emergencies based on their size, demographics, and geographic locations. Communicating to students, faculty, and staff during a crisis is a high stakes game, requiring careful planning and accurate information dissemination. Join Assistant Chief of Police and Director of Emergency Management at Stony Brook University, Lawrence M. Zacarese, as he discusses the various aspects of a successful emergency communication program for your campus. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.433 Emergency preparedness: Collaboration is key! Lauren Kelly Columbia University, United States Preparedness planning is like anything else, whereby practice make perfect. Periodic testing of your plan and identification of opportunities for improvement are essential in your success and having strong relationships with partners in Public Safety and the regulatory agency sector can go a long way in averting disaster. Establishing those partnerships in advance of an emergency event and conducting preparedness and response exercises/ training on the variety of probable (and even improbable) events can be the difference between success and the front page of the local newspaper. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.434 Expanding EHS programs beyond your comfort zone Wayne Maines The University of Maine, United States Safety and Environmental Management (SEM) at UMaine was once traditional model that focused on compliance, education, technical support and crisis management, but recently we have expanded our mission to help protect the entire campus from all threats, helping students, faculty and staff maintain their health and safety on and off campus. Under the direction of the President’s Blue Sky Plan, we are doing even more. We continue to expand our efforts by aligning our resources with unusual partners enhance our existing tools
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while developing new management systems. Today’s businesses and universities must be more flexible and adaptive to be competitive to ensure institutional success. Safety plays an important role in this success and safety is much more far-reaching than most people realize. It is much more far-reaching than our department realized. We learned that everyone on our campus plays a significant role in promoting the health of our institution, health that includes many factors. Come explore how we are helping our campus community stay healthy and well. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.435 Fall protection in theater production Bill Reynolds Yale University, United States Theater production involves situations where workers and performers must be protected from elevated hazards using many types of fall protection. Facility hazards: falls from catwalks, stage grids and the front edge of a balcony, can be addressed using standard fall protection typical of such elevated work areas. Each production has unique fall hazards that must be evaluated, planned for, and mitigated using creative technological solutions and industry best-practices. This session will provide examples of solutions that address both types of fall hazard protection in theater production. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.436 Fire/life safety in nanotech research facilities Jonathan Eisenberg Rolf Jensen & Associates, United States Semiconductor/nanotech research facilities contain fire and explosion hazards that impact life safety and operations. This presentation discusses the major fire protection and life safety requirements, contained in the IBC & IFC, and NFPA codes. Project examples will be used to illustrate how these aspects are addressed. The presentation will include the following:
- Location and design of Use Group H occupancies - Special suppression, detection and explosion protection - Permitting and fire department response - Ongoing/operational code compliance - Risk Management. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.437 Funding a FEMA hazard mitigation plan and projects Jeffrey Hescock University of Massachusetts, United States Universities experience risks and impacts of natural and human hazards. To mitigate these hazards through planning, The University of Massachusetts received a $350,000 FEMA/MEMA grant to develop Hazard Mitigation Plans for four of its campuses. The plans identify measures to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property allowing the university to be eligible to receive funding assistance for hazard mitigation projects. For funding eligibility projects must be pre-identified, making well developed plans essential, involving outreach and participation from diverse campus stakeholders. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.438 Gap analysis – A tool with multiple benefits Kalpana Rengarajan Environmental Health and Safety Office, Atlanta GA, United States A key benefit of gap analysis is that it gives EHS Professionals a structured systematic way to identify program gaps or risks. Once gaps are identified, mitigation plans can be developed. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.439 GIS for EHS Cathy Brennan UNC, Chapel Hill, United States Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping technology is used in many industries as an integral part of data analysis and decision making. GIS use by EHS departments can be a beneficial
Journal of Chemical Health & Safety, May/June 2013