April 23, 2004

From the Editor: Membership News Alert is a benefit of your National Safety Council membership, providing timely and pertinent safety information, updates and resources (from the editors of Safety+Health magazine).

Send questions or comments to the editor at membernewseditor@nsc.org (see below for information on subscribing or unsubscribing).

How do you communicate employee safety issues?

Take our survey and look for the results in Safety + Health magazine.

8,369
Number of lives estimated to be saved through the use of air bags from 1987 through 2001. (Source: 2003 Injury Facts)

7.0%
Reduction of overall incident rates between 2000 and 2001, according to the Bureau of Labor statistics. The incident rate fell from 6.1 to 5.7.

This week

IN THE NEWS

Labor Department issues final OT rules
Crane, derrick NRAC to meet in May
Job cuts have changed safety's role
Henshaw: Focus on safety to attract candidates
Council, McGraw-Hill reach publishing deal
Get your company involved in "Crash-Free June"

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Death toll rising in North Korea rail accident
Call for European safety award nominees

HEALTH NEWS

Drinking alcohol may raise cancer risk
Cholesterol imperils many diabetics
Local participation in "Crash-Free June" crucial

IN BRIEF

In the news

Labor Department issues final OT rules

The U.S. Department of Labor April 20 issued its final regulations governing overtime eligibility for "white-collar" workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The regulations had not been substantially updated for over 50 years, creating confusion for workers and employers, generating wasteful class action litigation, and failing to effectively protect workers' pay rights.

Despite opposition to the new rules from organized labor, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said they "guarantee and strengthen overtime rights for more American workers than ever before." The new rules expand the number of workers eligible for overtime by nearly tripling the salary threshold and strengthen overtime protection for 6.7 million low-wage salaried workers, according to the Department of Labor. Under the new rules, Labor said, workers earning $23,660 or less are now guaranteed overtime.

The issue was debated widely in Congress amid unsuccessful attempts to scuttle the plan. AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney blasted the announcement and said in an April 20 press statement that the new rules will eliminate overtime rights for 8 million workers. The new rules take effect Aug. 20. For specifics on the regulations, go to http://www.dol.gov/fairpay.

Crane, derrick NRAC to meet in May

The next meeting of the Crane and Derrick Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee is scheduled for May 4-7, according to OSHA. The committee will review summary notes from its prior meeting, review draft regulatory text and continue to address issues. The meeting, to be held in Washington, is open to the public. More information is available in the April 19 Federal Register.

Job cuts have changed safety's role

As the American economy has gone through dramatic changes in the past three years, the dynamics of the safety profession have changed, Safety+Health magazine reported in its May issue, due out May 4. Like most other sectors, occupational safety and health professionals have seen job cuts in the weak economy, yet the overall demand for professionals has not weakened, and they are seeing the role of safety director expanded to include post-9/11 issues.

"A lot of safety people are being pulled out of what was traditionally called a 'safety role' and put into a security and/or terrorism preparation role," said Lloyd Andrew, president for EnvirOSH Services Inc., Tomball, TX. "There are a lot of folks who were just doing safety and not making facility inspections, for example. Now they're trying to write security plans and DOT HazMat plans and different things like that."

Andrew also said companies are changing who is responsible for the organization's safety program. "Managers and supervisors at a lot of companies now understand that safety is a part of their responsibility because they don't have the luxury of carrying a full-time safety person," he said.

Henshaw: Focus on safety to attract candidates

In an exclusive interview for the May issue of Safety+Health magazine, OSHA administrator John Henshaw said companies can attract more young people into the safety profession by showing that safety is a core value in their organization. "What we've got to do is create the demand so that more students go into that field than come out ready to do the job," Henshaw said. "One way to create the demand is to have organizations, business organizations in particular, articulate and demonstrate that they are focused on safety and health; that they see safety and health as a business imperative and that they need expertise to drive that business imperative. That's the way other professions in a business organization have done it."

Excerpts from Henshaw's interview will appear in the May issue of Safety+Health, due out May 4. The full text of Henshaw's view on jobs, including a discussion of his own future at OSHA, will be available online May 4 at http://www.nsc.org.

Council, McGraw-Hill reach publishing deal

The National Safety Council announced that McGraw-Hill Higher Education has been selected as the exclusive publisher of a new line of emergency care training programs that include all first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training materials available from the council.

"We are pleased to partner with McGraw-Hill Higher Education to provide our full line of publications and supplementary products related to emergency care training," said Alan McMillan, council president and CEO. "This agreement will give us broader access to the student populations that benefit directly from the emergency training programs for which we are known."

More than 2.5 million students annually take first aid and CPR courses, primarily to fulfill job or educational requirements. Most of the students are employed in medical professions or in industrial settings. In addition to courses taught in the workplace, first aid and CPR are included as required components in almost every health care student curriculum.

Get your company involved in "Crash-Free June"

June is National Safety Month, and this year's theme is "Crash-Free June." Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury death in America, with more than 44,000 deaths in 2002, and the leading cause of workplace death, with 2,200 deaths in 2002. More than 3 million Americans are injured annually in motor vehicle crashes, and those crashes cost society $242.7 billion a year.

It is estimated that 90 percent of crashes are caused, at least in part, by driver behaviors. Seven of the most common behaviors that lead to crashes are alcohol, speeding, aggressive driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, failure to yield (including red light running) and young driver issues.

National Safety Council members can take a leadership role on this important topic in their workplaces. The council will provide information about the seven driving issues to all members, and members are encouraged to share this information with their employees. In addition, members are also encouraged to offer Defensive Driving Course instruction to employees and their families.

Council members also can help their organizations build a larger public profile in safety by encouraging their organizations to become sponsors of "Crash-Free June." Safety professionals are encouraged to recommend to their marketing, public relations or senior managers that they consider being a sponsor of "Crash-Free June". These sponsorships are customized to each organization and provide co-branded information, education and defensive driver training to the company's customers and/or the community at large.

For more information about Defensive Driver Training, please contact John Kennedy, (630) 775-2117. For more information about sponsorship opportunities for "Crash-Free June", contact John Ulczycki, director - Communications & Public Affairs at the National Safety Council, (630) 775-2160.

International news

Death toll rising in North Korea rail accident

The death toll is expected to continue to rise following a railway accident in North Korea Thursday in which a rail car carrying explosives apparently came in contact with a live power cable.

CNN was reporting Friday that more than 100 bodies had been pulled from the site of the massive explosion in the city of Ryongchon's rail yard. Workers were moving the explosives, being transported to use in a canal construction project, when the cars came in contact with the electrical cable.

Call for European safety award nominees

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is seeking nominations for the fifth European Good Practice Awards in occupational safety and health. The awards will recognize companies or organizations that have made outstanding and innovative contributions to the prevention of risks from construction and building activities.

The agency emphasizes that entries are accepted from all areas of building and maintenance work, not just construction. The deadline for applications is July 9.

The awards are held in conjunction with the annual European Week for Safety and Health at Work, Oct. 18-22.

More detailed information is available in a brochure from the agency; download the brochure at http://ew2004.osha.eu.int.

Health news

Drinking alcohol may raise cancer risk

Drinking a good amount of alcohol appears to moderately increase the risk of cancer in the colon and rectum, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Vol. 140, No. 8).

The cancer risk was increased for those who regularly drank at least 30 grams of alcohol per day, the equivalent of two to three drinks of 80-proof liquor. The results were similar for women and men, and did not differ between various locations in the colon. The risk also did not differ for beer, wine or liquor.

Cholesterol imperils many diabetics

According to new guidelines from the American College of Physicians, adults with type-2 diabetes who have just one additional risk factor for heart disease should be taking medication to lower cholesterol levels.

Pooled data from 12 studies showed that drugs such as Lipitor and Zocor, along with another lipid-lowering agent gemfibrozil, lead to a greater than 20 percent reduction in heart-related events in patients with diabetes. The only patients with diabetes for whom these drugs seemed to provide little benefit were those with no risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Local participation in "Crash-Free June" crucial

During "Crash-Free June", the National Safety Council, its local chapters and partners in the public and private sector will educate the American public about the causes of motor vehicle crashes. We will encourage people to adopt behaviors that prevent crashes, and encourage people to participate in driver improvement programs that improve driving skills and heighten awareness of safety issues on the road.

You can help. Share the knowledge about crash-causing behaviors with your friends, family, co-workers and groups in which you are involved. Encourage your employer or community group to sponsor defensive driver training for your company, employees and their families, your group or your community at large.

You can also help by contacting elected officials in your village, town, city, county and/or state and request a proclamation designating June as National Safety Month and "Crash-Free June". Click here for a letter and a model proclamation you can send to your elected officials. If you have success in obtaining a proclamation, please tell us about it and send a copy of the proclamation to us at webmaster@nsc.org.

In brief

Submissions for the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work will be accepted through April 30, 2004. "Prevention in a Globalized World - Success Through Partnerships" is the theme for the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work to be held in Orlando from September 18-22, 2005. Papers can be submitted online at http://www.safety2005.org. For more information, visit http://www.safety2005.org or call (800) 621-7619. An international film and multimedia festival will be an integral part of the World Congress. All productions concerning safety and health at work produced in 2001 and beyond are eligible for entry into the Film Festival. See Website for details.
National Safety Council members can access the latest information on National Safety Month in the Members-Only Website at http://www.nsc.org/groups/members/nsm/index.cfm. Download a FREE National Safety Month/Crash Free June poster, customizable Word templates (to promote your company's activities), and a presentation outlining sponsorship opportunities. Coming soon: a preview of fact sheets to be posted on the National Safety Month Website at http://www.nsc.org/nsm. Use your Membership ID Number as your password for entry into the Members-Only site. If you do not know your ID Number, contact Customer Relations at (800) 621-7619 or customerservice@nsc.org.
Want to help us promote Congress & Expo? Want to see more of your colleagues and customers attend the show? Let the National Safety Council help. The council will provide you with an Internet link for your company or organization's homepage which links directly to the National Safety Council Congress Website. Contact Katherine van den Bogert, marketing manager, National Safety Council at (800) 621-7615, x2025 or e-mail vandenk@nsc.org.

Disclaimer: While the information and recommendations contained herein have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, the National Safety Council makes no guarantee as to, and assumes no responsibility for, the correctness, sufficiency, or completeness of such information or recommendations. Other or additional safety measures may be required under particular circumstances. Links from the National Safety Council's website to another domain on the Web shall not represent an endorsement by the Council, or by its members, board of directors, committees, divisions, or staff.

Privacy Policy: We respect your privacy. Your e-mail address will only be used for this National Safety Council Membership News Alert communication. Your e-mail address will not be used or sold to any third party without your approval.

Subscribe/Unsubscribe: You, or employees covered under your membership, can be added or deleted from this e-mail communication at any time by sending an e-mail to membershipinfo@nsc.org.

National Safety Council members also have access to the Members-Only website at http://www.nsc.org/groups/members/. Your Membership ID Number is required for entry. If you do not know your Membership I.D. Number, contact Customer Relations at 800-621-7619 or customerservice@nsc.org.

NSC HOME

	April 23, 2004
From the Editor: Membership News Alert is a benefit of your National Safety Council membership, providing timely and pertinent safety information, updates and resources (from the editors of Safety+Health magazine). Send questions or comments to the editor at membernewseditor@nsc.org (see below for information on subscribing or unsubscribing). How do you communicate employee safety issues? Take our survey and look for the results in Safety + Health magazine. 8,369 Number of lives estimated to be saved through the use of air bags from 1987 through 2001. (Source: 2003 Injury Facts) 7.0% Reduction of overall incident rates between 2000 and 2001, according to the Bureau of Labor statistics. The incident rate fell from 6.1 to 5.7.	This week IN THE NEWS Labor Department issues final OT rules Crane, derrick NRAC to meet in May Job cuts have changed safety's role Henshaw: Focus on safety to attract candidates Council, McGraw-Hill reach publishing deal Get your company involved in "Crash-Free June" INTERNATIONAL NEWS Death toll rising in North Korea rail accident Call for European safety award nominees HEALTH NEWS Drinking alcohol may raise cancer risk Cholesterol imperils many diabetics Local participation in "Crash-Free June" crucial IN BRIEF In the news Labor Department issues final OT rules The U.S. Department of Labor April 20 issued its final regulations governing overtime eligibility for "white-collar" workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The regulations had not been substantially updated for over 50 years, creating confusion for workers and employers, generating wasteful class action litigation, and failing to effectively protect workers' pay rights. Despite opposition to the new rules from organized labor, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said they "guarantee and strengthen overtime rights for more American workers than ever before." The new rules expand the number of workers eligible for overtime by nearly tripling the salary threshold and strengthen overtime protection for 6.7 million low-wage salaried workers, according to the Department of Labor. Under the new rules, Labor said, workers earning $23,660 or less are now guaranteed overtime. The issue was debated widely in Congress amid unsuccessful attempts to scuttle the plan. AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney blasted the announcement and said in an April 20 press statement that the new rules will eliminate overtime rights for 8 million workers. The new rules take effect Aug. 20. For specifics on the regulations, go to http://www.dol.gov/fairpay. Back to Top Crane, derrick NRAC to meet in May The next meeting of the Crane and Derrick Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee is scheduled for May 4-7, according to OSHA. The committee will review summary notes from its prior meeting, review draft regulatory text and continue to address issues. The meeting, to be held in Washington, is open to the public. More information is available in the April 19 Federal Register. Back to Top Job cuts have changed safety's role As the American economy has gone through dramatic changes in the past three years, the dynamics of the safety profession have changed, Safety+Health magazine reported in its May issue, due out May 4. Like most other sectors, occupational safety and health professionals have seen job cuts in the weak economy, yet the overall demand for professionals has not weakened, and they are seeing the role of safety director expanded to include post-9/11 issues. "A lot of safety people are being pulled out of what was traditionally called a 'safety role' and put into a security and/or terrorism preparation role," said Lloyd Andrew, president for EnvirOSH Services Inc., Tomball, TX. "There are a lot of folks who were just doing safety and not making facility inspections, for example. Now they're trying to write security plans and DOT HazMat plans and different things like that." Andrew also said companies are changing who is responsible for the organization's safety program. "Managers and supervisors at a lot of companies now understand that safety is a part of their responsibility because they don't have the luxury of carrying a full-time safety person," he said. Back to Top Henshaw: Focus on safety to attract candidates In an exclusive interview for the May issue of Safety+Health magazine, OSHA administrator John Henshaw said companies can attract more young people into the safety profession by showing that safety is a core value in their organization. "What we've got to do is create the demand so that more students go into that field than come out ready to do the job," Henshaw said. "One way to create the demand is to have organizations, business organizations in particular, articulate and demonstrate that they are focused on safety and health; that they see safety and health as a business imperative and that they need expertise to drive that business imperative. That's the way other professions in a business organization have done it." Excerpts from Henshaw's interview will appear in the May issue of Safety+Health, due out May 4. The full text of Henshaw's view on jobs, including a discussion of his own future at OSHA, will be available online May 4 at http://www.nsc.org. Back to Top Council, McGraw-Hill reach publishing deal The National Safety Council announced that McGraw-Hill Higher Education has been selected as the exclusive publisher of a new line of emergency care training programs that include all first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training materials available from the council. "We are pleased to partner with McGraw-Hill Higher Education to provide our full line of publications and supplementary products related to emergency care training," said Alan McMillan, council president and CEO. "This agreement will give us broader access to the student populations that benefit directly from the emergency training programs for which we are known." More than 2.5 million students annually take first aid and CPR courses, primarily to fulfill job or educational requirements. Most of the students are employed in medical professions or in industrial settings. In addition to courses taught in the workplace, first aid and CPR are included as required components in almost every health care student curriculum. Back to Top Get your company involved in "Crash-Free June" June is National Safety Month, and this year's theme is "Crash-Free June." Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury death in America, with more than 44,000 deaths in 2002, and the leading cause of workplace death, with 2,200 deaths in 2002. More than 3 million Americans are injured annually in motor vehicle crashes, and those crashes cost society $242.7 billion a year. It is estimated that 90 percent of crashes are caused, at least in part, by driver behaviors. Seven of the most common behaviors that lead to crashes are alcohol, speeding, aggressive driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, failure to yield (including red light running) and young driver issues. National Safety Council members can take a leadership role on this important topic in their workplaces. The council will provide information about the seven driving issues to all members, and members are encouraged to share this information with their employees. In addition, members are also encouraged to offer Defensive Driving Course instruction to employees and their families. Council members also can help their organizations build a larger public profile in safety by encouraging their organizations to become sponsors of "Crash-Free June." Safety professionals are encouraged to recommend to their marketing, public relations or senior managers that they consider being a sponsor of "Crash-Free June". These sponsorships are customized to each organization and provide co-branded information, education and defensive driver training to the company's customers and/or the community at large. For more information about Defensive Driver Training, please contact John Kennedy, (630) 775-2117. For more information about sponsorship opportunities for "Crash-Free June", contact John Ulczycki, director - Communications & Public Affairs at the National Safety Council, (630) 775-2160. Back to Top International news Death toll rising in North Korea rail accident The death toll is expected to continue to rise following a railway accident in North Korea Thursday in which a rail car carrying explosives apparently came in contact with a live power cable. CNN was reporting Friday that more than 100 bodies had been pulled from the site of the massive explosion in the city of Ryongchon's rail yard. Workers were moving the explosives, being transported to use in a canal construction project, when the cars came in contact with the electrical cable. Back to Top Call for European safety award nominees The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is seeking nominations for the fifth European Good Practice Awards in occupational safety and health. The awards will recognize companies or organizations that have made outstanding and innovative contributions to the prevention of risks from construction and building activities. The agency emphasizes that entries are accepted from all areas of building and maintenance work, not just construction. The deadline for applications is July 9. The awards are held in conjunction with the annual European Week for Safety and Health at Work, Oct. 18-22. More detailed information is available in a brochure from the agency; download the brochure at http://ew2004.osha.eu.int. Back to Top Health news Drinking alcohol may raise cancer risk Drinking a good amount of alcohol appears to moderately increase the risk of cancer in the colon and rectum, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Vol. 140, No. 8). The cancer risk was increased for those who regularly drank at least 30 grams of alcohol per day, the equivalent of two to three drinks of 80-proof liquor. The results were similar for women and men, and did not differ between various locations in the colon. The risk also did not differ for beer, wine or liquor. Back to Top Cholesterol imperils many diabetics According to new guidelines from the American College of Physicians, adults with type-2 diabetes who have just one additional risk factor for heart disease should be taking medication to lower cholesterol levels. Pooled data from 12 studies showed that drugs such as Lipitor and Zocor, along with another lipid-lowering agent gemfibrozil, lead to a greater than 20 percent reduction in heart-related events in patients with diabetes. The only patients with diabetes for whom these drugs seemed to provide little benefit were those with no risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Back to Top Local participation in "Crash-Free June" crucial During "Crash-Free June", the National Safety Council, its local chapters and partners in the public and private sector will educate the American public about the causes of motor vehicle crashes. We will encourage people to adopt behaviors that prevent crashes, and encourage people to participate in driver improvement programs that improve driving skills and heighten awareness of safety issues on the road. You can help. Share the knowledge about crash-causing behaviors with your friends, family, co-workers and groups in which you are involved. Encourage your employer or community group to sponsor defensive driver training for your company, employees and their families, your group or your community at large. You can also help by contacting elected officials in your village, town, city, county and/or state and request a proclamation designating June as National Safety Month and "Crash-Free June". Click here for a letter and a model proclamation you can send to your elected officials. If you have success in obtaining a proclamation, please tell us about it and send a copy of the proclamation to us at webmaster@nsc.org. Back to Top In brief Submissions for the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work will be accepted through April 30, 2004. "Prevention in a Globalized World - Success Through Partnerships" is the theme for the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work to be held in Orlando from September 18-22, 2005. Papers can be submitted online at http://www.safety2005.org. For more information, visit http://www.safety2005.org or call (800) 621-7619. An international film and multimedia festival will be an integral part of the World Congress. All productions concerning safety and health at work produced in 2001 and beyond are eligible for entry into the Film Festival. See Website for details. National Safety Council members can access the latest information on National Safety Month in the Members-Only Website at http://www.nsc.org/groups/members/nsm/index.cfm. Download a FREE National Safety Month/Crash Free June poster, customizable Word templates (to promote your company's activities), and a presentation outlining sponsorship opportunities. Coming soon: a preview of fact sheets to be posted on the National Safety Month Website at http://www.nsc.org/nsm. Use your Membership ID Number as your password for entry into the Members-Only site. If you do not know your ID Number, contact Customer Relations at (800) 621-7619 or customerservice@nsc.org. Want to help us promote Congress & Expo? Want to see more of your colleagues and customers attend the show? Let the National Safety Council help. The council will provide you with an Internet link for your company or organization's homepage which links directly to the National Safety Council Congress Website. Contact Katherine van den Bogert, marketing manager, National Safety Council at (800) 621-7615, x2025 or e-mail vandenk@nsc.org. Back to Top Disclaimer: While the information and recommendations contained herein have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, the National Safety Council makes no guarantee as to, and assumes no responsibility for, the correctness, sufficiency, or completeness of such information or recommendations. Other or additional safety measures may be required under particular circumstances. Links from the National Safety Council's website to another domain on the Web shall not represent an endorsement by the Council, or by its members, board of directors, committees, divisions, or staff. Privacy Policy: We respect your privacy. Your e-mail address will only be used for this National Safety Council Membership News Alert communication. Your e-mail address will not be used or sold to any third party without your approval. Subscribe/Unsubscribe: You, or employees covered under your membership, can be added or deleted from this e-mail communication at any time by sending an e-mail to membershipinfo@nsc.org. National Safety Council members also have access to the Members-Only website at http://www.nsc.org/groups/members/. Your Membership ID Number is required for entry. If you do not know your Membership I.D. Number, contact Customer Relations at 800-621-7619 or customerservice@nsc.org. Copyright 2004 \| National Safety Council \| All rights reserved.