Archives
Me and Dillard, Volume III, Issue IV
It was the fall of 1957. Armadillos had not yet invaded southwest Arkansas. It was Saturday, and all was right with my world. This was one of the weekends I could go visit my friend Dillard.
The doctor is in, Volume III, Issue IV
We’re starting a series on the impact of leadership behaviors upon safety with this edition of the magazine. The intent is to encourage you to use leadership behaviors to create a safer work environment. I’m going to use this space to address the “how to change” your behavior. It makes no sense asking you to improve if I don’t also address the “how to’s” of change. So this article addresses a 7-Step Personal Change© process each of us must go through to change behavior. My writing style has been criticized as being too “bottom-lined” so I must warn you that space limitations require me to be really “bottom-lined” because there is so much to share with you.
Perception is reality
As a young man, when frequenting the barber shop, I always asked the barber to “thin it.” I had a full bushy head of curly-wavy hair that consistently required being thinned. I tell folks that God must have heard me and permanently thinned it as you can see by looking at the caricature that Randy drew of me at the beginning of the article.
All roads in Mississippi lead to the Summit
Folks in Mississippi know a good thing when they see it. No wonder that last year’s attendees declared Mississippi’s premier damage prevention Summit to be an overwhelming success. “Let’s do it again,” was the consensus of those in attendance. So, the second annual Summit is fast approaching and scheduled to be held in Tunica on November 9 – 11, 2009.
From the desk of Sam Johnson, Volume III, Issue IV
Like many of you, we are working to prepare the budget for 2010. There is much anticipation as we look for innovative ways of creating more cost-effective partnerships and programs. It is also a time that allows for reflection on our efforts over the past year.
Denny Vander Molen: Damage prevention champion
“Safety is a developed culture. It is the redirecting of the habits of the people around you, whether it is our employees or our customers,” said Denny Vander Molen, President of Vermeer MidSouth, Inc. “It’s really about looking out for one another. It is about leading by example in the workplace.”
To those who know Denny, it’s never surprising to hear him talk about safety and the responsibility to lead by example. It has become a large part of his personality. Almost two years ago, Denny was approached to support the concept of a new Mississippi 811 magazine to be mailed to all users and members of Mississippi 811. That statewide mailing included his existing and potential customers.
Landbase map being developed for excavators
Finally, Mississippi 811s landbase map is being developed for excavators.
Mississippi 811s landbase map is recognized as one of the best in the state, primarily because it receives updates daily, so it is constantly evolving and changing to more closely represent the real world.
Rutledge Joins 811 Family
Mississippi 811 recently added a new member to its family. Bill Rutledge, formerly the Mayor of Pontotoc, recently accepted an offer to work with Mississippi 811 as one of their Damage Prevention Coordinators.
Human Factors: What are they and how can we reduce the risks?
Controller fatigue and impaired employees have long been on the hit list of the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), which swings a big stick anytime a regulation for pipeline safety is written. As a result of their pressure and other factors, the Pipes Act of 2006 indicates that regulations shall be issued that require operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines to evaluate and take measures to reduce risks associated with human factors
Trenching and excavation safety: Soil Classification
Sadly, as many as 400 workers are killed and several thousand workers are seriously injured in trenches and excavations across the U.S. each year. One reason: Many people forget the weight of soil. The Facts: One cubic foot of soil weighs between 90 and 140 pounds. A cubic yard of soil can weigh almost 4,000 pounds, as much as an SUV! As a result, when a trench cave-in occurs, there are usually deaths or very serious injuries.