November 2013

1. Welcoming Our New 2013 NSMS Members

2. Members’ Accomplishments and Special Recognitions

3. Introducing the “new-look” NSMS Website!

4. Member Benefit: Online Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM) Educational and Exam Preparation Reference Materials

5. ISHM Introduces a New Safety Practitioner Certification Program

6. Workshop - “Enhancing Safety Management Skills, Knowledge & Abilities (SKAs): 2-Day Professional Development Workshop”

7. The ISHM “Certified Safety and Health Manager” (CSHM) Accreditation Has Been Achieved!

8. NSMS’ “Certified Safety Supervisor (CSS)” Credential Now Accepted Towards Associate Safety Health Manager (ASHM) Qualification

9. ASSE Approves the CSHM Certification for Professional Membership

10. Time to Renew Your 2014 NSMS Membership

11. OSHA Sets Dec. 1 As Training Deadline For New Safety Standards

12. Realization Strategy: The Five Safety Questions Your CEO Needs to Ask

13. The National Safety Survey: The War Between Safety and Production Continues

14. Penguin Personality Principles for Peak Performance

15. Should Employees Be Disciplined for Safety Violations

16. Don’t Let a Bad Former Employer Sabotage Your Quest for a New Job

17. The New Hazard Communication Standard: What You Need To Know To Be Compliant

18. Why is trucking so detrimental to drivers’ health

19. 9 Ways to Make Training More Interesting

20. Suggested Safety Training Topics For Fall/Winter – Cold and Flu Prevention

21. Millions of Employees Victims of Workplace Violence

22. Is Your (Dental) Facemask Really Protecting You

23. Lessons Learned: Whistle-blower wins case against Manatee School for the Arts

24. Lessons Learned: New Hampshire Company Cited By OSHA For 21 Safety Violations

25. Picture This: Choreographing a Dangerous with Safety

NSMS SAFETY DIGEST – November 2013

Welcoming Our New 2013 NSMS Members -

On behalf NSMS President Roosevelt, the NSMS Executive Committee and the NSMS Board

of Directors, we like to thank all members who have proactively renewed their National

Safety Management Society memberships. We would also like to acknowledge, recognize

and welcome the following new member(s) to our professional organization:

DeAnthony N. Burse: Leesville, Louisiana

Gregory M. Dunn: Conroe, Texas

Corie B. Fickers: Morgan City, Louisiana

David S. Gai: Fresno, California

Victor G Garcia-Chavez: McAllen Texas

Morgan C. Gauthier : St. Martinville, Louisiana

Heriberto Hurtado: Rockingham, North Carolina

David C. Longoria: Brownsville, Texas

Zachary S. McFarland: Jonesville, South Carolina

Logan B. McKennan: Penscola, Florida

Justin D. Nichols: Kirbyville, Texas

Matthew C. Perez: Willis, Texas

Verbon R. Robbins: Anacoco, Louisiana

Jonathan M. Romero: McAllen, Texas

Naitche R. Sanowar: Leesville, Louisiana

Members’ Accomplishments and Special Recognitions –

NOTE: If any current or new NSMS member would like to share his/her special

accomplishments and/or recognition awards, please send those announcements to

nsmsinc@yahoo.com and we will gladly publish them and celebrate together! A photo is

optional.

New NSMS Certified Safety Technicians (CSTs)

DeAnthony N. Burse, CST

Gregory M. Dunn, CST

Corie B. Fickers, CST

David S. Gai, CST

Victor G Garcia-Chavez, CST

Morgan C. Gauthier , CST

Heriberto Hurtado, CST

David C. Longoria, CST

Zachary S. McFarland, CST

Logan B. McKennan, CST

Justin D. Nichols, CST

Matthew C. Perez, CST

Verbon R. Robbins, CST

Jonathan M. Romero, CST

Naitche R. Sanowar, CST

The fifteen individuals listed above have recently completed the requirements for the

designation of Certified Safety Technician (CSP) issued by the National Safety Management

Society. This certification recognizes those who have attained a level of knowledge, training

and experience to demonstrate competency at the operational-level of safety and health

practice out in the field. Congratulations to these up and coming individuals on their

accomplishments. They have also completed the PEC “Battlefields to Oilfields” (B2O)

program. Well done!

Check Out the “new-look” NSMS Website!

Besides a new look and feel, the website has been redesigned with the goal of making it more

user friendly. As time goes on, you will see new interactive features that current dues-paying

members can utilize, such as:

Member login and administration – members will be able to personally update their

information in the NSMS database whenever necessary

Member communication – The new website will enable NSMS send customized

emails and newsletters to our members.

Member Blog – With our new blog feature, we are looking for better member

networking and interaction.

Webinar hosting – As part of the website enhancement, NSMS will begin to host

quarterly webinars for its members free of charge. Non-members may participate for

a fee.

There are many other features, but these are just the highlights. We look forward to your

feedback and further suggestions to improve/expand the online features and services of our

website. Please take it for a test drive and let us know what you think!

FREE ACCESS: Online Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM)

Educational and Exam Preparation Reference Materials

As a benefit for our current and future dues-paying members, NSMS is permanently

offering free access to the Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM) preparation and

educational materials. The online resources, created by NSMS member Steve Geigle, can

be found at www.cshmprep.com and the only action an NSMS member needs to take is to

email Steve requesting access from that website. You will need to include your current

NSMS member number (found on your membership card and certificate). Once the

number is verified, you will be granted a username and password to access the online

reference materials. This is a great opportunity to brush up on your safety management and

technical knowledge and prepare for a successful passing of the CSHM certification

examination.

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ISHM Offers the Safety Practitioner Certification Program

The Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM) unveils the Certified Safety

Management Practitioner (CSMP) certification program with an opening grandfathering

period.

The Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM) is the premier credentialing

organization founded to promote the advancement of safety management through the

application of management principles and the integration of safety into all levels and activities

of the organization. ISHM, which administers the Certified Safety and Health Manager

(CSHM) certification and Associate Safety and Health Manager (ASHM) program, has

developed a new certification program to recognize safety practitioners whose duties include

performing occupational safety and health management activities either on a part-time or full-

time basis. This new certification is known as the Certified Safety Management Practitioner

(CSMP) program.

Many people enter the safety and health profession from a wide variety of backgrounds and

over time attain the skills necessary to become highly effective safety and health

practitioners. A CSMP might be an active safety team participant, line manager, human

resources professional or a wage associate. This new certification recognizes those who have

attained a level of knowledge, training, and experience to manage a safety and health

assignment competently and professionally.

Designed to recognize safety management professionals who have already demonstrated their

knowledge and experience in the field, the CSMP Grandfathering Program gives such

professionals the opportunity to certify without the exam requirement. This is a limited

program as the Grandfathering Program will run from January 1, 2013 until December 31,

2013. After December 31, 2013, candidates must not only meet the education and experience

requirements, but must also take and pass the rigorous 2-hour professional certification

examination in order to become certified as a CSMP. All professionals seeking certification

through the Grandfathering Program are encouraged to start their application process as soon

as possible, so in case issues or questions arise, you will have enough time to address those

before the program expires.

The National Safety Management Society’s Certified Safety Supervisor (CSS) is recognized

by ISHM by providing credit toward the experience requirement to become certified. Those

holding the CSS need only have 3 years of qualifying experience to be eligible for the CSMP

Grandfathering Program.

To learn more about the new CSMP certification or the CSHM and ASHM programs, please

visit http://www.ISHM.org, email info@ISHM.org or call (877) 201-4053.

ANNOUNCEMENT

WORKSHOP AVAILABILITY

NATIONAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT SOCIETY

“Enhancing Safety Management Skills, Knowledge & Abilities (SKAs): 2-Day Professional Development Workshop”

PLEASE NOTE: NSMS would like to offer this program at your location if a minimum

class size of twenty five (25) attendees can be registered. An individual who volunteers to

organize the group will receive have his/her registration fee waived.

This interdisciplinary workshop will enable safety professionals/managers to sharpen their

skills, knowledge and abilities in interacting with employees and company leadership. The

fee (early-bird, pre-registration payment) for NSMS members is $125 and $275 for non-

members and an on-site (or late) registration payment of $195 for NSMS members and $325

for non-members (includes lunches and program materials). With space available, college

students enrolled and majoring in this field of study are also invited to attend (NSMS Student

[Affiliate] Members’ workshop fee is $75).

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“Enhancing Safety Management SKAs: 2-Day Professional Development Workshop”

Instructor: Dr. Jeffrey Chung, CSHM CHFP – NSMS Executive Director

Day One – (subject to minor adjustments)

• Administrative Business, Introductions and Workshop Overview

• Safety Management Principles and Practices (Including Upcoming Fed-OSHA I2P2)

• Safety Attributes for Best-in-Class Organizations

• Emerging Safety and Health Issues – Aging Workforce, Distracted Driving, Mobile

Devices and Training Needs of Foreign/Newer Workers

• Psychology of Safety – A Behavior-based Approach; Human Performance

Improvement

• Developing Effective Training/Presentation Skills

• Role of Safety Committees; Conducting/Facilitating Effective Meetings

Day Two – (subject to minor adjustments)

• Occupational Safety and Health Auditing

• Accident Investigation Process

• Understanding Self/Others/Your Organization – SMART Profile

• Strategic Planning Concepts and Process

• Problem Solving and Analytical Tools

• Performance Metrics for Continuous Improvement

• Corporate Communication Strategies for Safety/Risk Management Professionals

• Ethics for the Safety Practitioner and Manager

• Stress and Health Management for the EH&S Professional

• Wrap-up and Workshop Evaluation

The ISHM “Certified Safety and Health Manager” (CSHM) Accreditation

Has Been Achieved!

The vision of our early NSMS founders to develop a safety management-focused credential to

recognize professional competence in safety leadership has culminated in the official

accreditation of the NSMS-created Certified Safety and Health Manager credential by the

Council on Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CSEB). CESB is a self-sustaining,

independent body which accredits certification programs organized and operated consistent

with sound credentialing practices tailored to the needs of engineering and technology

specialties. CESB is the recognized accreditation body for engineering and scientific

certification and specialty certification programs for professional credentials such as the

Board Certified Environmental Engineer, Certified Industrial Hygienist and Certified

Hazardous Materials Manager.

Our sister organization, the Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM) and its Board

of Directors deserve all the credit for their leadership, diligence, determination and

perseverance in marshalling this monumental effort to fruition. Our CSHM credential holders

deserve our gratitude for their patience as this initiative effort went through many trials and

tribulations over the years. The Institute for Safety and Health Management is the

credentialing organization which administers the CSHM to recognize safety and risk

management professionals who, through demonstrated professional experience and the

passing of a comprehensive exam, have met ISHM's requirements for mastering the safety

management body of knowledge.

The CSHM credential recognizes safety and health professionals who demonstrate knowledge

of health and safety management skills and techniques through examination and experience.

The CSHM certification program promotes the integration and practice of safety management

principles throughout all levels and activities of an organization. In addition to technical

knowledge of safety and industrial hygiene, a successful safety and health manager must

possess working knowledge of a broad range of business and financial principles and an

understanding of related issues such as hazard analyses, accident/incident investigations,

safety audits/surveys, workers' compensation, risk management, product safety, human

factors, environmental laws, quality, and labor relations. The CSHM program is designed to

provide recognition of those who can apply such a broad range of health and safety

management tools. NSMS offers to be a resource and facilitator to help those interested in

pursuing such a certification.

To request a copy of the official “Program Accreditation Letter” and “Accreditation Action Report”

from the COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING AND SCIENTIFIC SPECIALTY BOARDS (CESB),

please email Larry Curtis at ISHM - manager@ishm.org

NSMS’ “Certified Safety Supervisor (CSS)” Credential Now Accepted

Towards Associate Safety Health Manager (ASHM) Qualification

Associate Safety and Health Manager (ASHM) designation is intended to recognize those

individuals who possess some combination of formal training and experience listed below that

prepares them for safety and health management responsibilities. The ASHM serves to let

potential employers and current employers know that these individuals have been formally

educated to address workplace safety and health issues or are ready to step into entry level

positions in safety management.

Individuals who receive the ASHM designation have a period of six years to pass the

accredited Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM) certification examination. The

ASHM designation will permanently expire six years after the date of issue or when replaced

by the CSHM designation, whichever comes first. For more information, please visit the

ISHM website: http://www.ishm.org/pages/associate.html

Upon completion of the application package, approval by the review committee, and payment

of the appropriate fees, a candidates who does not have a college degree, but is a holder of a

safety certificate recognized by the ISHM Board (http://www.ishm.org/pdf/certprograms.pdf),

plus nine years of qualifying work experience is eligible for the ASHM designation:

ASSE Approves the CSHM Certification for Professional Membership

The Institute for Safety and Health Management’s (ISHM) CSHM certification has been

approved as an option for professional membership in the ASSE. On June 3rd, The American

Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) opened the Safety 2012 Exposition at the Colorado

Convention Center. The exposition, along with the annual conference, brings together

thousands of safety engineers and vendors from across the globe.

Many members of the ASSE are also certificate holders of the ISHM’s Certified Safety and

Health Manager (CSHM) and Associate Safety and Health Manager (ASHM) certifications.

Today, the ASSE and ISHM are pleased to announce that the ASSE has approved the ISHM’s

Certified Safety and Health Manager certification as an option for professional membership in

the ASSE.

The CSHM certification now joins the ranks of the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and

Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) in achieving this prestigious status and recognition by the

ASSE. “We are delighted to be announcing this important development to the safety

engineering and health and safety professional communities,” reported Larry Curtis, CSHM,

Executive Director of ISHM. “This is big development that opens the door to ASSE

membership to all the health and safety professionals who have distinguished their

capabilities by obtaining the prestigious CSHM certification. CSHM applicants for the ASSE

membership will be required to demonstrate that they have met stringent educational and

experience requirements.”

For health and safety professionals, the CSHM certification is the only accredited certification

that focuses entirely on the safety management process. CSHM designees are sought after by

human resources (HR) managers and government agencies such as OSHA, EPA, Homeland

Security, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.

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Time to Renew Your 2014 NSMS Membership

As 2013 draws to an end, it is time to renew your membership with the National Safety

Management Society (NSMS). NSMS is grateful for your membership and dedicated

following of our information sharing and we look forward to your continued association with

us. You should be receiving an email notice for membership renewal over the next two

months If you do not have a current email in our database, please go to our new website and

click on the link established for the 2014 renewal process. For the 13th consecutive year, there

is no dues increase. Please renew by January 31, 2014. After January, there will be a "late

renewal fee" assessed. The link to the membership renewal page is -

http://nsms.us/membership-dues

As a member, you will continue to receive our monthly publication of The Safety Digest,

filled with valuable safety articles and society information and updates. Your dues will also

support a number of critical initiatives, both new and ongoing. NSMS will strive to further:

engage in outreach activities, maintain the website, offer online and live technical and

management training workshops (with significant course fee reductions for current members),

maintain certification programs for safety technicians and supervisors, prepare for annual

conferences, offer CSHM exam preparation workshops, support the establishment of new

state chapters and student chapters at higher educational institutions, and any other initiatives

based on member needs and recommendations. These are ambitious goals and it will take a

group of dedicated members stepping up and volunteering to help NSMS achieve them.

Please consider offering your expertise and time to these important initiatives. For those of

you who are non-members or past member, and are routinely visiting our website resources

and/or are a regular reader our monthly online publication, we encourage you to go online

to our website (http://nsms.us/join) and join our organization and not miss out on future

distributions, webniars and resource information. Thank you.

OSHA Sets Dec. 1 As Training Deadline For New Safety Standards (RubberNews.com, October 29, 2013)

The deadline for employers to train their employees on how to read the new Material Safety

Data Sheets under the revised Hazard Communication Standard from the Occupational Safety

and Health Administration is December 1st. This is the first of several deadlines OSHA is

asking employers to meet during the phase-in period for the new HCS standard, which ends

June 1, 2016. The HCS standard was developed to allow MSDSs to conform with the United

Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, according

to OSHA.

By Dec. 1, 2013, employers must have trained workers on the new MSDS labels and formats.

The new label elements include product identifiers, signal words (Danger or Warning),

pictograms, precautionary statements and the names, addresses and phone numbers of

chemical manufacturers, distributors and importers.

"This training is needed early in the transition process, since workers are already beginning to

see the new labels and SDSs on the chemicals in their workplace," OSHA said in a fact sheet

on the HCS standard.

All manufacturing facilities that make or use chemicals are covered under the new standard.

So are gasoline retailers, marketers and refiners, according to the Tire Industry Association.

"Please make sure you have your employees trained by the Dec. 1 deadline," TIA said in its

Oct. 28 Legislative Update. "Also, please note that in addition you must put a hazard

communication program in writing and make it available to the public if anyone asks for it."

To find the fact sheet on the new standard, visit www.osha.gov, click the publication tab at

the top and scroll down the alphabetical list to Hazard Communication Standard.

Realization Strategy: The Five Safety Questions Your CEO Needs to Ask

(By J.A. Rodriguez, EHS OutLoudBlog – July 31, 2013)

It’s Wednesday morning and you know the question that is going to surface at your C- and

VP-level leadership meeting. You are contemplating a political yet responsive answer that

hopefully will yield the intended results: a safer workplace.

There are valid concerns jousting for position within your thought process: How can I achieve

message delivery without significantly compromising relationships? What have we not tried

and what is the organizational tolerance for a new approach? What are the costs of my

suggestion? Who best can champion it? We are at world-class safety performance but have

we reached the statistical noise level?

There is a strategy you can employ which will reduce the “what if” scenarios to a minimum

and will empower your enterprise to think differently. I call it the “realization strategy.”

Organizations generally are driven by measurements and expectations of performance.

“Importance” is defined as that which commands attention from your leadership. Those

topics, those items, those visions that suspend time in high-level meetings act as beacons for

the way the rest of the organization thinks and more importantly, behaves. Typically, the

person who defines “importance” and has the most influence on organizational behavior is the

CEO.

Realization strategies encourage desired organizational behaviors by planting the seeds of

inquiry within the people who are the game changers: your leadership. The organization

comes to the realization that world-class safety performance is not good enough and that a

purposeful mission is required to bring it to a transformational level.

So, what question likely will pop up at the Wednesday leadership meeting? CEO: “What do I

(we) need to do to help improve safety performance?” Opportunity knocks, big time! Deploy

the realization strategy.

These are the five safety questions your CEO needs to ask the leadership team:

1. Is every employee and business partner positively and actively engaged in our safety

program and if so, how and to what extent? (This sets the stage for ownership,

diversity and inclusion throughout the organization.)

2. Where is our next incident likely to occur? (This starts a structured risk assessment

process.)

3. How are we measuring our successes and are we focusing our safety program

performance on the past or the future? (This encourages a goal reassessment process

and places importance on leading indicator measurement systems.)

4. In your view, whom can I hold personally accountable for assuring a workplace free

of recognized hazards? (This inspires the acceptance of organizational

accountability.)

5. If I were to walk up to a member of your organization tomorrow and ask them who

their safety champion is, whom would they name? (This motivates performance

through expectation.)

All eyes are on you. You are ready. Bring your team to the point of realization. It is just a

matter of influencing the right questions on the right people at the right time. Go ahead! Dare

to think differently!

The National Safety Survey: The War Between Safety and Production

Continues (Sandy Smith, EHS Today, August 8, 2013)

Nearly 1,000 EHS professionals responded to the 2013 National Safety Survey. Most said that

safety has improved at their organization in the past year, but many admitted the safety versus

production argument is ongoing and some shared truly horrifying stories of workplace

violence and bullying.

The respondents to the 2013 National Safety Survey generally are well-paid (approximately

80 percent earn more than $55,000 and 15 percent earn more than $105,000 per year); most

have responsibility for safety (96 percent) followed closely by emergency preparedness (74

percent), occupational health (73 percent), ergonomics (66 percent) and industrial hygiene (65

percent); 94 percent attended college; and three-quarters are certified safety professionals

(CSP).

Most rate their organization's EHS performance as "good" (31.8 percent), "very good" (34.2

percent) or world-class (4.9 percent). Companies that offer a "one-size-fits-all" approach to

EHS were criticized and the "production versus safety" argument appears to be ongoing.

Here is a sample of what some respondents said when asked: "What is the most frequent

complaint you hear from employees about your organization's safety and health program?"

• Our managers care more about product than safety.

• The foremen of the company still push and drive with disregard to safety. The foremen

are not held accountable [for poor safety performance].

• Management does not follow safety programs.

• That our side (construction) has to follow the regulations but the facilities and

maintenance sides do not have to follow safety policies, training or OSHA

requirements.

• They identify a hazard and it does not get fixed in a timely manner.

• Some safety rules make the job more difficult.

• Lack of consistency in policies vs. procedures.

• Inconsistent messages and an overwhelming number of corporate (global) "one size

fits all" procedures.

• The people enacting rules and regulations have never gotten their hands dirty.

• We don't know what happens to folks that are poor performers in relation to safety

• Management does not really listen to the employees.

• No money (many mentioned money/budget concerns).

Penguin Personality Principles for Peak Performance (By Mike “Antartic Mike”

Pierce, EHS Today – November 5, 2013)

When you think of a great team, what comes to your mind? For me, I’ll never forget the day

the underdog 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team won the gold medal.

This was not only one of the greatest sports moments ever, but it was one of the best examples

of true team functioning at the highest level we’ll ever see. “On paper” they were not the

most talented. They were not the fastest, strongest or even a close favorite to medal, yet alone

win the gold. Against all odds, these underdogs accomplished what many teams dream of

and few achieve.

In the 2004 film Miracle, Kurt Russell stars as coach Herb Brooks in the true story of that

1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team winning the gold medal by defeating the powerful Soviet

Union and Finlandteams at Lake Placid. Brooks had a dream of coaching the U.S. Olympic

team ever since he was cut from the 1960 U.S. Olympic team.

Brooks' dream comes true, and he gets the coaching gig in 1979. He puts together a team of

college kids and begins to get them into shape. Since the Soviet Union is the greatest hockey

team in the world, Brooks begins to retrain his team in the European style of playing the

game. These U.S. college kids were true underdogs, because the “top dog” Soviet Union team

had won four consecutive gold medals and had recently defeated a team of National Hockey

League all-stars.

Brooks said that the problem with the NHL all-stars was that they were individual players and

not a team. With all his hard training, he finally turns the Americans into a team and a family.

In a Cinderella story, the U.S. team defeats the Soviet Union in the semifinal round by not

allowing them a single goal for the last 10 minutes of the game, and then finished off

powerful Finland in the final.

With the world watching the game on TV, sportscaster Al Michaels asks his famous question

at the end of the game, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”

There were many keys to that miracle on ice, but in the end it came down to one thing. Each

of the individuals cared more about their teammates than they did about themselves. They

played their hearts out for the team, for the other players, for their coaches, and for their fans,

but not for themselves. A team that plays at that level so selflessly is easy to admire, yet

difficult to imitate in the world of business.

However, there is a greater underdog team that takes to the ice and executes at high

levels. Unlike the 1980 hockey Olympians, this is one team you probably would not picture if

you were asked to think of a great team.

This team is not a sports team, a business team or a professional association. This team is not

made up of people and very few of us have ever witnessed them in action. Yet they have as

much to teach us about being a great team as any group that exists in the world.

In fact, to see this team in action, you have to travel very far. They are the Emperor Penguins

who live in Antarctica, the true miracle on ice.

Perhaps you witnessed these magnificent creatures in the 2005 Academy Award-winning

movie, March of the Penguins. With narration by Morgan Freeman, the film is a look at the

annual journey of Emperor Penguins as they march -- single file -- to their traditional breeding

ground.

The film is a French nature documentary directed and co-written by Luc Jacquet, and co-

produced by Bonne Pioche and the National Geographic Society.

The film also tells an underdog story, a type of story that Americans love. The word

“underdog” comes from the language of dogfights in the late 19th century. In those fights, two

dogs attacked each other and the loser was termed the '”underdog.” The winner was termed as

“top dog.”

Consumers strongly relate to underdogs, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer

Research.

"Across contexts, cultures, and time periods, underdog narratives have inspired people.

Stories about underdogs are pervasive in sports, politics, religion, literature, and film,"

write Harvard Universityauthors Neeru Paharia and Anat Keinan, along with Jill Avery and

Juliet B. Schor.

The authors found that consumers identify with underdog stories because most people have

felt disadvantaged at one time or another. In a series of four experiments, the researchers

found that consumers identify with underdog brands and are more likely to purchase them.

According to the authors, Americans are drawn to come-from-behind stories. They wrote that

"The American Dream, the fabled American myth, is built on the stories of underdogs who

came to the United States with virtually nothing and pulled themselves up from their

bootstraps to achieve success.”

What Can We Learn From Antarctica?

The Antarctica Dream is survival of the species. In autumn, all the penguins of breeding age

(five years old and over) leave the ocean, their normal habitat, to walk inland to their ancestral

breeding grounds. There, the penguins participate in a courtship that, if successful, results in

the hatching of a chick. For the chick to survive, both parents must make multiple arduous

journeys between the ocean and the breeding grounds over the ensuing months. It took one

year for two isolated cinematographers to shoot the film.

In January 2006, I became one of just 12 people to have run a marathon on the Antarctic

continent. 11 months later, I returned to Antarctica to become the first American to complete

the Antarctic Ultra Marathon, a grueling 100km (62.1 miles). Since then I have completed

many other winter marathons in the coldest and harshest climates on earth. I also set world

records in endurance cycling and swimming. My story has been featured on CNN, Sports

Illustrated, Fox, ABC, CBS Early Show, ESPN, and many other national and international

sources.

OK, you’re thinking: WHY? Here’s the answer: Surprisingly, it has very little to do with cold

weather or sports. Rather, it’s about the disciplines necessary to be successful in difficult

situations. Leaders today face the same challenges as those who first

conquered Antarctica. The question is this: Are we ready?

I travel throughout the U.S. and Canada speaking to businesses, sales teams, professional

associations and other groups on the subject of leadership and building stronger teams, using

stories from Antarctic history to illustrate the points. The most common question I get is,

“Why Antarctica?”

Here’s the short answer: Antarctica is much like the business world we live in. Our job as

leaders is to connect the dots to our world and walk away with specific things we can do and

focus on to be a more effective leader as we move forward into new waters, much like the

Antarctic pioneers did more than 100 years ago.

In Antarctica, you have conditions and circumstances that make survival and success very

difficult, if not dangerous. Planning, preparing and executing with a well- conditioned team

of people who function as one unit is imperative.

So too in the real world do businesses and teams of professional people face difficult, if not

dangerous conditions every day. Think of the economy, the competition in your industry, the

difficulties of communicating with and understanding people, and many other factors that are

complicated. The degree that teams plan, prepare, condition themselves and function

efficiently as a cohesive unit is the degree that they will be successful.

Consider how the Emperor Penguins in Antarctica accomplish this. What can business people

learn from them about building strong teams that operate at high levels? These penguins are

amazingly successful, despite the conditions being challenging.

How challenging? In Antarctica, the average daily temperature year round is a balmy -58. It

is the highest, driest, windiest and coldest continent on earth. The Emperor Penguins are the

only species who can survive such harshness. Year round they function as one team working

together for a single purpose, to reproduce. Everything they do individually and collectively

is aimed at this single task.

There are many keys to their success. For starters consider their selflessness. Like the 1980

U.S. Olympic Hockey team, the Emperor Penguins live their lives for each other, not for

themselves. They spend almost all their waking time marching, but not alone. They can not

afford to fall behind or lose contact with their teammates or they will disappear into the

whiteness of the Antarctic winter.

Their breeding ground is some 70 miles inland from the coast, and to march back and forth to

accomplish their goal of successfully reproducing, they must march together. They must put

the needs of the others ahead of themselves or survival won’t happen. They will go for

months without eating and display patience beyond belief. During the harshest part of the

winter, they will huddle together in the rookery, taking turns at being on the outside of the

huddle, where it is much colder and where they are far more exposed to the elements. Their

only defense against the freezing cold is the group itself.

Emperor Penguins do not operate hastily or move in a hurried fashion, but they are very

consistent in their marching. No matter how cold, hungry or tired they are, they continue to

march forward, knowing that their mate and offspring are depending on them.

When you reflect on the Emperor Penguins, do you see the parallels to the real world? Teams

today need to understand how to function together and depend on one another. This is not

possible if each member is not willing and able to put the needs of others ahead of

themselves. Ah, but how to find and train this kind of team member?

Unlike penguins, hiring is not black and white. Traditional interviewing will leave you with

some gray areas when it comes to candidates. However, in-depth work style and personality

testing gives you objective information that can help you make an informed decision about if

this person is a good fit for the job and for the team. If you decide to hire the person, the

questions you ask during the hiring process will also reduce your learning curve as a manager

on how best to manage this penguin from day one.

Should Employees Be Disciplined for Safety Violations? (By Chris Kilbourne,

Safety Daily Advisor – August 15, 2013)

Some safety professionals think safety and discipline are incompatible. Other disagree.

Howard Mavity, a labor lawyer and partner in the law firm of Fisher & Phillips, says

discipline is essential for safety, but employers just aren't doing it. Mavity cites a firm study

that found 56 percent of large general contractors were unsatisfied with how often supervisors

disciplined employees for unsafe actions.

This is a problem for several reasons, including the fact that without a record of disciplinary

action, an employer might not be able to demonstrate to OSHA that it is operating an effective

safety program.

Lack of disciplinary action also makes it unlikely for an employer to use what's known as the

"unpreventable employee misconduct/isolated incident" defense. It says that despite the

employer's efforts to run an effective safety program, the employee acted unsafely.

For this defense to be invoked, you must:

Establish work rules designed to ensure safe work and to avoid OSHA violations

Communicate the work rules to employees

Train the employees as needed

Take appropriate steps to discover violations

Effectively enforce the rules and practices when violations are discovered

Document the above actions

So Why Don't Supervisors Discipline?

Why do supervisors fail to discipline unsafe employees? Mavity points to reasons, including:

The supervisor fears that using discipline will cause trouble for the employer.

The supervisor has not been trained and does not know how to discipline.

Discipline is only used following an action that led to a serious outcome, rather than in

response to breaking of the rules.

The Fisher & Phillips survey also found that most companies make little consistent effort to

train supervisors on when and how to discipline employees. Too often, Mavity adds, the only

time an employer learns that an employee was working unsafely is in the course of a post-

injury investigation.

Pro-Employee Discipline

Discipline has a "pro-employee" purpose and is the cornerstone of an effective safety

management program, says Tracy L. Moon, Jr., another partner at Fisher & Phillips.

To those who are concerned that discipline may not be beneficial, Moon suggests how

discipline benefits everyone. It:

Removes poor performers in the workplace

Creates limits for employees

Improves morale when employees see good/bad behavior recognized

Limits potential negligent retention and negligent supervision claims

Provides the necessary accountability for an effective safety program

Avoids the appearance of discrimination and unfairness when consistently applied

Don’t Let a Bad Former Employer Sabotage Your Quest for a New Job (By

Sandy Smith, EHS Today – August 22, 2013)

A Bad Boss Often makes For A Negative Employment Reference

As members of the working public, most of us have had the experience of working for a

“bad” boss, says Jeff Shane of Allison & Taylor Reference Checking. A bad boss can be

unpleasant to work for – for a variety of reasons – but he or she tends to be easily

recognizable by some common characteristics.

Bad bosses can have an aggressive (or abusive) communication style. Bad bosses tend to be

abrupt or unfriendly and then fault employees for miscommunications. They don’t plan well,

or make no contingencies for when things don’t go according to plan. They often take credit

for employees’ good work, while placing blame on others for an unsatisfactory result. They

can have an arrogant or elitist attitude; bad bosses treat employees as “second-class” citizens.

They also tend to motivate employees through threats about the security of their jobs.

Many people find that working for a bad boss eventually becomes intolerable and wind up

leaving their job. But employees beware: the same characteristics that make someone a bad

boss also tend to make them a bad former employer. Bad bosses frequently offer negative

references to sabotage a former employee’s efforts to find new work.

If you suspect your former employer is thwarting your attempts to gain new employment,

your first step should be to conduct a reference check. If you do, in fact,confirm that they are

providing unflattering information to potential employers, you have the following options:

1. You can try to keep them off a potential employer’s radar by not offering up their name

when filling out employment paperwork. Try providing an alternate contact at the company as

your reference.

2. You can attempt to pre-empt a former employer’s negative input by explaining your

challenges with them in the interview process, framing the difficulties in your own words. (Be

warned, this can be a tricky proposition. If you are not careful to finesse your comments, you

may come off as a complainer to a new employer.)

3. You can have a cease and desist letter issued by an attorney. These letters typically are sent

to the senior management, alerting them of the negative reference's identity and actions. In the

interest of their company, management generally will counsel the reference not to provide

further commentary on your employment.

A negative reference usually will continue offering the same potentially damaging input about

you to every prospective employer unless you take steps to stop it. Don’t let a bad boss

sabotage your job-hunting efforts.

The New Hazard Communication Standard: What You Need To Know To

Be Compliant (By Kelli Baker and Wes Maertz, Plant Engineering, October 18, 2013)

Changes to OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) covers more than 43 million

workers who produce or handle hazardous chemicals in more than five million workplaces

across the country

Both producers and users of chemicals will be affected by the upcoming changes to OSHA’s

Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). The existing HCS provides guidance for defining

chemical hazards but is not consistent with global standards. While the intent and scope of

HCS will remain the same, OSHA has decided to align HCS with the Globally Harmonized

System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals to introduce global consistency.

The new standard covers over 43 million workers who produce or handle hazardous

chemicals in more than five million workplaces across the country. The modification is

expected to prevent more than 500 workplace injuries and illnesses and 43 fatalities. Once

fully implemented, the standard will also:

Improve the quality and consistency of hazard information in the workplace, making it

safer for workers to do their jobs and easier for employers to stay competitive.

Enhance worker comprehension of hazards, especially for low and limited-literacy

workers, reduce confusion in the workplace, facilitate safety training, and result in

safer handling and use of chemicals.

Provide workers with quicker and more efficient access to information on the SDSs.

Result in cost savings to American businesses of more than $500 million in

productivity improvements, fewer SDS and label updates, and simpler new hazard

communication training.

Reduce trade barriers by harmonizing with systems around the world.

There are four major changes to the existing standard: hazard classification, labels, data

sheets, and training.

Hazard Classification

Chemical manufacturers are required to determine the hazard and classification of the

chemicals they produce or import, and will be required to follow the new, specific criteria

outlined by GHS. Businesses that distribute or use the chemicals will not need to do their own

testing to determine the classification of the chemicals unless they are modifying the

chemicals received from the manufacturer.

Labels

After appropriate classification of the chemicals, chemical manufacturers will be required to

create hazard labels according to GHS guidelines that include: the product identifier, supplier

identification, hazard pictogram(s), signal word, hazard statement(s), and precautionary

statement(s).

OSHA has not changed the general requirements related to workplace labeling; employers

have the option to create their own workplace labels and/or continue to use rating systems

such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) diamonds or follow the Hazardous

Materials Identification System requirements for workplace labels as long as the employees

have immediate access to the specific hazard information.

Data Sheets

In addition to creating the GHS hazard label, the chemical manufacturer is also responsible

for creating a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). The major difference between SDS and the

existingMSDS is the required 16-section format, which is still very similar to the current

voluntary ANSI standard found on many MSDS today.

Training

As a result of these changes, training will be extremely important for anyone handling

chemicals, including manufacturers, importers, distributors, and end users. By December 1,

2013, employers must train all of their employees to be able to recognize and understand the

GHS guidelines related to hazard classification, labels, and SDS format.

The OSHA rules recognize that full implementation of GHS by chemical manufacturers,

importers, distributors, and employers must be complete by June 1, 2015. There are two

exceptions: Distributors have an additional six months to ship products labeled by

manufacturers under the old HCS, and employers have until June 1, 2016 to update their

workplace labeling systems.

There will be costs associated with GHS compliance, with most of those costs being incurred

by the chemical manufacturers. Potential costs include assigning personnel and resources to

create the new labels and SDS, as well as the cost to train employees. OSHA strongly believes

the benefits of implementing GHS will significantly outweigh the costs, with the ultimate goal

of reducing workplace injuries and fatalities.

HCS has historically been on OSHA’s top-cited list, and OSHA will be increasing inspection

activity related to GHS over the next several years. By following the implementation dates set

by OSHA, businesses can avoid costly citations. There are a number of resources available on

OSHA’s website; if you would like additional information, visit Grainger.com and search

GHS.

Why is trucking so detrimental to drivers’ health? (By John Lundy, Deluth News

Tribune – November 3, 2013)

Truck driving is one of the least healthy careers, according to medical experts and those in the

profession. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics supports that claim, calling trucking one of

the highest-risk occupations in the U.S. in a 2007 study. While the risk obviously includes the

danger posed by highway accidents, unhealthy lifestyles also play a part, said Dr. Clayton

Cowl, who practices occupational medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

“Commercial drivers are some of the most unhealthy of any specific occupational cohort,”

said Cowl. High rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and coronary disease are not

uncommon. “Back pain and obstructive sleep apnea are quite high in this particular

population,” said Cowl, who takes such an interest in trucker health that he obtained his own

Class A commercial driver’s license.

Studies cited in the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Journal in 2010

claimed a life expectancy of 63 years for male, unionized truckers and 55.7 years for

independent drivers. A life expectancy of 61 years is cited frequently in Internet posts, but

others dispute the authenticity of that claim. Jon Vinje, president and CEO of Halvor Lines in

Superior, says the life expectancy number he has heard is 62 years. Overall life expectancy in

the United State is 78.6 years, according to the World Health Organization, and for males in

the U.S. it’s 76.1 years. The numbers for U.S. truckers are closer to that of the life expectancy

in Haiti, which is 62.8 years.

Unpredictable Schedules

What is it about trucking that’s so hard on health? “The one thing that stands out is a very

unpredictable and erratic schedule,” Cowl said. Under federal regulations, drivers can spend

up to 11 hours a day behind the wheel. And because many truckers are paid by the mile, many

tend to drive for 10 to 11 out of every 24 hours, Cowl said. “So there are stresses that go with

changes in weather, road conditions or the environment that plays a key role in drivers having

difficulty in predicting their schedules,” he said. “The fact is they are away a lot of the time

from the support of friends and family. They are the last rolling cowboys out there on the

road.”

And when they’re on the road, their food choices often are unhealthy, said Keith Terska,

driver services coordinator and trainer for Halvor Lines. “When I first started, you walked

into a truck stop and they had a restaurant,” said Terska, himself a driver for more than 30

years. “You could order a decent meal, and you’d do all right. But so many of them got away

from having the restaurant and went to fast food,” he said. That’s starting to change, Terska

said. But even when there are healthier options, a trucker in a hurry may choose fast food.

“It’s real hard unless you pack your own meal,” he said. “It’s real hard to eat healthy.” Cowl

agreed, noting that it’s hard for anyone who travels frequently to eat well. “If you’re in a

hurry to get somewhere, most people don’t want to take a lot of time to really focus on

nutrition,” he said.

Eating ‘Real Meals’

That is why Kathryn Clements of Cannon Falls, Minn., wrote her book, “Real Meals on 18

Wheels,” along with Harriet Hodgson of Rochester. A registered dietitian since 1990,

Clements has been specializing in trucker health for 10 years. “Truck drivers were a high-risk

population, and they were underserved,” Clements said after leading a two-hour seminar for

24 truck drivers last month in Austin, Minn. “I realized that there is a real niche here and a

real need.”

Like Cowl, Clements has come to have a deep respect for the truck-driving profession. Most

drivers, she said, are “cream of the crop” people who are out to support their families as well

as they can. She has a lower opinion of the trucking industry, which she said traditionally has

treated truckers as being “disposable and replaceable people.” Her message is to teach the

basics of healthy eating, to tell truckers that they need to feed their bodies every four to six

hours, and to tell them “they have to love themselves enough to take the time to do it,” she

said.

Her book focuses on how to find nutritional meals on the road. She envisions later books on

exercise and on cooking in the truck, she said. Both Cowl and Clements say the situation is

improving for truckers and health. It’s becoming more common for trucking firms to hire a

health and wellness director as Halvor Lines did this year, Cowl said. He attributes that to

federal regulations that are making it advantageous especially for large companies — those

with thousands of trucks on the road — to pay more attention to trucker health. “We’re at the

dawn of a new era in the trucking industry,” Cowl said. “And because of these regulatory

changes, it has incentivized the motor carriers to essentially do right by their drivers.

“Ultimately, it’s great to see these kinds of changes going on,” Cowl said.

New Regulations

One of the new federal regulations involving the health of truckers takes effect next year.

By law, commercial motor vehicle drivers are required to take a certifying medical

examination every two years. That’s not changing. What will change, as of May 21, is that

medical examiners will have to be trained to meet standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier

Safety Administration. That’s a big change, said Dr. Clayton Cowl of Mayo Clinic.

Currently, the medical exam can be done by a variety of licensed health professionals —

medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, nurse practitioner, and chiropractor. “There’s a lot of

stories of going down to the truck stop to get a medical exam that you just buy from

somebody,” Cowl said. “It’s like handing out baseball cards. You want a medical exam?

Here, here’s a card for you. And those days are going to be gone after May 21 of 2014.”

Under the new standard, the examiner will have to have taken an accredited course and passed

a test, Cowl said. They will have to take the course every five years and pass the exam every

10 years.

Cowl said he wants to make sure drivers who, for example, have always been certified by a

family physician are aware of the change. If the physician “didn’t get the memo,” he or she

might mistakenly certify the trucker — who might one day learn from a law enforcement

officer that the certification is invalid.

Nine Ways to Make Training More Interesting (By Kelly Lagana, Environmental

Daily Advisor – August 5, 2013)

Training workers only works if attendees retain the information. There are many ways that

you can break up training sessions and keep trainees attentive and involved:

1. Quizzes. For long, complicated training, stop periodically to administer brief quizzes

on information presented to that point. You can also begin sessions with a prequiz and

let participants know there will also be a follow-up quiz. Trainees will stay engaged in

order to improve their prequiz scores on the final quiz. Further, motivate participants

by offering awards to the highest scorers or the most improved scores.

2. Small group discussions. Break the participants down into small groups and give

them case studies or work situations to discuss or solve. This is a good way for

knowledgeable veteran employees to pass on their experience to newer employees.

3. Case studies. Adults tend to bring a problem-oriented way of thinking to workplace

training. Case studies are an excellent way to capitalize on this type of adult learning.

By analyzing real job-related situations, employees can learn how to handle similar

situations. They can also see how various elements of a job work together to create

problems as well as solutions.

4. Active summaries. Create small groups and have them choose a leader. Ask them to

summarize the lecture’s major points and have each team leader present the

summaries to the class. Read aloud a prewritten summary and compare this with

participants’ impressions.

5. Q & A sessions. Informal question-and-answer sessions are most effective with small

groups and for updating skills rather than for teaching new skills. For example, some

changes in departmental procedure might easily be handled by a short explanation by

the supervisor, followed by a question-and-answer period and a discussion period.

6. Question cards. During the lecture, ask participants to write questions on the subject

matter. Collect them and conduct a quiz/review session.

7. Role-playing. By assuming roles and acting out situations that might occur in the

workplace, employees learn how to handle various situations before they face them on

the job. Role-playing is an excellent training technique for many interpersonal skills,

such as customer service, interviewing, and supervising.

8. Participant control. Create a subject menu of what will be covered. Ask participants

to review it and pick items they want to know more about. Call on a participant to

identify his or her choice. Cover that topic, and move on to the next participant.

9. Demonstrations. Whenever possible, bring tools or equipment that are part of the

training topic and demonstrate the steps being taught or the processes being adopted.

Suggested Safety Training Topic For Fall/Winter – Cold and Flu

Prevention

Cold and flu season is here so it’s a good time for some timely wellness training involving

sickness prevention.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, employers annually lose about 15

million workdays to the common cold.

It is the leading cause of lost workdays, rivaling the total 17.6 million lost work- days

for all injuries and illnesses reported to federal OSHA in one recent year.

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), people

in the United States suffer 1 billion colds per year. Each person endures about four

colds annually.

Colds are spread more readily when people are indoors, where the chances increase for

physical contact with contaminated surfaces and inhalation of airborne viral particles.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people are most

contagious:

For colds, the first 2 to 3 days after infection, and usually not contagious at all by day

10

For flu, almost immediately after infection (a day before symptoms develop) and for 5

days after symptoms appear

The primary pathways to infection are:

Eyes and nose. Cold viruses are very hardy; they can survive up to 3 hours on surfaces.

A highly common pathway to infection is touching an infected surface with the hands,

then touching the nose or rubbing the eyes. The virus enters the tear ducts or sinuses

and infects the nasal passage. Flu viruses can also spread via this pathway.

Inhalation. Breathing in viral particles is the most common pathway for flu infection. It

is also another pathway for cold viruses when infected airborne mucus droplets are

inhaled into the nose or throat.

We have already mentioned that colds and flu spread most easily, where people congregate

indoors. Here are a few more ideal conditions for the spread of these illnesses:

The most common cold-causing viruses survive better when humidity is low, especially

during cold weather.

Dry air makes the lining of the nose drier and probably more vulnerable to viral

infection.

Millions of Employees Victims of Workplace Violence (By Lenore Sobota,

Pantagraph.com – October 24, 2013)

Mass shootings, like the one at the Washington Naval Yard last month, grab headlines, but

people might be surprised to know that about 17 percent of all fatal work injuries last year

were caused by violence, according to federal labor statistics.

Thomas Fuller, an assistant professor at Illinois State University who teaches a course on

workplace violence, wants to see companies do more to protect their workers from violence

— including harassment. “For a long time, they’ve just been saying, ‘it’s a random act,’”

Fuller said.

But now the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is paying closer attention,

not only to violence between coworkers, but violence directed at employees by customers,

clients or other outsiders, he said. “They have anti-violence guidelines,” Fuller said

of OSHA. “They will give them a citation.” Workplace safety includes more than protecting

employees from dangerous machinery, toxic chemicals or radiation, he said.

In an average year, nearly 2 million workers report being victims of workplace violence,

according to OSHA, which also said many cases are unreported.

OSHA defines workplace violence as “any act or threat of physical violence, harassments,

intimidation or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site.”

Fuller said people in charge of workplace safety “need to have a bigger role” and should work

with human resources personnel and security officials.

Marvis Meyers, vice president of training for AAIM Employers Association, which has

offices in Peoria and St. Louis, said she has seen a lot of training related to workplace

violence for security and human resources personnel but not much for the general employee

population.

Meyers is not sure why that’s true. “There is an overall feeling, ‘It can’t happen here.’ That’s

a mindset a lot of people have,” she said. But being unprepared for workplace violence can

have “a very, very significant cost,” Meyers said.

She pointed to $20.5 million legal judgment against a Jack in the Box restaurant last month. A

man was permanently disabled in a fight in the restaurant’s parking lot. The lawsuit claimed

the restaurant could have prevented the fight and did not adequately train its employees.

Charlie Moore, president and CEO of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, said the

local chamber hasn’t directly addressed the issue of workplace violence, but the state chamber

has offered training and education through “webinars” — Internet-based seminars.

Meyers noted that “violence is not necessarily just someone with a gun” and can include

verbal altercations and harassment.

Fuller said more attention should be paid to harassment and bullying of anyone, not just those

covered by anti-discrimination laws. “We have the tendency is the U.S. to say, ‘Buck up.

You can take it.’ That’s not a good way to run a company,” Fuller said.

Important first steps are to spell out what conduct is not permitted, to whom misconduct

should be reported and how it will be handled, he said.

Is Your (Dental) Facemask Really Protecting You? (By Mary Govoni,

CDA/RDA/RDH, The Denistry IQ Network – October 24, 2013)

Facemasks, referred to by OSHA as respiratory protection, are the dental professional's first

line of defense against airborne pathogens and respiratory irritants such as dust, chemicals, or

smoke from lasers.

In the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, OSHA requires the use of respiratory protection

whenever "splashes, sprays, splatters, or droplets of blood or OPIM pose a hazard." This is

also included in the CDC guidelines because the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth

can serve as portals of entry for microorganisms into the body.

After more than 20 years of dealing with OSHA compliance, I believe that the majority of

dental professionals have embraced this concept of safety. But I am not convinced that the

majority of dental professionals have embraced the concepts of the appropriate use of

facemasks or respiratory protection.

It concerns me that I frequently see dental team members wearing their facemasks over their

mouths, but not over their noses. This just begs the question, "Why bother?" Respiratory

protection is meant to protect both portals to the respiratory system – the mouth and the nose.

Inhalation of airborne droplets can lead to many types of respiratory infections, including

colds, influenza, tuberculosis, and others.

In addition, lack of appropriate respiratory protection and spraying of disinfecting solutions

has been linked to asthma in dental professionals. Behavior modification – developing

appropriate habits for wearing respiratory protection – is the solution. But old habits are

sometimes hard to break. Another common misuse of facemasks is reusing them for multiple

patients or for an entire day. Facemasks are disposable, single-use items. This means they

should be changed, at minimum, after every patient.

OSHA standards and CDC guidelines also state that a facemask should be changed

immediately during a procedure if it becomes wet. A wet facemask can cause a wicking

action, drawing microbes into the facemask, and putting the wearer at increased risk.

A common practice in dentistry is to remove the mask from the face after a procedure and

place it around the neck or under the chin. This can cause any contaminants on the mask to be

in contact with the skin on the neck or chin of the dental team member. In addition, when the

team member repositions the facemask for use with the next patient, they have to touch the

outside of the contaminated mask with either their bare hands (which must be washed) or

gloves (which must then be replaced). The mask should be removed and discarded after each

patient, along with exam gloves.

Selecting the appropriate type of facemask is also important for dental professionals.

Facemasks are rated and certified by the American National Standards Institute. As such,

ANSI classifies masks by safety characteristics: bacterial filtration efficiency, particle

filtration efficiency, and body fluid penetration (splash repellence, splash resistance, and fluid

resistance).

In addition, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has criteria for

respirators that must be worn when treating patients at risk for tuberculosis. This is referred to

as the N95 particulate respirator. Masks are available in several styles. The most common are

earloop and molded masks. Masks available to dental professionals also have additional

features, such as anti-fogging and dye-free for sensitive skin.

One of the best resources available to dental professionals regarding facemasks and their

characteristics is Crosstex® Maskenomics at

http://www.crosstex.com/products/masks/maskenomics.pdf. All the types of facemasks and

their various ratings are listed, along with important information about selection of the most

appropriate mask for specific types of procedures.

I challenge you to find the most appropriate facemask for the types of procedures that you

perform in your practice or facility and to wear those masks correctly so that your facemask is

really protecting you.

Lessons Learned: Whistle-blower wins case against Manatee School for the

Arts (By Erica Earl, Brdenton.com, October 22, 2013)

The U.S. District Court in Tampa has awarded a former Manatee School for the Arts

employee $175,000 in back wages and punitive damages in a whistle-blower lawsuit.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration sued the

school in 2012 for wrongful termination of David Shack, an employee who warned the school

about electrical safety violations in the school's theater.

Shack, hired as a stage craft assistant in 2007 making $15 per hour, had addressed potential

fire hazards in the school's theater. His primary concern was improper placement of extension

cords above the theater sprinkler system.

When the school did not respond to a letter of concern Shack sent in June 2009, he filed

acomplaint with the Manatee County School Board and OSHA in July 2009. He was

terminated July 30, 2009.

The school board forwarded the complaint to then-Superintendent Tim McGonegal. OSHA

sent a facsimile to the school addressing concerns Shack raised in his letter. On Aug. 4, 2009,

OSHA performed a safety inspection and cited the same electrical safety issues the employee

noted.

The Manatee School for the Arts entered into a settlement agreement with OSHA for $2,000,

records show.

Shack was awarded $55,000 in back wages and $120,000 in punitive damages -- $100,000

from Principal C.W. "Bill" Jones and $20,000 from Manatee School for the Arts, a charter

school, after a trial last month. Bill Curphey, Jones' attorney and a former prosecutor for

OSHA, said Tuesday the case isn't over. The Manatee School for the Arts filed a motion to set

aside the verdict Monday.

Curphey said he is "disturbed" OSHA is asking for punitive damages. "I am outraged,"

Curphey said. "This is overreaching from the government." Curphey contends Shack's

termination was not related to his complaints filed to OSHA. "His position was eliminated in

favor of a faculty member," Curphey said. "He was a theater aide." Curphey said Jones

wanted to keep Shack as an employee, but the money was not in the budget for both a stage

craft assistant and a stage craft teacher.

OSHA said Shack's decision to report concerns are protected by the whistle-blower protection

provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which protects employees who report

violations involving trucking, pipeline, environmental, health care and food safety laws.

The jury found the school and Jones violated Section 11 (c) of the Occupational Safety and

Health Act dealing with whistle-blower provisions. The jury also found Jones and the school

acted in "reckless indifference" to the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Jones declined comment.

Shack said before he filed his complaints with OSHA, his working relationship with the

Manatee School for the Arts had been positive. According to Section 11 (c) of the

Occupational Safety and Health Act, Shack said, he should have been able to perform his

duties and report his concerns without fear of retaliation.

"You always hear people ask 'Why didn't you say or do something?' when something is

found," Shack said. "In this case, I did do something. I wasn't satisfied with the way it was

handled by the board, so I sent it to OSHA and OSHA supported my concerns with three

serious violations."

After he was fired, Shack said, he "let the complaint take its course." He declined to discuss

any other employment.

Shack said he is satisfied with his settlement. "It is fair and reasonable," Shack said. "It has

been a rough four years." Shack said he will continue to support the Manatee School for the

Art's mission. "It provides a unique environment for students. I have always believed that and

still believe that," Shack said. "I still support the school and the service they provide. I am just

personally glad this chapter is over."

Lessons Learned: New Hampshire Company Cited By OSHA for 21 Safety

Violations (www.boston.com – November 6, 2013)

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration says a New

Hampshire textiles company is facing $115,000 in fines for 21 serious violations of workplace

safety standards at its Hampton plant.

OSHA started investigating Foss Manufacturing Co. in April after a worker’s complaint.

OSHA’s New Hampshire area director says employees were exposed to potential

electrocution, burns, amputation, crushing and laceration injuries and hearing loss. A

company spokesman did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Among the issues, OSHA says Foss Manufacturing failed to provide fall protection

equipment, face shields and insulated gloves and to protect a worker exposed to an arc flash

where electrical equipment had not been deenergized before servicing, The company has 15

days to comply, meet with OSHA or contest the findings.

Picture This: Choreographing a Dangerous Dance with Safety (Safety Smart

Today - February 1, 2012)

Climbing on the upper rungs of a ladder is dangerous

enough, but throw in an awkward overhead lifting task

and an unforgiving concrete floor and this worker’s day

could turn deadly in a hurry. The ladder could easily tip

or he could lose his balance while handling a large box

over his head. Fall hazards aside, the lifting and

twisting movements required here could easily lead to a

back or other type of injury. This type of situation plays

out every day in warehouses and retail establishments

around the world, frequently with bad consequences.

(WorkSafeBC photo)