Shining a Light on Prevention

Years ago, as I walked into the Pacific Rim Conference opening session, my attention was drawn to a table set apart from the rest. It was set for a single diner. The napkin was folded with care, and a small vase contained a single red rose. A dim melancholy light glowed above the empty seat at the table set in a darkened corner.


I vividly remember that day. And while I don't recall the words of the memorial poem that was read, I remember the tears it brought to my eyes and the sorrow it brought to my heart. That empty chair symbolized all those who had died on the job, the ones we couldn't save. Every day, there is another empty chair somewhere in the world.


April 28 is International Worker Memorial Day. People around the world will remember colleagues and loved ones lost to workplace fatalities. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 4,547 people died on the job in 2010. That's about the same number of people who attended Safety 2011 in Chicago last June. Imagine the empty halls, the rooms full of empty chairs.


In 2010, nearly 3.1 million people suffered nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses while working for private industry employers. In the often-overlooked public sector, 820,300 injuries and illness cases were reported in 2010 by state and local governments. When we break it down to incident rates, it is startling to find that the injury and illness rate for public entities was 5.7 cases per 100 full-time workers versus 3.5 cases per 100 workers for private industry.


As we remember those lost and honor their lives, let's also keep our collective focus on the importance of our continuous efforts to reduce fatalities and injuries. This month, ASSE chapters, regions and sections are readying for their North American Occupational Safety & Health (NAOSH) Week projects and events. NAOSH Week - observed May 6-12 this year - is when we shine a bright light on injury and illness prevention. On Occupational Safety and Health Professional (OSHP) day (observed May 9), we recognize those who strive each day to eliminate work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses. NAOSH Week and OSHP Day are two great opportunities that we, as safety professionals, have to educate the public, businesses and communities about occupational safety and our great profession.

NAOSH Week is May 6-12

This year marks the 10th anniversary of our NAOSH Week Safety-on-the-Job kids' poster contest, which gives children around the globe an opportunity to express their creativity and to learn about SH&E professionals and our mission to ensure on-the-job safety for every working person around the globe. The winning entries are featured on the NAOSH Week 2012 poster that is distributed worldwide. To order your copy, contact customerservice@asse.org.


I encourage you to start a NAOSH Week campaign in your area. Hold a safety day at work or in your community. Host a PPE fashion show. Invite school children to tour your facility to see firsthand what you do as an SH&E professional. 
You'll find an array of tools, such as a draft proclamation and information on many more ways to participate, at www.asse.org/naosh. I urge you to use the NAOSH Week proclamation to bring worker safety to the attention of your local leaders. We must do more to ensure that those who work in the public sector have the same protections as those who work in the private sector. A proclamation may be a small step, but it is a start.


As we remember those lost, all those empty chairs, let's recommit ourselves to shining a light on prevention, to making a difference for those who remain.


"There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them." --Denis Waitley

Preparing for Tomorrow

Are you prepared? It's a common question in California, where we seem to constantly be preparing for fires, floods, mud slides and earthquakes. Around the globe, SH&E professionals are asked to prepare for all kinds of disasters.

But my question is a personal one, whether you are an employer or an SH&E professional. Are you prepared for the next challenge? The next opportunity? When a challenge or opportunity occurs and it goes in your favor, will it be because you were ready or just lucky?

Seneca said, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." In other words, we can make our own luck by being prepared. For example, as an employer, you hire the right people, but are you sure to provide them with the resources necessary to succeed? As an SH&E professional, do you have the knowledge to get the job done right? What and who are your resources?

Preparation comes in many forms. For employers, it includes hiring the right people, purchasing the right equipment and investing in the future of staff. The world doesn't stand still. Information and knowledge constantly evolve. For work teams to perform at their best, employers must invest in continuing education, just as they invest in new technology and equipment.

For SH&E professionals, preparation includes formal education, planning for future growth, exposure to new ideas, tools and equipment, networking with peers, and training. ASSE is dedicated to ensuring that we have every opportunity to prepare our teams and ourselves. Two of the Society's six goals focus on preparation through the provision and development of training, education and resources.

The world is changing too rapidly to prepare only once a year. That's why it's vital that we each attend monthly chapter meetings and take advantage of virtual learning opportunities. ASSE offers virtual symposia throughout the year. For example, on March 29 and 30, ASSE will host "Changing Behaviors: Balancing the Elements for Effective Safety Management Systems." This symposium will bring together thought leaders from around the world to survey all parts of the safety system. And since it's virtual, you can view it at your convenience, even after its initial broadcast. Learn more about this and other virtual offerings at www.asse.org/education/virtualclassroom.php.

While virtual opportunities help us stay current and improve throughout the year, ASSE's annual professional development conference and exposition are not to be missed. Safety 2012 will be held June 3-6 in Denver, CO, and it provides a great opportunity to help us prepare for today's and tomorrow's challenges.

The conference delivers education, helps us network with peers, and introduces us to new equipment, tools, resources and suppliers in the exposition. Safety 2012 promises to be blockbuster, ushering in ASSE's second century. At Safety 2012, we will hear from industry and professional leaders.

• Robert Cialdini will speak on the power of influence.
• OSHA Administrator David Michaels will share his views on workplace safety.
• Economist Lowell Catlett will share insights on the economy, current and future.

The conference will also feature the ninth annual Executive Summit, where we will hear important perspectives from senior managers. Other program highlights include 240 concurrent education sessions; the Academics Forum; a special track on sustainability/corporate social responsibility; the Loss Control Executive Summit; updates on Chemical Safety Board investigations; a report on ASSE's delegation to Brazil; and key issue roundtables. Learn more about the complete program and how to register at www.safety2012.org.

You will face many challenges in life and in your career. Create your own luck. Register for Safety 2012 today and prepare yourself for tomorrow. As NFL Hall of Fame player Jack Youngblood said, "Good luck is a residue of preparation."

ASSE's annual conference and exposition are not to be missed. Safety 2012 is a great opportunity to help us prepare for today's and tomorrow's challenges.

Fulfilling Our Duty

If someone asked you to describe ASSE, what would be your answer? Can you tell them how large the Society is, how old the organization is, how we operate?

ASSE is a great Society that has existed for more than 100 years. It has grown from a handful of insurance casualty inspectors in one city to nearly 34,000 members residing in more than 70 countries. We are a Society governed by its members, for its members and their profession. We have a 16-member board and all except ASSE's executive director, who is a nonvoting member, are volunteer leaders elected by the members. All of our councils, committees and task forces are composed of members volunteering their time.

 The future of our Society is in our hands, yet only 17% to 19% of ASSE members vote in the annual election of the Society's leaders. As members, it is our right to vote in our chapter, region and Society elections. More importantly, it is our duty to vote. Not everyone has the opportunity to be a volunteer leader, but we can all vote. And it's not just the act of voting that is important. We need to cast informed votes.

 To provide a level field and to act in complete fairness, ASSE restricts campaigning by and for candidates for office. So how can we each make an informed vote? First, read the biographies for each candidate in this issue of Professional Safety (starting on p. 33). Then, read the platform statements posted at www.asse.org. These statements provide insight into what each candidate believes and where s/he believes ASSE should be headed. Each year we vote for a senior vice president. This position leads automatically to the office of president-elect, then to president. In essence, we are voting for the future president of this Society. The winning candidate will lead the Council on Member and Region Affairs for a year. As president- elect, this individual will chair our Congress of Councils and lead the Society's strategic planning. As president, this leader will be our voice and the face of our Society.

Each year, we also vote for other board positions, but we stagger the elections so as to avoid replacing the entire board at once. This year, we are electing the vice president of the Council on Practices and Standards, the vice president of finance and the vice presidents of the even-numbered regions.

In odd-numbered election years, we elect the vice president of the Council on Professional Development, the vice president of the Council on Professional Affairs and the vice presidents of the odd-numbered regions.

Voting is easy once you know for whom you will cast your vote. Voting begins on March 1 and ends March 31. You have two choices in how to place your vote: 1) complete and mail back the paper ballot that arrives in your mailbox during the first week in March; or 2) vote electronically.

I prefer the electronic ballot - it arrives in my e-mail in-box just after midnight on March 1, no matter what day of the week it is. If you haven't signed up for electronic voting, there's still time. Go to www.asse.org and sign in to the Members Only section (using your member number and last name to log in). Then, select the 'Update Your Info' link and follow the prompts. Scroll down until you find the 'Society Annual Election Ballot' section and select your preferred voting method.

Helen Keller once said, "I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble." Voting in ASSE's elections may not be the great and noble task we each dream of, but it is our duty to accomplish this small task. This is our Society. Each of our voices matters. Vote this March.

As members, it is our right to vote in our chapter, region and Society elections. More importantly, it is our duty to vote.

Resolute in Our Goals

The new year is often a time for looking toward the future, whether it's making resolutions for change or trying some custom such as dropping molten lead into a bowl of cold water to determine what the future will bring. As a Society, ASSE doesn't wait until New Year's Eve to ponder the future and devise new goals. We continually look forward and plan because we know that the actions we take today are the foundation for our future.

One hundred years ago, our Society's goal was to engineer safe industrial workplaces. That goal has grown and evolved. The definition of safety within our bylaws illustrates those changes and how our focus on protecting people, property and the environment has expanded. Article I, Section 3, states:

The definition of the safety profession as used in these bylaws is: 

'The safety profession is composed of individuals engaged in one or more of the specialties within the various sciences for the primary purpose of developing and/or implementing methods, procedures, systems, devices, and/or standards toward the reduction, control or elimination of hazardous exposures to people, property or the environment.'

A look at ASSE's practice specialties and branches illustrates the vast disciplines in which safety is involved. Visit www.asse.org/practicespecialties to learn more about any of these groups.

Practice Specialties

  


    

Academics
Construction
Consultants
Engineering 
Environmental
Ergonomics
Fire Protection
Healthcare
Industrial  Hygiene


    

International
Management
Manufacturing
Mining
Oil & Gas
Public Sector
Risk Management/Insurance
Transportation


  

Branches



  


    

Agricultural
Health & Wellness
Human Resources
Legal Services


    

Military
Service
Training & Communication
Utilities


  

Clearly, safety professionals no longer concentrate solely on industrial safety. We are engaged in protecting the public, the patrons of our establishments, the users of our companies' products, the environment we share and much more.

Safety may be a small word, yet it contains so much meaning. It is no different than the word doctor or lawyer, although it is not yet as clearly defined as either of those words. When someone meets a doctor or lawyer, s/he might ask, "What's your specialty?" When someone asks a safety professional about his/her occupation, the answer "I'm in safety" likely elicits a curious look followed by a response such as, "What is that?"

ASSE is working to define the standards of professional competency, including defining the various levels of safety professionals and practitioners. Through such initiatives, we will ensure that at some future point, when you are asked what you do, the discussion that follows will focus on your area of specialty within safety rather than on what the broader profession encompasses. As we define safety and its competencies, we will gain greater recognition and respect, which will increase our value to our employers and further raise the stature of our profession.

It is a new year, yet our resolutions to grow and evolve the definition of the SH&E profession have not changed. Not matter the obstacles encountered, we will continue to actively pursue these goals.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith." I have no doubt that together, we will grow ASSE's influence and position this Society as a thought leader of the SH&E profession. We will raise the bar on the practice of safety. We will demonstrate our value to our employers, our legislators and our communities. And we will contribute a meaningful voice to the international discourse on occupational safety and grow our global community.

Embrace the future, get involved and help ASSE achieve its goals.

It Takes a Village . . . of Volunteers

Margaret Mead said, 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.'

One hundred years ago, a small group of safety inspectors met in a room in New York City and founded the United Society of Casualty Inspectors. This group wanted to change the conditions of workers throughout the nation.

Today, their legacy lives on through ASSE and our efforts as SH&E professionals to improve workplace safety and share the message of safety in our local communities and around the globe.

How did a handful of safety inspectors create a global impact? They reached out and networked with others. Through their knowledge and expertise, they began to influence legislators and employers. They grew their numbers through networking, and began to form chapters in 1924.

Today, ASSE has nearly 34,000 members in 151 chapters, 60 sections, 32 student sections, 17 practice specialties, 8 branches and 4 common interest groups. Each of these groups is led by member volunteers'much like our founding group 100 years ago. Our volunteers at all levels are focused on helping this great Society achieve its goals.

ASSE is strong because our members volunteer their time and share their passion to help accomplish our goals, mission and vision. Right now, chapters, sections, practice specialties and committees are looking for members willing to step up, give back and help build the future. Soon, these groups will be calling for nominations of members willing to serve in various offices and to assume leadership roles. Some will be elected positions. Others will be appointed. All are important.

Jimmy Carter said, 'Throughout my life, I've seen the difference that volunteering efforts can make in people's lives. I know the personal value of service as a local volunteer.'

I know that statement to be true. I started out serving as a chapter newsletter editor. It fit in best with the demands of my job, higher education pursuits and a young family. Over time, I moved on to serve my chapter as program chair, treasurer, secretary, president-elect, president and delegate. Along the way, I learned valuable leadership skills that have served me well throughout my career.

I urge you to answer the call to service. Or, better yet, make that call yourself. Contact your chapter president, section president or practice specialty administrator and ask how you can help. You also can visit ASSE's Leadership Connection website (www.asse.org/leadershipconnection/MemberSignin.asp) to view a list of current volunteer opportunities.

'Volunteering can be an exciting, growing, enjoyable experience,' says Harriet Naylor. 'It is truly gratifying to serve a cause, practice one's ideals, work with people, solve problems, see benefits and know one had a hand in them.'

Add excitement to your life. Take a hand in changing ASSE's future. Volunteer today.

The World Is Flat—And That’s Okay

Thomas Friedman’s book, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century (2005), discusses how historic and geographical divisions are becoming irrelevant in business. These concepts also apply to our profession. Merhaba! Bon jour! Ciao! Zdravstvujtye! Sannu! Hello! I could fill my message this month just simply saying “hello” in all the languages spoken by our nearly 34,000 members in 75 countries.

The words we use to conduct business, training and develop programs are different, but the concepts that form the core basis for SH&E protection are the same. Even legislation and regulatory requirements are beginning to flatten our world as international harmonization standards are discussed and developed.

Addressing the flattening of the world is critical to better serving our members and advancing our profession. One of our Society goals is to “foster and sustain a global community among SH&E professionals.” According to our member surveys, networking—a sense of community—is one of the greatest benefits of membership.

Networking is essential to our professional growth. Through networking, we develop understanding and increase our knowledge and skills. SH&E is too broad for any single one of us to know it all. We need one another to achieve our goals of protecting people, property and the environment.

In many areas, that sense of community is achieved through local chapter meetings. While those meetings remain a viable tool for networking, ASSE is working to provide opportunities for those who are geographically isolated. And geographical isolation is not necessarily a matter of distance. Many of us live in congested urban areas where traveling 20 miles to a meeting across town can take 2 hours. One way ASSE is facilitating member networking is through our many LinkedIn groups which enable members to share best practices and exchange ideas on real-life problems and solutions.

Networking is not limited to chapter, region and Society events, or even online communities. ASSE also is reaching out to other SH&E organizations around the world to create better understanding, increase the knowledge available to our members and advance the profession globally.

For example, ASSE is a founding member of the International Network of Safety and Health Practitioner Organizations (INSHPO), along with the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering and the U.K.’s Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. INSHPO was formed in 2001 to provide an international network for generalist practitioners in occupational safety and health.

Since then, it has grown as more and more practitioner organizations from around the globe join, including groups in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Korea, Russia, Mauritius and Singapore, as well as additional SH&E-focused groups in the U.S., U.K. and Canada.

You can learn more about INSHPO at www.inshpo.org. We are currently working with INSHPO colleagues to define core competencies for the SH&E profession. This will facilitate employment transferability and increase the knowledge and skills of SH&E professionals around the globe.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” ASSE is moving into a future where the world is flat, where we must know more and understand more, must know it all more quickly and must work with a more diverse group of people to accomplish our work.

Stepping Into Our Future

Over the past year, we've been looking back at where we started and how far we've come. In 1911, ASSE was a small group of insurance inspectors in New York City. In 2011, ASSE is a diverse group of more than 34,000 members in more than 70 countries. We've grown from a local group into a global organization. We no longer have "national" committees, we have "Society" committees composed of members from around the world. The term national no longer encompasses who we are or the members we serve. It's exciting to see how far we've come.

ASSE is strong thanks to the foundation laid over the past 100 years. Our history provides us with a road map that guides us toward achieving our vision to be a global advocate of safety professionals and a leading voice of this profession. ASSE emerged in the wake of the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. The tragic deaths of 146 young workers moved people toward meaningful action and forever changed workplace safety. That was our beginning. Our founders knew that more could be done to protect workers. And it is that spirit which we proudly carry on today.

Many things have changed since ASSE was formed. Our lives no longer resemble those of our founding members. But the fundamental vision that brought them together—the desire to create and sustain safe, healthy workplaces—continues to unite us all. Thanks to the efforts of ASSE and its members, corporations around the world are embracing safety as good business. This has spurred the need for safety expertise across all business sectors and around the world.

Getting where we are today did not happen by magic or happenstance. It took planning and the hard work of thousands of members volunteering their time and sharing their passion to make a difference. It was best said anonymously, "The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created—created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating."

One of our goals for the future is to be the recognized source of SH&E knowledge and resources, to raise the bar on the practice of safety through knowledge sharing. This month, we will take another step toward that goal when we launch ASSE's body of knowledge tool at the Leadership Conference. This tool will compile current knowledge in one location where it can be easily searched and accessed. Think about that for just a moment. How many times have you searched for SH&E information on the Internet only to find yourself drowning in useless information that left you starving for knowledge? Our body of knowledge tool is a life preserver in an ever-growing sea of information.

When the tool launches, it will contain papers gleaned from ASSE professional development conference proceedings, practice specialty newsletter articles, Professional Safety articles and more than 200 articles gathered from other sources. It will also incorporate glossaries from ANSI A10 and Z359.0. To facilitate quick retrieval of pertinent information, it is searchable by more than 2,300 keywords.

This is only the beginning. Our knowledge tool will offer new features as technology evolves. Its value and resources will continue to grow as our members create new materials and as new content is added from other sources.

Back in 1911, our founders probably wondered what ASSE would look like in 2011 and beyond, much like we all wonder what ASSE will be in another 100 years. But as Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, "As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it." Our future is bright, not because of magic or happenstance, but because of each of you and your imagination, passion and commitment.

"The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created—created first in mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating." --Anonymous

One of ASSE's goals for the future is to be the recognized source of SH&E knowledge and resources. This month, we will take another step toward that goal when we launch ASSE's body of knowledge tool.