Balfour Beatty promotes safety awareness Published June 14, 2013 By Balfour Beatty Communities Balfour Beatty Communities TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Safety is a company focus at Balfour Beatty, safety of our residents, contractors and employees. Balfour Beatty puts safety at the forefront of every move it makes. If you notice any unsafe practices or are concerned about the safety in your home or community, call the Balfour Beatty Communities office at 207-3376. Individuals may have come across the Balfour Beatty Communities Zero Harm logo or had the opportunity to meet BAL-4 or B-T and they recognize the Zero Harm yellow banner and our robot friends, but what do they stand for? While parents and neighbors within our communities protect and serve our country, BAL-4 and his sidekick B-T educate and empower children within our communities to protect themselves and their family and to live safe and strong lives. For safety and environmental games and activities and to learn more about BAL-4 and B-T, visit the Kids Corner section of the property website. In celebration of National Safety Month, Balfour Beatty called on its all-star employees to share safety tips with our residents. In "Distracted Behind the Wheel" by Jessica Ennis, LifeWorks coordinator, Naval Station Mayport Homes, "Text messaging behind the wheel has become the most concerning type of distracted driving because it involves visual, manual and cognitive attention from the driver." According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving without distractions. Sending or receiving texts while driving takes the driver's eyes off the road for approximately 4.6 seconds. This action is equivalent to driving the length of a football field, blindfolded at 55 mph. Distracted driving is something that is easily prevented just by being aware of your behavior. The Governor's Highway Safety Association suggests turning off your phone or silencing it before getting into your vehicle. Set up a special message that you can send callers to let them know when you are driving. If there is an emergency, pull over to a safe area to respond. Be familiar with local laws as many states prohibit the use of hand held devices while driving. In "Skin Care Safety" by Kristen Connor, Resident Specialist and LifeWorks Coordinator, Naval Station Newport Homes, "Applying sunscreen to exposed areas of your body including face, neck, arms, and legs should be one of the most important things you do during your daily morning routine. Skin cancer is the most common forms of cancer in the United States, and 90 percent of skin cancers occur because of exposure to ultraviolet sunrays." In order to prevent skin cancer, individuals should apply at least a 30 SPF or higher sunscreen every day, even on a hazy or cold day, and wear protective clothing such as hats and sunglasses. Individuals should also check their body for any strange marks that may change in appearance or size. For additional safety tips, visit the Better Living Blog at http://betterliving.balfourbeattycommunities.com or check out the safety page website at http://bit.ly/13VBVe4.