Take Note

A Letter from the Director

The temperatures are increasing in the southeast and the time is now to plan for summertime hazards in the workplace. Acclimating to the heat is an effective prevention technique to reduce heat stress and you can find more information on OSHA’s website. Don’t forget about these opportunities this summer:

• Summer Conferences– Our very own Holli Singleton will be presenting a session and staffing the OTI Education Center booth at the American Society of Safety Professional 2019 Professional Development Conference in New Orleans June 9–12, 2019. Hope that you can make this national conference and stop by to see her. Also don’t forget about the Eastern Carolina Safety and Health School in Greenville, NC June 19-21, 2019. Our Wendy Shepherd has actively served on the Board for this safety school for years and you will find her and a few of our staff at our booth. Come by for a hello.
• Youth Workers—Every minute, a young worker between the ages of 15 and 25 is injured on the job. Every day a young worker loses their life in a workplace incident. As part of a social media campaign created by OSHA, the Southeastern OSHA Training Institute Education Center has joined the #MySafeSummerJob campaign to spread awareness to youth, educators, parents, supervisors and employers about the importance of workplace safety. Join me @iPursueLearning.
• Workers in Trenches—OSHA has updated the National Emphasis Program (NEP) on preventing trenching and excavation collapses in response to a recent spike in trenching fatalities. The primary hazard of trenching and excavation is employee injury from collapse. OSHA has numerous resources at osha.gov/trenching, and the federal OSHA Regional Office in Atlanta is supporting a Trench Stand Down June 17–22, 2019.Consider participating if you or your company performs this work.

Wishing you a summer of safe work practices,