Dave Johnson has been chief editor of Industrial Safety and Hygiene News (ISHN) since 1980. We’ve given ISHN’s Facebook newsletter, also posted on the ISHN web site blog, a new title so we are not restricted to publishing Monday (The Week that will be in Safetyland), Wedneday (Hump Day in Safetyland) and Friday (The Week that was…)

SOCIAL MEDIA TALK:

Here are conversation topics kicking this week off on professional forum member groups:

GREEN GROUP (LinkedIn) – John Horsely posted a request for connections and received 1,717 RESPONESES.

Samples: “I am an open networker and open to all invites. Please connect with me if you would like to significantly grow your network!” “I'm an open networker as well and happy to meet new folks. “I'm a recent grad trying to make connections! Looking for opportunities too! Thanks” “I am looking to expand my Green contact list since I am putting together the International Green Summit 2009”

NOTE: Safety and health pros have always been natural networkers. Check out the association headquarters hotel lobby at any safety and health convention. Now social networking is whisking pros out of their work silos and enabling networking to be part of every day, rather than a once-a-year assocation gathering.

AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE ASSOCIATION GROUP (LinkedIn) – Promoting the 2010 TapRoot Summit in San Antonio, TX Oct. 27-29.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY PROFESSIONALS (LinkedIn Group with 10,000+ members) – “Please advise me where to study for an environmental health and safety master’s degree?”

SAFETY TRAINING (LinkedIn Group) – How do you design a training matrix?

And James Roughton, CSP, one of the S&H profession’s social media mavens from way back, has posted “Top 60 LinkedIn Groups for Job Seekers and Recruiters / JobMob.

NOTE: Really, what’s the point of LinkedIn and having connections to 100s of peers if jobs aren’t at the end of the rainbow? Or at least the possibility of jobs…

EHSQ ELITE (#1 in Safety) That’s their tagline, not ours, by the way…

Urs Frei started a discussion on NEAR MISS reporting culture. AMONG THE RESPONSES:

“One thing I've always thought hurts reporting of near misses is that individuals naturally don't want to own up to their mistakes, especially in front of the peers and superiors. “

“As you may know in the aviation industry reporting "near misses and hazardous conditions" is mandatory.”

“I agree that near miss is not the most positive wording. One could think of calling it 'learning opportunity', ' improvement opportunity' or something more positive. We use the term 'near miss' next to 'unsafe condition', 'unsafe act' and 'improvement proposal'. We see that 'unsafe acts' are mainly reported concerning contractors and transporters. Non-conformities is ISO slang, may not be clear for employees.”

IN THE NEWS:

“FOR OIL RIG WORKERS, HIGH RISK AND HIGH STRESS”

“They’re hiring these guys for their bodies, and when they get hurt, the company throws them away,” an attorney tells the Washington Post. Accidents happen, and it’s ultimately the almighty dollar that drive it all.”

SKIN EXPOSURES & DISEASES TAKE TOLL ON WORKERS

NIOSH estimates workplace skin diseases account for 15 percent to 20 percent of all reported occupational diseases in the United States, with estimated total annual costs (including lost workdays and lost productivity) up to $1 billion, according to Infection Control Today.