May 2015
Cover Story by
Hal Morgan
Communications
and Public Affairs
Inside this issue:
2
Chapter Meeting & News
4
Free Training
5
Member Spotlight
6
Employment and Training
Opportunities
As the weather warms (well, at least dries up a bit), we see more and
more people enjoying the pleasure of riding a motorcycle on the roads.
It always seems to come as a surprise to some. We become so used to
traveling among trucks, cars, and assorted other vehicles during the
cooler months that when motorcycle enthusiasts appear on the highways in numbers, it seems we need to reawaken the idea that there
are some vehicles that are harder to see, and that are far more nimble
than our regular mode of transportation.
Nimble they are, but the riders are far more vulnerable to crashes
than others are. Many crashes happen when motorcycles are hidden
in our blind spot. Occasionally, we simply do not see them around
us—a kind of inattentional blindness. It is more than important to become more aware of motorcyclists as spring warms and summer approaches.
The National Safety Council (NSC) states that fatalities involving motorists and motorcyclists increased a whopping 131 percent between
1998 and 2008.
The NSC offers the following tips for motorists and motorcyclists—
Motorists:
No May Chapter
Meeting
Allow greater following distance behind a motorcycle.
Be extra cautious in intersections. Most crashes occur when a motorist
fails to see a motorcycle and turns left in front of a motorcycle.
Give a motorcycle the full lane width; never try to share a lane.
www.asse-southernoregon.org
May 2015
2
Chapter News
May Chapter Meeting
Pam Ahr, Programs Chair
There will be no regular Chapter meeting for the month of
May.
Instead join us on-board the Safety Express Bus! There are
still open seats!
The Executive Committee will still meet at 10:30 May 5th at the Access Olsrud Family Nutrition Center: 2020 Cardinal Ave. Medford OR.
In honor of Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day during NAOSH week (first
week of May), our chapter is sponsoring a completely new “Safety Express” luxury bus
tour of interesting workplaces known for world-class safety. You’ll ride in comfort with
other safety and health professionals and participate in expert-led, safety-focused
tours of three very different work sites: Roseburg Forest Products, Engineered Wood
Products, in Riddle, a VPP employer; MasterBrand Cabinets in Grants Pass, a SHARP
graduate; and Mercy Flights in north Medford, which uses an FAA Integrated Management System. Among other topics, we’ll explore the intersection of Lean principles and
effective safety management systems. Both seasoned safety professionals and newcomers will benefit from this learning adventure.
We’ll stop for a delicious private lunch at TapRock, on the Rogue River in Grants Pass,
with an engaging and informative luncheon speaker.
Space is very limited for this popular event–cost, including lunch, is $45 for ASSE
members and $60 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. Checks and cash will
be accepted for payment on the day of
the event.
To reserve your place:
[email protected]
Apologies
Hal Morgan
I have had a spell of illness that kept me from publishing this month’s newsletter. I hope that
you enjoy what we have to offer.
Monthly Newsletter of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers
May 2015
3
Motorcycle Safety Month
Continued from page 1
Motorcyclists:
Avoid riding in poor weather conditions.
Position your motorcycle in the lane where you will not be in a motorist’s blind spot.
Use turn signals for every turn or lane change.
All crashes will include errors on both sides of the equation, so as riders are far more vulnerable, it makes a good deal of sense to strive for making no rider errors. The way to make a
motorcycle as safe as possible is to ensure that you, as a rider, are never the cause of a crash
(yours or anyone else’s). I know it sounds a bit silly, but if you, as a motorcyclist, avoid the
situations that are very obviously less safe, and you have developed the skills and good judgment to deal with any other dangerous situations that occur, you have gone a very long way
toward achieving just that.
As a motorist, you must develop an unassuming eye for traffic and other hazards in the roadways. You, too, should heed the advice above—never be the cause of a crash. Do not allow
yourself to assume what another driver, or a rider, will do next. This is sheer folly, and will gain
you some repair bills, and likely a citation eventually. Look for motorcyclists, and give them
their fair share of the road. Give them distance to stop without having your vehicle careening
into them, and allow them the same courtesy you would every other vehicle on the road. Be
watchful for them on the roads.
Words of Wisdom
by Hal Morgan Communications and Public Affairs
“There are two ways of exerting one’s
strength: One is pushing down, The other
is pulling up.” (wise words, even today)
~~Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) was an
African-American educator, author, orator, and advisor to presidents of the
United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant
leader in the African-American community.
Washington was of the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became
the leading voice of the former slaves and their descendants, who were newly oppressed by disfranchisement and the Jim Crow discriminatory laws enacted in the post-Reconstruction Southern
states in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1895, his Atlanta compromise called for avoiding confrontation over segregation and, instead, putting more reliance on long-term educational
and economic advancement in the black community.
Accessed quote on the World Wide Web at: http://thinkexist.com
Accessed the picture and bio at: http://en.wikipedia.org
Monthly Newsletter of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers
May 2015
4
Free Trainings Available!
Accident Investigation
Klamath Falls
5/28/2015
Confined Space Safety
Medford
6/10/2015
Hazard Identification and Control
Roseburg
6/18/2015
Lockout/Tagout and Machine Safeguarding
Medford
6/10/2015
Root Cause Analysis
Klamath Falls
5/28/2015
Root Cause Analysis
Salem
6/30/2015
Safety Leadership
Roseburg
6/18/2015
Safety Meetings and Committees
Eugene
6/11/2015
Safety Training and Your Multicultural Workforce
Salem
5/5/2015
Safety Training and Your Multicultural Workforce
Medford
6/3/2015
Safety and the Supervisor
Salem
5/5/2015
Safety and the Supervisor
Medford
6/3/2015
Safety and the Supervisor
Eugene
6/11/2015
New from Oregon OSHA
New rules proposed for Firefighters:
http://orosha.org/pdf/notices/proposed2015/ltrdiv1-firefighters.pdf
Monthly Newsletter of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers
May 2015
5
Member Spotlight
Chris Lawrence, Chapter President
Joe Vollmar came to the Rogue Valley from the Midwest 26 years ago. Joe is a quiet and unassuming member of our chapter and great ASSE organization. He has been a member for
over a year now and routinely attends the monthly meetings and annual safety and health
conference. He has a very interesting and admirable job: helping people who are less fortunate than some of us in our community. Joe is a Weatherization Production Lead at Access,
our local community action organization. He inspects low-income housing for potential weatherization projects to decrease energy costs for the occupants and to provide a more viable
home. He then oversees the actual weatherization project. Joe has been with Access for over
ten years. This program really benefits senior and disabled members of our community.
Joe is also the chair of the safety committee; hence, his interest in being a member of the
ASSE.
Prior to Access, he managed a Wal-mart Tire and Lube Express for eight years. His hobbies
are traveling (especially tropical areas such as Puerto Vallarta), softball, umpiring, golf, and
any & all activities his 13-year-old daughter, Payton, is involved in. Currently, volleyball is the
sport for her! Joe also loves baseball and football.
Joe believes family is very important, which is why he
and his wife, Kristi, spend their time enjoying life with
their daughter.
When I asked Joe for thoughts on the ASSE Southern
Oregon Chapter, he said he likes the networking and
the lunch training meetings. He said the meetings have
been a big help towards developing his knowledge of
safety which he can apply on his job and as a safety
committee chair.
Upcoming Conferences
by Hal Morgan Communications and Public Affairs
Northwest Safety & Health Summit (by Region X VPPPA)
· May 12-14, 2015
Blue Mountain Occupational Safety & Health Conference
· June 1 & 2, 2015
More information at:
http://orosha.org/conferences/OSHA_conference/blue_mnt
Monthly Newsletter of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers
Mark Your Calendars
May 2015
6
Confined Space: Train The Trainer
Medford, OR July 14-15, 2015
Forklift Safety: Train the Trainer
Medford, OR May 19, 2015
http://www.d2000safety.com/
Employment Opportunities
Timber Products — Safety Director — Medford, OR
This position, based in Medford, Oregon, is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and administration of safety programs at Timber Products Company to ensure compliance with
regulations and to meet company goals of accident prevention and reduction of associated costs.
http://www.timberproducts.com/About_Us/Careers/#TPadmin
SAIF— Sr Safety Mgmt Consultant— Eugene, OR
For a senior safety management consultant (SSMC), no two days are alike. One day you might consult
with a metal fabrication shop, the next day an assisted living facility.
As an SSMC based in our Eugene office, you’ll work with SAIF policyholders in a wide variety of industries, including trucking companies, care facilities, manufacturing plants, and schools. You’ll help businesses in Douglas and Lane counties manage risks so their employees can work safely.
https://jobs-saif.icims.com/jobs/1844/sr-safety-mgmt-consultant/job
DCBS — Occupational Safety Specialist 3 — Portland, OR
The successful candidate will conduct safety evaluations, analysis, and accident
investigations of a broad range of Oregon workplaces within the Portland Metro
area, plus Clatsop, Columbia, and Hood River Counties, and take enforcement action for the purpose of controlling and eliminating workplace hazards and ensuring
compliance with the Oregon Safe Employment Act. Senior Safety Compliance Officers also provide training and serve as a technical resource.
http://asse-southernoregon.org/employment
For More Employment Opportunities, Please See Our Employment Page at:
http://asse-southernoregon.org/employment
Monthly Newsletter of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers
May 2015
7
Mark Your Calendars
General meeting:
Thursday, May 7, 2015
12:00 noon - 1:00 pm at Black Bear Diner (Meeting
Room)
This month’s topic: Controlling Insurance Cost
Speaker: Phil Swinford, Senior Account Representative
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2014-2015
President: Chris Lawrence, Boise Cascade—[email protected]
Vice President:
Past President: Steve Dobbs, Asante—[email protected]
Secretary: Cathy Justice, Southern Oregon Headstart—[email protected]
Treasurer: Patti McGuire, SAIF Corporation—[email protected]
Conference 2014: Mike Hill, SAIF Corporation—[email protected]
Membership Committee Chair: Curt Charley, Erickson Air Crane—[email protected]
Program Committee Chair: Pam Ahr, SAIF—[email protected]
Grants and Awards Committee Chair: Jared Hill, Asante—[email protected]
Communications and Public Relations Committee Chair: Hal Morgan, Harry and David—
[email protected]
Governmental Affairs Committee Chair: Lenny Reierson, OR-OSHA—[email protected]
STARS Coordinator: David Hanson, Timber Products—[email protected]
CoPS (Council on Practices and Standards) Coordinator: Bonnie Huard, City of Medford—
[email protected]
Delegate to HOD (House of Delegates): Chris Lawrence, Boise Cascade—[email protected]
Newsletter/Web Designer: Ethan Hill, Light Symphony Productions—[email protected]
PO Box 1481  Medford, OR 97501-0110
Visit our website at: http://www.asse-southernoregon.org
Monthly Newsletter of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers