PSS Hires Tim Egbert To Lead Middle Tennessee Office

      It is with great excitement that Pearson Safety Services announces the hiring of Tim Egbert who will become Branch Manager of our Nashville/Middle Tennessee operations effective January 4. Tim adds tremendous value to the PSS organization with an expanded arsenal of skill sets that will make PSS stronger, deeper in resources and again a viable player in the Middle Tennessee marketplace. Tim will be responsible for growing and managing the Middle Tennessee operations by providing PSS clients with professional safety services including Industrial Hygiene surveys, safety training, site safety surveys and special safety projects.
      Tim has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Saint Francis where he was also a member of the NAIA National Runners-Up Football team. Most recently, Tim was Manager of EH&S, Americas for Johnson Electric in Springfield TN where he delivered expert EHS direction to all US and South American locations. In addition, Tim was responsible for developing and implementing the Corporate Safety Policies, including managing the safety committees, driving compliance with OSHA and EPA and performing high level audits.
      Prior to working at Johnson Electric, Tim was the Branch Manager for Concentra EHS Services where he developed the EHS Service Line through sales, market networking, and other Concentra business units. In addition to growing a local branch, Tim performed exposure monitoring and risk assessment through Industrial Hygiene, Environmental and Safety audits/surveys in 23 states and Canada. In addition, Tim has mastered Industrial Hygiene equipment to perform exposure monitoring including occupational noise, metal dust and fume, silica, thermal decomposition products and other type exposures.
      Tim is qualified to train in numerous subjects. It is because of Tim’s leadership and marketing skills, experience in various safety capacities and industries and his ability to create an Industrial Hygiene Service Line with PSS that PSS is excited to bring him on board.

WBENC Certification

Pearson Safety Services LLC, a Women Owned Business, has successfully been certified with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) for the Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) national certification and recognition. The certification process included preparing an extensive application process, review by a certification Board, and culminating with an on-site interview and inspection of the business to ensure the integrity of the application process.

Per the WBENC website, “WBENC Certification validates that the business is 51 percent owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a woman or women. To achieve WBENC Certification, women owned businesses complete a formal documentation and site visit process which is administered by one of WBENC's 14 Regional Partner Organizations. WBENC Certification gives women owned businesses the ability to compete for real-time business opportunities provided by WBENC Corporate Members.”

In addition, the website goes on to say, “Hundreds of major corporations turn to the WBENC to identify women owned businesses to satisfy their contract needs because WBENC issues a Gold Standard, national certification to women owned businesses to ensure a qualified database of WBENC Certified Women Business Enterprises (WBEs).”

Donna Pearson Chadwick, President of PSS, affirms the importance of this national certification. “Now that we are approved and have received this National Certification, it allows PSS to add even greater value to national corporate accounts as they try and meet their corporate goals and mandates of utilizing Minority and Women Owned businesses.” Mike Seals, Chief Operating Officer of PSS adds, “Not only can we provide the high quality safety services a Company needs to enhance their safety program, we are also able to help the organization meet their purchasing and corporate mandates…it’s a “win win” solution for both our clients and PSS.”

Established in July 2005 in Jackson, Tennessee, Pearson Safety Services LLC has grown throughout the state with branch offices in Memphis and Nashville. Known nationwide as a top safety expert, PSS boasts over 150 clients serving the construction, manufacturing, distribution, and governmental industry sectors. PSS provides their clients with “safety in every direction.” They specialize in risk management assessment, drug-free workplace, safety training, OSHA “mock” audits, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) updates, safety program maintenance, OSHA meetings, site audits, and safety program preparation. For more information on Pearson Safety Services LLC, please visit their Web site at www.pearsonsafety.com or call 731/660-8863.

Eight New OSHA Initiatives

OSHA is ramping up its enforcement efforts against workplace safety violators. As part of this increased enforcement, there are several significant new OSHA developments impacting American employers.

Liability of general contractors for hazards they did not create and/or where their own employees were not exposed:
February 2009, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in Solis v. Summit Contractors, Inc. held that OSHA regulations do not preclude OSHA from issuing citations to a general contractor under the multi-employer citation policy simply based on the fact that the general contractor 'controls" the worksite regardless of whether or not the general contractor created the hazard or had its own employees exposed to the hazard.

OSHA settlement agreements and additional employer obligations:
Employers should be aware that OSHA is mandating uniformity in the language of ALL settlement agreements. Additionally, OSHA is including in all settlement agreements language that seeks to use the settlement process as a way to get employers to agree to undertake additional obligations.

Recordkeeping:
On October 1, 2009, OSHA announced its national emphasis program on record keeping. This emphasis program will include greater scrutiny of employer maintained OSHA logs, whether employers are recording all workplace recordable injuries/illnesses, and more.

Protecting America's Workers Act:
This legislation is currently pending before Congress and is supported by President Obama. The bill proposes significant changes to the OSHA Act, including enhanced civil and criminal penalties, changes in abatement requirements, revisions to the whistle blower structure, and expansion of victim's rights. If passed, this new legislation could have significant repercussions for American employers.

Ergonomics revisited:
OSHA has announced a re–emphasis on ergonomic hazards. Under the Clinton Administration, OSHA enacted an ergonomic standard that was to go into effect October 1, 2001, but was repealed shortly after the election of President Bush, Employers should expect this issue to come back to life again under the Obama administration.

Combustible dust standard:
On April 29, 2009, OSHA announced it would initiate rule making on combustible dust hazards (in response to attention called to inspection failures after a 2008 explosion at Imperial Sugar refinery in Georgia that killed 14 people and injured dozens more).

OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard:
OSHA is moving to align its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1920.1200) with the provisions of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

Per employee penalties for PPE and training violations:
OSHA has issued its final rule allowing OSHA to cite employers on a "per employee basis" for failure to wear/use required personal protective equipment (PPE).