ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A cleaner was given a 27-year prison sentence and five years' probation for the 2006 slaying of his boss, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Jose Valdes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree arson for killing his boss and setting the man's vehicle on fire with his body inside, the story stated.
The cause of death was determined as blunt force trauma to the head, the story noted.
According to Florida state law, the minimum portion of a sentence an inmate must serve is 85 percent, meaning Valdes must serve at least 23 years for his crimes, the story added.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
New studies attempt to beat MRSA
SAN DIEGO, CA — Three studies presented to the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) at their annual meeting suggest that Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) can be beaten, according to the U.S. News and World Report.
In the first report, Dr. Philip Polgreen, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa, spoke of a wireless computerized system that monitors staff to ensure that they wash their hands before entering an intensive care unit, the story stated.
Polgreen said: "Hand washing is one of the most important actions health care workers can take to protect patients from developing hospital-acquired infections. Yet hand hygiene compliance among physicians, nurses and other health care workers remains unacceptably low."
In the second report, a team led by Rupak Datta, an M.D./Ph.D. candidate at the University of California at Irvine, found that 40 percent of MRSA and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections are transmitted by touching nearby surfaces, and that cleaning with disinfectant-saturated cloths rather than spray bottles is more effective, the story noted.
Datta said: "This suggests that cleaning measures over and above national standards can be important in reducing the transmission of multi-drug-resistant organisms, such as MRSA and VRE in high-risk patient care areas, such as the ICU."
In the third report, Dr. Susan S. Huang, director of epidemiology and infection prevention at the University of California at Irvine School of Medicine, suggests that transfering patients from one room to another increases the risk of spreading HAIs to other parts of the facility, the story added.
Huang said: "We found that 22 percent of patients will be rehospitalized within a year of discharge. Most are readmitted to different hospitals than the one where they were initially treated. In an average month, each hospital exposed other hospitals to 10 of their patients."
In the first report, Dr. Philip Polgreen, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa, spoke of a wireless computerized system that monitors staff to ensure that they wash their hands before entering an intensive care unit, the story stated.
Polgreen said: "Hand washing is one of the most important actions health care workers can take to protect patients from developing hospital-acquired infections. Yet hand hygiene compliance among physicians, nurses and other health care workers remains unacceptably low."
In the second report, a team led by Rupak Datta, an M.D./Ph.D. candidate at the University of California at Irvine, found that 40 percent of MRSA and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections are transmitted by touching nearby surfaces, and that cleaning with disinfectant-saturated cloths rather than spray bottles is more effective, the story noted.
Datta said: "This suggests that cleaning measures over and above national standards can be important in reducing the transmission of multi-drug-resistant organisms, such as MRSA and VRE in high-risk patient care areas, such as the ICU."
In the third report, Dr. Susan S. Huang, director of epidemiology and infection prevention at the University of California at Irvine School of Medicine, suggests that transfering patients from one room to another increases the risk of spreading HAIs to other parts of the facility, the story added.
Huang said: "We found that 22 percent of patients will be rehospitalized within a year of discharge. Most are readmitted to different hospitals than the one where they were initially treated. In an average month, each hospital exposed other hospitals to 10 of their patients."
Catholic schools clean green
DURHAM, ON, Canada — The Durham Catholic District School Board is one of four districts in Ontario participating in a green cleaning pilot project, according to the Durham Region News.
Among those recruited to develop a green cleaning training guide to provide best practices and directions on establishing a sustainable green program in schools is The Ashkin Group, the story stated.
The pilot program began during the March break and will run for six weeks, the story noted.
Following the six-week pilot, evaluations will be conducted to measure product effectiveness, costs, student and staff absenteeism, indoor air quality, odors and dust, the story added.
Among those recruited to develop a green cleaning training guide to provide best practices and directions on establishing a sustainable green program in schools is The Ashkin Group, the story stated.
The pilot program began during the March break and will run for six weeks, the story noted.
Following the six-week pilot, evaluations will be conducted to measure product effectiveness, costs, student and staff absenteeism, indoor air quality, odors and dust, the story added.
Georgia-Pacific plant closing indefinitely
WHITEVILLE, NC — A Georgia-Pacific plant, once the fifth largest employer in Columbus County, will be closing its doors in May, according to WWAY-TV.
The plant attempted to salvage as many positions as it could, but despite several rounds of layoffs, there is no other choice but to close the operation, the story stated.
Charles Garrett of the Columbus County Job Link Career Center said: "They were one of the better paying employers, and those wages will be sorely missed."
The plant at one time employed upwards of 450 individuals; as of now, only 90 positions remain, the story noted.
Georgia-Pacific, who says the end is inevitable unless there is a miraculous turn around in the market, will pay their employees and honor their benefits through May 31, the story added.
The plant attempted to salvage as many positions as it could, but despite several rounds of layoffs, there is no other choice but to close the operation, the story stated.
Charles Garrett of the Columbus County Job Link Career Center said: "They were one of the better paying employers, and those wages will be sorely missed."
The plant at one time employed upwards of 450 individuals; as of now, only 90 positions remain, the story noted.
Georgia-Pacific, who says the end is inevitable unless there is a miraculous turn around in the market, will pay their employees and honor their benefits through May 31, the story added.
Janitors protest layoffs and "corporate excess"
SAN JOSE, CA — Janitors gathered outside the headquarters of Cisco Systems Inc. to protest the layoff of roughly half of the custodial staff in recent months, according to KPIX-TV.
The protest is part of a nation-wide movement organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to fight what they call "corporate excess," the story stated.
The political director for SEIU Local 1877, the union representing the 75 laid-off janitors, said: "It's not like Cisco is closing whole buildings. The janitors still have the same amount of work, but now with half the workforce, and they just can't do the same quality job."
The janitors working in the Cisco Systems facility are employees of American Building Maintenance Industries Inc. (ABM) and are contracted to work for Cisco, the story noted.
Cisco's janitors receive wages and health care benefits below what janitors at most major Silicon Valley technology companies receive, the story added.
The protest is part of a nation-wide movement organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to fight what they call "corporate excess," the story stated.
The political director for SEIU Local 1877, the union representing the 75 laid-off janitors, said: "It's not like Cisco is closing whole buildings. The janitors still have the same amount of work, but now with half the workforce, and they just can't do the same quality job."
The janitors working in the Cisco Systems facility are employees of American Building Maintenance Industries Inc. (ABM) and are contracted to work for Cisco, the story noted.
Cisco's janitors receive wages and health care benefits below what janitors at most major Silicon Valley technology companies receive, the story added.
Paper mill faces $320,500 in OSHA fines
SPRAGUE, CT — Accusations of safety violations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) leave the owner of a paper mill facing $320,500 in fines, according to the Norwich Bulletin.
OSHA cited a total of 52 serious and repeat violations at the Inland Road mill that was acquired by Cascades Inc. in 2005, the story stated.
A January 30 press release from OSHA said that its investigation was prompted by "employee complaints" and uncovered a "broad cross section of chemical, electrical, mechanical, fire and fall hazards," and that "extensive" rust, corrosion and physical damage compromised the building’s structural stability.
Some employees, who feel that OSHA's findings are exaggerated, see the company’s troubles rooted in a "power struggle" between management and an on-site union, the story noted.
Both OSHA and Cascades would like to swiftly settle the matter and avoid costly litigation; a settlement could be reached as early as the end of April, the story added.
According to a spokesperson for Cascades, the situation is "presently under evaluation."
OSHA cited a total of 52 serious and repeat violations at the Inland Road mill that was acquired by Cascades Inc. in 2005, the story stated.
A January 30 press release from OSHA said that its investigation was prompted by "employee complaints" and uncovered a "broad cross section of chemical, electrical, mechanical, fire and fall hazards," and that "extensive" rust, corrosion and physical damage compromised the building’s structural stability.
Some employees, who feel that OSHA's findings are exaggerated, see the company’s troubles rooted in a "power struggle" between management and an on-site union, the story noted.
Both OSHA and Cascades would like to swiftly settle the matter and avoid costly litigation; a settlement could be reached as early as the end of April, the story added.
According to a spokesperson for Cascades, the situation is "presently under evaluation."
The new LEED for 2009
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 2009 will officially launch on April 27, 2009, according to GreenBuilding.com.
April 27 will also be the date for the transition of LEED project registration and certification to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), the third party that administers the LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) certification, the story stated.
According to the story, projects may be registered under either the new or the old LEED rating system until June 27, 2009, from which point all projects must be registered for LEED 2009.
Several versions of previous LEED AP exams will be retired and new versions will be introduced and made mandatory, the story noted.
The LEED 2009 credentials are more strict and offer extended levels of accreditation, the story added.
April 27 will also be the date for the transition of LEED project registration and certification to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), the third party that administers the LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) certification, the story stated.
According to the story, projects may be registered under either the new or the old LEED rating system until June 27, 2009, from which point all projects must be registered for LEED 2009.
Several versions of previous LEED AP exams will be retired and new versions will be introduced and made mandatory, the story noted.
The LEED 2009 credentials are more strict and offer extended levels of accreditation, the story added.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)