Loading ...January, 2009
Workplace Violence, Part 1 of 3
Layoffs and recession take a toll on the psyche and intensify the risk of violence. To counter the threat of workplace violence, many companies have adopted a so-called “zero tolerance” policy. Zero tolerance has appeal because it’s a claim to the moral high ground and makes a company feel like it’s taking a real stand. [...]
Births
The following people are among history’s luminaries to be born on February 2:
Solomon R. Guggenheim, philanthropist, guy museum is named after (1861)
James Joyce, author (1882)
George S. Halas, NFL co-founder, owner of Chicago Bears (1895)
Ayn Rand, author (1905)
Stan Getz, jazz musician (1927)
Farrah Fawcett, Charlie’s Angel (1947)
Deaths
The following people are among history’s luminaries to die on February 2:
John L. Sullivan, boxer (1918)
Boris Karloff, actor (1969)
Bertrand Russell, philosopher (1970)
Sid Vicious, punk rocker (1979)
Gene Kelly, singer/dancer (1996)
How to Use the Media as a Communication Device, Part 2 of 2
The Fourth Estate. The Uninvited Guest. Whatever you call them, the media are a force that safety officers must reckon with after an incident. Let’s continue the discussion of how to manage the media.
Be Proactive: If possible, call reporters before they call you. They’ll love you for sparing them the hassle of tracking you down [...]
Cardinals
Cardinals are senior officials of the Roman Catholic Church, usually bishops, who run a diocese or archdiocese and serve as counsel to the pope. When a pope dies, cardinals from around the world assemble in the Vatican into the College of Cardinals and elect the next pope. Historically, cardinals have also played a significant role [...]
The Game
Last year, I predicted that the Patriots would beat the Giants. Wrong!
The year before, I saw the Bears upsetting the Colts. Wrong!
Oh yeah. I also said the Cubs would win the World Series this year.
Okay, now that I’ve established my credibility, here’s my prediction for Super Bowl XLIII. I know I’m going to hear it [...]
Steelers
As we do each year at this time, SafetyXChange takes an unconventional look at the Super Bowl. Let’s start by profiling the Steelers.
In 1857, the English engineer Henry Bessemer invented a process for manufacturing steel cost-effectively. Thanks to the Bessemer converter, cast iron was cast aside and the steel industry was born.
By the end of [...]
Preparing New Supervisors to Succeed, Part 1 of 3
New supervisors often land in their role because they were good at a previous job and management believes they can take on a new challenge. But the word “challenge” may not even begin to describe the learning curve supervisors face in their first months or years in the role. All too often, supervisors are sent [...]
An Example of Incentives Gone Wrong
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from Wayne’s book Safety Incentives.
There is no more hotly-debated issue in safety than safety incentive programs. Are they good, bad, harmful to safety, flawed or just bad practice? There’s no question that incentive programs have mixed results. Some see the failures as reaffirmation that the concept of incentives is [...]
Health & Wellness Incentives
Companies offer workers incentives not only to work safely but to live more healthily. Here are some numbers that document the use of health and wellness incentives by U.S. employers:
71 The percentage of employers who offer workers incentives to promote health and wellness (up from 62% last year)
192 The average value of incentives per person [...]
