The original proposal suggested a pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The President rejected this plan in January saying that it required further environmental reviews. The benefit of the TransCanada pipeline is that approval from the US State Department would not be needed since it will not cross the Canada – U.S. border.

According to an article by USA Today, moving oil from the Midwest to the world-class, state-of-the-art refineries on the Gulf Coast will modernize our infrastructure, create jobs, and encourage American energy production. TransCanada says that it will start working on the pipeline as soon as possible and the construction will be completed by late next year.

This new pipeline will further boost the oil and gas industry in Oklahoma and more employees will be required to meet safety standards and regulations. noodleStream.com, the maker of SafetySkills™ is an Oklahoma based online safety training provider that specializes in training for the Oil and Gas Industry as well as the General Industry. Course titles include Confined Space Awareness, Oil Rig Safety, Excavation and Trenching, Lockout/ Tagout and over 200 additional OSHA compliant courses. Training is also available in a DVD format for employees without computer access. Please call us today for more information on course titles, regulations and pricing at 888-844-3549.

More than 800,000 hazardous material shipments occur every day – 365 days a year. Commerce involving hazardous materials contributes more than $446 billion to the US economy annually. It is an important part of everyone’s daily life. Persons involved in the packaging, marking, labeling, and transporting of hazardous materials must be familiar with the proper handling and safeguarding of hazardous materials as prescribed in the Hazardous Materials Regulations, or HMR. This free course is designed to give HAZMAT employees a general awareness of the requirements of the HMR.

Hazardous Materials Transportation,Introduction can be used to fulfill the requirements of 49 CFR 174(a)(1) for the general awareness/familiarization training. After the completion of the course you will be able to summarize which packages and containers the HMR apply to, what training is required and what the possible penalties are for violating the HMR. Employers may also be interested in all the courses available in our Hazardous Materials (DOT) Training Series.

To check out all of our over 200 OSHA, EPA and DOT compliant courses, visit us at http://safetyskills.com/

Many accidents could be prevented if drivers took this time to focus only on driving. Many drivers use this time to multi task, whether it be to answer emails, respond to texts, eat breakfast or put on makeup. A delay in reaction time due to multitasking can prove to be fatal. One of the most important rules to follow and stay safe is to plan ahead. The Foundation for Traffic Safety offer excellent tips and facts on distracted driving – http://www.aaafoundation.org/multimedia/distracteddriving.cfm

To get the whole office or company involved, have them take a few minutes to complete the SafetySkills Distracted Driver course. This course is designed to give the learner knowledge and skills needed to drive safely and avoid distractions that can lead to traffic accidents. When this course is over the learner should be able to recognize the causes of driver distraction and the appropriate actions for distracted drivers to take.  The Distracted Driver online course is part of the Driver Safety Training Series. This series includes Delivery Driver Safety, Driver Safety,Hazardous Driving Conditions,Hazards of Speeding and Road Rage.

To find out more about SafetySkills™, visit us at http://safetyskills.com.

A severe weather action plan will provide employees the best method of action when working on an outdoor job site in inclement weather. Most plans will have to be tailored to the weather conditions in the area such as hurricanes or tornadoes, but thunderstorms are a dangerous weather condition for most outdoor workers across the country. To learn more about severe weather action plans, please view the SafetySkills™ course at  http://www.safetyskills.com/occupational-health-and-safety-series/severe-weather-and-outdoor-work-safety. After viewing the course, employees will be able to demonstrate knowledge of severe weather hazards and how to react when severe weather strikes during work processes. Employees will learn to identify hazards associated with severe weather and standard protocols to follow during severe weather events. Proper knowledge of severe weather is key when developing the best safety plan for outdoor workers.

The general public may be exposed to asbestos in small doses daily in the air. Most people who develop asbestos related diseases were exposed to asbestos at their workplace. The greater the exposure to large quantities of asbestos, the greater the risk of developing a related illness. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. To keep employees safe, employers must know the forms and toxicity level of asbestos. SafetySkills™ provides an Asbestos Hazard Awareness course available at http://safetyskills.com/occupational-health-and-safety-series/asbestos-hazard-awareness This course provides information on the basics of identifying asbestos hazards and how to eliminate the hazards in the workplace. For more information on this courses and other safety training courses, please visit us at safetyskills.com

Besides how supermarket safety can affect consumers, employees’ are at high risk of injury due to the variety of tasks that must be performed. Cashiers, bakery and deli workers, butchers and stockers all need specialized training to help them safely perform their job duties. SafetySkills™ has developed an online grocery and supermarket safety training series that addresses safety concerns in grocery stores. This series includes the following courses:

• Supermarket Safety – Backroom Safety
• Supermarket Safety – General Safety
• Supermarket Safety – Safe Lifting Basics
• Supermarket Safety – Bakery/Deli Safety
• Supermarket Safety – Meat Market Safety
• Supermarket Safety – Slips, Trips and Falls

According to Tiara Rye, a Homeland Assistant Frontend Manager, felt that the series “was very interactive…it is easy to use and covers all the basic points in safety.” She also encourages other members of this industry to use this training .

Take a look for yourself at http://safetyskills.com/supermarket-safety-series.

The SBCA 2009 Award Program recognizes the top 5 percent of  small businesses across the country. The winners of the award are chosen by the use of consumer feedback and how important the small businesses are to the American economy.  The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports. Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

“Being chosen as one of the top 5 percent of small businesses is fantastic and shows the public that we offer a great service,” said Greene. “The need for the best training possible is something that I hope more and more businesses will realize is essential to building a strong business.”

I hope that everyone makes workplace safety their New Year’s resolution and learns from the lessons of 2009 and looks to this company to make safety a priority in their business.

It’s safe to say that when you think of Black Friday, you think about tons of sales to save you money on holiday shopping. Unfortunately, some of these savings come with a high price. Last year on Black Friday a Wal-Mart security guard was trampled to death by overly eager shoppers trying to make the most out of the potential savings that awaited them. This particular incident received news coverage all over the U.S. and even internationally in hopes of getting people to realize that no amount of financial savings is worth someone’s life.

But apparently not everyone got the message. There have been multiple reports of violent incidents occurring across the country just to save a buck. In a Sheboygan, Wisconsin Wal-Mart this morning police were called in a scuffle broke out over discounted GPS units. Another case in Centennial, Colorado Toys ‘R’ Us resulted in a 78-year-old woman being thrown to the floor. 14 Police patrol cars were called to another Toys ‘R’ Us in Jantzen Beach, Oregon when a physicla dispute took place amongst 100 shoppers who had been waiting since midnight.

Shoppers also need to be aware of the added risk that lies ahead of them on the road. Contrary to popular belief  the most dangerous holiday to be driving is not New Years’ but actually Thanksgiving. This is not that surprising when you put all elements into consideration and can be used when driving during the rest of the holiday season:

• Hazardous weather conditions
• Rushing for time = Speeding
• Celebrations = Drinking and Driving
• Overall courtesy that is shown during the holiday time on the road = Road Rage
• Driver Distraction

The one thing to learn from all of this is that Thanksgiving is a time to show gratitude for what you have, not to hurt others in order to get what you want.