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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
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Dear members,

As our chapter enters its 86th year of service, I can’t help but think about the challenges of the past 18 months.  The pandemic has affected so many aspects of our daily lives, and we as safety professionals have been in a unique role shaping the response to this challenge.  If you’re like me, this has likely been the most difficult time of your professional career.  And, I hope you are like me in that this time has also been the most rewarding.  I can’t think of a time when safety, health, and wellness has had so much attention.  The value of a good safety professional has never been clearer, which makes me optimistic the progress we’ve made during this time will help fuel the growth of our industry into the future.  

It’s with this optimism that I think about the future and how we best support our members for this year.  Last year, the executive committee did a fantastic job supporting our members and community through a very challenging time.  Their efforts and support have inspired my focus for the Chapter this year, which can be summed up in one word: engagement.

This year we plan to engage members in multiple ways, focusing predominantly on our monthly technical meetings.  For those new to the chapter, we typically hold 10 such meetings per year aiming for the third Thursday of each month from September through June.  The past 18 months have taught us our members enjoy the flexibility and convenience of virtual meetings so we will continue to have such offerings at least once per quarter.  That said, another lesson of the pandemic is networking and engagement is best done in person.  Thus, we are also planning at least one in-person meeting per quarter, conditions permitting, including our Professional Development Conference (PDC) planned for spring 2022. Later this fall, we will begin seeking speakers and sponsors for this event so stayed tuned for additional announcements on that front.

Beyond the technical meetings, I want to highlight another engagement opportunity: volunteering.  The Chapter always needs good volunteers whether it’s hosting or speaking at a meeting, assisting with the Chapter Newsletter, participating in the PDC, or sponsorship of community outreach effort.  Anyone eager to volunteer should feel free to reach out to me or any member of our executive committee.

Also, I’m excited to announce our new mentorship program.  Developed and spear-headed by Chapter volunteer Ryan Costello, the intent of this program is to connect growth-oriented safety professionals or students with an experienced chapter member.  I also want to clarify that this program is not just about older members mentoring younger members.  Anyone seeking additional guidance in their safety career should apply as a mentee.  And anyone who believes they have the experience and knowledge to help someone grow should apply as a mentor.  Details including applications to be a mentor or mentee can be found later in this newsletter.  

Finally, I would personally like to thank each and every member in our community for everything you have done in maintaining health and safety at your organizations.  It has been a challenging time for all of us. But together, as a community we remain strong and provide support to each other.  Thank you for being a part of the ASSP Philadelphia Chapter! 

Have a happy and safe fall!

 

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Kate McGee, Philadelphia ASSP Chapter President

February 17 - Fedex - Update on DOT
March - TBD
April - TBD
May 17 - PDC
 
Please look out for emails pertaining to future meetings. 
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Philadelphia Section AIHA/ ASSP Philadelphia Chapter January 2022 Joint Virtual Seminar: “Employee Fitness for Duty Considerations”
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December 2021 Holiday Party
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November 2021 - Covid-19 Vaccine & Compliance - Unraveling Legal Complexities 
Our very own member Pat Karol was featured in the October Professional Safety Journal 
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In the age of social media, instant communication and telecommuting, connection to a strong, live safety community has never been more important.  Your membership in the ASSP Philadelphia Chapter is a tremendous resource that can help you filter through the noise and keep you in touch with what’s really important.  Whether it is following us on our social media platforms (LinkedIn or Facebook), attending our monthly events, or becoming involved in a subcommittee or leadership role, you have the power to decide your level of engagement.  Why look any further than this community of safety professionals - right here in your backyard - to support your professional and personal development!

I encourage each of our 500+ members to look at their schedules and find the time to become involved. I am excited to see what this chapter’s leadership will achieve as we continue to build off the success from last year’s team.  Finally, as we start to make our plans and book out the calendar, we want to assure all of our members that the executive committee is dedicated to making your membership experience the best it can be!    

Have you ever thought about getting more involved with ASSP? What a better way to take advantage of your membership and the benefits it provides than to be on the team who guides the chapter? These opportunities can spur career growth and ultimately lead to better job opportunities. We strongly encourage you to become more involved in our community of over 500 safety professionals who lead, manage, supervise, research and consult on safety around the area and beyond. Take advantage of a wide range of benefits available to our ASSP members and become a chapter leader.  Email assp.philly@gmail.com to learn more!

 

The Philadelphia ASSP mentorship program is officially underway.  We are looking to connect people early in their careers (<5 years of experience) with seasoned safety professionals.  

For potential mentees, this is a great opportunity for you to connect with a mentor who can offer you insight, advice, opportunity – and help you navigate the next stage/s of your career. 

For potential mentors, this is a great opportunity to give back, become a better leader, and refine your own skills and networks 

Unfortunately, there is a limit on the number of people we can accept into the first group/cohort of mentors and mentees – so make sure to sign up right now using the link below.

We are excited to see the mentorships and outcomes which evolve from this initiative and look forward to matching you!

If you are interested please fill out the appropriate form (located on the chapter site under files) and return to Ryan Costello (RJCostello@firstquality.com)

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FEBRUARY 14TH – INTERWEST WEARS RED FOR AMERICAN HEART MONTH! – InterWest  Insurance Services

Why do we observe American Heart Month every February? Well, every year more than 600,000 Americans die from heart disease. The number one cause of deaths for most groups, heart disease affects all ages, genders, and ethnicities. Risk factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and excessive alcohol use.

Do you know how to keep your heart healthy? You can take an active role in reducing your risk for heart disease by eating a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, and managing your cholesterol and blood pressure. This is a great chance to start some heart-healthy habits!

 
 
Brain Injury Awareness Month | Health.mil
 

There are more than 5.3 million children and adults in the United States who are living with a permanent brain injury-related disability.

That’s one in every 60 people.

If you know someone who is living with brain injury – or if you have one yourself – you know that brain injury is not an event or an outcome. It’s the start of a misunderstood, misdiagnosed, underfunded neurological disease.

Join the #MoreThanMyBrainInjury campaign and help us educate others about what it’s like to live with a brain injury. We want everyone, everywhere to join us in:

  • Increasing understanding of brain injury as a chronic condition
  • Reducing the stigma associated with having a brain injury
  • Showcasing the diversity of injury and the demographics of the community
  • Improving care and support for individuals with brain injury and their families
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Just Drive

Though traffic has dropped significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our roads have only gotten more dangerous. On a typical day, more than 700 people are still injured in distracted driving crashes. Talking on a cell phone – even hands-free – or texting or programming an in-vehicle infotainment system diverts your attention away from driving. Keep yourself and others around you safe and #justdrive.

Join NSC during Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April to help make our roadways and our people safer. Whether you’re driving a forklift, semi-truck or just headed home after work, attentive driving is more important than ever. Create a distracted driving program and engage your workforce with ready-made communications and resources.

Take Action Today

Commit to driving distraction-free by taking the NSC Just Drive Pledge. And, consider donating to NSC to help us keep our roads and each other safe. We train drivers and advocate for safe driving programs that make a difference. Your support helps us make the roads safer for everyone. 

ASSP National has been regularly updating their COVID-19 webpage, providing the latest resources to assist members, their employers and their clients with re-opening as safely as possible.  Some highlights include:

  • A COVID-19 community discussion to ask for advice and share your experience with other front-line safety professionals.
  • Webinars, podcasts and articles on various aspects of COVID-19.
  • Links to COVD-19 resources from a number of other governmental and professional organizations.
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CHAPTER SAFETY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Hoyt Emmons, MS, MBA

Environment, Health, Safety Principal Consultant

Med-Tex Services, Inc

Hemmons@med-texservices.com

 

Hoyt Emmons has over 30 year of EHS professional experiences include being the department head and senior EHS Officer at several companies, ranging from start-up operations to multi-national Fortune 500 corporations.  Hoyt has been successful in developing and implementing EHS programs by bringing together and addressing the interdependent needs of key stakeholders including the organization, the workforce, and the core values of sustainable safety.

Hoyt joined the ASSP and the Philadelphia Chapter over 20 years ago, was President 2008-2009, and has served on the Executive Board in various roles since 2005.  Hoyt’s ASSP priority is always the service of our members and to promote the recognition of EHS professionals in organizational success. Hoyt has presented training topics at several ASSP and AIHA meetings and has presented three times at the PA Governor’s Safety Conference. 

Hoyt recently has been recognized COVID-19 workplace subject matter expert (SME) ensuring wellness management for the construction industry and general industry and is an active member of six COVID-19 task teams.  COVID and contagious-related professional experience includes being an Inhalation Toxicity Principal Investigator, and as manager of corporate hazard communications in the epidemiology department at the Rohm and Haas chemical company. 

Hoyt is an assistant adjunct professor of occupational safety at Temple University (and previously at St. Joseph University). Hoyt also teaches hospital ICRA training (Infectious Control Risk Assessment) to the construction trades, is an OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainer for Construction and General Industry (OSHA 10 and 30 hour courses), an instructor for the American Red Cross, and reached HAZWOPER classes from 8 hour to the complete 40 hour course.

Hoyt’s education includes a BS in Animal Husbandry from Delaware Valley University, graduate work in anatomy and physiology at the University of Maryland, an MBA in Management from LaSalle University, and a MS in Environmental /Occupational Health from Temple University. 

When Hoyt enjoys spending time with family and friends and when he is not busy doing occupational safety work, he’s busy as a professional sheep shearer, shearing over 2000 local sheep each year including many pro bono shearing services for non-profit institutions.

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The new officers of the ASSP Philadelphia Chapter for the 2021/2021 year:
 
President: Kate McGee
President-Elect: Vice President: John Suter
Treasurer: Greg Wharton
Secretary: Helen Rush
Delegates: Julie Anderson
                   Hoyt Emmons
                   Omar Whitfield
                      Kimberli Harris
Past President: Brittany Derafelo
 
To contact the officers, please visit: https://phila.assp.org/chapter-officers/
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Please give a warm Philly welcome to the following safety professionals who have joined our chapter since we published our last newsletter:
 
  • Mohamed Al-Ali, Pennsylvania State University
  • Kwasi Asare
  • Lisa Barday, Be Well Ergo
  • Jared Barket, Fleisher Forensics
  • Lon Bartoli, Schindler Elevator Corporaration
  • Chris Beach, Atlas Flasher & Supply Company
  • James Brackin
  • Ken Brydges, Riggs Distler
  • Lior Busel
  • John Chemello
  • Joe Ciccarella
  • John Cobleigh
  • James Cutright
  • Vince Daliessio, Pennoni Associates Inc
  • Aaron Deegan
  • Dartagnan Delgado
  • Vijal Desai, Chubb
  • Allan Edgarton
  • Matthew Feldman
  • Dwayne Fitzpatrick
  • Richard Foulks, Integrated Project Services, LLC
  • Tom Gilman, Railroad Construction Company of South Jersey
  • Kimberly Holman, Good Fellowship Ambulance and EMS Training
  • Connor Hyer
  • Phoebe Ivady, Bergey's Inc.
  • Leonard Johnson, Armstrong Flooring
  • Kimberly Killion
  • Donald Lyons
  • Grace McCue
  • Randolph Merced
  • Craig Olsen, Brightfields, Inc.
  • Garrett O’Neill, Sodexo
  • John Saleski
  • Haley Schupp, Keystone Industries
  • Olivia Shively
  • Lisa Spacht, PMA Companies
  • Justin Umberger, JD Eckman Inc
  • Richard Wagner
  • Steven Walton, West Pharmaceutical Services
  • George Watlington, Airgas
  • Levi Wieand, HNL Lab Medicine
  • Daren Williams, Merck
  • Joseph Wills
JOB POSTINGS
The following jobs were posted on our Chapter website at the time this newsletter was distributed.  Postings are for 30 days unless instructed otherwise, so the jobs on the website may be slightly different when you visit.
  • Environmental, Health & Safety Specialist - W.L Gore
  • Corporate Environmental, Health and Safety Specialist - USCS
Job seekers, also consider posting your resume to the ASSP Career Center, where employers across our region and across the country can match it to their job openings.  At the Career Center, you can also set up a customized search to be automatically notified when jobs meeting your criteria are posted. 
 
Click here to visit our website to view the details about these jobs.
 
Jobs are posted as a service to our members who are looking for jobs, or for members whose companies are seeking qualified candidates.

Please note that job postings may be edited or abbreviated for web posting; be sure to obtain a complete copy of the job posting from the contact person listed.

To post a position, e-mail your information to the Webmaster. Postings should be submitted in a format that is easy to cut and paste (plain text, Microsoft Word, etc.). Information such as experience required, salary range, who should be contacted and how should be included.

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We are excited to share a new benefit available to members, the ability to post your resume on the Philadelphia ASSP Chapter Website.
https://lnkd.in/dJ9PmmK

On our website, click on jobs and select seeking employment. Here you will find instructions to submit your resume and have it posted for 60 days. Employers will be referenced to refer to this location to download and view member's resumes who are seeking employment.

Submit your resume today!
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CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEWSLETTER
Do you have an idea for the newsletter, a photo from an event, or an article or blog post you would like us to publish?  Please send the information to Helen Rush at secretary@phila.assp.org
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CONTACT US
Visit our Chapter website here: https://phila.assp.org/
 
Contact our Chapter Officers here: https://phila.assp.org/chapter-officers/
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