water. Clean all surfaces and utensils. Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables.
  2. SEPARATE. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from other foods to avoid cross-contamination. Use different coolers, if possible. Use one plate for raw food and another for serving cooked food.
  3. COOK. Food is safely cooked only when the internal temperature gets high enough to kill germs that can make you sick. Use a food thermometer to make sure you reach the recommended temperature for the type of food you are cooking.
  4. CHILL. Keep cold foods cold by using plenty of ice or frozen gel packs. Use one cooler for drinks and another for perishable foods, to minimize the number of times the food cooler is opened. To serve, put a bowl of ice under perishable foods, and do not leave them out for more than one hour.

Resources

Rx BASICS: Use With Caution

Prescription medication can treat health problems and help you live a healthier life. When used incorrectly or in combination with certain substances, it can cause illness, uncomfortable side effects, serious injuries or even death.

That’s why it’s vitally important to take medication seriously and follow these basic guidelines to prevent problems.

  1. At every visit, give your provider a current list of medications you take (including prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, herbal remedies, etc.). Tip: Enter this information in your phone’s “Notes” app for easy reference.
  2. Ask your provider why you need the medication, what it is intended to do, and what side-effects you may have.
  3. Follow your provider’s instructions exactly, including how much, how often and how long to take the medication.
  4. Safely store medication in a cool, dry place, like a dresser drawer or kitchen cabinet, out of reach of children and pets. Never share prescription medication. Promptly discard unused or expired medicines.

Your prescription drug benefits include convenient options that help you save time and money. Click below to learn about your Plan’s home delivery service for medications you take regularly.

Resources

PROTECT YOUR INCOME. Get Peace of Mind

None of us wants to think about it. But what would happen to your family financially if you died or became disabled? How would the mortgage/rent continue to be paid? What about car payments, education, and groceries?

That’s why Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), and Long-Term Disability coverage is so valuable. These three benefits protect you financially, so that if the unexpected happens, you and your family have a safety net.

  • The Trust provides Basic Life and AD&D Insurance at no cost to you, if you are a full-time active status or PAT part-time status employee covered by the SD-1 Trust.
  • During Open Enrollment this fall, you may have the option to increase Life and AD&D coverage amounts for yourself and your dependents.
  • What’s more, eligible employees are automatically enrolled in self-pay Long-Term Disability benefits. If you become disabled because of a covered injury, sickness or pregnancy, the Plan pays 60% of your pre-disability earnings, up to $6,000/month.

These benefits can give you peace of mind right now, by protecting your family in the event the unthinkable happens later. To learn about the coverage that’s available to you through your Plan click on “Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance” or “Long Term Disability” in the menu, then choose your union and status and click “Go”.

Resources

Share this Post:
Go back to Trust Blog home page