The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) hosted Patrick Grady, automotive instructor at Mukwonago High School, Mukwonago, Wis., at the 91st annual Convention and Exposition of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) in San Francisco last month. Grady (center) is shown in the above left photo with Annette Sykora, 2008 NADA Chairman, Smith Ford Mercury, Slaton, Texas, and Dale Willey, 2007 NADA Chairman, Dale Willey Automotive, Lawrence, Kan.

Grady was selected by CCAR from among the top 50 users of the S/P2 online training in Safety and Pollution Prevention in the Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) program for the 2006-07 school year.

"I would like to thank the CCAR organization for the opportunity to attend the NADA convention in San Francisco this year," said Grady. "Their S/P2 online safety and environmental program is a key part of our automotive curriculum at Mukwonago High School. The support we receive from AYES, the Automotive Dealers Association of Metropolitan Milwaukee, the Mukwonago School District and local businesses makes it possible for us to provide this and other training tools for our students."

Larry Cummings, President and CEO of AYES said, "I am pleased to add my congratulations to Pat and to Mukwonago High School. I also want to salute those who have supported this school since its affiliation with AYES in 2002. The support provided by Gary Williams and the Wisconsin Automotive and Truck Dealers Association and their Foundation has made it possible for local dealers to benefit from the AYES education and experiential process to put more quality young men and women into the automotive service technology career in dealerships."

"CCAR commends Patrick and the AYES instructors that are providing S/P2 to automotive students in high schools across the country," said Robert G. Stewart, CCAR President. "Patrick and Mukwonago High School are key partners with us in helping train the next generation of automotive technicians in safety and environmental issues."

Reprinted/posted
by permission of "Sky" Magazine

The people of the United States represent less than 5 percent of the world's population - yet that 5 percent gobbles up more than a quarter of the planet's resources. If the rest of the world rose to the U.S. level of consumption, four additional planets would be needed to supply the resources and absorb the waste.

The good news is we can change without living "off the grid" in a yurt. Here's a look at how a single act can help (or hurt) the environment-especially when it's shared by millions:

One gallon of used oil - the amount from a small car engine - can pollute one million gallons of fresh water and create an 8-acre oil slick. (Each year, nearly 200 million gallons of used oil are illegally dumped on the ground, tossed in the trash or poured down storm sewers and drains.)

AAA, the nation's largest organization for motorists, has joined with leading representatives for law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and state highway workers in a year-long public information and legislative campaign aimed at reducing deaths and injuries among roadside workers and stranded motorists.

The effort has two primary components. One is enactment in all 50 states of "Move Over" laws that cover tow trucks and other roadside assistance vehicles in addition to law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks and ambulances. These laws require motorists to change lanes to provide an empty travel lane between their vehicle and emergency vehicles along the roadside, or to slow down while approaching-and passing-a traffic incident, if moving to another lane is not possible.

The second element is a national public awareness campaign that will include the use of public safety announcements and other publicity efforts featuring testimonials from NASCAR driver David Ragan. Ragan is the rookie driver of the Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion. His father, Ken Ragan, is a former tow truck driver for AAA. Because race car drivers must "slow down and move over" when an incident occurs on the track, and because of his family experience with the hazards of working along the roadside, Ragan is ideally suited to discuss this topic with race fans and other drivers.

Read more...

Source: Toolbox Talk

Always choose the correct ladder
for the job or task to be performed.

There are many types of ladders, ranging from simple wooden job-built ladders to specialty ladders used for specific jobs. Ladders may be made of timber, aluminum, or fiberglass. Keep the following in mind when choosing the right ladder for your job:

• For indoor use, stepladders or multi-purpose ladders are usually recommended. For outdoor work, taller stepladders, multi-purpose, or extension ladders are generally more appropriate.
• Do not use aluminum ladders when working around electricity. Chose a ladder made out of non-conductive material for electrical work, such as when working near overhead power lines..

Read more...

Mercury is an essential component of many energy-efficient light bulbs. The two most common types of energy-efficient lighting that contain mercury are:

• fluorescent bulbs, including compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and
• high intensity discharge (HID) bulbs.

These bulbs are significantly more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs because they require less energy to provide lighting. Electrical generation from coal-burning power plants also releases mercury into the environment. The use of fluorescent bulbs in place of incandescent bulbs lowers energy use and thus reduces the associated release of mercury from many power plants. Fluorescent bulbs are also more cost effective because they last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

Proper recycling of fluorescent bulbs is equally essential. Fluorescent bulbs  discarded with municipal solid waste can lead to a release of elemental mercury into the environment through breakage and leakage, which ultimately contaminates the food chain. EPA strongly encourages the recycling of all mercury-containing bulbs after they burn out. Virtually all components of these bulbs can be recycled.

For more information, visit these pages on the EPA web site:

Mercury-Containing Light Bulb (Lamp) Recycling

Mercury-Containing Light Bulb (Lamp) Basic Information

Mercury-Containing Light Bulb (Lamp) Collection and Recycling Programs

 

The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) will again join with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) and other organizations and companies to increase public awareness of the importance of workplace safety and health during North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH), May 4-10, 2008. In addition to events held across the continent, Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day will be recognized in ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol on May 7.

Safety and health not only add value to a business, but to the workplace, employees, the community and to everyone's quality of life. Here are examples:

• Effective management and implementation of workplace safety and health programs add significant value to individuals and companies by reducing the extent, severity and consequences of work-related injury and illness.

• Workplaces that establish safety and health management systems reduce their injury and illness costs by 20 to 40 percent.

• Businesses spend $171 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illness, expenditures that come straight out of company profits and can comprise as much as 5 percent of a company's total costs.

• Preventing injuries and illnesses decreases workers compensation and retraining costs, absenteeism and faulty product.

CCAR has a limited quantity of NAOSH Week 2008 posters available (shown above). The posters display the winning entries from ASSE's sixth annual Kids' "Safety-on-the-Job" contest. To request a poster for your business or school, e-mail your request (including your name and mailing address) to ccarinfo@ccar-greenlink.org, with "NAOSH Poster" as the subject.

CCAR's S/P2 Workstation Tests Students at National Automotive Technology Competition
Source:  CCAR

Pennsylvania Auto/Truck Recycling Facility Wins Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence
Source:  Pennsylvania DEP

EPA Upholds $3.16 Million Penalty for UST Violations in Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia
Source:  U.S. EPA, Region 3

Massachusetts Auto Recycler Fined for Wetlands and Hazardous Waste Violation
Source:  Massachusetts DEP

EPA Celebrates One Millionth Mercury Auto Switch Collection Milestone
Source:  U.S. EPA Region 4

California Air Resources Board to Give Rebates to Clean Vehicle Buyers
Source:  California ARB

New Jersey Firm Fined $290,000 for Performing Underground Storage Tank Services Without Certifications
Source: New Jersey DEP

What will be the impact of the EPA's new "Paint Rule" on your business?

Click here to take our March survey!

Results from last month's survey:

Which of the following methods is used most often in your facility to control dust during brake and clutch repair service?

Negative pressure enclosure/HEPA vacuum system method - 20%
Low pressure/wet cleaning method - 20%
Wet method - 20%
Equivalent method [example: spray can/solvent system] - 6.6%
None of the above - 33.3%

Total responses - 15