OH&S Virtual Event 2011

Mark Your Calendars, The Occupational Health and Safety Virtual Event is Coming!

Check out Summit’s Booth!

Who: Safety Professionals

What: Occupational Health and Safety Virtual Event 2011

When: February 16^th 9am-5pm

Where: vts.inxpo.com

Why: At just the click of your mouse you can have all the luxuries of a tradeshow without leaving your desk.

The OH&S Virtual Exhibit is the perfect opportunity to chat in real time with exhibitors and preview the latest products and solutions without leaving the comfort of your desk. Allowing you access to free content, downloads, presentations and more. Check out the 5 reasons OH&S thinks you should attend this event.

5 Reasons You Need to Attend This OH&S Virtual Event!

1. Stay current.

This OH&S Virtual Event is just what you need to keep up with the latest tools, technologies and information to enhance your workplace safety planning. View the latest products, attend cutting-edge educational sessions and share best practices with others in your field.

2. Save valuable time and money.

We realize budgets are tight. That’s why we’re bringing you innovative solutions and in-depth education FREE -- from the convenience of your computer. View product demonstrations, collect whitepapers and have all of your questions answered in real time, from leading suppliers—all in one place.  

3. Build your own schedule.

Based on your specific needs, choose to attend various live and on-demand sessions throughout the day covering today’s key topics.

4. Connect with the right people.

Choose from hundreds of workplace safety and health professionals also attending this OH&S Virtual Event. Network and chat with the attendees of your choice.

5. Share valuable information and lessons learned with your office.

Collect product descriptions, whitepapers, webinars, vCards, session PowerPoints and much more in your Virtual Briefcase.  Download for your own use and pass along valuable show materials to your colleagues!

For more information about the event check out http://ohsonline.com/events/ohs-virtual-event/home.aspx

Use of incentives in wellness programs on the rise: study
From National Safety Council Member News
February 11, 2011
Boston – Employers increasingly are relying on financial incentives to encourage employee participation in health improvement programs, indicates a study released Feb. 9 by the National Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments.

The study, a follow-up to research conducted in 2009, involved 147 mid- to large-sized companies in various industries nationwide. Overall, incentives provided by the companies averaged $430 per employee in 2010 – a 65 percent increase from 2009, when average spending was $260 per employee.

The types of financial incentives offered for participation in wellness programs included cash, gift cards or contributions to health savings accounts. The study tracked four main categories of wellness programs: health risk management (e.g., onsite flu shots), lifestyle management (smoking cessation programs), condition management (nurse phone lines), and communication and education (company wellness websites).

Approximately 12 percent of employers surveyed use negative incentives, such as reducing employer contributions to health plans, for employees who do not participate. Aside from incentives, companies involved in the study spent an average of $154 per employee on health improvement programs. The majority was spent on condition management programs, such as monitoring diabetes treatment.

The study further indicated the number of wellness programs will increase in coming years, as 63 percent of employers said they intend to increase program offerings in 2011. "Wellness programs in the past have typically had modest impact because of low participation rates," said Sunit Patel, senior vice president of Fidelity's benefits consulting business. "But our study indicated that incentives are starting to make a real difference in employee interest and engagement."

The Blizzard of the Century

It was the storm that brought most of the nation to a crawl and a massive clean up. Some are calling it the Great Blizzard of 2011; some are calling it “Snowpocalypse”. Whatever it may be called it will be one for the record books. The storm that hit the nation last Tuesday (February 4^th) left two thirds of the nation facing down power lines, shuttered highways and thousands of airport cancellations, along with a 2,000 mile trail of snow and ice from the Midwest to the northeast.

Snow falls that were record breaking and cancellations for days, it was the every kids dream snow day. For parents and businesses it was more of a nightmare. Shoveling driveways for hours and waiting for plows to clear a path, leaving roads still un-drivable for most places. With blizzard like winds reaching up to 50mph and over a foot of snow in some places of the country, driving was out of question for most.

Those that braved the heavy snow fall and strong winds were not all lucky. 11 deaths were reported due to the blizzard according to the NBC Chicago News. ABC News tells of three unfortunate deaths… A woman died on her way to work, she got stuck on a railroad track and was thrown from her car when a train hit her vehicle. A man in Detroit died in a car accident caused by icy road condition. In New York a homeless man burned to death when he tried to light cans of cooking fuel to stay warm.

Some thought they would leave town before the storm hit made it not much farther than the airport. This storm caused over 5,000 flights to be canceled. Flights were not the only thing that took a big hit that day. The economy lost millions in profit do to businesses closing. According the NBC Chicago the blizzard cost the Chicago area around $600millions. Other cities such as New York, Detroit and Indianapolis were affected financially from the storm. 

Check out these picture from around Grand Rapids, Michigan! 

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

To keep Thanksgiving fire-free, the public should follow these ten tips.
1. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

2. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.

3. Be alert. You won’t be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs, or consumed alcohol that makes you drowsy.

4. Keep anything that can catch fire—potholders, wooden utensils, food wrappers, towels or curtains—away from your stove top.
5. Make sure your sleeves are out of the way when cooking. Wear tighter fitting clothing with shorter sleeves.

6. Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
7. Never hold a child while cooking, drinking or carrying hot foods or liquids.

8. Turn the handles of pots and pans on the stove inward to avoid accidents.
9. Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.

10. Test your smoke alarms by pushing the test button. Replace batteries at least once a year.



Source

Safe Quality Food Manufacturing

Nut allergy is one of the most common food allergies among children and adults and is the leading cause of death from food-induced anaphylaxis. The researchers say more than 3 million people in the United States report being allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, or both. Tree nuts include almonds, cashews, coconuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts, among others.


Patients with nut allergies are often advised to avoid nuts entirely, from not eating nuts to not even touching products manufactured in facilities that may have been exposed to nuts. “Treatment of nut allergies with dietary avoidance should include education for both adults and children on identification of peanuts and tree nuts,” the researchers say in a news release.
(source: Web MD Article)
Its imperative food manufacturing organizations follow the proper safe quality food procedures to do their part to protect people against potentially life threatening food allergies.  Summit's Food Allergens: Prevent Cross Contamination is one of many food manufacturing safety programs available from Summit Training Source.
http://www.safetyontheweb.com/

OHS Magazine Article Quotes Summit

Online Training's Many Benefits


While the time savings vary greatly, a rough estimate is that safety managers spent 40 percent of their time delivering training in the pre-online era and now spend 10 percent of their time on it.
By Jerry Laws Nov 01, 2010

Read full article here >>

Two out of Five Drivers Admit to Falling Asleep at the Wheel, Finds AAA Foundation Study

Two out of Five Drivers Admit to Falling Asleep at the Wheel, Finds AAA Foundation Study