U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

Four Pillars

Prevention

• Tips for Preventive Health
• Preventing Injury
• Taking Medicines Correctly
• Preventing Skin Cancer

Tips for Preventive Health

Following basic safety rules can prevent many serious injuries. Here are some preventive tips to help you avoid injury.

Preventing Injury

To help protect yourself at home:

• Use smoke detectors. Remember to check the batteries every month. Use a reminder to change the batteries every year. For example, change the batteries around your birthday or some holiday.
• Keep hallways and stairwells well lighted
• Remove or repair things that could cause tripping, such as loose rugs, electrical cords, and toys.

To help protect yourself away from home:

• Wear seat belts.
• Never drive after drinking alcohol.
• Always wear a safety helmet while riding a motorcycle or bicycle.
• Be alert for hazards in your workplace. Follow workplace safety rules.

Be alert for hazards in your workplace. Follow workplace safety rules.

Taking Medicines Correctly

Always be sure you know everything about a medicine before you take it. This information will help you get the full benefits from your medicine. It will also help you avoid taking too much or too little of a medicine. Taking medicine in the wrong way can make you worse instead of better.

Your Medicine: Play It Safe (AHRQ Publication No. 03-0019) gives practical tips on how to take medicines safely. To get a print copy, call the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Publications Clearinghouse at 1-800-358-9295 or email at ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov.

Preventing Skin Cancer

You can lower your risk for skin cancer by:

• Limiting the amount of time you spend in the sun, especially between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
• Wearing sunglasses and clothing that protects against the sun-such as broad-brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants-when you are in the sun.
• Using sunscreen when you are in the sun. (But, don't stay out in the sun longer just because you are wearing sunscreen.)