Mary Kay Henry named president of the SEIU

WASHINGTON — Saturday marked an historic occasion for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) as it elected the first woman to the head of the politically influential organization, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Mary Kay Henry, whose goal is to continue to maintain the union's strong political force, with hope for a meeting with President Barack Obama in the near future, was elected for her promise to "restore relations with the American labor movement," the story stated.

According to the story, Henry has made it known that she wishes to settle an on-going dispute between the SEIU and the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees-Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (UNITE-HERE), both of which are battle over jurisdiction over some 300,000 hotel, gaming, airport and other workers nationwide.

Until her rise to the role of president, Henry was fairly unknown in the labor union field and detractors of her appointment have cited her lack of time served in the ranks as a detriment to the union, the story noted.

Stan Lyles, a SEIU steward at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, said: "Mary Kay is the kind of person who can communicate and tell you the facts. She listens to the members."

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OSHA cites Jersey City firm with 36 violations

JERSEY CITY — A Jersey City manufacturer has been cited for three dozen violations and fined nearly $160,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), according to The Jersey Journal.

Importers Service Corp. failed to lock out energy sources and exposed workers during the maintenance and repair of equipment to potential injuries, the article stated.

OSHA initiated its inspection on November 10 as part of a program designed for industries with high injury and illness rates.

The company, which OSHA says has 36 employees, received citations for two willful violations, with a penalty of $98,000; 33 serious violations, with a penalty of $60,500; and one other-than-serious violation, which carries no penalty, the article noted.

According to the article, the serious violations include a lack of training, electrical hazards, inadequate personal protective equipment, failing to implement an adequate hazard communication and respiratory protection program and failing to properly handle confined spaces.

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2010 Federal Summit convenes in Washington

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) seventh annual Federal Summit convened at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. for a two-day exchange of ideas on how to best meet the goals of increased sustainability in existing buildings and communities in order to significantly impact the environment and economy, according to Green Building Pro.

High level officials from throughout the federal sector, including Administrator Martha N. Johnson, U.S. General Services Administration, and Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), discussed topics such as the current state of sustainability in the federal government, the article stated.

"Considerable progress has been made on the path to sustainability in all parts of the United States with stimulus funds supporting the improvement of government buildings at the federal, state and local levels," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, chief operating officer (CEO) and founding chair of USGBC.

Fedrizzi added, "By working together to change the way we design, build and operate buildings, implement best practices and utilize green building programs, we can dramatically improve the performance of our public building stock."

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OSHA begins cracking down

WASHINGTON DC — Pushing a bit harder at the constraints of its administrative authority, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a new enforcement policy for employers who "demonstrate indifference to their responsibilities under the law," according to Business and Legal Resources.

The intent of OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) is to identify and punish employers who, in OSHA's view, repeatedly violate worker safety standards, the article stated.

According to the article, the "instruction" describing SVEP replaces OSHA's Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP).

Significant changes from EEP include targeting high-emphasis hazards (fall hazards, amputations, combustible dust, crystalline silica, excavation/trenching, lead and ship breaking); inspections of other workplaces of the same employer where similar hazards and deficiencies may be present; and a nationwide referral procedure for U.S. OSHA regions and state plan states, the article noted.

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Rogue Community College LEEDs the way

MEDFORD, OR — The Higher Education Center in downtown Medford has received an advanced certification for environmentally friendly construction from the U.S. Green Building Council, joining an elite league of universities in the Western United States, according to the Mail Tribune.

The three-story, 68,700-square-foot education center, which opened in September 2008, is jointly operated by Southern Oregon University (SOU) and Rogue Community College (RCC), the article noted.

"With the emphasis on sustainability at SOU, achieving the LEED Platinum certification and being first in the Oregon University System was a very high priority for us," said Larry Blake, SOU planning and sustainability officer, who headed up the certification process for about the past three years.

"LEED Platinum certification is eventually going to become commonplace, but it's certainly a distinction for us now. We are trying to raise the profile of sustainability of this institution, and this is an important step," Blake added.

The Higher Education Center features heat wheels that transfer energy from exhaust air to pre-heat and pre-cool fresh air, occupancy sensors that control light, heating and air conditioning use and a 56-kilowatt solar array on the roof that produces 6 percent of the building's power supply, among other items, the article stated.

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Don't let those bed bugs bite!

UNITED KINGDOM — Research suggests that while an unmade bed may look scruffy it is also unappealing to dust mites thought to cause asthma and other allergies, according to the BBC.

A Kingston University study discovered the bugs cannot survive in the warm, dry conditions found in an unmade bed, the article noted.

The warm, damp conditions created in an occupied bed are ideal for the creatures, but they are less likely to thrive when moisture is in shorter supply, the article stated.

Researcher Dr. Stephen Pretlove said: "We know that mites can only survive by taking in water from the atmosphere using small glands on the outside of their body."

"Something as simple as leaving a bed unmade during the day can remove moisture from the sheets and mattress so the mites will dehydrate and eventually die," Pretlove added.

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Empire State Building achieves ENERGY STAR goal

NEW YORK — The ground-breaking energy efficiency work at the Empire State Building has achieved a milestone on its journey for sustainability leadership in the commercial real estate community by receiving an ENERGY STAR rating of 90 from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a press release.

The designation for the Empire State Building signifies that the property's energy performance is in the top tenth percentile of all commercial office buildings, new and old, across the nation. An ENERGY STAR rating of 90 was a stated objective in the iconic property's overall sustainability retrofit initiative launched in April 2009, the release stated.

In April 2009 President Bill Clinton, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the Empire State Building partnership team consisting of the Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls, Jones Lang LaSalle, and the Rocky Mountain Institute announced details of an energy retrofit as part of a $550 million upgrade program, the release noted.

Anthony E. Malkin of Malkin Holdings, which directs the operation of the international icon on behalf of building owner Empire State Building Company, stated, "Receiving an ENERGY STAR rating of 90 out of 100 is a significant accomplishment for any building, and an especially groundbreaking accomplishment for our Pre-War Trophy Empire State Building."

"With the building's overall energy efficiency retrofit project still in progress, we may see a higher number when all of the initiatives are completed," Malkin added.

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