Why should you register to be an organ donor?

I have my reasons for registering as an organ donor, which I will share with you shortly, but I thought I would cross-post the "5 Reasons You Should Become An Organ Donor" from the University Hospital and Medical Center blog from 2011. 

From the UHMC blog post (linked above): 

"Here are five top reasons why you should register to become an organ donor on National Donor Day:

1. You can save a life. One organ donor can save up to eight lives, and statistics show that many people live long and healthy lives after receiving a transplant.

2. The demand is high. Over 100,000 people are waiting for an organ at any given time.

3. It’s free for you. There is no cost associated with becoming an organ donor. Your family will not be charged for the medical procedures involved.

4. Minority need is high. Certain blood types are more prevalent in ethnic minority populations such as African-Americans, Asians, Native Americans, and Hispanics. Matching blood type is necessary for organ transplants, so the need for minority organ donors is high.

5. Everyone is eligible. There are over 80 million Americans currently signed up to be organ donors, and age is not a factor. Parents can authorize organ donation for children under the age of 18 and organs have even been donated from donors in their 70s and 80s."

So why am I an organ donor? Meet my sister. 

She's the thankful recipient of two heart transplants and is almost 17 years old. 

She's been featured in a short documentary (see details on her blog, "Teenage Heart Transplant") that won an award in a local film festival. You can view the festival cut on YouTube. I haven't figured out how to embed videos yet, once I figure it out, I will update my post. 

View the documentary, "Shelby Cooper: Three of Hearts" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPWnFkb98_M. She's awesome.

If you end up reading her blog (I love it and subscribe, but I'm family, ergo biased), or view the documentary, you'll notice she mentions the ukulele...I am 95% sure I am responsible for the Amazon.com gift card that led to that purchase. 

Sign up to be an organ donor! You have no idea how many lives you'll potentially impact. 

How I am celebrating Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day!

Howdy, loyal readers! Today is Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day. I'll tell you how I am celebrating, but first I want to let you know what this day is all about.

About NAOSH

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) started this recognition day in 2006. It is held in the middle of North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, which is this week, May 5 to 11, 2013.

Here's a NAOSH marketing poster for the week-long celebration of safety and health in workplaces and homes.


Image courtesy of NAOSH promotional materials website.

 They have the slogan "Safety and Health: A Commitment for Life" and the website has events (mostly in Canada, since it is "North American" and includes Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.), resources, partners, and promotional materials for communities or companies.

My favorite promotional item is the Safety Checklist, which is written for Canadian regulations but can be easily modified for U.S. regulations. The checklist has the theme "How Safe Are You!" I like that they used the exclamation point (!) rather than making it a question (?) - it feels more like a challenge.



Checklist courtesy of the NAOSH promotional materials website.



 

 

 

 

Safety Checklists

Some of the checklist questions (since the photo is teensy) include:

1.) Does your workplace have a written, up-to-date and posted health and safety policy and a program to implement the policy?

2.) Does everyone in your workplace know their current obligations under the [Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970], as well as the relevant regulations and amendments?

3.) Does everyone know the worker representative or committee members whose role it is to address health and safety issues?

4.) Does your workplace have a system to conduct planned health and safety inspections that includes training, responsibilities, and checklists?

[skipping ahead]

7.) Is the [Hazard Communication Program] current and reviewed annually and when materials or processes change?

I'll stop on this question for two reasons: a) because you can look this checklist up yourself and see how your workplace is doing, and b) because the Hazard Communication Program regulations (HazCom for short) in the U.S. changed recently.

I've planned a series of posts on what changes will be needed in workplaces for HazCom regulatory compliance.

My Celebration

My plans for celebrating the day are pretty simple. I am going to keep doing my job as an occupational safety and health professional. Since I sit at a desk for much of the day, I am going to stave off some musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and do about an hour of yoga in the afternoon. Since I drive around a lot for projects, I am going to make an appointment to get my car serviced, and prevent a potential motor vehicle incident (MVI).

Mostly I plan to promote the Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day and NAOSH week to any unsuspecting blog reader or LinkedIn member I can get to listen.

Industrial hygiene and safety blogs I follow.

I love to read blogs as much as I love to write them (and draw mangas!). Here's two of my favorite industrial hygiene and safety blogs. They post frequently and have useful information. 

Industrial Hygiene: Industrial Hygiene in Construction

Safety: OSHA Training Blog

If you know of any other ones to add to my reading list, post a comment. FYI I have enabled the "approval" of comments before they are posted. Some of them became "spammy" and I had to delete them.