" in a matter of speaking, when you personally don't know what you're talking about. In other words, you... the safety regulations but it's more important to "do the right thing" for everybody's sake....Take

a project funded. (If you don't know what ROI means, ask theproject guys.) Good luck! Dave McGill, CIH

The Environmental Protection Agency has a Concolidated List of Chemicals subject to Emergency Planning & Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) and section 112 of the Clean Air Act, check out the wb site at www.epa.gov/ceppo

I recently had a long, frustrating meeting with my director. I want to put a small first aid kit in each one of our company's vehicles. She is insistent that because it's not required by OSHA, she's not going to spend the money. While I appreciate the need to stay within our budget, I'd like to think of regulatory requirements as the starting point for our safety program, esepcially when we're dealing with relatively small expenses to move beyond them. Does anyone have any advice on getting past

is the right, safe thing to do

I am a one year old to the safety side of a Heavy Highway/Underground Utility Construction Company, and was hired as the Safety Director. I have found that a safety culture absolutely has to be sold to management. Management is the dollars and sence. I ran into many roadblocks starting out, and I have a suggestion for you.... research, compile yor data and sell the idea to management. What is the cost now vs. long run. What will it save your company, in time lost for production, in supplies, or time

First and foremost, do not allow the situation between you and the director to get out of hand. The absolute key to safety in the workplace is teamwork. One of the biggest dangers we face in the workplace today is the hazards of workplace violence . With that said, let's look at finding a way to fund the first aid kits. They could not be that expensive if you were willing to go out and buy them yourself, so obviously 'cost' is not the issue. So the options are: raise the money to buy them, or get

I would suggest that the OSHA rules be looked at again. First Aid supplies are required to be readily available under paragraph §1910.151(b). Now, the idea of a first aid kit IS non-mandatory by OSHA standards, but I would go to the bean counters with the following: The costs associated with putting a kit together vs. buying a completed kit. The kit would need a container (Labled with First Aid ), as well as every little item required by OSHA. The fact of the matter is, every employee must have access

Can you try asking some of the drivers if they would feel better and safer having the first aid kits with them in the car. Then you could go back and say "based on the # number of people asked, # had said they would prefer the first aid kits." My guess is that the ratio would be pretty big. And by that point, you've already built some momentum for the initiative.

These things can be frustrating when you feel you've a good idea. If you haven't already, do some analysis of the problem. How many vehicles? How many times in the last year has the need for a first aid kit arisen? How much money would it have saved the company in emergency medical costs? How much danger do the employees face while in and about company vehicles each day? Are the kits comprehensive enough to treat the type of injuries encountered in the past year? Put this and more into a report and