Join the Conversation

Our first Twitter conversation was a modest success. Send me your ideas for our next one.

We tried something new on March 29, a one-hour Twitter conversation, to see whether that kind of interaction would appeal to this magazine's online audience. The topic was emergency preparedness in light of the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent nuclear crisis in Japan. We used the hashtag #ohsjapanchat.

How did it go? Only a handful of people tweeted questions or answers, and I don't know how many people saw the comments of our three experts (James W. Satterfield, president/chief operating officer of Firestorm Solutions, LLC; Nate Ames, director of EWI's Nuclear Fabrication Consortium; and Barry W. Weissman of Weissman Consultants). But the format worked, I would say. Commenting about others' tweets and recommending useful material wasn't hard.

Here's a rundown of what I tweeted.

Opening tweet:

Thank you for joining our "Lessons from the Japanese Disaster" conversation. We'll discuss planning for various emergencies.

"Japan Earthquake & Tsunami and What They Mean for the U.S." (FEMA NEHRP) http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=4620

10 states participating in 2011 Great Central US ShakeOut (10:15 a.m. April 28). http://www.shakeout.org/centralus/register/

Most quake damage uninsured. Check US quake maps, largest quakes by state: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqarchives/

What about post-quake fire risks? FEMA fire preparedness: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/fire/index.shtm

Jim's point about underinsured: How recently did you review your coverages? Will your company survive if payments delayed?

How much would a flood cost you? http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/flooding_flood_risks/the_cost_of_flooding.jsp

Flood insurance reform is a hot topic in 2011: http://www.iii.org/issues_updates/flood-insurance.html

NWS Spring 2011 flood outlook, good FEMA resources: http://blog.fema.gov/2011/03/annual-us-spring-outlook-flooding.html

Chernobyl @ 25 (April 20-22 conference, Kiev) http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/2011/chernobyl.html

NRC fact sheet on radiation health effects: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/bio-effects-radiation.html

My last tweet:

Thanks to all. Business continuity planning is vital. Have you contacted key suppliers? Is your emergency phone list current?

I hope some of these resources are useful to you. We intend to do more of these Twitter conversations. If you have a good idea for a conversation, a webinar, or an article, please send me an e-mail or call me at 972-687-6701 and share it.

This article originally appeared in the June 2011 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.

About the Author

Jerry Laws is Editor of Occupational Health & Safety magazine, which is owned by 1105 Media Inc.

Product Showcase

  • Magid® D-ROC® GPD412 21G Ultra-Thin Polyurethane Palm Coated Work Gloves

    Magid’s 21G line is more than just a 21-gauge glove, it’s a revolutionary knitting technology paired with an advanced selection of innovative fibers to create the ultimate in lightweight cut protection. The latest offering in our 21G line provides ANSI A4 cut resistance with unparalleled dexterity and extreme comfort that no other 21-gauge glove on the market can offer! 3

  • Safety Knives

    The Safety Knife Company has developed a quality range of safety knives for all industries. Designed so that fingers cannot get to the blades, these knives will safely cut through cardboard, tape, strapping, shrink or plastic wrap or a variety of other packing materials. Because these knives have no exposed blades and only cut cardboard deep, they will not only protect employees against lacerations but they will also save product. The Metal Detectable versions have revolutionary metal detectable polypropylene knife bodies specifically for the food and pharmaceutical industries. This material can be detected and rejected by typical detection machines and is X-ray visible. 3

  • The MGC Simple Plus

    The MGC Simple Plus is a simple-to-use, portable multi gas detector that runs continuously for three years without being recharged or routinely calibrated after its initial charge and calibration during manufacturing. The detector reliably tests a worksite’s atmosphere for hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, oxygen and combustible gases (LEL). Its durability enables the detector to withstand the harshest treatment and environments, hence earning it an IP 68 rating. The MGC Simple Plus is also compatible with a variety of accessories, such as the GCT External Pump. Visit gascliptech.com for more information. 3

Featured

Most   Popular

Webinars