WSA Member Update 2.15.21

WSA Member Update 2.15.21 February 15, 2021  Dear WSA Members,  Happy Presidents’ Day 2021! As you can see, to commemmorate the occasion I’ve also included a photo of Benjamin Franklin. Although he wasn’t ever president, Franklin was certainly instrumental in our democracy and, besides, he is credited with organizing America’s first-ever sweeping program.  The photo is printed on what is most every collector’s favorite item. Any time you have ideas on how WSA might help you collect more real ‘souvenir pictures’ of Benjamin Franklin like the one shown, please let me know.  In case you haven’t yet heard, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released a new ‘Essential Workers COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit,’ which offers a host of information about communicating important COVID topics to your essential worker team. As soon as vaccines are available to essential workers, you will need to overcome any reluctances your workforce members may have in getting vaccinated.  As many of you know, I write a column for WSA in each issue of PAVEMENT Maintenance magazine. As a WSA Member, you’re entitled to a preview of my upcoming article, which covers the importance of getting your essential workforce vaccinated. If you don’t now receive the free print PAVEMENT Maintenancepublication and would like to, here is a sign-up link.  Since we’re at the beginning of the year, I’ve included a PDF file of XpertHR’s ‘Employee Handbook Checklist 2021. The document shows the different information that should be inserted into your Employee Handbooks given the change in your state laws for 2021. Although to visit the links in the file you have to have an XpertHR account, the PDF shows what the changes were in your state so you can make sure you know about the info.  We’ve received several thank you emails for including the ‘teaching moments’ online links when we see them, in order provide you with hard info you can use to remind operators about best practices. Here is one that documents the DUI of a sweeper operator in NH who crashed his sweeper because he was drinking on the job.  Click here or on the graphic above to download it as a full-sized image suitable for printing/posting. The website page where it came from has detailed information on the sad and expensive litany of what occurs to someone when they get a DUI – in addition to the likelihood they’ll lose their job with your company.   As always, if you have questions or comments about this WSA Member Update, or anything else to do with the World Sweeping Association or power sweeping in general, please let me know.  Good Sweeping,  Ranger Kidwell-Ross, Executive Director World Sweeping Association