| RD Poll |
There is still time to participate in last week's Quick Poll. Your answers and comments are valuable to HMC. Thank you! |
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Food For Thought |
When was the last time the food thermometer was calibrated? The food danger zone in California is 41 - 140°F. Hot food should be at 140°F or above, and cold food at 41° or below. It is important to calibrate food thermometers if they are dropped, before first use, and when going from one temperature extreme to another.
Please see HMC P&P Manual policy No. 595 page 345 for food calibration information, and policy No. 590 pages 340-342 for food serving temperature regulations.
 Feel free to send me your food and menu related questions.
Janet Montano, RD Director of Menu Services |
| Special Event |
 CDA's Public Policy Education Day is Monday March 8 in Sacramento. Go to the CDA website for details. |
| National
Nutrition Month |
| March is National Nutrition Month. Visit the ADA site for tips, ideas and resources.
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| Contact the Editor |
 Please send your RDNews comments, suggestions & questions to Judy Morgan, MBA, RD | |
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| Issue: 8 |
February 25th, 2010 |
| Greetings!
In this issue of RDNews Sonja Lorraine, RD, HR Director for HMC shares some valuable safety information in regards to cell phone use. Your safety is important to HMC. |
Cell Phone Safety Update-
PUT DOWN THAT CELL PHONE! |
 Are you addicted to the cell phone?
Do you drive and talk on the cell phone?
Do you text while driving?
I can speak for myself when I say I have broken the law too many times! Up until recently I have realized that texting at stop signs or at red lights is NOT ok. I used to think that if I only do it while I'm stopped somewhere that it is ok. Regretfully, it is not.
These are all questions HM Composite would like to direct to you. If you use a cell phone these days chances are you are probably like most others out there. You talk and text on your cell a lot! I would like to take this opportunity in this issue of RD News to reinforce our policy on cell phone use.
See page 24 of the HMC staff handbook where our policy states the following:
"Employees who drive in the course of their job duties may not talk on a cell phone while driving unless they are utilizing a hands free headset or device that enables them to keep both hands on the steering wheel while talking on the phone. Employee may not send or receive a text message, emails or other forms of written communications on cell phone, PDA, or electronic device while operating a vehicle on company time." |
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RD Tip |
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California State law has banned hand held cell phone use and texting in the car while driving.  You may only talk on the phone using a hands free device. Although this is State Law, we felt it was necessary to re-enforce this and to really make you think twice about checking that flashing red light on your cell while you drive. Some overwhelming statistics for you to think about by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute :
*7 out of 10 people admit to texting while driving.
*You are 3 times more likely to get in an accident if you are driving and dialing
*Text messaging while driving increases your risk for an accident by 23 times!!!
*Texting takes a driver's attention away from the road for an average length of time for 4.6 seconds: enough time to travel a foot ball length field at 55 mph.
*If you have a teenager, the average amount of texting a teenager does per month on sending and receiving is 2,899 texts per month!
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| Dear Dietitian; |
I have taken a pledge to myself and I encourage you to join me in NOT using your cell phone in the car. I know this is very difficult especially since we live in a world of instant communication. But is it worth your life or the lives of others it may affect? Do you want to take that chance? I leave you with these questions for thought and hope you take it to heart. This is California State Law and also the policy of HMC. But as a concerned friend, mother, and colleague, I hope you hear my plea in not picking up that phone while driving. Even if it is me! I'll wait.
Sonja Lorraine, RD
HMComposite, Inc
HR Director | |
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Registered Dietitian Newsletter
