Get the facts before paying for air duct cleaning

Homeowners should pause and get the facts before rushing out to hire an air duct cleaning service, warns U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5.

Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems but the media is full of advertisements promoting cleaning services, many of which apply chemicals to the duct work to kill or control bacteria, fungi and other organisms. EPA experts urge anyone contemplating air duct cleaning to be aware of the facts and get as much information as possible before spending a lot of money.

EPA does not recommend cleaning air ducts unless a specific problem occurs such as clogging or vermin infestation. Studies show that air particles or dust in homes do not increase because of dirty air ducts.

Mold can be an especially tricky problem. If a visible substance appears to be mold, a positive determination can only be made by an expert and may require laboratory analysis. The presence of mold does not necessarily mean that ducts must be cleaned. Keep in mind that internally insulated air ducts that get wet or moldy cannot be effectively cleaned and will require replacement.

No matter what type of ducts you have (unlined sheet metal or fiberglass-lined), the conditions causing mold growth---such as leaking pipes or improper humidity--- must be corrected or mold will reoccur regardless of cleaning or replacement.

If you decide to have your ducts cleaned, talk to at least three contractors and ask detailed questions. Inquire about their experience in duct cleaning and working on systems like yours. Find out what procedures they use to protect residents, pets and homes from contamination. Ask if they comply with the cleaning standards of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. Find out whether they hold any relevant state licenses and check references. Also contact your local consumer affairs office or Better Business Bureau to learn about any complaints against the company you're considering.

The duct cleaning service may tell you that you need a disinfectant, sanitizer or other antimicrobial agent applied to kill germs and mold and prevent future growth. The company may also want to apply ozone. Be aware that little research has been conducted on the effectiveness of these techniques. In fact, using these products may trigger the very health problems you were trying to avoid. Chemicals sprayed into an operating air control system may be released into the home triggering adverse health effects.

EPA regulates sanitizers, disinfectants and other antimicrobial products under federal pesticide laws. A product must be registered by EPA for a specific use before it can be legally used for that purpose. EPA has assessed the health risks of only some biocide products specifically for use in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Some of the product registrations are only for coatings applied at the point of manufacture and should not be used on existing systems.

If you allow the use of a disinfectant or antimicrobial product in your air ducts, carefully read the label before it is applied. Make sure it has an EPA registration number (EPA Reg#) and states that it can be used specifically in air ducts or HVAC systems. If you have the EPA registration number, you can view the approved product label on the Internet at www.epa.gov/pesticides/pestlabels/ Check the label for very specific directions. The directions should include information about cleaning the system before application, using the correct amount, proper application method and the conditions under which the product can be used. Also read the hazards and precautionary statements. Since the label is the law, make sure the product is used strictly according to its label. As a precaution, all residents and pets should leave the premises during application.

To learn more about air duct cleaning, please see the EPA publication "Should You Have the Air Ducts In Your Home Cleaned?" EPA 402-K-97-002, available on the Internet at www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html or by calling the Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318. For questions regarding antimicrobial products approved for air ducts, contact the Antimicrobial Hot Line at (703) 308-0127.

# # #

CONTACT:
Karen Thompson, (312) 353-8547

For Immediate Release
No. 04-OPA034

---

CHICAGO (April 15, 2004)

In God We Trust, Ho Ho Ho - Paul Harvey Email

True or not I recieved this "Paul Harvey says:" email.....
This piece has been credited to Samuel Thomas, Paul Harvey and a columnist for the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, TX named Nick Gholson. I don't know which of the three, if any, wrote it, but it speaks for itself. If you can verify the author, please contact me.
Paul Harvey says:

"I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for
singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin, but I
didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his
theory of evolution."

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered
because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game.

So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the
entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and
asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans
going home from the game.

"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the
United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles.
According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others
better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect-somebody chanting Hare
Krishna? If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to
hear a Jewish prayer. If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would
expect to hear a Muslim prayer. If I went to a ping pong match in
China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in
Rome..

"But what about the atheists?" is another argument. What about them?
Nobody is asking them to be baptized.. We're not going to pass the
collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds.. If that's asking too
much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the
concession stand. Call your lawyer. Unfortunately, one or two will
make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do.
I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the
world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our
courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught
us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep.

Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and
their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. And if that
last sentence offends you, well..........just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long.. it's time we let that one
or two who scream loud enough to be heard, that the vast majority don't
care what they want.. it is time the majority rules!

It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray you don't have to say
the pledge of allegiance, you don't have to believe in God or attend
services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right.. but
by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away .. we are
fighting back.. and we WILL WIN!

God bless us one and all, especially those who denounce Him... God
bless America, despite all her faults, she is still the greatest nation of
all...


God bless our service men and women who are fighting to protect our
right to pray and worship God...

May 2005 be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as
the foundation of our families and institutions.

Keep looking up...... In God WE Trust. If you agree with this, please
pass it on.

Keep on bloggin ;-)

Mozilla Firefox review - Bill, you need this program!

Mozilla Firefox review - Bill, you need this program!

Bill,

A few weeks ago my friend (frenchy) told me that the new browser I had recommend (Avant) was great at blocking pop-us and surfing, but was also blocking cookies and not allowing him to do emails correctly through www.yahoo.com.

I then changed his browser to Mozilla.orgs latest browser firefox (LOVE IT)!

It fixed the problem and allowed him to manage cookies correctly and block sites by just selecting an icon.

Why would I trust a blind name like firefox? I wouldn’t, it’s the guys who made netscape and MAC browsers great Mozilla.

Simply put, if you want the best browser at blocking pop ups, ad’s and spyware get FireFox!

Read reviews here:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Mozilla+Firefox+review&btnG=Google+Search

Download here:

http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/download.html

Good luck and email me with any problems bill.

Have a great holiday...Our pray for the best for your Mom and Dad's recovery.

Chris

All right we all like pretty pictures....

FREE pretty pictures are even better....

You have got to check out Stock.XCHNG (http://www.sxc.hu/)

Whether you just want to browse a huge image gallery or want to share your personal photos with others, this is the site for you!

Browse through the categories of our huge gallery containing over 100.000 quality stock photos by more than 9.000 users!

Need a wallpaper for your desktop?

Need a pic for your commercial website design?

Looking for inspiration?

Share your photos with fellow designers! SXC is a friendly community of photography addicts who generously offer their works to the public free of charge.

If you have some nice photos that you'd like to share with others, join Stock.XCHNG (http://www.sxc.hu/).

IT'S FREE!

Chris

Europe Warned About Warming

Over the coming decades, European environmental researchers warn that Europe must be prepared to adapt to massive climate change.

Their findings, detailed in a recent report by the European Environmental Agency, lay out a series of effects, some potentially devastating, resulting from steadily rising average temperatures.

Read about it here

A "Bring it on!" for Microsoft Hackers

Another Patch Job From Microsoft
The latest vulnerability to plague the world's largest software maker is a doozy, affecting its Windows operating system as well as its Office and developer tools programs. Microsoft says its patch plugs the leak.
Read more here at wired

Sunlight to Fuel Hydrogen Future

Sunlight to Fuel Hydrogen Future

Abstract:
The photovoltaic cell is old news. The latest way to exploit the sun is through tiny materials that can directly convert sunlight into large amounts of hydrogen.

Hydrogen Solar of Guilford, England, and Altair Nanotechnologies are building a hydrogen-generation system that captures sunlight and uses the energy to break water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The company's current project is a fuel station in Las Vegas that will soon be dispensing hydrogen fuel.

Source: Read full story at wired

Top EHS in-class

Top EHS companies????
Source: http://www.ishn.com

Here are the top ten, along with details culled from each company’s Web site:

1) DuPont

DuPont is the landslide winner of our informal poll, getting almost ten times more “votes” than any other company.

Here’s CEO (and Chief Safety, Health and Environmental Officer) Charles O. Holliday, Jr. commenting on DuPont’s 2003 record:

“Our safety and health performance improved overall with double-digit reduction in employee injury rates, and modest improvement in contractor rates… While our total off-job lost day injuries improved year-over-year, ten employees lost their lives through tragic accidents away from work, with many associated with driving automobiles and motorcycles. This is unacceptable and we have increased our emphasis on safe driving.”

2) 3M

In the past five years, 3M has spent more than $157 million in capital to improve safety and health, according to the company.

3M’s new EHS Scorecard, an important part of the company’s EHS management system, tracks safety and health progress at the facility, division/subsidiary and corporate levels. In the EHS Scorecard, health and safety metrics cover all critical performance issues of operations. For some of these, 3M sets targets to drive safety and health improvements.

3) Alcoa

Alcoa has clear goals for measuring progress toward achieving safety: zero fatalities, zero lost workday injuries, zero incidents.

Alcoa’s goal is to have management systems compatible with ISO-14001 and OHSAS 18001 integrated and implemented at all locations by 2005.

An ISO/OHSAS-compatible EHS management system must meet the following minimum requirements: Be based on a published and well-understood EHS policy; have an effective planning process; have an implementation and operation program; have a process for checking on progress and corrective actions; undergo periodic management review; be based on the concept of continual improvement.

4) Dow

Dow states that the “interests of all Dow stakeholders converge under the Triple Bottom Line of Sustainable Development. The Triple Bottom Line is the ultimate balance sheet, calling attention to the three fundamental areas — economics, environment, and society — where companies impact the quality of life.”

Dow reports achieving its lowest illness and injury rate in its history in 2003. The 2003 rate was 0.58 per 200,000 work hours, a 19-percent improvement over 2002 and a 77-percent improvement since 1994.

5) General Electric

GE asserts that it “relentlessly” pursues a set of goals every day that include keeping “our people safe on the job” and addressing “historical contamination issues cooperatively and completely.”

How does a company with more than 300,000 employees and 500 manufacturing and assembly plants around the world meet these goals? States GE: “By insisting that every GE employee and every GE leader become a part of our EHS team. By empowering our 1,000 outstanding EHS professionals to develop and drive EHS processes and metrics into the company’s operating system. By making EHS performance something that is measured and valued across GE — something that is embedded in our DNA.”

“We provide more EHS training than any other company in the world,” reports GE. “We believe our results are outstanding but it isn’t our opinion that matters. It is up to you and other stakeholders to decide if we have lived up to our responsibilities.”

GE reports 2003 was its best year ever for safety: “We reduced our injury rate 12 percent and our lost time rate by nearly 18 percent over 2002. This means we had 820 fewer worker injuries than in 2002, saving the company more than $5 million in direct costs over 2002.”

6) Ford

In 1999, Ford began a Safety Leadership Initiative (SLI) aimed at making its workplaces safer. In the five years since, Ford reports “dramatic results” — its lost-time rate has declined by 63 percent and its severity rate has declined by 69 percent. During 2003, 11 Ford plants globally experienced no accidents that resulted in lost workdays, compared to only one plant in 2002.

The key elements of Ford’s safety and health model: systematic leadership, safe conditions, safe acts and relationship management.

 7) General Motors

GM’s global recordable injury rate per 100 employees decreased from 6.1 in 2001 to 3.8 in 2002. Its lost-time accident rate declined from 0.6 to 0.3.

“We are committed to protecting the health and safety of each employee as the overriding priority of this Corporation,” states GM’s policy. “There will be no compromise of an individual’s well-being in anything we do.”

8) IBM

“IBM is committed to environmental affairs leadership in all of its business activities,” states the computer giant. “IBM has had longstanding corporate policies of providing a safe and healthful work place, protecting the environment, and conserving energy and natural resources, which were formalized in 1967, 1971 and 1974 respectively.”

IBM’s policies “have served the environment and our business well over the years,” the company reports, and are the foundation for corporate policy objectives that include rigorous compliance audits and self-assessments, with results forwarded to the board of directors.

“Every employee and every contractor on IBM premises” is expected to follow IBM policies and “report any environmental, health, or safety concern to IBM management. Managers are expected to take prompt action,” the company states.

9) British Petroleum

In the past 16 years BP has reduced its days away from work case frequency rate per 200,000 hours worked from 1.55 in 1987 to 0.10 in 2003. In 2003 BP recorded 11 incident-free days worldwide compared to just one in 2002.

States BP: “We deeply regret the fact that 15 contractors and 5 employees lost their lives while working for BP in 2003. While 14 of these incidents were transport related, the remaining 6 resulted from serious incidents within our operations.

“Our performance record in 2003 was mixed. While the underlying trend in personal safety in the workplace improved, the number of fatal accidents recorded remains a cause for serious concern.”

BP’s approaches to encourage better health and safety include Advanced Safety Auditing (ASA). Introduced in 1997, ASAs involve observing people at work, talking to them about the safety risks they face, then reaching agreement on how these risks can be managed. More than 150,000 ASA were issued in BP during 2003.

10) United Parcel Service

States UPS: “Since our company’s beginning in 1907, safety has been a priority. Safety guidelines were developed for the company’s bicycle messengers and then for drivers of the Ford Model T. Drivers were given their first defensive driving handbook in 1917.

“We encourage the involvement of all our people in safety awareness activities and give recognition to employees for safety accomplishments. Because of the physical nature of many or our jobs, safety is a significant challenge and a top priority. We do not tolerate unsafe work practices.”

Source: http://www.ishn.com

Top Search Engine Key Words

Here are the top search engine key words for Dec 9th 2004.
I like that people "search" yahoo for google and google for yahoo.
AOL & MSN - Where have you gone ;-(
1. lindsay lohan
2. google
3. paris hilton
4. christmas
5. ebay
6. yahoo
7. santa claus
8. avril lavigne
9. playstation 2
10. christmas cards
11. christmas wallpaper
12. destiny's child
13. amazon.com
14. eminem
15. carmen electra
16. britney spears
17. mapquest
18. yahoo.com
19. walmart
20. pamela anderson
21. christmas music
22. jokes
23. cars
24. dictionary
25. the apprentice
26. martina hingis
27. games
28. search engines
29. greeting cards
30. best buy
31. hotmail
32. anime
33. ebay.com
34. usher
35. jessica simpson
36. horoscopo 2005
37. toys r us
38. jerry orbach
39. sears
40. ask jeeves
41. family man
42. target
43. green day
44. dogs
45. hotmail.com
46. jason giambi
47. santa
48. thongs
49. pearl harbor
50. nintendo ds

I just post this like for general FYI and to gen traffica 2 de site ;-)

no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee

Remeber a mayonnaise jar and the coffee for the holidays

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the coffee..

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided," I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your
children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions -
things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your
house, and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no
room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal."

Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Environmental excellence and process safety go hand-in-hand

Lean, Mean and Green

Environmental excellence and process safety go hand-in-hand

Link to: http://www.fetinc.org/FeatureArticle/Lean,%20Mean%20Green.htm

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) recently approved several new recommendations to reduce the number of serious industrial accidents caused by uncontrolled chemical reactions. Both OSHA and EPA were called upon to issue new mandatory safety regulations under the Process Safety Management (PSM) standard and the Risk Management Program (RMP) rule, respectively. Some experts believe that the potential for a serious incident is higher today than ever before. In fact, the recordable injury rate of the top companies in the American Chemistry Council (ACC) has increased in recent years.*

The reality is that most company safety” programs are administered by Human Resource staff, plant managers and team leaders that have minimal hazardous chemical, risk management, incident experience or emergency training.

While most environmental professionals do not consider themselves to be safety managers, they receive more safety training during annual certification and review courses than anyone in their organization, making them safety expert by default.

In the FET organization we now see more and more professionals taking on the role of safety. These professionals are getting more involved in their own companies’ safety programs and decisions. This involvement is leading to a higher level of compliance and protection.

By relating the inherent principals applied to resolving environmental issues, these professionals are achieving equal Health and Safety results reducing injuries, risk exposure and incidents. The incentive is that this achievement is not only career rewarding, it is also personally rewarding knowing you have prevented people from injury, exposure and a potential lifetime of ailments.

This "Green chemistry" approach has been proven for years in the chemical industry to produce lower operating costs, reduce waste, eliminate injuries and increase profits.

Industry leading companies rely on this "Green chemistry" to become more cost effective, reduce complex operation and simplify procedures to make operations easier and more reliable, thus, keeping safety simple and obtainable on all levels.

What can you do?
Focus on strengths
Use the strengths of the current safety staff and focus on resolution and improvement. If current safety staff is technically underdeveloped, send them out for certification and training. If safety is not your area of expertise, the best involvement may be a “supportive role” offering regulatory information, guidance and direction.

Be involved
EHS professionals need to be involved in the early stages of training; if not, personnel and process changes or opportunities to apply valuable principals will be lost. Even a “supportive role” in safety can have dramatic impact on improving an organization.

Stay current
Keep up-to-date on current OSHA regulations and industry safety practices that can help you and your organization. If you aren’t able to stay current, make sure someone in your organization is.

FET can help
In March 2005, FET is holding an “Environmental Health & Safety Update” focused on these principals.

Who will be presenting? (Please see full announcement for details)
OSHA, a top insurance company, a global manufacturing company, a leading safety consultant, a national engineering firm, the Council of EHS Certification, a leading edge defense supplier and industrial manufacturing leaders. Did we leave anyone out?

What are they presenting?
Overview of Regulatory Changes, Employee Orientation Training, Emergency Medical and Incident Response, EHS Assessments, Loss Control and MOD Reduction, Certification and Accreditation Overview, Five Minute Safety Meetings, Site Security and Personnel Control, and Personal Protective Equipment.

Who should attend?
Environmental, human resource, and manufacture managers, owners and anyone who is involved or wants to become involved in safety training, certification, leadership, and improvement.

Summary
Environmental professionals must become much more actively involved in the future of safety in order to achieve common goals.

We still don't know all the answers, but we do know that root causes of both environmental and safety issues go hand in hand, putting the resolution to those problems in your hands.


Christopher Haase
FET Health & Safety Chair

Seminar Details:

http://www.environmentconference.org/ located at the Midway Hotel Milwaukee/Brookfield, 1005 S. Moorland Road, Brookfield, WI. This is a full day workshop dedicated to improving the safety of our membership.

Published by:

Christopher Haase

Email: haase@neutralsolution.com

Voice (262) 238-5576 Fax (262) 238-5586

ESS, Winner of the "Excellence in Environmental Performance Award"

Environmentally Sensitive Solutions, Inc.
6320 Eastwood Court Mequon, WI 53092

Visit ESS at: www.neutralsolution.com www.neudishcare.com www.neutralcleaning.com

Could Canada become the largest oil supplier?

The black truth… about Canada’s oil reserves

Some companies are devoted to extracting "syncrude" from the oil sands.

The oil sand reserve is massive - currently pegged at 175 billion barrels, based upon current extraction technologies. But few people hear of it.

The vast oil sands reserves of northern Alberta. Now that the sprawling resource has been officially added to the global energy mix, Cambridge Energy Research Associates said Canada's oil reserves alone rose to 180 billion barrels from 5.6 billion barrels and helped push the world tally up by 18 percent to 1.213 trillion."

180 billion barrels, therefore, elevates Canada to the number two slot on the petroleum pecking order, right behind Saudi Arabia's 259 billion barrels (if we are to believe the official numbers). However, the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board believes that rapidly emerging technologies will boost recoverable reserves to 315 billion barrels, thereby vaulting Canada into the number one slot.

Read more here: http://www.dailyreckoning.com/home.cfm?loc=/body_headline.cfm&qs=id=4176

Your uncle works for Google

Okay, first off, I stole that headline from MarketingIdeas.org
I get there publications..

So, on to the uncle thing.

The United States Government produces tons of small business
information on every topic imaginable – from marketing to
importing and all of it is free (most public domain too!)

Google has a little hidden tool that will allow you to search on
any term, just like you would on Google, but all of the results
you get from this site are from government sources

Click here to check out the Gov Goooogle

Keeping your morning coffee fix to one small cup may be better for your health.

In a recent study, people who consumed excess coffee each morning tended to have higher blood levels of certain inflammatory proteins, compared to people who drank less coffee or who were non-coffee drinkers. Anything over a small cup (about 6.5 ounces) per day was associated with the increase in inflammatory markers.

High blood levels of certain inflammatory proteins have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Early research indicates that too much coffee each day may raise blood levels of inflammatory markers, such as interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, serum amyloid, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, but more research is needed to confirm the link. If you are concerned about your health and would like to cut back on coffee, try switching to tea for a couple days each week. If you need a caffeine fix in the morning, black teas will have more caffeine than green or herbal teas. Other good ways to protect your heart include eating a healthful diet that contains adequate fiber, fruits, vegetables, and unsaturated fats; limiting your intake of saturated fats and cholesterol; getting regular exercise; and taking measures to reduce stress.

Ref:
Associations between coffee consumption and inflammatory markers in healthy persons: the ATTICA study. Zampelas, A., Panagiotakos, D. B., Pitsavos, C., Chrysohoou, C., Stefanadis, C., The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004 Oct;80(4):862-7.

The War in Iraq Cost the United States

Cost of War
The cost of one life lost: priceless

Who I work for - About ESS

Clean, naturally
Business, environment not incompatible, Mequon company finds
By JULIE LARRIVEE - GM Today Correspondent


MEQUON - Environmentally Sensitive Solutions, Inc. (ESS) of Mequon hopes to make the world a cleaner, safer place.

"Our mission is to increase public awareness of what true environmentally friendly cleaning products are and to make people aware that cleaning can be done with more finesse and less brute force," says Matt Pliszka, ESS technical service representative.

The company recently received a 2004 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Environmental Performance. ESS was the only small company to be recognized. The other seven recipients were large corporations.

Two important factors helped ESS earn the Governor’s Award: company products have helped reduce by 83 million pounds the amount of hazardous materials and waste emitted by their client’s businesses since 1997; and ESS has significantly reduced or eliminated costs of wastewater treatment and/or disposal for their customers.

In the process of manufacturing, Pliszka explains, the part or piece being fabricated must be cleaned before it can go on to the next step. This process cleaning means that the part is cleaned several times before it is finished. The existing products used to clean away things like lubricants, processing aids and buffing or drawing compounds were solvents that were highly alkaline, caustic cleaners.

"Our products have a neutral ph - the same as water," he notes. "They will not burn people’s skin. They aren’t corrosive to the metals being cleaned and they aren’t hazardous."

Manufacturing companies were somewhat skeptical about the products - until ESS proved that their products work and that they save the customers money.

"Most people these days are passive environmentalists," Pliszka says. "What we had to show them was that they could save money by reducing the amount of wastewater and by reducing the costs of industrial accidents. Their equipment maintenance costs are lower and there are fewer rejected parts because the parts get cleaner with our products."

The company wants to retain its small size - employees are "hands-on, multitaskers," according to Pliszka - as they branch out into consumer products. The first offering, a dishwasher detergent, will be available this fall once the naming and labeling process is completed.

"In industrial cleaning, the whole purpose is to clean without human touch," Pliszka explains. "That’s exactly what your dishwasher does. Right now, there’s no real gentle cleaner out there. What is available is harsh. The purpose of the cleaner is to ‘chew’ the soil off. They are caustic and attack both the soil and the surface.

"Our cleaner uses a ‘spatula effect’ where it works under the debris and lifts it off with no harm to the surface. So, you’ll be able to put your fine china, crystal and pots and pans in the dishwasher without damaging them."

More information about Environmentally Sensitive Solution can be found at www.neutralsolution.com.

This story appeared in the News Graphic on May 10, 2004.

Haase - What's in a name anyway?

What's in the name?
Below are listed meanings of the words - Christopher Haase

(Greek)
~ meaning ~ Bearing Christ
~ motivation ~ To make the best of what you have

~ character ~ Is law abiding

~ feelings ~ Needs to be needed

~ intelligence ~ You are noted for your creativity

~ spiritual ~ Is sure of their direction

~ nature ~ Does not like leaving things unfinished

~ inherent ~You are known for your sense of humor

Haase is a German Lowlands version of the English name Hare, which was the nickname for the fast runner, or a person of nervous or timerous nature. Other cognate forms are Hase (German); Haas, Haase (Low German); De Haese (Flemish); De Haas (Dutch); Haas (Jewish ornamental). Hare is also found among the Irish as an Anglicized form of O hAichir , which meant "

descendant of Aichear, " whose name meant fierce, sharp. Variations of the Irish name are Hair, Haire, O'Haire, O'Hare, O'Hagher, O'Hahir, O'Hehir .

OSHA's "eTool"

"What on earth is OSHA 'eTool'?"
eTools are interactive, Web-based training programs that cover a wide range of occupational safety and health topics. These easy-to-navigate pages are heavy on graphics and illustrations and use menus to steer you through the content. Eleven eTools use expert system modules, which enable you to answer questions to receive reliable advice on how OSHA regulations apply to your work site. A list of the more than 45 current eTools is available at: http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/oshasoft/index.html.

New Hampshire firm acquires Raabe Corp.

Recent Company News
» Huron Capital Partners L.L.C.
» Quest Specialty Chemicals L.L.C.
» Raabe Corp.

Falls company attracts 'tremendous' interest from bidders

After more than 50 years of family ownership, Raabe Corp., Menomonee Falls, has been sold to a New Hampshire specialty chemicals holding company. Quest Specialty Chemicals L.L.C. of New Milford, N.H., announced Dec. 1 that it had acquired Raabe, a manufacturer of custom-matched touch-up paint and a provider of private label aerosol and liquid filling services. Terms of the deal weren't announced.

Quest purchased the company from Kent and Daryl Raabe, whose father, Richard, founded the company in 1951.

We are very pleased to find a buyer that shared our commitment to employees and exceptional customer service," Kent Raabe said. "We're confident that Raabe Corp. will continue to prosper under the direction of the new shareholders."

Huron Capital Partners L.L.C., Detroit, provided equity capital through an investment in Quest.

"Raabe has a great reputation and great margins," said Brian Demkowicz, Huron's managing partner.

M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank, Milwaukee, provided senior debt financing. Harris Nesbitt Capital, a New York City-based investment banking firm, provided subordinated debt for the transaction. A posting on the firm's Web site indicates that Harris Nesbitt provided $6 million in mezzanine financing for the transaction. Senior debt in transactions of this type tends to be about 2.5 times the level of mezzanine financing.

Grace Matthews Inc., a Milwaukee investment banking firm, represented the Raabe family in the deal, while Tom Myers, a partner at the Milwaukee law firm of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C., provided legal counsel.

"The Raabes invested heavily in the people and the facility and as a result they got a premium value for the business," said John Beagle, managing director at Grace Matthews.

The Raabes plan to use a large portion of the proceeds from the sale to fund their philanthropic interests, Beagle said.

The sale occurred through a competitive bid process overseen by Grace Matthews.

"There was a tremendous amount of interest from both strategic and financial buyers," Beagle said.
The Raabes chose to sell the business to Quest because of the industry knowledge of its management team. Quest is led by Frederick Quinn, a 30-year industry veteran, and Gerard Loftus, who has extensive operational experience in running specialty chemical businesses. Carol Bramson, who serves on Quest's board, led Banc One Equity Capital's investment in a specialty chemical business.

Founded in 1951, Raabe has about 80 employees at its 170,000-square-foot plant in an industrial park along Anthony Avenue in Menomonee Falls.

"Raabe's strong market share and talented management team are critical assets on which Huron and Quest plan to execute a specialty coatings growth strategy," said Quinn, Quest's chairman and chief executive officer.

Good financials
David Wacker, 40, who has served as president since January 2002, will continue to serve in that role. He served as the company's sales manager from 1995 to 1998 before becoming vice president in a move geared toward him taking over the day-to-day leadership of the business from the Raabe brothers.

Although Wacker declined to provide sales figures for Raabe, he said the company has performed "reasonably well" over the past few years.

"The Raabes chose this particular time to sell because the financials are good," Wacker said.

Huron Capital Partners used funds it raised through The Huron Fund II L.P. to back Quest's purchase of Raabe. Huron Capital has closed on more than $90 million in commitments to the fund, which has a targeted size of at least $150 million.

Huron Capital typically invests between $5 million and $20 million in equity in lower middle-market companies.

The acquisition of Raabe fits well with Quest's strategy to acquire businesses that hold strong positions in the specialty coatings market, Quest management said.

"The Quest initiative allowed us to partner with a strong management team first and then be focused on creating investment opportunities in specifically identified companies," said Michael Beauregard, a partner at Huron.

Why I work so hard

We all need motivation to work a little harder....

http://www.neutralsolution.com/WhyIworkSohard.wav

Haase Family Crest by Houseofnames.com

Haase Family Crest by Houseofnames.com: "Haase Family Crest

Haase Family Crest, Coat of Arms

Origin Displayed: German
Origins Available: German, Jewish

Spelling variations include: Hase, Haase, Haas, Hasse, Hasen, Haass, Haasse, Haasen, Haes, Haese, Haess, Haesse, Heslin, Haeslein and many more.

First found in Bavaria, where the family was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history.

Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Johann Friedrich Hase, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1738. Maria Heslin settled in New York State in 1846.

(Above is a small excerpt from our 1800 word history)

Industry News: Backaches often begin at work, survey reports

"Backaches often begin at work, survey reports "
Source: http://www.ishn.com

About one in six U.S. adults (16 percent) suffered from back pain every day during the past month, according to a recent national survey.

People suffering from back pain are dealing with the issue an average of 14 days per month and often don't seek the advice of trained professionals to treat or improve their condition, according to the survey of 1,014 U.S. adults sponsored by the North American Spine Society.

According to NASS, 80 percent of adults will suffer from back pain at some point during their lives.

Other survey findings:

# Nearly one-third (31 percent) of U.S. adults who have experienced back pain in the past month have difficulty lying in bed, and more than one in five adults (22 percent) find it uncomfortable to drive their cars. Another 18 percent have a decreased sexual activity due to their back pain.

# More than one-fourth of back pain sufferers (26 percent) claim that they are no longer able to engage in vigorous physical exercise. Almost one-third of U.S. adults (32 percent) say they are unable to lift heavy objects due to back pain.

# More than one in four adults (26 percent) attributed aging or getting older as the main cause of their back pain.

# Sixteen percent of U.S. adults began suffering with back pain after a workplace-related injury, and another 14 percent injured their backs from a sports- or exercise-related incident.

Source: http://www.ishn.com

Costs of serious workplace injuries growing, study reveals

"Costs of serious workplace injuries growing, study reveals"
Source: http://www.ishn.com

The cost of serious on-the-job injuries — those causing an employee to miss six or more days of work — continues to soar, even after adjusting for medical and wage inflation, according to the latest findings of the annual Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index.

In fact, over half of the 12.1 percent increase between 1998 and 2002 happened in 2002, despite a drop in the number of serious injuries over those four years.

However, the findings also revealed that the ranking of the top nine causes of workplace injuries was the same for the past four years, giving risk and safety managers clear direction for preventing the most expensive injuries.

“If you want to dramatically cut workers compensation costs, follow the numbers not the headlines,” notes Dr. Tom Leamon, Director of the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, who presented the 2004 Index’s findings at the National Workers Compensation and Disability Conference. “Understand why your employees get hurt and address these sources, rather than the latest safety fads. The top causes of injuries identified by the Index may not make the front page, but they’re probably driving your costs.”

The top 10 workplace injuries in 2002, along with their cost and percentage, were:

1) Overexertion, $13.2 billion, 26.6 %

2) Falls on Same Level, $6.2 billion, 12.5 %

3) Bodily Reaction, $5.3 billion, 10.8 %

4) Falls to Lower Level, $4.6 billion, 9.2 %

5) Struck by Object, $4.4 billion, 8.9 %

6) Repetitive Motion, $2.8 billion, 5.7 %

7) Highway Incident, $2.6 billion, 5.2 %

8) Struck against Object, $2.3 billion, 4.7 %

9) Caught in or Compressed by, $1.9 billion, 3.8 %

10) Assaults, $0.4 billion, 0.9 %

“All other” accounted for $5.8 billion, 11.7 %. The total cost: $49.6 billion.

Other highlights from the latest study include:

# The top three injury causes (Overexertion, Falls on Same Level and Bodily Reaction) represent 50 percent of the total cost of serious workplace injuries in 2002, costing employers about $25 billion a year or $500 million a week. In addition, these three injury causes are the fastest growing of all injury costs.

# Serious work-related injuries cost employers almost $1 billion per week in 2002 in payments to injured workers and their medical care providers, growing to $49.6 billion from $46.1 billion in 2001.

# The number of serious work-related injuries fell 0.7 percent in 2002 from 2001, and 7.8 percent between 1998 and 2002.

What can risk and safety managers do to control the impact of fewer but more expensive serious workplace injuries? Dr. Leamon says there are five key steps to take:

1) Identify the injuries that drive your workers compensation costs, using the Index as a starting point.

2) Prioritize the ones you want to address.

3) Set clear targets for reducing each injury.

4) Put in place the tactics and training that will prevent these injuries.

5) Regularly track performance and update the plan.

Source: http://www.ishn.com

Links to Webby Award Winners

Here are some great award winning websites:

My biz site are these three

• www.neutralsolution.com
• www.neutralcleaning.com
• www.neudishcare.com

8th Annual Webby Award Winners
Activism Tolerance.org
http://www.tolerance.org

Best Practices Google
http://www.google.com

Broadband P.O.V.- Borders: Environment
http://www.pbs.org/pov/borders/index_flash.html

Commerce iTunes Music Store
http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/shop.html

Community Wikipedia
http://www.wikipedia.org

Education BBC - Human Body
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody

Fashion colette
http://www.colette.fr

Film FOG OF WAR
http://www.sonyclassics.com/fogofwar/indexFlash.html

Finance U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
http://www.sec.gov

Games Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates
http://www.puzzlepirates.com/

Government & Law HealthyOntario.com
http://www.healthyontario.com

Health KidsHealth
http://KidsHealth.org

Humor The Onion
http://www.theonion.com

Living Epicurious.com
http://www.epicurious.com

Music iTunes Music Store
http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/

Net Art Access
http://www.accessproject.net/

News BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news

Personal Web Site RAKU-GAKI.COM
http://www.raku-gaki.com/

Politics Meetup
http://www.meetup.com

Print & Zines {fray}
http://www.fray.com

Radio KEXP Radio Online
http://www.kexp.org

Science Exploratorium
http://www.exploratorium.edu/

Services Google
http://www.google.com

Spirituality GraceCathedral.org
http://www.GraceCathedral.org

Sports BBC Sport
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/

Technical Achievement Map24

http://www.map24.com

Travel IgoUgo
http://www.igougo.com

TV PBS.org
http://www.pbs.org

Youth WIRETAP
http://www.wiretapmag.org

8th Annual People's Voice Winners
Activism Human Rights Campaign
http://www.hrc.org

Best Practices Google
http://www.google.com

Broadband Noggin
http://www.noggin.com

Commerce eBay
http://www.ebay.com

Community Livejournal.com
http://www.livejournal.com

Education NationalGeographic.com Education
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education

Fashion www.style.com
http://www.style.com

Film Sundance Online Film Festival
http://www.sundanceonlinefilmfestival.org

Finance U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
http://www.sec.gov

Games BrettspielWelt (Board Game World)
http://www.brettspielwelt.de

Government & Law FedStats
http://www.fedstats.gov

Health cancerfacts.com
http://www.cancerfacts.com

Humor The Onion
http://www.theonion.com

Living Epicurious.com
http://www.epicurious.com

Music iTunes Music Store
http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/

Net Art Gravity
http://art.teleportacia.org/exhibition/GRAVITY/

News TheSmokingGun
http://thesmokinggun.com

Personal Web Site This is our son, so far
http://www.steveandria.com/kynan

Politics Blog for America
http://blogforamerica.com

Print & Zines National Geographic: Online Edition
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine

Radio Live365 - The World's Largest Internet Radio
Network http://www.live365.com

Science How Stuff Works
http://www.howstuffworks.com

Services Google
http://www.google.com

Spirituality beliefnet.com
http://www.beliefnet.com

Sports ESPN.com
http://www.espn.com

Technical Achievement Map24
http://www.map24.com

Travel Lonely Planet Online
http://www.lonelyplanet.com

TV HistoryChannel.com
http://www.HistoryChannel.com

Youth PBS Kids Online
http://www.pbskids.org

PSYCHOLOGY OF SAFETY

: "PSYCHOLOGY OF SAFETY:"

PSYCHOLOGY OF SAFETY: If at first you don’t succeed…
Try these suggestions for getting safety support

Source: http://www.ishn.com
By E. Scott Geller, Ph.D.


Most of us don’t ask enough questions in the course of our conversations. Yet, asking is the key to learning. By asking for feedback we strengthen relationships by building trust. By asking for someone’s opinion, we show caring and respect. This sets the stage for frank communication. By asking for advice we gain information and boost the other person’s self-esteem. And by asking for support, we increase the chances of actually getting it.

But how should we ask? We can be direct, or nondirect, depending on the situation.

No agenda

What do I mean by nondirective asking? You could say this is “asking without an agenda.” Counselors use the nondirective approach to draw out their clients. They carefully avoid personal judgment or interpretation while listening patiently to their client’s stories. They respect the distinct views of every individual, and they don’t make comparisons or generalizations between the stories of different people.

This line of questioning can be quite useful in obtaining information relevant to developing a safety process — while gaining buy-in at the same time. Here’s how it can work: You ask a coworker for his or her opinion on the best way to set up a safety procedure. You’re being genuine, with no hidden agenda. A frank discussion about possible safety guidelines follows. This leads to a customized protocol. And workers will “buy it” because they had an opportunity to offer input.

Here’s another example: Say you observe an at-risk behavior. Telling someone they are not following safety guidelines can feel insulting and put people on the defensive. Will they feel responsible and self-motivated for the long run? I doubt it.

Taking the nondirective approach, you could note that certain personal protective equipment is not being used, and ask, “In your opinion, why is that PPE unpopular?” Or, “What can I do to facilitate the use of that PPE?”

Assume there are legitimate barriers to the safe behavior you want to see, and there are ways to remove at least some of these barriers. Who knows better how to address this problem than the workers themselves?

Also, believe that most of the workforce wants to help prevent personal injury. With these reasonable assumptions, nondirective asking seems to be a most sensible way to discuss an at-risk behavior.

To the point

Sometimes we need to be more direct in asking for something. We might need to ask for specific safety resources, personnel assistance, or opportunities for professional development.

But many of us would rather not ask for help, or whatever it is we need. Maybe we think it’s a sign of weakness, or stupidity. Maybe we fear rejection. These are irrational excuses, really, nothing more. Asking is key to acquiring knowledge and building competence. People who ask for feedback or support are trying to be the best they can be.

The second excuse for avoiding asking reminds me of a story I heard about Dr. Albert Ellis, the renowned clinical psychologist who developed the popular and effective cognitive therapy entitled Rational Emotive Therapy (RET). Specifically, Dr. Ellis has reported that as a college student he never had difficulty getting dates, unlike his more handsome friends. Why? Because he simply asked many more girls for a date than did his friends. Why? Because he didn’t fear rejection.

You see, Dr. Ellis did not entertain the notion that “Everyone must like me.” Rejection is normal and to be expected. So keep asking for what you want, and eventually your request will be honored. Of course, you can help get what you want by knowing how to ask.

Follow these suggestions:

Drop the act of over-competence. No one is perfect, and everyone can improve. So whether you’re asking for feedback or support, show a willingness to be vulnerable. Sure, you’re good at what you do. But, you could do more with the kind of support you’re asking for. Speak from your heart with genuine desire to make a bigger difference.

When you ask for support be ready to answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” People are more likely to honor your request when they see possible benefits coming their way.

You might not be able to estimate the ROI (or return-on-investment), but you can certainly explore possibilities. What long-term consequence could be gained from an investment in certain support?

Also, realize people are motivated by more than money. As a teacher, for example, I’m persuaded to offer extra support for students when I believe the effort will enable them to become more competent contributors to humanity.

Don’t be impulsive. Consider the costs and benefits for the support you need. Be confident the positives outweigh the negatives. Your challenge is to sell this view to the person whose support you need.

So while you’re humble, you’re also convinced the support is advantageous from both a personal and organizational perspective.

Keep your request simple. Be direct. Time is precious for all of us, of course. Specify what you want and when. Then, explain clearly why you want it, in terms of both short and long-term positive consequences.

List the benefits as definitively as possible. Then listen attentively and patiently for a response. Wait for a complete reaction before mounting a defense, if needed. Usually, you’ll only get questions, which you can answer precisely and concisely because you anticipated them and prepared answers beforehand.

When the reaction is disappointing, resist the urge to argue — unless this is a last-resort request and the support is necessarily now or never. But even under these circumstances, you need to sustain a congenial atmosphere if you have any hope of reversing the decision.

If the support you request can be delayed, ask for an opportunity to revisit your request at a later date. You’re trying to get around a flat-out “no” to your request. Remember, the more often a person says “no” to a request, the more difficult it is for this person to say “yes” at some later point. This is especially true if your exchange becomes confrontational. It’s important, but not easy, to remain as friendly and cordial as possible in the face of a disheartening decision.

If at first you don’t succeed in asking for support, assess what happened. Perhaps you became aware of costs you hadn’t anticipated and benefits you exaggerated, at least in the eyes of the person who must honor your request. So now you have an opportunity to re-group and ask again. At least you remained good natured and avoided conflict.

Keep the door open for re-asking, and persist when you know you’re right. Timing is often critical. On another day, you’ll likely make a more powerful request, especially if you consider each of the recommendations offered here.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
E. Scott Geller, Ph.D., is professor and director, Center for Applied Behavior Systems, Virginia Tech, and senior partner, Safety Performance Solutions. For information on related books, training manuals, videotapes, audiotapes, and customized consulting call SPS at (540) 951-7233 (SAFE), email: safety@safetyperformance.com, and visit www.safetyperformance.com. Also, log on to www.spcoach.com to learn about an innovative Internet approach to teaching these and other principles and procedures for improving the human dynamics of your workplace.

Source: http://www.ishn.com

OSHA's crystal ball

Source: http://www.ishn.com

What does “four more years” mean to EHS?

OSHA chief John Henshaw summed it up the day after President Bush’s re-election in a speech in his hometown of St. Louis: You can expect more “strong, fair and effective enforcement,” more “outreach, education and compliance assistance,” and more “partnerships and cooperative programs.”

On the enforcement front, Henshaw takes pride that OSHA has jacked inspections by nearly ten percent from 2000 to 2004 — to about 39,000.

OSHA will continue to annoy for-profit safety training companies by enlarging its inventory of popular (and free) “tools” for safety and health pros. The agency offers more than 45 eTools. “QuickTakes,” OSHA’s email newsletter, has more than 50,000 subscribers. Fifty-million visitors check out OSHA’s Web site annually. The agency’s toll-free helpline (1-800-321-OSHA) will handle more than 160,000 calls this year — up 17 percent in the past two years.

As for partnering, Henshaw boasts that Voluntary Protection Program sites now number 1,180, up 66 percent since 2000. VPP won’t reach Henshaw’s goal of 8,000 in the next four years, but don’t be surprised if the annual national meeting of VPP companies rivals the size of annual gatherings of industrial hygienists or safety engineers by 2008.

And OSHA will keep rolling out new alliances with trade groups. Announcing all the agreements has made public affairs one of OSHA’s busiest departments — alliances have grown from 11 in 2002 to more than 240.

Perhaps public affairs can borrow some standards writers if needed. In his St. Louis speech, Henshaw said not a word about any specific new OSHA standards. Standards-setting gets no mention in OSHA’s “balanced approach” of enforcement, outreach and cooperation.

Q.2 — Where will the EHS jobs be?

EHS employment is most likely to be secure, if not growing, in industries where there is:

# A need to protect brand image with consumers, financial rating services, and stockholders from risks of any sort (think: DuPont, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, General Electric, UPS or FedEx);

# A need to build trust with communities and activist non-government organizations (NGOs) (think: BP, Dow, International Paper, Georgia Pacific);

# A strong union presence (think: GM or Ford);

# Money to be saved or penalties to be avoided (construction industry).

How can you protect your career in a shrinking market? Here’s what a survey of business execs by Richard Fiore of Search Consultants International found to be the EHS skills in demand:

# Core business skills (management, communication, comfort in working with financial numbers);

# The ability to implement and audit EHS management systems;

# The ability to develop a dashboard of leading, trailing and financial metrics;

# Assess projects using the triple bottom line of economic, EHS and social measures;

# The ability to multi-task, to be a generalist, versus a specialist;

# Possess an MBA or undergraduate business degree;

# Willingness to accept international assignments or a domestic plant-level job (flexibility).

Q.3 — After behavior-based safety, what’s the next new thing?

The fathers of behavior-based safety are talking a new game. At the National Safety Congress last September, before it was shut down by Hurricane Ivan, Tom Krause of BST was heard giving a talk with references to cognitive biases and the root causes of cultural failures. BST’s Jim Spigener’s presentation discussed the importance of personalities. Scott Geller lectured on states of mind — do you seek success in safety or try to avoid failure?

Back when BBS was the rage in the late 1990s, the behaviorists didn’t spend much time on cognitive biases, personalities, and states of mind. B.F. Skinner must be rolling in his grave.

What these safety thought leaders are saying is that it’s time to study the whole person, or the whole organization, not just behaviors.

Trying to get employees involved in safety? Trying to break the chain of accident repeaters? Raise awareness and hold conversations about the influence of self-talk, of personal beliefs, of positive and negative outlooks, of personality traits and states of mind.

Scott Geller calls this “People-Based Safety.”

In organizations this holistic approach is called systems management. Those VPP companies, for example, are committed to connecting all the pieces of their safety and health programs. It’s not hazcom one month and confined spaces the next. It’s using an auditing system and scorecard to grade all the elements that make up a program – from management leadership to emergency preparedness.

Source: http://www.ishn.com

File Sharing Growing Like a Weed

Wired News: File Sharing Growing Like a Weed: "File Sharing Growing Like a Weed
By Katie Dean | Also by this reporter Page 1 of 1

While the music industry attempts to shutter peer-to-peer services in court and in Congress, one company is using P2P networks to promote and pay artists.

Shared Media Licensing, based in Seattle, offers Weed, a software program that allows interested music fans to download a song and play it three times for free. They are prompted to pay for the 'Weed file' the fourth time. Songs cost about a dollar and can be burned to an unlimited number of CDs, passed around on file-sharing networks and posted to web pages.
Special Partner Promotion

'We're trying to take the problem of unauthorized music sharing and turn it into an opportunity for everyon"

Global warming study finds real change in America

Earth Share of Washington News: "November 9
Global warming study finds real change in America

WASHINGTON -- From Florida to Alaska and from coast to coast, nature's indicators show strong evidence of global warming in America, scientists said yesterday.

A report co-written by University of Texas biologist Camille Parmesan concluded that more than 40 scientific studies link climate change with observed ecological changes. In half of the studies, the link is strong, the report stated.

Satellite data and a century of temperature records have shown an overall increase in global temperatures to parallel the buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

But in a report released by the Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Parmesan and University of Colorado ecologist Hector Galbraith say there is growing and scientific evidence that now shows specific trends in the United States.

'What we were able to show is it's happening in everyone's back yard,' Parmesan said."

Who is? The Federation of Environmental Technologists, Inc.

The Federation of Environmental Technologists, Inc. (FET)
was founded in 1982 as 501 (c) (3) exempt organization formed to assist industry in interpretation of and compliance with environmental regulations. Our membership is regional (Great Lakes Region) and fluctuates at around 600-700 members. FET is recognized throughout the country by other professional organizations for its participation in educational programs.

Our officers, chairs, speakers, instructors, etc. are all volunteers who are environmental professionals. As a professional organization, our mission is to help people in industry, education, consulting, etc. to comply with federal and state environmental regulations. Thus, we put on courses, seminars, conferences, and free committee meetings to teach or update people with environmental responsibilities the "how to" in understandable terms. Most of our programs are recognized for continuing education credits for certification, licensing and credentialling.

China Unveils Energy-Saving Plan

China Unveils Energy-Saving Plan

Asia Pulse, 26 November 2004 - China plans to double its energy consumption as its economy quadruples by 2020, officials said.

Up to 1.4 billion tons of standard coal, an amount nearly equal to energy consumed by the nation last year, should be saved by 2020 when China meets its target of an all-around well-off society.

With an annual savings rate of 3 per cent, China's energy consumption is expected to reach 3 billion tons of standard coal in 2020.

Read more here: Copyright 2004 Asia Pulse Pte Limited

Copyright © 2004 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy

Author Asia Pulse
Publication Date 26.11.2004

Environmental News

Environmental News

Refurb Firm Charged in CWA Case
November 19, 2004 — BEF Corp. and its founder and president were each
charged with allegedly violating the Clean Water Act by discharging
silver-laden and acidic wastewater into sewers operated by the City of
Bethlehem, Pa., and the City of Allentown, Pa.

EPA, LA Agree
ovember 18, 2004 — State and federal environmental agencies announced
an agreement today with Dow Chemical Company to ensure the water source
for Plaquemine, La., remains protected from contamination found in the
ground-water north of the city.

Free Pollution Prevention Workshop
September 23, 2004 — The National Center for Remanufacturing and
Resource Recovery (NC3R) at Rochester Institute of Technology will be
conducting a workshop on pollution prevention (P2) and a demonstration
of a tunnel washer.

EPA Targets Anodizers
August 18, 2004 — The U.S. EPA established a docket potentially
regulating facilities engaged in hard chromium electroplating,
decorative chromium electroplating, and chromium anodizing of metal or
plastic parts.

Kentucky Green
August 17, 2004 — According to an article in the Kentucky Post,
certain Northern Kentucky businesses would be required to use more
environmentally friendly products under Kentucky's plan to rid the
region of tailpipe tests.

Call for NACEPT Nominations
June 17, 2004 — The Environmental Protection Agency is calling for
nominations to fill vacancies on its National Advisory Council for
Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT).

Read more here: http://www.cleantechcentral.com
(Source http://www.cleantechcentral.com)

Universities and Companies Aim to Convert Biomass to Energy

"Universities and Companies Aim to Convert Biomass to Energy
Source GreenBiz.com

GRAND FORKS, N.D., Dec. 3, 2004 - The University of North Dakota (UND) Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has successfully generated electricity from biomass with a cost-effective gasification technology in a diesel engine. Biomass includes forest residues, wood chips, sawdust, and agricultural by-products.

This fall, the EERC has completed over 100 hours of continuous operation of a biomass gasifier firing wood chips. The process converts wood chips into gas (similar to natural gas) that can be fired in a small gas turbine (microturbine), diesel, or conventional combustion engine. The technology can run automatically, providing a clean, quality gas for power generation. This gas was successfully utilized to operate a 100-horsepower John Deere diesel engine and conduct emission testing.

Read more here: GreenBiz | News Center | News

About FET

The Federation of Environmental Technologists, Inc. (FET) is the largest non-profit environmental professional organization in Wisconsin, and has been serving membership for over twenty years. Current members represents industry, consulting firms, municipalities, organizations and individuals concerned about environmental regulation.

Mission Statement
The Federation of Environmental Technologists, Inc. (FET) is dedicated to improved environmental quality and economic growth through education. The FET shall accomplish its mission by providing information on various local, state and federal environmental issues. The local chapters disseminate this information through locally sponsored seminars, workshops and training courses. The national organization accomplishes this mission through its annual environmental conference. FETs seminars, workshops, training courses and the national conference shall be topical, factual, cost effective and free of inappropriate commercialism so that all members and non-members who share the ideals of a clean environment and healthy economy may benefit.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
FET, P.O. Box 624, Slinger, WI 53086
Phone: 262-644-0070
Fax: 262-644-7106
Email: info@fetinc.org

EHS community silent on bogus degrees

ISHN Features: MANAGING BEST PRACTICES: Diploma mill denial?:
"EHS community silent on bogus degrees"

Source: http://www.ishn.com

MANAGING BEST PRACTICES: Diploma mill denial?
EHS community silent on bogus degrees
By Dan Markiewicz, MS, CIH, CSP, CHMM

POSTED: 12/01/2004

You should know that several government investigations into the educational qualifications of individuals in safety-sensitive jobs could affect the credibility of our profession.

The U.S. General Accounting Office began investigating so-called diploma mills after the passage of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The Act amended laws to prohibit the government from reimbursing the costs of academic degree training to federal employees or contractors if the training comes from an unaccredited institution.

Diploma mills are defined by the GAO as “nontraditional, unaccredited, post-secondary schools that offer degrees for a relatively low flat fee, promote the award of academic credit based on life experience, and do not require any classroom instruction.” Diploma mills (or degree mills) might also be defined as “substandard or fraudulent ‘colleges’ that offer potential students degrees with little or no serious work.” The government also refers to degrees from diploma mills as “bogus” and “phony.”

The GAO’s investigation into diploma mills discovered many so-called bogus environmental health and safety degrees. People using these degrees include a NASA contract employee responsible for safety engineering and a program manager who claimed a doctorate in occupational health and safety and who helped coordinate responses to the 9/11 attacks and the anthrax contamination at the Capitol. Nine employees within the Environmental Protection Agency were found with bogus degrees. And the GAO says it only investigated the “tip of the iceberg.”

In September 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General conducted a “diploma mill” audit using representative sampling at two of its facilities. At one facility the audit uncovered a contract employee pursing a doctorate degree in safety engineering. At the other facility the DOE found a contract employee that had a BS and MS degrees in environmental safety and health. Beyond the IG audit, one of the DOE facilities found an employee who was reimbursed for coursework toward a doctorate in safety engineering.

Open book testing

Here’s an example of the type of education that can be found at a diploma mill. As part of the government’s investigation, a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, assigned to the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, enrolled in a diploma mill to conduct a first-hand evaluation of the quality of education. She enrolled seeking an MS degree in environmental engineering.

Although the investigator had no formal engineering training, the few seminars she attended on oil spill response and boat accident investigation while on duty with the Coast Guard counted 43 percent toward her degree requirements from the school. The rest of the degree requirements would come from writing a paper worth 12 credits and completing five course topics such as hazardous waste management, which meant taking an open book test of 100 multiple-choice questions. Using the book glossary, the investigator says she was able to “find exam answers without having read a single chapter of the text.”

She told the Senate committee she learned “very little” taking courses, and her findings were backed up by a former admissions counselor for the school, who stated during the hearings that “anything you learn there can be learned by buying a book and reading it on your own.”

Strong words

In May 2004, Kay James, director of U.S. Office of Personnel Management, sent a memo to all department and agency heads with the subject: “Strengthening Oversight of the Use of Diploma Mill Credentials in Federal Employment.” The memo stated, “Our position is clear: There is no place in Federal employment for degrees or credentials from diploma mills. Individuals may not use bogus degrees to qualify for federal jobs or promotions; agencies may not send employees to diploma mills for degree training or other forms of education; and agencies may not reimburse employees for tuition or repay their student loans if the training came from a diploma mill.”

Jack Marshall, an ethicist and attorney, and president of ProEthics, is among the growing number of people who are now using harsh words to describe people who use a diploma mill degree. Marshall says, “The job holder (with a diploma mill degree) has either lied, or not taken the necessary steps to ensure the integrity of his or her own education… or is so incredibly lazy and gullible that he ought not to be trusted in a high level job.” Marshall says there should be no tolerance for fake credentials.

Pandora’s Box

Our government is defining and identifying diploma mills. And they are clearly taking a position on the matter. But the EHS community does not seem to share the concern. The Board of Certified Safety Professionals has taken the stand that using doctorate degrees from several diploma mills does not violate a CSP’s “code of ethics.” And other EHS-certifying organizations, such as those representing the CIH and CHMM, have “not taken a position” on their certificate holders using a diploma mill degree.

As the government controls diploma mill abuse within its house, the problem will grow elsewhere, such as private industry and consulting. No one in the EHS field wants to open Pandora’s Box and address what could be a widespread credibility issue.

SIDEBAR: Want to learn more?

Excellent sources of information on diploma mills are available on the Internet:

# Oregon Student Assistance Commission, Office of Degree Authorization, www.osac.state.or.us/oda/

# elearners.com, www.elearners.com/resources/diploma-mills.asp

# Government Accounting Office Report GAO-03-269R “Purchases of Degrees from Diploma Mills,” www.gao.gov

# Government Accounting Office Report GAO-04-771T “Diploma Mills: Federal Employees Have Obtained Degrees,” www.gao.gov

# “Some federal workers have fake degrees,” Associated Press, May 11, 2004, www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4951979/

# Office of Personnel Management, “Strengthening Oversight of the Use of Diploma Mill Credentials in Federal Employment,” www.opm.gov/Strategic_Management_of_Human_Capital/Guidance/2004/05-13-04DiplomaMill.asp

# “Top officials hold fake degrees,” CBS News, May 10, 2004, www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/10/eveningnews/main616664.shtml

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dan Markiewicz, MS, CIH, CSP, CHMM, is an independent environmental health and safety consultant. He can be reached at (419) 382-0132, or by email at dmarkie69@aol.com.

Source: http://www.ishn.com

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