How to SAFELY Deep Fry a Turkey

DEEP-FRYING INDOORS

Using an electric fryer indoors is a great way to get that crispy texture and delicious flavor without having to brave the elements. Given the high temperatures and dangers, be sure to follow these simple instructions:

• Completely thaw your turkey, or use a fresh turkey.
• Take the wrapper off of the turkey, and remove and discard the neck and giblets.
• Add oil to the fryer, but do not exceed the maximum fill line. Preheat oil in the fryer to 400° F.
• While the oil is heating, pat the turkey dry with paper towels and prepare your turkey with any seasonings, marinades, or injected flavors.
• Once the oil is heated, slowly lower the turkey into the fryer. The turkey may not be totally immersed in the oil. This may cause the top part of the breast to remain white even though it is cooked to the proper end temperature.
• Set the timer and cook the turkey about 3 to 4 minutes per pound.
• Cook all dark meat to an internal temperature of 175° F to 180° F, and all white meat to an internal temperature of 165° F to 170° F.
• When the turkey is done, slowly lift it from the pot and place it in a pan or on paper towels to drain.
• Let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before removing it from the rack or basket to carve.

DEEP-FRYING OUTDOORS

Although you’re outdoors, using a propane deep fryer can be very dangerous. Never leave your deep fryer unattended and be sure to carefully follow these instructions:

• To start, take the wrapper off of the turkey, and remove and discard the neck and giblets.
• Deep-fry your turkey outside on a flat surface, far away from homes, garages, wooden decks, etc.
• To determine how much oil is needed for frying, place the thawed turkey in the fryer basket and place it in the fryer. Add water until the top of the turkey is barely covered. Remove the turkey, allowing the water to drain from the turkey back into the fryer. Measure and mark the water line, and use that line as a guide when adding oil to the propane fryer.
• Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
• Add oil to the fryer (based on the water line).
• Preheat oil in the fryer to 375° F.
• While the oil is heating, prepare your turkey with any seasonings, marinades, or injected flavor that you desire.
• When the oil is hot, turn the burner off and slowly lower the turkey into the hot oil. Slowly lowering the basket helps prevent the oil from bubbling over. Turn the burner back on.
• Cook the turkey about 3 to 4 minutes per pound.
• The turkey is done when the dark meat is at an internal temperature of 175° F to 180° F and all white meat is at an internal temperature of 165° F to 170° F.
• When the turkey is done, slowly lift it from the pot and place it in a pan or on paper towels to drain. Let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before removing it from the rack or basket.

DEEP FRYING TIPS

If your turkey is 14 lbs. or less, you can deep-fry it whole. If it’s 15 lbs. or more, separate the legs and thighs from the breast and fry them separately; or use a Butterball XL Turkey Fryer.

Be sure your turkey is completely thawed.

Remove any excess fat.

Do not stuff you turkey when deep-frying. Cook the stuffing separately.

To minimize sticking to the basket, submerge the empty basket in the hot oil for about 30 seconds; remove and place turkey inside and resubmerge.

NOTE

When cooking turkey parts, oil temperature should be 325° F; may take 4 to 5 minutes per pound to reach the recommended temperatures (dark meat to an internal temperature of 175° F to 180° F, and white meat to an internal temperature of 165° F to 170° F).

NOTE

There should be at least 3 to 5 inches from the fill line to the top of the pot so oil doesn’t boil over.

NOTE

When cooking turkey parts, oil temperature should be 325° F; may take 4 to 5 minutes per pound to reach the recommended temperatures (dark meat to an internal temperature of 175° F to 180° F, and white meat to an internal temperature of 165° F to 170° F).

Putting Ebola's risks into perspective

The diagnosis of the first Ebola patient on U.S. soil may have put people in a panic, fearing the exotic virus more than mundane germs – such as influenza – that pose a far greater threat to the average American.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa – the largest in the 40-year history of the virus – has infected 7,178 and killed 3,338, according to the World Health Organization.

"It's important to keep these things in perspective," says Lisa Maragakis, associate hospital epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

She compared Americans' fear of Ebola to the fear of flying. Though many people are afraid to fly, Maragakis points out that far more people are killed in cars.

•Influenza, which many people mistake for a "bad cold," claims up to 49,000 lives a year and sends more than 200,000 to the hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of the more than 100 children who died from flu in the USA last year were healthy kids with nothing to suggest they were more vulnerable than other children.

•Measles, one of the most infectious diseases in the world, is far easier to catch than Ebola. If a person with measles comes in contact with 10 susceptible people — those who have never had measles or who are unvaccinated — nine of those people will come down with measles, says Julia Shaklee Sammons, medical director of infection prevention and control at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

On average, people with measles spread the disease to 12 to 18 other people, according to the Michigan Center for Public Health Preparedness. In contrast, people with Ebola in West Africa spread the disease to one to two others, according to the WHO.

Unlike Ebola, measles spreads through the air. The measles virus is so hardy that it can linger in the air for two hours after an infected person leaves the room – and still infect the next person to walk by, according to the WHO.

Measles is much stealthier than Ebola. People infected with measles can spread the virus for four days before breaking out in tell-tale red spots, according to the WHO.

Even with a mortality rate of 2% to 15% — far lower than the 70% mortality rate seen in the West African Ebola outbreak — measles kills 122,000 people around the world each year, Hotez says. Before vaccines, measles killed 2.2 million every year.

•Norovirus, the most common cause of both food-borne illness and stomach-related misery in the USA, can live on surfaces for days, so people can pick up the virus just from touching a door handle or a toy, Sammons says.

Norovirus – which causes diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps – afflicts up to 21 million Americans a year and kills up to 800, according to the CDC.

If Ebola spread that easily, there would be millions of cases, not thousands, Hotez says.

"In general, Ebola is not easy to get," Sammons says.

Unlike people with measles, patients infected with Ebola can spread the virus only after they begin to show symptoms, such as a fever, Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, said at a news conference Tuesday. Ebola can't spread through the air. It can spread only through direct contact with bodily fluids, primarily blood, Sammons says.

Chances are, anyone exposed to Ebola is going to know about it, Sammons says. That gives them time to seek medical help and isolate themselves to prevent them from spreading the virus.

Ebola could be far less lethal in a developed country that has access to modern intensive care and basic measures, such as keeping patients hydrated and maintaining a steady blood pressure.

One reason Ebola has spread so widely in Africa – in spite of all of these obstacles – is that the countries most affected are extremely poor. Many people lack running water and soap in their homes. So do many hospitals, according to the CDC.

If one family member comes down with Ebola, there's a good chance that others in the home will become infected, especially if patients bleed and vomit profusely. Families without modern toilets and washing machines have trouble cleaning up after patients who lose control of their bowels and produce huge amounts of diarrhea.

Even burying the dead can spread Ebola in these countries, because common burial rites involve washing the dead and preparing the bodies.

-USA Today

November is National Diabetes Month

More than 29 million Americans have diabetes, and about 86 million more are on the verge of the disease. People with diabetes are nearly two times more likely than people without diabetes to die from heart disease, and are also at greater risk for kidney, eye and nerve diseases, among other painful and costly complications.

This year, in observance of National Diabetes Month, including World Diabetes Day on Nov. 14, The National Institutes of Health asks people to take to heart the lessons learned from our research. Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented, and both types 1 and 2 diabetes can be managed to prevent complications.

In type 1 diabetes, the body does not make insulin. In type 2 diabetes — the most common type, which has increased along with the obesity epidemic — the body does not make or use insulin well. A third type, gestational diabetes, occurs in some women during pregnancy. Though it usually goes away after the birth, these women and their children have a greater chance of getting type 2 diabetes later in life.

As the number of people living with type 2 diabetes grows — and the disease has begun to affect young people — identifying safe and effective treatments is key to improving the health of people with diabetes and its complications and those at high risk for the disease.

Research has shown that losing a modest amount of weight — about 15 pounds — through diet and exercise can actually cut your risk of getting type 2 diabetes by as much as 58 percent in people at high risk.

For the approximately 1.5 million children and adults with type 1 diabetes, studies have already found that tight control of blood sugar can prevent diabetes complications. Now researchers are at work to identify genetic and environmental causes of the disease, to create and sustain islet cells to produce insulin, and to advance technology to make the daily lives of people with type 1 diabetes safer, healthier and easier.

There are steps we can take now to protect our health and the health of the people we love. Choose healthy foods to share. Take a brisk walk together every day. Talk with your family about your health and your family’s risk of diabetes and heart disease. If you smoke, seek help to quit. The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) can help you make positive, lasting changes to improve your health.

This National Diabetes Month, make changes to reduce your risk for diabetes and its complications — for yourself, your families and for future generations.

OSHA announces significant alterations to reporting requirements

On September 11, 2014, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a final rule that significantly changes an employer’s duties to report workplace injuries to the agency.

The current rule, codified at 29 C.F.R. §1904.39, only requires employers to report to OSHA workplace-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations of three-or-more employees.

Employers have an eight-hour deadline from the time of the incident to make the report to the nearest OSHA area office or to its toll-free hotline.

The revised rule, which goes into effect on January 1, 2015, significantly alters an employer’s reporting requirements:

In-patient hospitalization of one-or-more employees as a result of a work-related incident must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours. (The current rule requires reporting hospitalization of three-or-more employees within 8 hours.)
Amputations and the loss of an eye as a result of a work-related incident must now be reported to OSHA within 24 hours. (This is a new provision.)
Motor vehicle accidents occurring in construction work zones on public streets or highways resulting in a fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss must be reported to OSHA. (This is a new provision.)
porting can be made either to the nearest OSHA Area Office, OSHA’s toll-free number, or on OSHA’s web site. (The current rule does not have provisions for online reporting.) If the in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss occurs more than 24 hours beyond the work-related incident, it does not have to be reported to OSHA, but still must be recorded on OSHA injury and illness logs. (This is a new provision.)
If an employer doesn’t learn of an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or eye loss “at the time it takes place,” the employer must report it to OSHA within 24 hours of when the in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss is reported to the employer or any agent of the employer. (This is a new provision.)
If an employer “does not learn right away” that a reportable incident was the result of a work-related incident, as soon as employer or any agent of the employer learns the reportable incident—8 hours from the time of learning for fatalities, 24 hours for in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss—the employer must make the report to OSHA. (This is a new provision.)
The Eight-Hour Workplace Fatality Reporting Rule

The only provision under the current rule that is not changing is an employer’s obligation to report workplace fatalities to OSHA within eight hours. OSHA is, however, amending the rule to take into account those situations in which the employer does not immediately learn of the fatality.

In-Patient Hospitalizations of One-or-More Employees

During the notice-and-comment period in 2011, many employers objected to OSHA’s proposal to lower the reporting threshold on hospitalizations from three-or-more employees to one-or-more employees. Many noted that an employee’s hospitalization does not always represent a serious injury or illness, and many occur due to non-work-related events. Others pointed to the rise of “defensive medicine”—the practice of physicians and health care professionals of ordering often-unnecessary tests, procedures, or visits primarily to reduce exposure to malpractice liability. OSHA acknowledged this concern to some extent by including provisions to clarify when the reporting clock starts to run. Several public commenters objected to reporting amputations, noting that OSHA’s proposed rule failed to precisely define “amputation” (If an employee slices off the tip of a finger, but does not suffer bone loss, does the incident constitute an amputation?) Many commenters also complained that OSHA ignored small businesses and failed to convene a Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) of 1996 panel.

“In-Patient Hospitalization” and “Amputation” Defined

In response to some of the criticisms of the proposed rule, OSHA’s final rule includes definitions of two key terms and phrases:

“In-patient hospitalization”: OSHA defines as a “formal admission to the in-patient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment.” The definition expressly excludes “observation or diagnostic testing.”
“Amputation”: OSHA defines as a “traumatic loss of a limb or other external body part.” Amputations include “a part, such as a limb or appendage, that has been severed, cut off, amputated (either completely or partially); fingertip amputations with or without bone loss; medical amputations resulting from irreparable damage; [and] amputations of body parts that have since been reattached. Amputations do not include avulsions, enucleations, deglovings, scalpings, severed ears, or broken or chipped teeth.”
In response to near-universal support,   the agency will permit employers to report these incidents via OSHA’s web site. The online report will include mandatory fields for required information. If the report does not include the required information in the mandatory fields, the reporting application will not accept the report. The agency does not say, however, whether the online report will provide the employer with a verification number, email, time stamp, or any other means to allow the employer to keep a record of the report’s submission.

State Plan States

OSHA expects State Plan states, those states with their own state-run occupational safety and health agencies, to adopt these revisions and fully implement them within six months, with posting or submission of documentation within 60 days of adoption. This won’t be too much of a problem for a handful of states. California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Utah, and Kentucky already require reporting of single in-patient hospitalizations. California and Kentucky also already require the reporting of work-related amputations.

North American Industry Classification System

The rule also formally updates 29 C.F.R. §1904.2 and codifies OSHA’s switch from the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system to the more modern and detailed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). NAICS was first adopted by the federal government in 1997, and OSHA has informally used NAICS to classify inspections for years. The new rule formally adopts NAICS and makes the SIC system obsolete, at least as it pertains to OSHA.

Exempt Industries

The rule also updated Appendix A to Part 1904, Subpart B, which is OSHA’s list of partially-exempt industries. Industries on Appendix A are not required to keep OSHA 300, 300A, or 301 recordkeeping logs, unless they are asked in writing to do so by OSHA, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), or any state-agency-equivalent of these federal agencies. The update requires certain industries to now keep OSHA recordkeeping logs. The affected industries include new and used car dealers; hardware stores; residential and non-residential building lessors and property managers; marketing research firms; facilities support services; blood and organ banks; convention and trade show organizers; beer, wine, and liquor stores; services for the elderly and persons with disabilities; food service contractors; caterers; theater and performing arts companies; and bowling alleys, among others.

On the other hand, the rule now partially exempts other industries, such as pension funds; labor unions; collection agencies;; newspaper, periodical, and book publishers; television and radio stations; wireless telecommunication carriers (except satellite carriers); and motorcycle, ATV, personal watercraft, and boat dealers, among others. These industries, OSHA explains, had low injury and illness rates based on 2007-2009 injury/illness data. One industry that qualifies for the partial exemption but won’t be receiving it is employment services (NAICS 5613), which includes employment placement agencies and temporary help services. In spite of their low injury rates, OSHA expressed concern that temporary employees’ “actual place of work may be in an establishment that is part of a different, possibly higher-hazard industry,” and therefore took away the partial exemption that the industry otherwise deserved. All partially exempt industries, however, still must report any employee’s fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye.

Key Takeaways

The purpose of the new reporting requirements is obvious: OSHA intends to increase inspections of employee hospitalizations, amputations, and eye loss. OSHA routinely investigates these matters when it discovers them, either through employee or third-party reports to the agency or news reports of accidents. In the final rule, OSHA claims that “it does not intend to inspect” every employer reporting one of these events. But the agency’s aggressive enforcement history belies this meek denial. OSHA rarely fails to investigate a fatality or catastrophe (hospitalization of three-or-more employees) reported under the current rule. To the contrary, the U.S. Department of Labor’s own regulations mandate that OSHA must investigate “each accident which results in a fatality or the hospitalization of three or more employees.”

Any employer required to submit a report of an accident to OSHA should expect an OSHA inspection or at least some contact from OSHA. Even for instances that may not be work-related (such as if an employee suffers a heart attack at work or develops food poisoning due to something he or she ate at lunch), employers can anticipate that OSHA will check the veracity of the employer’s report, which may entail the now-standard agency request for the employer’s OSHA 300 and 300A logs for the past three to five years. The new rule will no doubt keep OSHA busy. Under the current rule, OSHA receives approximately 750 to 1,100 fatality and catastrophe reports each year. The new rule will increase this number to anywhere from 150,000 to 275,000 reports per year. This, of course, provides the agency a perfect opportunity to request from Congress a significant increase in the agency’s enforcement budget to thoroughly investigate all such reports.

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Feel free to excerpt these tips or use them in their entirety for any print or broadcast story, with acknowledgment of source.

ALL DRESSED UP:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes.
• When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
• If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child's costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
• Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
• Do not use decorative contact lenses without an eye examination and a prescription from an eye care professional. While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as “one size fits all,” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” obtaining decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal. This can cause pain, inflammation, and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.
• Teach children how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost. 

CARVING A NICHE:

• Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting.

• Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest.
• Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended. 

HOME SAFE HOME:

• To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
• Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
• Wet leaves or snow should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
• Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater. 

ON THE TRICK-OR-TREAT TRAIL:

• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.

• If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.

• Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.

• Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or-Treaters.
• Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.

•  Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.

• Carry a cellphone for quick communication.

• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.

• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.

• Never cut across yards or use alleys.

• Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or out driveways.

• Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn't mean others will!

• Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

 HEALTHY HALLOWEEN:

• A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.
• Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books or pens and pencils.
• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
• Try to ration treats for the days following Halloween.

Flu Vaccination, Myth and Fact

MYTH: Healthy people do not need to get the flu vaccine.
FACT: Anyone can get sick from the flu, but adults 65 and older, kids under 2 and people with chronic conditions are more likely to have more serious problems.  Healthy people can easily pass the flu to others, so get your flu shot.

MYTH: Flu shots can give people the flu.
FACT: The flu shot is made from dead viruses, so you can’t get the flu from the vaccination.
But, you may experience side effects including a sore arm, sore throats or achiness.  These usually go away within one or two days.

MYTH: The seasonal flu isn’t serious.
FACT: The season flu can be very serious. In 2006, the flu was the 8th leading cause of
death in the United States.  Symptoms include: high fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches and stomach issues such as nausea, vomiting
and diarrhea.  Protect yourself and those around you by getting your flu shot.

MYTH: Needles can hurt, so it’s easier not to get the vaccine.
FACT: You may feel a sharp prick when you get the vaccine, but it’s brief. If you are worried, a nasal flu spray is available. The spray is made from weakened live influenza viruses, but cannot cause the flu. It is approved for healthy people ages 2-49, but not for pregnant women.

MYTH: It’s ok to come to work when you’re feeling sick with flu-like symptoms.
FACT: To protect your co-workers, it’s important to stay home if you don’t feel well or you are unsure if you’re contagious.

MYTH: Flu shots can give people the flu.
FACT: The flu strain changes every year and every year the flu vaccine protects against new viruses that are circulating.  Get your flu vaccine every year to protect yourself from the current strains.

Eye Injury Prevention at Home

October is eye injury prevention Month and the American Academy of Ophthalmology reminds the public that nearly half of all eye injuries occur in the home.

Nearly 2.5 million people suffer eye injuries each year in the United States, and nearly one million people have lost some degree of vision as a result. Most could have been prevented with protective eyewear. These are some of the most common places that eye injuries happen and prevention tips for both indoor and outdoor activities:

• In the house – When using household chemicals, read the instructions and labels carefully, work in a well-ventilated area and make sure to point spray nozzles away from you. Many chemicals are extremely hazardous and can permanently destroy the surface of your eyes, resulting in blindness. For this reason, it is very important to use appropriate eye protection to prevent blinding consequences from chemical splashes. 

• In the workshop – Think about the work you will be doing and wear protective eyewear to shield your eyes from flying fragments, fumes, dust particles, sparks and splashing chemicals. Many objects can fly into your eyes unexpectedly and cause injury. 

• In the garden – Put on protective eyewear before you use a lawnmower, power trimmer or edger and be sure to check for rocks and stones because they can become dangerous projectiles as they shoot from these machines. 

• In the garage – Battery acid sparks and debris from damaged or improperly jump-started auto batteries can severely damage your eyes. Learn the proper way to jump-start an automobile, and keep protective goggles in the trunk of your car to use for those emergencies and everyday repairs. 

In an effort to combat household eye injuries, the Academy recommends that every household have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear to be worn when doing projects and activities at home to safeguard against eye injuries.

ANSI-approved protective eyewear is manufactured to meet the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) eye protection standard. ANSI-approved protective eye wear can be easily purchased from most hardware stores nationwide and can be identified by the mark "Z87" placed on the eye wear. ANSI-approved protective eyewear is not approved for use in sports. To locate appropriate eyewear for specific sports or to learn more about eye injuries visit www.GetEyeSmart.org.