PCSC News & Events

News, announcements, and articles from the PCSC.

1st Place – May 2019 Stand Down for Safety Challenge!

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The Portage County Safety Council took 1st place in the 2019 regional safety council “Stand Down for Safety” Challenge!

23.9% of PCSC member companies participated resulting in 10,587 individuals trained in the month of May!

A special thank you to Keith Greathouse (pictured far right) from the Ohio BWC Canton Service Office and Bridgette Frank (pictured far left) from the OSHA Cleveland Area office for hosting this contest and joining us in July to celebrate!

Winner - May Stand Down Challenge 7-11-19

 

July 2019 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for July 2019!

Our goal for the newsletter is to connect our members to relevant safety resources, all linked together in one convenient location every month. We hope you find this resource useful and valuable!

Please share with your colleagues!

SAFETY RESOURCES:

  1. How to Coach Difficult People to Improve Safety. Ali Mitchel, Health Educator at The Portage County Combined Health District, stayed over with us after her presentation to chat about how to coach difficult people to improve safety! (20:46)
  2. Safety Blast: Heat Stress Warning Signs, Prevention, & Remedies. Joe Barney, Compliance & Training Officer from The Great Lakes Construction Co. shares his insight on heat stress warning signs, prevention, and remedies! (2:22)
  3. Safety Blast: Be Tick Smart.Natalie Menke, Vector Control Seasonal Worker at the Portage County Health District, gives us some quick tips on how to “Be Tick Smart” this summer! For more information on tick safety, please visit the PCHD Vector page or Ohio.gov/ticks.
  4. Heat Stress: Warning Signs & Prevention. Joe Barney, Compliance & Training Officer from The Great Lakes Construction Co. stayed over with us to recap his presentation on how to prevent heat related illnesses & injuries at work! (7:23)

  5. If You’re Trapped In A Car On Fire Or Sinking In Water, The Right Escape Tool Is Critical. Article by Forbes.

  6. Here’s how to escape your car if it floods during a hurricane, AAA says. Article by USA Today.

  7. Staying Safe in Wet Driving Conditions. Lori Cook, Traffic Safety Advisor for AAA East Central NEO shares how to stay safe in wet driving conditions. (5:03)
  8. Hydroplaning. Lori Cook, Traffic Safety Advisor for AAA East Central NEO gives us a few tips on how to prevent hydroplaning! (2:05) 
  9. 4 Ways to Fight Mosquito Bites. Theodore Russell, BSPH, Vector Control Seasonal Worker at the Portage County Health District, gives us 4 ways to “fight the bite!” (1:48)
  10. July’s Safety Update from the Ohio BWC Library. Each edition provides up-to-date news & safety information.
  11. Summer Safety Contest by Ving!
  12. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are now available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Podbean, & Stitcher! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  • NEXT MEETING: Thursday, August 8, 2019, 11:30am-1:00pm. The topic will be Fire Safety and it will be presented by the Kent Fire Dept.  RSVP deadline is 12pm on Monday, August 5th.
  • Celebrating 100 Episodes and More! Nic & Mike celebrate 100 episodes and two big wins for the Portage County Safety Council! Join them as they discuss this and more! (9:32)
  • New Summer Safety Page! We just launched a new podcast archive page linking to topics related to summer safety! Check it out today!

PROGRAM UPDATES:

  • BWC Updates: These are the power points presented by BWC Representative Nic Coia at our monthly meetings.
  • Monthly Meeting Power Points. We post them on our website after the presenters send them to us and give us permission to publish. If the speaker provides additional info, we’ll post it there as well.
  • External Training Credit Opportunities: We post them on our blog as outside organizations send them to us. A maximum of 2 external training credits are allowed per program year to help members earn the 10 minimum attendance credits required by the rebate. Please Note: ETC certificates of completion must be submitted by June 30 every year in order to qualify. Click here for ETC guidelines.
  • Rebate Participation Spreadsheet. Rebate eligible members can review how close they are to fulfilling the minimum rebate eligibility requirements by reviewing the Participation Spreadsheet which is typically updated on a monthly basis.

COMMUNITY NEWS:

June 2019 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for June 2019!

Our goal for the newsletter is to connect our members to relevant safety resources, all linked together in one convenient location every month. We hope you find this resource useful and valuable!

Please share with your colleagues!

SAFETY RESOURCES:

  1. Staying Safe in Wet Driving Conditions. Lori Cook, Traffic Safety Advisor for AAA East Central NEO shares how to stay safe in wet driving conditions. (5:03)
  2. Hydroplaning. Lori Cook, Traffic Safety Advisor for AAA East Central NEO gives us a few tips on how to prevent hydroplaning! (2:05) 
  3. Driving Safe in Fog. Lori Cook, Traffic Safety Advisor for AAA East Central gives us a few tips on how to drive safe in the fog! (2:17)
  4. 4 Ways to Fight Mosquito Bites. Theodore Russell, BSPH, Vector Control Seasonal Worker at the Portage County Health District, gives us 4 ways to “fight the bite!” (1:48)
  5. Tick Bite First Aid: June 2019 Safety & Hygiene Corner provided by Ohio BWC safety consultants.
  6. Emergency Preparedness Plans. Marianne Kitakis, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Portage County Combined Health District, stayed over after her expo presentation to recap 4 steps to developing an emergency preparedness plan. Click here to view her power point. (5:24)
  7. June’s Safety Update from the Ohio BWC Library. Each edition provides up-to-date news & safety information.
  8. Multigenerational Training Activities to Engage Everyone in Safety. Article provided by Ving!
  9. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are now available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Podbean, & Stitcher! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  • NEXT MEETING: Thursday, July 11, 2019, 11:30am-1:00pm. The topic will be How To Successfully Use Baby Boomers & Generation X To Train Millennials On “Your Company’s Way” Of Getting The Job Done Right And Safe, presented by Tony DeAscentis (the CEO) & Gabe King (the millennial) of Ving!  RSVP deadline is 12pm on Monday, July 8th.
  • External Training Credit Deadline is Wednesday, June 26, 2019! Anyone seeking to use an external training credit to meet the 10 minimum attendance credits must submit the certificate of completion no late than 12PM on 6/26/19 in order to qualify for credit.
  • FY20 starts July 1, 2019! Members enrolling for the first time must submit Enrollment Form by July 31, 2019, in order to qualify for FY20 rebate program. Current members must renew their annual dues and prepaid annual lunch packages prior to this meeting.
  • New Summer Safety Page! We just launched a new podcast archive page linking to topics related to summer safety! Check it out today!

PROGRAM UPDATES:

  • BWC Updates: These are the power points presented by BWC Representative Nic Coia at our monthly meetings.
  • Monthly Meeting Power Points. We post them on our website after the presenters send them to us and give us permission to publish. If the speaker provides additional info, we’ll post it there as well.
  • External Training Credit Opportunities: We post them on our blog as outside organizations send them to us. A maximum of 2 external training credits are allowed per program year to help members earn the 10 minimum attendance credits required by the rebate. Please Note: ETC certificates of completion must be submitted by June 30 every year in order to qualify. Click here for ETC guidelines.
  • Rebate Participation Spreadsheet. Rebate eligible members can review how close they are to fulfilling the minimum rebate eligibility requirements by reviewing the Participation Spreadsheet which is typically updated on a monthly basis.

June 21, 2019 – How to Coach Difficult People to Improve Safety

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PCSC Members:

We’re partnering with the Portage County Health District to offer a free training on How to Coach Difficult People to Improve Safety on Friday, June 21, 2019, 1:00pm-2:30pm, at the PCHD in Ravenna! This training qualifies for 1 PCSC Attendance and/or CEO Credit.

.This free training will:

  1. Explain the Stages of Change and why its important to safety.
  2. Introduce participants to Motivational Interviewing, a one-on-one approach aimed at moving individuals away from apathy & non-compliance and towards finding motivation to making positive decisions aligned with accomplishing safety performance goals.
  3. Will provide time to role play/practice Motivational Interviewing.

 

Click here to RSVP today!

RSVP Deadline: Monday, June 17, 2019

Event Details:

Date: Friday, June 21, 2019

Time: 1:00PM-2:30PM

Costs: Free

Location: Portage County Health District, 705 Oakwood St, Ravenna, OH 44266, in the 2nd floor conference room.

RSVP Deadline: Monday, June 17, 2019

Seating Limit: 30 max (10 min)

June 13, 2019 – Drones-Commercial uses, Regulations and Best Practices

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Greetings Safety Council Members!

Our next meeting is Thursday, June 13, 2019, 11:30am-1:00pm, at the Ravenna Elks Club which is located at 776 N Freedom St in Ravenna.  The official meeting notice is attached. PLEASE NOTE: This will be our last monthly meeting of FY19 and last chance to earn an Attendance and/or CEO Credit!

Our topic for this month is…

Drones-Commercial uses, Regulations and Best Practices, presented by Josh Grappy, UAS Program Coordinator, Ohio BWC.

DESCRIPTION: This presentation discusses the various industries currently using drones for increased efficiency and safety.  Also discussed are the current FAA regulations required to operate commercially and the best practices involved to ensure safe operation.  Additional topics include how BWC is using drones and the types of assistance they can provide to Ohio employers interested in creating their own drone program.

SPEAKER: Josh oversees the Unmanned Aircraft Systems program for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. The UAS program uses drones to document catastrophic workplace accidents investigated by the Safety Violations Investigation Unit. Additionally, the program provides information to Ohio employers on how to implement UAS within their own businesses in a safe and responsible way. Josh also works as a Digital Forensic Analyst within the Special Investigations Department and is a 17 year BWC employee.

This training is ideal for safety managers!

Come enjoy a delicious meal catered by “Guido’s”. Cost for lunch is still just $15/person for members and $20 for non-members. ($5 fee will be charge for walk-ins including members who do not RSVP by deadline). Please note: no shows will be invoiced.

Please RSVP no later than 12pm on Monday, June 10, 2019.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP NOW

Please make your check payable to: “Portage County Safety Council.” Cost for lunch is still just $15/person for members and $20 for non-members (there’s a $5 fee for walk-ins including members who do not RSVP by deadline).

This Meeting is Sponsored By

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May 2019 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for May 2019!

Our goal for the newsletter is to connect our members to relevant safety resources, all linked together in one convenient location every month. We hope you find this resource useful and valuable!

Please share with your colleagues!

SAFETY RESOURCES:

  1. Confined Space Rescue Plan. Is 911 your only confined space rescue plan? If so, this episode is a must for you! Pat McCon joins Nic to talk about the importance of having a confined spaces rescue plan! Pat advises companies not to assume your local fire dept can help in the case of a confined space emergency. For more insight, listen today! (9:11)
  2. Drugs in the Workplace. Dr. Amanda Burke, Prevention Specialist at Townhall II, stayed over with us after her presentation to chat about drugs in the workplace! (15:27)
  3. Interview with Dr. Don Maple. We caught up with Dr. Don Maple of Corporate Health Testing at the Portage County Workplace Health & Safety Expo to chat about safety issues he commonly sees at facilities across the state! (4:38)
  4. May’s Safety Update from the Ohio BWC Library. Each edition provides up-to-date news & safety information.
  5. How Drone Safety Technology Can Improve Safety. Article provided by Ving!
  6. Health Talk: The Power of Mindful Eating. In this month’s Health Talk, Mindy Gusz, Community Outreach Coordinator at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, shares about the power of mindful eating! (3:35)
  7. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are now available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Podbean, & Stitcher! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  • NEXT MEETING: Thursday, June 13, 2019, 11:30am-1:00pm. The topic will be Drones-Commercial uses, Regulations and Best Practices, presented by Josh Grappy, UAS Program Coordinator, Ohio BWC. . RSVP deadline is 12pm on Monday, June 10th.
  • The PCSC won Honorable Mention – 2018 Safety Council of the Year! Out of 82 Ohio Safety Councils, the PCSC was ranked 7th!
  • FY19 Ends on June 30, 2019! All membership dues and prepaid lunch options should be renewed prior to July’s luncheon.
  • External Training Credit Deadline is Monday, June 24, 2019! Anyone seeking to use an external training credit to meet the 10 minimum attendance credits must submit the certificate of completion no late than 6/24/19 in order to qualify for credit.
  • FY20 starts July 1, 2019! Members enrolling for the first time must submit Enrollment Form by July 31, 2019, in order to qualify for FY20 rebate program.

PROGRAM UPDATES:

  • BWC Updates: These are the power points presented by BWC Representative Nic Coia at our monthly meetings.
  • Monthly Meeting Power Points. We post them on our website after the presenters send them to us and give us permission to publish. If the speaker provides additional info, we’ll post it there as well.
  • External Training Credit Opportunities: We post them on our blog as outside organizations send them to us. A maximum of 2 external training credits are allowed per program year to help members earn the 10 minimum attendance credits required by the rebate. Please Note: ETC certificates of completion must be submitted by June 30 every year in order to qualify. Click here for ETC guidelines.
  • Rebate Participation Spreadsheet. Rebate eligible members can review how close they are to fulfilling the minimum rebate eligibility requirements by reviewing the Participation Spreadsheet which is typically updated on a monthly basis. Please Note: new monthly updates for FY19 are currently available!

May 2019 ‘Stand-Down to Prevent Falls’ Challenge

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What: In honor of OSHA’s “National Stand‐down to Prevent Falls” the BWC Canton/Cambridge Service Offices are hosting a Safety Council Challenge. We want to encourage every Safety Council member to perform safety training on preventing falls.

It’s easy. Training materials are linked below (or you can use your own) and all you need to do is:

  1. Perform the training to as many employees as possible (but 100% is not required to participate in this challenge)
  2. Document your attendance (keep it for your own records) and
  3. Submit the information (Click here for the form) to your safety council by Monday, June 3, 2019.
  • When: The entire month of May
  • Who: Every Profession – Industry, Healthcare, Construction, Service or any others
  • Where: Your own facility or in the field at your jobsite
  • Why: Falls are the number one reason for fatalities in Construction, but it doesn’t stop there. Every employer has a risk of employees slipping, tripping or falling. It may be the Ohio weather or the fact that all employees walk at some point during the work day. The risk is there, so the Safety Council challenge is for you to “stand‐down” and talk about it. Any employer can hold a stand‐down by taking a break to focus on “Fall Hazards” in your specific workplace and reinforcing the importance of “Fall Prevention”. It’s an opportunity for employers to have a conversation with employees about hazards, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies and goals. It can also be an opportunity for employees to talk to management about fall hazards they see.

The council with the highest member participation percentage will be presented with an award at a regular meeting!

Links to more information, training materials, training events, resources & more!

 

 

May 9, 2019 – Coach Frank Hall

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Greetings Safety Council Members!

Our next meeting is Thursday, May 9, 2019, 11:30am-1:30pm, at the Ravenna Elks Club which is located at 776 N Freedom St in Ravenna.  PLEASE NOTE: The ending time has been extended to due to the nature of this event.

This month will be our Annual Safety Awards & CEO DAY! Click here to view winners.

We’re very excited to announce that our special keynote speaker will be Coach Frank Hall!

On February 27, 2012, Coach Hall chased a gunman from the Chardon High School cafeteria just seconds after three students were mortally wounded and another three were injured from gunfire. Coach Hall chased the gunman from the school, putting his own life on the line to protect the school’s children and staff.

Frank has been the focus of the media, both locally and nationally, because of his show of courage. He was featured on the cover of a June 24, 2013  Sports Illustrated article entitled “A Coach’s Courage,” a story that chronicles Coach Hall’s life and what lead to the collision of his life’s path and the tragedy at Chardon High School on February 27, 2012.

 Click here to make a donation to the Coach Hall Foundation!

This training is ideal for everyone! Please invite everyone you can especially your CEO!!!

Come enjoy a delicious meal catered by “Guido’s”. Cost for lunch is still just $15/person for members and $20 for non-members

Please RSVP online no later than 12pm on Monday, May 6. Please make your check payable to: “Portage County Safety Council.” If you would like to pay by credit card prior to the event, please email us for an invoice.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP NOW

This Meeting is Sponsored By

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April 2019 Newsletter

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Welcome to the 17th edition of our monthly newsletter!

Our goal for the newsletter is to connect our members to relevant safety resources, all linked together in one convenient location every month. We hope you find this resource useful and valuable!

Please share with your colleagues!

SAFETY RESOURCES:

  1. Using Virtual Reality to Improve Safety. Can virtual reality help improve workplace safety? Eric Irwin, Founder of Speculr thinks so! We caught up with him at the 2019 Ohio Safety Congress in Columbus to discuss how he’s using virtual reality technology to help companies improve their safety performance! (11:52)
  2. Exoskeletons & Ergonomic Risk Reduction.Is Sci-Fi coming to life to help improve workplace safety? We caught up with Jason Gillette, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Iowa State University, at the 2019 Ohio Safety Congress in Columbus to discuss how exoskeletons can help reduce ergonomic risks at work! (9:10)
  3. Confined Spaces. We caught up with Glenn McGinley before his presentation at the Northeast Ohio Safety Expo to chat about confined spaces! Glenn is the Director of the Public Employment Risk Reduction Program (PERRP) at The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. (14:32)
  4. Crisis Communications (Live Training). This episode is a live recording of our monthly workplace safety luncheon on Feb. 14, 2019. The topic was Crisis Communications & Crisis Management and it was presented by Thom Fladung, Managing Partner at Hennes Communications. (47:20)
  5. April’s Safety Update from the Ohio BWC Library. Each edition provides up-to-date news & safety information.
  6. Tornado Safety from Ready.gov.
  7. Tornado Safety Checklist from the Red Cross.
  8. Emergency Action Plan Checklist from OSHA.
  9. Protecting Yourself While Removing Post-Disaster Debris From Your Home or Business. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
  10. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are now available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Podbean, & Stitcher! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  • NEXT MEETING: Thursday, May 9, 2019, 11:30am-1:00pm. This meeting will be our Annual Safety Awards & CEO Day! Our keynote speaker will be Coach Frank Hall, Chardon Schools & The Coach Hall Foundation. . RSVP deadline is 12pm on Monday, May 6th.
  • The PCSC is a 2018 Safety Council of the Year Finalist! Out of 82 Ohio Safety Councils, the PCSC is ranked in the top 14! We’ll find out more next month! Keep your fingers crossed we place in the top 3!
  • The Portage County Safety Council Podcast has published over 1,000 minutes (or 17 hours) of workplace safety & health content!
  • New Podcast Archives! We’re excited to announce that new free PCSC Podcast archives are now available on our website under the “Podcasts” tab! You can now easily search for podcasts by topic, format or episode number. 

EXTERNAL TRAINING CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES:
Please Note: these are not PCSC sponsored events but do qualify for 1 external training credit for PCSC members.

PROGRAM UPDATES:

  • BWC Updates: These are the power points presented by BWC Representative Nic Coia at our monthly meetings.
  • Monthly Meeting Power Points. We post them on our website after the presenters send them to us and give us permission to publish. If the speaker provides additional info, we’ll post it there as well.
  • External Training Credit Opportunities: We post them on our blog as outside organizations send them to us. A maximum of 2 external training credits are allowed per program year to help members earn the 10 minimum attendance credits required by the rebate. Please Note: ETC certificates of completion must be submitted by June 30 every year in order to qualify. Click here for ETC guidelines.
  • Rebate Participation Spreadsheet. Rebate eligible members can review how close they are to fulfilling the minimum rebate eligibility requirements by reviewing the Participation Spreadsheet which is typically updated on a monthly basis. Please Note: new monthly updates for FY19 are currently available!