ASSE Honors Members Who Reach Thousands Through Safety and Health Outreach Efforts
With 4,340 workers dying from work-related injuries in 2009 and millions more sustaining on-the-job injuries and illnesses, American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) members work not only at their job protecting people, property and the environment, but after work as well.
Six ASSE members and one international organization, recognized by their peers for going above and beyond to raise awareness about occupational safety and health, will be awarded the ASSE North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH, May 1-7, 2011) Week Champion award at the annual professional development conference (PDC) and exposition taking place this June 12-15 in Chicago, IL.
The NAOSH 2011 champions are Luke Betts, Portland, OR; Heather Earl, CSP, of Lake Buena Vista, FL; Philip E. Goldsmith, CSP, ARM, Washington, D.C.; Mohammad K.S. Mohiuddeen, Kuwait Chapter President, Kuwait; Mike Neason, Louisville Chapter president, Louisville, KY; Jennifer S. Zipeto, CSP, Lake Buena Vista, FL; and the Clorox Company. These individuals and the Clorox Company, along with their teams of dedicated professionals reached thousands through their work this NAOSH Week.
Luke Betts is the Western Canada and U.S. Northwest Regions Safety and Health Coordinator for Cintas Corporation and is a member of the Columbia-Willamette Chapter of Portland, OR. On his own, Luke developed and distributed a special program to promote the annual ASSE kids’ ‘safety-on-the-job’ poster contest in the Northwest. His program included a power point presentation, which was presented at schools and workplaces. This valuable communication tool and Luke’s efforts resulted in increased participation and awareness by members and non-members in the area.
Heather Earl, CSP, has been instrumental in spreading the word about NAOSH Week and the importance of occupational safety and health in Central Florida and throughout her workplace at Walt Disney World Resorts, where she is the manager of safety and health operations. As the Florida Chapter President, Earl has promoted the 9th annual ASSE kids’ ‘safety-on-the-job’ poster contest to all Disney employees worldwide and for school students in Florida. Earl has requested and secured several state, city and town proclamations for NAOSH Week, helping to raise awareness about the safety, health and environmental (SH&E) profession.
Deputy Chief for Risk Management for the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Philip E. Goldsmith, CSP, ARM, helped make NAOSH Week kick-off events in D.C. a huge success. On his own time, working with the staff at the National Gallery of Art (NGA), Goldsmith and the NGA staff provided a free program to more than 100 children and family members on May 2 as part of the NAOSH kick-off events. Children and their families received a special ‘behind-the-scenes’ tour of the Gallery and participated in an informative question and answer period with the experts. For ASSE members and officials, Goldsmith provided an in-depth presentation and ‘behind-the-scenes’ tour of a new construction project at the Gallery, demonstrating onsite work parameters, fall protection measures and how to work with certain materials.
The Kuwait Chapter and its President Mohammad K.S. Mohiuddeen, reached out and made a difference for hundreds of children through the 9th annual ASSE kids’ ‘safety-on-the-job’ poster contest. Through outreach in the Kuwait Chapter’s region, ASSE received hundreds of poster entries illustrating safety on the job. Region schools and individuals participated and several of these entries placed in the top four for their age categories. The Kuwait Chapter also hosts special events where poster contest winners are honored, further promoting awareness of occupational safety and health and providing support for ASSE’s global NAOSH Week programs.
Louisville Chapter President and Safety Manager for LG& E-KY of Louisville, Michael E. Neason, and the chapter, went above and beyond in reaching out to his community on behalf of NAOSH Week and the 9th annual ASSE kids’ ‘safety-on-the-job’ poster contest. Neason worked with a local Title 1 School’s art teacher, encouraging students to participate in the contest to learn more about the world of occupational safety and health, as well as exercise creativity through the art element of the contest. One of the students who participated won second place in the contest’s 9-10 age group, won a savings bond and was featured in the local Louisville paper. As a result of the contest and his win, a local school administrator offered the student an art scholarship and Lamar, CBS Outdoor and Clear Channel donated and put up five billboards in Louisville featuring the student’s poster.
The ASSE Louisville Chapter members donated funds to send the student and his whole family to Washington, D.C., for the NAOSH Week kck-off activities at the U.S. Capitol, the National Zoo, the U.S. Department of Labor and the National Gallery of Art.
ASSE member Jennifer Zipeto, CSP, is the senior safety and health manager for Walt Disney World Resorts, the ASSE Florida Chapter PR Chair, and a long-time active supporter of NAOSH Week. Zipeto helped secure several Florida city and county NAOSH proclamations over the past few years and has promoted the ASSE kids’ ‘safety-on-the-job’ poster contest in local schools and communities. She has worked on several efforts to promote NAOSH Week, including through online videos.
The Clorox Company is recognized for their commitment to communicating the importance of occupational safety and health and participation in the 9th annual ASSE kids’ ‘safety-on-the-job’ poster contest. This year, ASSE received hundreds of posters from Colombia, Venezuela and California from the children of Clorox Company employees, some of which placed in the top 20. The Clorox Company has gone above and beyond in promoting occupational safety and health to its workers and in educating young, international artists about the importance of being safe at work.