7/10/2015· Insurance
An Unregulated Workers Compensation Insurance Market Poses Problems
Recently, a former Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance wrote an Op-Ed piece, decrying recently proposed legislation that would require insurers to file changes in Workers Compensation insurance rates with regulators before using those rates with insurers. The proposed legislation would also allow the Department of Insurance to disapprove rates if it was determined they were excessive.
7/8/2015· Transportation
Buses and Motorcoaches: Seating and Securement
By: Ned Einstein
Comparing their relative safety to that of other vehicles, a number of motorcoach features come immediately to mind: Mass, monocoque construction pneumatic suspension, and fully-padded, forward-facing seats. Yet incidents like these still occur:
6/29/2015· OSHA
Forensic Clues: Power Press Safeguarding
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that between 1,600 and 2,000 amputations occur annually due to power press operation. Another 18,000 people receive less serious injuries annually. Injury statistics compiled by OSHA for the years 1975 through 1983 confirm these figures. These numbers are alarming and unnecessarily high. Power presses can be used safely when the presses are properly designed to minimize the hazard that the operator is exposed to.
6/16/2015· Education & Schools
Teaching Hiring For Collaboration In Urban Schools: Team Task Interviews for STEM Teacher Candidates
Creative professionals in team-based work settings value work communications skills among their colleagues. As public schools create professional learning communities and experiment with teacher-led curriculum and program development, traditional interview processes may prove inadequate for these new collaborative environments. New and creative selection models may be needed to enable teacher or other professional teams to choose candidates with the 21st century skills needed for success. In public sector environments, work rules are often highly developed and professionals are entitled to interview. Qualifications, training, experience and seniority as determinants often get reduced to transfer rights using seniority as the main or only criteria. This trend detracts from creating a competitive environment in which to attract & retain a high-quality teaching staff. Solutions can be found within existing contract parameters, however, if the attributes necessary to teach 21st Century skills are actually required to be demonstrated, not just described, in the interview process.
6/12/2015· Transportation
Buses and Motorcoaches: Safety v. Liability
By: Ned Einstein
No, this is not the name of a case. It refers to a dangerous conflict coursing through the bus and motorcoach industries - a conflict that we cannot afford to let exist.
6/12/2015· Pools and Spas (Recreational)
Pool Safety & Inspection: What's Below the Surface?
By: Trevor Sherwood
Everyone knows when you buy a new home that it needs to be inspected by a professional home inspector. But, what should you do about the pool in the backyard? Unbeknownst to many homebuyers and sellers, the pool needs a professional inspection in order to make sure that it is safe enough for your family to enjoy.
6/4/2015· Design
Personal Injury: Pay More Attention To The Chairs
By: Leonard Backer
Basic but very important points which could help minimize owners' liability and financial exposure to accident and personal injury claims on their premises.
5/26/2015· Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Alternative Dispute Resolution: What It Is and Why You Should Consider Using It
By: Darryl Horowitt
Litigation in our court system has become an expensive, time-consuming, and frus trating process which often yields undesired results. Nevertheless, a trial may be necessary to vindicate certain fundamental rights. For many disputes, however, there are alternatives to trial. This article addresses some of the alternatives, known collectively as "Alternative Dispute Resolution ('ADR')," and their potential benefit.
5/26/2015· Machinery
Forensic Clues: Agricultural Machinery - PTO Hazards
Every year there are thousands of debilitating injuries and deaths on farms. Many of these are related to power take-off's (PTO's). PTO shafts are used to power various farming implements, from mowers, hay balers, augers, and many other types of farming machinery. The PTO shaft was invented in the 1930's. The PTO shaft is essentially a shaft powered by the tractor engine that rotates at high speeds, providing power for a wide array of implements. While this provides a convenient source of power to drive farm implements, serious accidents can occur due to entanglement in PTO's. PTO's must be properly equipped with guards including master shields which covers the stub shaft and universal joint. These shields prevent inadvertent contact with the rotating machinery. Contact with unshielded rotating PTO parts can instantly pull a person into the PTO, causing catastrophic damage.
5/18/2015· Education & Schools
Using De Facto Learning Theory To Understand Urban School Mobility
"All children can learn," is a catchphrase currently making the rounds in education circles, particularly in staff development activities (Pankratz & Petroski, 2003). De facto learning theory challenges the underlying assumptions of this phrase by examining how it is that learning in schools takes place. Using theoretical foundations of Dewey, Maslow, and Vygotsky, this essay will explore the fact that all children are, in fact, learning all the time, regardless of the actions of teachers, the content of the curriculum, or educational policy and practice.
Dan Werdowatz PE SE, Sr. Princ. Struct. Engineer
