July 29, 2011

NSTA: Distinguished Fellow Award
The National Science Teachers Association Distinguished Fellow Award recognizes NSTA members who have made extraordinary contributions to science education through personal commitment to education, specifically science teaching or science; educational endeavors and original work that position recipients as exemplary leaders in their field; or significant contributions to the profession that reflect dedication to the NSTA as well the entire educational community. Maximum award: recognition at the NSTA Awards Banquet in conjunction with the NSTA National Conference. Eligibility: longstanding (at least 10 years) NSTA members. Deadline: November 30, 2010.
http://www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx#fellow

July 14, 2011

“How deep does the culture go where nobody says anything, even when they know they should?’’ 
...Mullan and Patrick both took issue with comments by Helmut Ernst, a high-level engineer for the department who maintained that engineers have been trained not to write safety problems down, because written records can be used in lawsuits. Any such mindset is totally unacceptable - particularly in light of Mullan’s stated commitment to transparency. But it’s fair to assume that Ernst, who was later placed on unpaid leave, was accurately describing how many in the department feel. As a consultant asked in an internal report, “How deep does the culture go where nobody says anything, even when they know they should?’’

July 12, 2011

Methane Gas Leaks Common Across Massachusetts  boston.cbslocal.co  
Boston's aging pipes are leaking explosive methane gas and it may be occurring in a neighborhood near you.

July 09, 2011

'Model workplaces' not always so safe  www.iwatchnews.org Workers at plants billed as the nation’s safest - and thus exempt from some inspections - are dying in preventable accidents: explosions, chemical releases, crane accidents and machinery-related crushing and asphyxiation.
EG: Is a culture of silence reinforced when government authorities and employers cooperate to paint an overly rosy picture of conditions and attitudes that, in reality, put people at risk? 
 

July 08, 2011

Where do people learn to ignore safety?

CSB: DuPont needs to 're-examine' safety practices. DuPont Co. rejected affordable plant and equipment upgrades, ignored near-miss incidents and violated the chemical giant's own widely touted safety guidelines in failing to prevent three January 2010 accidents that left one Belle plant worker dead, according to a report issued Thursday. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.
http://wvgazette.com/News/201107070326


Phosgene leak could have crossed river, CSB says. Dangerous levels of the poisonous chemical phosgene may have escaped the DuPont Co. Belle plant and drifted across the Kanawha River as part of a January 2010 leak that killed a DuPont worker, federal investigators revealed Thursday. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.
http://wvgazette.com/News/201107070743