The shortest month sure flew by! For having less days, February was not short on activity. WISE members continue to dominate the top contributors list on the ASSP Community by posting stories, events, questions, and engaging with other ASSP members in the general discussions. Join the WISE conversations happening at community.assp.org and maybe we’ll see you on the top contributors list!
ChapterWISE had a large turnout for their bi-monthly call earlier this month. Attendance was boosted by those wanting to hear fresh ideas on how to revive or start their local ChapterWISE groups. Lesli Johnson and Karen Larue do an amazing job coordinating ChapterWISE activities, pointing WISE members towards their local rep, supporting groups as they form, and recognizing outstanding ChapterWISE groups each year. There is even a dedicated “collaboration space” within the ASSP Community just for ChapterWISE. If you still want to learn more, there will be a few opportunities at Safety 2019 at the WISE Networking Event, WISE Lounge, and dedicated roundtable and panel sessions at the WISE Lounge and ASSP Communities Lounge.
Speaking of Safety 2019, WISE Assistant Administrator Christina Roll scouted an amazing location for the WISE Networking Event, you do not want to miss this! With the success of previous years’ events, more tickets are available for this year’s event than ever, and you can add the event to your Safety 2019 registration online or by calling the ASSP office at 847-699-2929.
Initiatives surrounding the inaugural Women’s Workplace Safety Summit continue to move ahead:
Advancing Women to OSH Leadership Positions – Watch for news soon on a webinar for WISE members on how to get involved in leadership and volunteer positions at your local chapter, region, and at the society level. This webinar will be led by influential women from the ASSP volunteer ranks.
PPE Fit – A working group was established to develop guidance for manufacturers and consumers on how to meet the needs of women workers. This group consists of end users, manufacturers, and associations. The WISE Lounge at Safety 2019 will again feature a Women’s PPE and Work Gear Fashion Show, stay tuned for details on where and when that will take place.
Workplace Violence – The Subcommittee on Workforce Protections hearing “Caring for our Caregivers: Protecting Health Care and Social Service Workers from Workplace Violence” is meeting Wednesday February 27, 2019 at 2pm in Washington, D.C. Our very own Adele Abrams plans to attend and provide an update after the hearing. You can get involved before the hearing by voicing your support for the hearing and action by writing to the subcommittee members listed here (scroll to page 5), especially if you are a constituent! (once you locate who you want to contact, go back to the main committee membership page here to click on the contact link)
You can still get involved by joining the conversations in the ASSP Community in a dedicated group called Women’s Workplace Safety. There you will find the three focus areas for easy reference and conversations related to each topic ongoing.
You can also catch up each Women’s Workplace Safety Summit focus area by reading this blog series written by the three facilitators from the event:
What Are the Next Steps in Addressing Workplace Violence?
How Can We Help Support Women’s Safety Leadership?
How Can We Fix the Fit of Personal Protective Equipment?
Last but not least, another legislative item, HR 914 a.k.a. Protecting America’s Workers Act was reintroduced in the house. You can read more about the act and its scope related to whistleblower protections, civil penalties, consensus standards, and more here.
See?! February got interesting… as I type this we are 102 days away from Safety 2019 in the New Orleans heat and 2 days away from the month of March. “See” you on all the WISE channels, let’s connect!