Triad ASSE News Newsletter

News & Information

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities

Date Event Location
Sept. 15-17, 2008 ASSE Region VI Professional Development Conference Kingston Plantation
Myrtle Beach, SC
Sept. 29, 2008 8-Hour HAZWOPER Training Class presented by Guilford County Emergency Services Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, NC
Sept. 30, 2008 Guilford County LEPC/ASSE Safety & Environmental Conference Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, NC

Volunteering Opportunity with Kids' Chance

KIDS' CHANCE, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation originally developed by the Workers' Compensation Section of the State Bar of Georgia, in association with insurers, employers, attorneys, labor, medical, and rehabilitation groups. The purpose of Kids' Chance, Inc. is to provide financial scholarships for children of permanently or catastrophically injured or deceased workers to complete their education. Through the hard work of many dedicated individuals, the Kids' Chance program has expanded to several states.

Guilford County LEPC 8 Hour HAZWOPER Refresher Class

Monday, September 29, 2008 - 8:00am - Greensboro Coliseum

The Guilford County LEPC will conduct an 8 hour HAZWOPER refresher course on September 29, 2008 at the Greensboro Coliseum. This course will be taught by Guilford County Department of Emergency Services and will offer 4 hours of instruction and 4 hours of hands on training. Registration is $99.00 per person.

For more information contact Eddie Raynard by phone at (336) 373-7971, by fax at (336) 373-2988 or by email at eddie.raynard@ci.greensboro.nc.us.

ASSE Comments on Combustible Dust

In late July, ASSE submitted a statement for the record to the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, which was holding a hearing on combustible dust—primarily focused on OSHA’s efforts to address this long-recognized workplace hazard. Congressional interest was piqued this year following an explosion at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, GA, that killed 13 workers and injured 40.

In its statement, ASSE urges caution in moving ahead to address hazardous dust risks legislatively without developing a deeper understanding of current OSHA standards, their enforcement and the approach taken through national consensus standards. ASSE agrees with the approach taken in a bill recently passed by the House of Representatives seeking an OSHA standard no less effective than the NFPA 654 voluntary consensus standard. However, the Society also calls for inclusion of measures to address OSHA’s inadequate inspection resources and inspector training on dust issues; help for employers to deal with 17 different OSHA standards related to hazardous dust; inclusion of related NFPA standards; and an extension of the deadline for an OSHA standard from 18 months to 24 months.

ASSE Announces New Fire Protection Practice Specialty

ASSE has approved a new Fire Protection Practice Specialty in response to a growing interest in the fire protection area of the SH&E industry. Previously, the fire protection group was a branch of the Engineering Practice Specialty. It is the first branch to become a practice specialty under the current ASSE Council on Practices and Standards guidelines established several years ago.

Fire Protection Practice Specialty Administrator Frank Baker, CSP, CFPS, says the initial goals of the group are to continuously improve its technical publication, Fireline; build web-based resources in conjunction with key issues; and develop a resource network of technical experts who can participate on an e-mail distribution list to help members answer challenging questions. 

“We have assembled a fantastic group of volunteers on our advisory committee, representing a wide variety of expertise,” says Baker. He also adds that as with any volunteer organization, the amount of participation influences the services the group can provide. “We are always looking for professionals with an interest in fire safety to write technical articles, volunteer for our committees and recruit new members. The more members we have the larger and more diverse our own network of technical expertise becomes and the more of a service we can be . . . as a whole.”

Plan Ahead for NAOSH Week 2009

After a successful NAOSH Week this year, it’s never too early to start thinking ahead. NAOSH Week 2009 is set for May 3-9, and Occupational Safety and Health Professionals Day is May 6. Encourage kids who are ASSE members’ children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or who attend chapter-sponsored schools to start thinking about a poster to submit for the 7th Annual ASSE Safety-on-the-Job kids’ poster contest. The contest opens Friday, Sept. 19 and runs until Feb. 14, 2009.

Attend ASSE’s Construction Safety Symposium

ASSE’s Solutions in Construction Safety Symposium, scheduled for Nov. 20-21, is an opportunity to learn the most effective practices and solutions from recognized industry experts and leaders. The symposium will be held in Scottsdale, AZ, and it will focus on providing approaches and solutions to challenging issues—avoiding deaths and injuries related to cranes and falls, electrical accidents and workplace substance abuse. Attendees will learn how to identify resources to assemble a qualified safety team, implement solutions to reduce accidents, use leading indicators to measure safety performance, and increase knowledge of industrial hygiene, security, risk management and other safety fields. Symposium highlights include:

WISE Common Interest Group Offers Mentoring Program

The Women In Safety Engineering (WISE) Mentoring Program allows experienced safety professionals to assist new or potential safety professionals in understanding the profession and obtaining certifications. The program’s goal is to encourage and empower women to identify and develop skills to more effectively advance their career objectives.

Women who are changing careers, working toward a professional certification, are new to the industry, returning to the workforce or looking to expand their knowledge make ideal candidates to be paired with a mentor. Women who have SH&E experience, have negotiated career changes or left and returned to work are ideal candidates to be a mentor.

The program is ongoing with matches made in March and September each year. The mentoring relationships continue for 1 year, with an option to continue for another year by mutual consent. The program will be driven by the mentee, beginning with identification of her goals. Both parties will have regular meetings, phone calls or e-mails.  

Foundation’s Legacy Trust Continues to Grow

Becoming part of ASSEF’s Legacy Trust is a great way to give back to the SH&E profession. Members can participate through a bequest in their wills or through a wealth-replacement trust in their life insurance policies. Making a planned gift is very easy—usually only requiring a few sentences in a will. Through the Legacy Trust, members can leave their mark on the profession through scholarships, research grants, professional development grants, fellowships, accreditation support programs and other endowment naming opportunities. ASSE’s Legacy Trust program has doubled in size over the past year—now boasting 14 members. Learn why ASSE member Tom Cecich, CSP, CIH, decided to participate in this unique planned giving program.

ASSE Offers Online Resources to Help Workers & Businesses

As part of its commitment to protecting people, property and the environment, ASSE offers many online resources. ASSE’s online newsroom provides members with safety tips on various industry issues. Some recent postings include farm safety tips, business resumption safety tips following storms and on-the-job heat protection tips.

ASSE Offers Complimentary Instructors’ Guides for New Handbook

ASSE is offering instructors’ guides to accompany the two-volume The Safety Professionals Handbook. Available at no cost to university or corporate instructors who have adopted the book as the primary text for students enrolled in their courses or seminars, the guides include questions and answers for all chapters in both volumes. Instructors interested in the guides should submit a request online or contact ASSE’s Mike Burditt or Jeri Stucka.

A Tribute to Clarice Newell Garrett

Clarice Newell Garrett passed peacefully away on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

She was a graduate of Eastern Randolph High School, and a 1974 graduate of UNC-G with a degree in medical technology.

Clarice was a member of Eastern Star for over 30 years. At the time of her death she was employed by North Carolina State University as an industrial extension specialist. She was past president of the Guilford County LEPC, Vice-President of the Piedmont Chapter of ACHMM, and an Executive Committee member of the Triad Chapter of ASSE.

She is survived by her husband of 29 years, David Garrett; daughters, Stefanie Garrett, Kathy Garrett, and Lori Garrett all of Greensboro; grandchildren, Dylan, Taylor and Ashley. She is also survived by her brothers, Johnie Newell of Marion, N.C., Brian Newell of Dover, Del., and Dean Newell.

Call for Speakers ASSE Leadership Conference in October 2008

Call for Keynote Speakers
ASSE invites those interested in presenting as a keynote speaker at its 2008 Leadership Conference to submit a proposal for review by the 2008 Leadership Conference Task Force. This conference provides ASSE Chapter Officers, Practice
Specialty Leaders, Society Committee Chairs, Region/Area Leadership personnel
and active Society and Chapter members instruction in the requirements and
methods of leading a successful Society through chapters, Practice Specialties,
Regions, Areas and committees.

Call for Workshop Speakers
ASSE invites those interested in presenting at its 2008 Leadership Conference to submit a proposal for review by the 2008 Leadership Conference Task Force. This conference provides ASSE Chapter Officers, Practice Specialty Leaders, Society Committee Chairs, Region/Area Leadership personnel and active Society and Chapter members instruction in the requirements and methods of leading a successful Society through chapters, Practice Specialties, Regions, Areas and committees.