Vol. 14, No. 5

As a benefit of your ASSE membership, Society Update highlights the latest Society news, activities, upcoming events and notable member achievements. Members are encouraged to submit news, announcements, questions or comments to Cathy Wegener.

Upcoming Events
Webinars
May 12
Compliance or Injury Prevention? Which Is More Important?
May 19
Distracted Driving—A View From Inside the Cab
May 26
Successful Management of OSHA/MSHA Inspections and Investigations
Seminars & Workshops
Baltimore, MD
June 10
Math Review
June 10-11
Delivering a High-Performance Safety Management System
June 11-13
ASP Workshop
June 11-13
CSP Workshop
June 11-13
CHST Workshop
June 11-13
Safety Management I
June 11-13
Corporate Safety Management
June 12-13
Reducing Losses From Occupational Health Risks and Environmental Exposures
June 13-16
Safety 2010
June 16
½ Day Math Review
June 17-18
Safety Management II
June 17-19
ASP Workshop
June 17-19
OHST Workshop
NAOSH Week Is Here

Get involved during NAOSH Week. Mission NAOSH 2010: Safe Workplaces runs May 2-8, 2010, with Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day on May 5. Promote occupational safety and health aimed at preventing injuries and illnesses. Organize community safety events, provide teen worker safety programs, distribute the NAOSH Week Safety-on-the-Job kids’ poster or attend one of the many events held in Washington, DC, during NAOSH Week.

CoPS Article of the Month

The Council on Practices and Standards (CoPS) featured article of the month is from The Advisor, Vol. 9, No. 2, the Consultants Practice Specialty’s newsletter. The article, “Evaluate This: A Compelling Technique to Measure & Evaluate Training Results,” is written by Chris Ross, CSP, CPLP, OHST.

Society Update Ad #3
Join ASSE Groups on LinkedIn

Join ASSE’s practice specialty, common interest group (CIG) and branch groups on LinkedIn. Nearly 4,000 members have already joined. Get involved and participate in discussions, search jobs, contribute articles, find resources and network with other SH&E professionals. Search for the practice specialties, branches and CIGs under LinkedIn’s Groups tab.

Foundation’s Advocate Newsletter Goes Digital
ASSEF Logo

The Spring 2010 issue of The Advocate, ASSE Foundation’s newsletter, will be available in an interactive, online version in May. The new format allows users to zoom in and out of pages; click-navigate through an active table of contents; click on live links; and instantly send an e-mail to Foundation staff and leaders. A tutorial will be included at the beginning of each issue to guide you through the many features.

Get More, Go Digital

You can opt to receive only the digital edition of PS. Contact ASSE’s Customer Service Department for information.

Refer a Friend
Top Recruiters: Honor Roll

The latest additions to ASSE’s Honor Roll.

In This Issue

 

Top Stories

Career Services From ASSE

Many SH&E professionals have found themselves unemployed due to layoffs and cutbacks. In his May 2010 Professional Safety President’s Message, ASSE President Chris Patton encourages members to help their fellow SH&E professionals in their job searches. ASSE provides several tools and services to help.

  • SH&E Career Resource Center. This new website includes links to career information, as well as members-only access to free training modules. Topics include resumes and cover letters, interviewing, networking and using online social networks.

  • ASSE’s Networking Partner Program. This program pairs members seeking employment with an employed ASSE member in their area who has volunteered to help them network and search for job leads. For the program to be successful, the Society needs members to volunteer as networking partners.

  • NexSteps job board. If you’re looking for a job, you can post your resume and receive automated notifications when jobs become available that match your interests—all at no cost. Employers can post listings of available positions (prices vary), search resumes online and set up a resume agent to alert the employer when new resumes are posted that match their criteria.

  • NexSteps Career Center at Safety 2010. Job seekers can visit the NexSteps Career Center at Safety 2010 to post resumes and view postings by companies seeking to hire an SH&E professional. Employers can post positions and browse through resumes. During the week of Safety 2010, ASSE allows jobs to be posted at no charge.

Plan Ahead for Safety 2010: Visit the Virtual Expo

expo picture

Attending Safety 2010 in Baltimore June 13-16? Be sure to visit ASSE’s online virtual expo. The site features an attendee services section where you can search exhibitors by company name or product category, plan your exposition schedule and request appointments with exhibitors. You’ll also find a floor plan for the expo hall to help you map out which booths to visit.

 

Don’t Miss Out on Foundation Events at Safety 2010

While attending Safety 2010 in Baltimore, be sure to schedule time to participate in ASSE Foundation (ASSEF) events.

The annual ASSEF golf outing will be held Sunday, June 13 at Waverly Woods Golf Club in Marriottsville, MD. It will begin with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. with golfers playing in a 4-person scramble. Participants may sign up individually or as a foursome. The $145 registration fee (per person) includes the greens fee, cart rental, range balls and lunch. Prizes will be awarded for the top three teams and other activities such as longest drive and closest to the pin. Register by May 31, 2010, to reserve your spot. Sponsorship opportunities from $250 to $3,000 are also available. Contact ASSE Customer Service at (847) 699-2929 for registration or sponsorship opportunities.

ASSEF will also host a silent auction from June 13-16. Suggested item donations include digital cameras, sporting events tickets, airfare, gift certificates and MP3 players. If interested in donating, complete an item donation form and fax it to Adele Gabanski at (847) 296-3769 by May 15, 2010. Proceeds from the auction and golf outing will help fund ASSEF’s scholarship and research programs.

Book Signing at Safety 2010

Andrew Winston, keynote speaker at Safety 2010’s opening general session on Monday, June 14, will be signing copies of Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value and Build Competitive Advantage immediately following the session. The best-selling book explores what executives must know to manage the environmental challenges facing society and business. Green to Gold shows how companies generate lasting value, cut costs, reduce risk, increase revenues and create strong brands by building environmental thinking into their business strategies. Concrete examples featuring companies such as IKEA, GE and Nike show how companies can establish an “eco-advantage” in the marketplace.

ASSEF Announces Liberty Mutual Research Fellowship Recipients

This year’s Liberty Mutual Safety Research Fellowships, available through the ASSE Foundation (ASSEF), were given to Chad Uy of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, and Justin Young of University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. The fellowship is conducted at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety in Hopkinton, MA; it aims to encourage research activity in the safety field, expand and stimulate safety research understanding, and lay the groundwork for graduate students and faculty members to pursue applied research projects of their choice.

Chad Uy
Chad Uy
Justing Young
Justin Young

Uy has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University in Medford, MA, and is currently working on his M.S. in Industrial Engineering. His proposal focuses on loss of hand strength as a person ages, and he aims to find a new design for a bottle that would reduce the amount of physical stress on the user to promote safety and proper handling.

Young is working on his Ph.D. in Industrial and Operations Engineering. He has a B.S. in Engineering and two M.S. degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Industrial and Operations Engineering, all from University of Michigan. His proposal aims to develop more effective push handles on hand trucks and pushcarts to allow operators to exert optimal force. Young’s proposal includes analysis of previous research data and determining how the results can be incorporated into biomechanical models in ergonomic analysis software.

 

More News

Chapter Challenge Winners, New Challenge Ends July 31

Thirty chapters participated in the first quarter Membership Chapter Challenge. The winning chapters to receive $150 each in the small, medium and large category are: Southern Mississippi, Region IV, small; Central Florida, Region IV, medium; and Gulf Coast, Region III, large.

The next Chapter Challenge runs until July 31, 2010. Here is how it works: Use promo code 1004CHPCHL on new applications or have potential new members enter it on their online application. This code will allow you to recruit members and offer them a free practice specialty (a $20 value) and a $25 ASSE gift certificate as well as the value and benefits of membership. One chapter per category will also receive $150 based on the highest percentage of membership growth.

ASSE Author Designates Book Royalties to Fund ISU Scholarship

Dr. George Byrns, Ph.D., MPH, CIH, editor of the ASSE-published book, Hazard Recognition and Control in Institutional Settings, has designated royalties from that publication to fund a scholarship through Illinois State University (ISU).

Associate professor of environmental health and health sciences at ISU, Byrns established the scholarship in 2005 to support growth in the occupational safety and health profession. The Environmental Health Discovery Scholarship Fund was established to help students who decide later in their college careers to become environmental health majors.

Interested in the Service Industry?

service kitchen

If you work in or have an interest in the hotel and lodging industry, foodservice, restaurants, retail or recreation, then the Service Branch of ASSE’s Management Practice Specialty is for you. The branch provides networking opportunities, publishes an electronic newsletter (@Your Service) and keeps members informed of the latest SH&E news within the service industry. Contact branch chair Gail House for more information or visit the branch’s website. If you’re attending Safety 2010, be sure to attend the Service Branch meeting in the Carroll B Room at the Hilton on Sunday, June 13, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

A10.42 Standard Reaffirmed

ANSI recently reaffirmed the standard, Rigging Qualifications and Responsibilities in the Construction Industry [ANSI/ASSE A10.42-2000 (R2010)]. ASSE will now prepare the standard for publication. The A10.42 standard establishes minimum criteria of knowledge and performance requirements for a qualified rigger in the construction industry. It is designed to assist in achieving reasonable safety of all persons and materials during the process of, or as the result of, rigging, lifting or moving of loads.

 

Chapter News

Metropolitan Chapter Is Now the New York City Chapter

The Metropolitan Chapter is now the New York City Chapter. Chartered in 1924, the Metropolitan Chapter was the first Society chapter, according to Chapter President Peter Amato. “It originally included the Long Island and Hudson Valley sections before they became their own chapters,” he says. The chapter’s bylaws indicate its geographical area as the Five Boroughs of New York City. “In addition, Metropolitan can theoretically be anywhere,” Amato says. The move to change the name began in July 2009, culminating on April 5 when the ASSE Council on Member and Region Affairs approved the motion to rename the chapter.

 

Member News

ASSE Members Featured in Career World

Several ASSE members were featured in an article about the SH&E profession published in the February/March 2010 issue of Career World, a magazine for high-school students who are college bound, as well as those heading directly into the workforce after graduation. The magazine is distributed to about 95,000 high schools across the country.

Entitled “Play It Safe,” by Brian Fitzgerald, the article highlighted several SH&E professionals from various industries, and presented their advice on the profession. Members interviewed included:

  • Charles McGlothlin Jr., P.E., professional member of the Greater Detroit Chapter; OSH program director, Oakland University, Rochester, MI.
  • James “Skipper” Kendrick Jr., CSP, professional member of the Fort Worth Chapter; president, Kendrick Global Enterprises LLC, Hurst, TX.
  • David Kraemer, professional member of the Purchase Area Chapter; chair, occupational safety and health department, Murray State University, Murray, KY.
  • Heather Earl, CSP, professional member of the Central Florida Chapter; manager, safety and health LOB operations, Walt Disney World Resorts, Lake Buena Vista, FL.
  • Mondale Smith, ARM, CPCU, OHST, member of the Badgerland Chapter; loss control manager, American Family Insurance, Madison, WI.
  • Patricia Ennis, CSP, ARM, professional member of the Colorado Chapter and ASSE Vice President of Professional Development; director of workplace safety, Denver Zoo, Denver, CO.

The article offers an overview of the profession, advice and suggestions from the various SH&E professionals, and asks readers to think about other areas of the community that SH&E professionals might work.

Miller Joins Stantec

Fred Miller
Fred Miller

Fred Miller, CSP, is now regional health, safety and environment coordinator for Stantec’s U.S. eastern region. Based in West Chester, PA, Miller has more than 25 years’ experience in SH&E consulting and in developing safety programs and conducting audits. At Stantec, Miller will oversee safety training and guidelines for the firm’s offices in the eastern half of the U.S. Miller is a professional member of the Chesapeake Chapter.

Stantec provides professional consulting services in planning, engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics for infrastructure and facilities projects.

 

ASSE Members Attend Latino Worker Health & Safety Summit

The National Action Summit for Latino Worker Health and Safety was held to ensure that workers understand their rights to a safe workplace and to highlight the hazards and challenges faced by Latino workers. The event, held in Houston, TX, hosted workers and representatives from various organizations such as employer associations, SH&E professionals and community groups, and provided workshops, panelists and keynote speakers. ASSE Region III members and members of ASSE’s Safety Professionals and the Latino Workforce (SPALW) group were also on hand to provide their expertise. “While workplace accidents nationwide are slowly decreasing, accidents among the Latino workforce are on the rise and we continue to help, through ASSE, to prevent those injuries and illnesses,” says SPALW Chair Zeferino Banda.

ASSE members participated in many of the educational panels, SH&E classes and hazard recognition program, and helped provide insight for attendees. “We look forward to continuing our efforts in increasing workplace safety for all,” says ASSE Region III ARVP of Finance Cindy Lewis. “ASSE provides many resources for Hispanics and those who work with a Latino workforce on how to communicate workplace risks and solutions all aimed at enhancing workplace safety for all.”

Remember the Triangle Events Held in New York City

Descendants of Triangle Fire Victims
Meeting attendees discuss plans to install a memorial at the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

On March 25, 2010, ASSE members participated in a Remember the Triangle event held in New York City. A meeting was held to discuss plans to have a permanent memorial installed at the Asch Building (now known as the Brown Building), site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. In addition to the memorial, meeting organizer Leigh Benin noted that children should always be taught about the tragedy, the lessons learned and that something positive resulted from it—the formation of ASSE. During the meeting, ASSE members also met with descendants of those who lost their lives in the fire, descendants of the Asch Building owners and the great-granddaughter of the lawyer who represented those owners in court.

 

SH&E Generations

Generations LogoWe recently asked ASSE members to share their stories of following a parent into the SH&E profession or of having a son or daughter follow them into the safety profession.

Here’s the story of Ed Kelley and daughter Kristin Herman.