Happy Halloween!  Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  Next week, more than 41 million children, in the United States, will celebrate Halloween by going trick-or-treating!  Please keep the following in mind to keep you and your community safe:

Statistics

• 175 million Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year
• More than 41 million children will go trick or treating this year
• The average American will spend $86.79 on Halloween festivities
• 3.8 million children will dress as their favorite character
• 20% of celebrators will dress their pet
• Box office earnings for horror movies exceeded 750 million dollars in 2022
• 6.9 million dollars has been spent on pumpkin spice products since the end of August

On a more serious note, in the United States…

• In 2023, more than 7,300 pedestrians died in traffic or non-traffic incidents
  • This is a 52% increase over the last decade
• 18% of those deaths occurred at road crossings or intersections
• Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year

Tips for Trick or Treating

• A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds
• If your older children are going alone, plan their route with them
  • Agree on a specific time that they should return home
• Teach your children never to enter a stranger’s home or car
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home
• Children and adults should never walk while looking at their cell phones or electronic devices
• A responsible adult should inspect all candy prior to allowing anyone to eat it
• Any candy that is not in a wrapper or has a wrapper that has been tampered with should be discarded immediately

Tips for Motorists

• Avoid driving during Trick or Treat hours, if possible
• Slow down in residential areas and obey all traffic signs and signals
• Drive at least 5 MPH below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street
• Don’t utilize your high beams as they make it difficult for on-coming traffic to see trick or treaters
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians, curbs, sidewalks and streets with no sidewalks
• Watch for children crossing the street who cross mid-block or between parked cars
• Watch for trick or treaters who may dart from behind cars or other obstructions
• Carefully enter and exit driveways
• Don’t park in the street if you don’t have to
• Use extra caution when backing up
• Turn on your headlights to make yourself more visible- even if the sun is still out
• Be Alert, Be Safe, Be Aware

2025 is FLYING BY very quickly, but that doesn’t mean that you have to let the many benefits that ASSP has to offer pass you by!  Regardless of the industry that you work in, ASSP has something for you.  In addition, we are looking for assistance on one of our many committees.  While many of our volunteers spend 8 or more hours per month, in their volunteer roles, many others spend less than 2 hours.  Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated.   If you are interested in being more active in the chapter, please reach out to me directly. Thank you, again, for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

James Woodward
ASSP Chesapeake Chapter President

Happy Fall! The start of the fall season has a different meaning for many of us.  For some chapter members, the Region VI Professional Development Conference symbolizes the end of summer, and it was a pleasure to interact with many of you who were in attendance, in Myrtle Beach. Many Americans consider the Labor Day holiday to be the end of season, while the official conclusion is September 22, with the autumnal equinox. 

Regardless of how you mark the end of summer and the beginning of fall, the kids are back at school, the leaves are changing, and pumpkin spice EVERYTHING, is on the store shelves. As the season changes from summer to fall, there are some additional precautions that you can take to keep you and the community safe, while on the roadways:

• Be on the lookout for school zone signals and ALWAYS obey the speed limits.
• When entering a school zone, be sure to slow down and obey all traffic laws.
• Always stop for school busses that are loading or unloading children.
• Watch out for school crossing guards and obey their signals.
• Be aware of and watch out for children near schools, bus stops, sidewalks, in the streets, in school parking lots, etc.
• Never pass other vehicles, change lanes, make u-turns, or text while driving in a school zone.
• Avoid using a cell phone, unless it is completely hands-free, while driving in a school zone.
• Unless licensed to do so, never use handicap or emergency vehicle lanes or spaces to drop off or pick up children at school.

The summer months passed us by very quickly and there is no doubt that we will be talking about winter weather safety before we know it. Don’t let the many benefits that ASSP has to offer pass you by! Regardless of the industry that you work in, ASSP has something for you. In addition, we are looking for assistance on one of our many committees. While many of our volunteers spend 8 or more hours per month, in their volunteer roles, many others spend less than 2 hours. Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated.  If you are interested in being more active in the chapter, please reach out to me directly. Thank for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. In mid-April, all chapter members received an email regarding the upcoming chapter elections. The following members were elected to serve as chapter officers for the 2025-2026 chapter year.

President
James Woodward Sr.

1st Vice President
Matt Koss, CSP

2nd Vice President
Adrian Hernandez, GSP

Secretary
Mario Olivera

Treasurer
Mike Wolf, CSP

Director
Craig Lowry

1st Advisory Group Member
Ned Fitter

Although the elected positions have been filled, we are still actively looking for members to serve on our various committees!

Now is the time to step up, get involved, and truly embrace the many benefits that the American Society of Safety Professionals has to offer! The Chesapeake Chapter is one of the most active chapters in the nation, with monthly chapter ‘hybrid’ lunch and learns, and multiple social events that take place during the day and in the evenings. In addition, the chapter partners with the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Chesapeake and Potomac Locals for one of the most highly attended professional development conferences in the region. If you are interested in running for any of the elected positions, volunteering to serve as a committee chair, or assist by becoming a member of any of our committees, please reach out to me directly.

Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. I hope to hear from you soon.

James Woodward Sr.
ASSP Chesapeake Chapter President

Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. In mid April, all chapter members will receive an email regarding the upcoming chapter elections. Elected officers include; President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director. Each position requires the officer to volunteer between 2 and 10 hours per month, and all elected officers serve one-year terms. In addition, the elected President appoints a chair for the following committees: Chapter Professional Development Conference, Programs, Membership, Nominations and Elections, Awards and Scholarships, Communications, Government Affairs, Professional Organizations, and WISE (Women in Safety Excellence). The appointed committee chairs then add volunteers to their respective committee.

Now is the time to step up, get involved, and truly embrace the many benefits that the American Society of Safety Professionals has to offer! The Chesapeake Chapter is one of the most active chapters in the nation, with monthly chapter ‘hybrid’ lunch and learns, and multiple social events that take place during the day and in the evenings.  In addition, the chapter partners with the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Chesapeake and Potomac Locals for one of the most highly attended professional development conferences in the region. If you are interested in running for any of the elected positions, volunteering to serve as a committee chair, or assist by becoming a member of any of our committees, please reach out to me directly.

Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. I hope to hear from you soon.

James A. Woodward Sr.
ASSP Chesapeake Chapter President

Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  In the early morning hours of the second Sunday in March, we moved the clocks ahead an hour in recognition of daylight savings time.  For many, this is the unofficial start of spring.  A few weeks later, when the sun’s rays shine onto the equator, while the Earth sat with its axis tilted neither toward nor away from the sun.  For those of you who are familiar with astronomy… this marked the spring equinox, which is the official start of the spring season.  Regardless of how you define the change of seasons, we can confidently state that Spring is in the air!

With the change in season comes some unique hazards that may affect workers in all employment settings.  While it is estimated that about 25% of Americans are still working remotely, at least for a portion of their work week, there are still a large percentage of the workforce who commute on a daily basis.  With the time change comes an increase in auto accidents, heart attacks, and strokes.  In addition, there is an increase in fatigue, lack of focus, and complacency.  Please be sure to take the time necessary to allow your body to adjust to the time change.

The spring season also means that it is election season for the Chesapeake Chapter of ASSP!  All chapter members will receive an email regarding the upcoming chapter elections.  Elected officers include; President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director.  Each position requires the officer to volunteer between 2 and 10 hours per month, and all elected officers serve one year terms.  In addition, the elected President appoints a chair for the following committees; Chapter Professional Development Conference, Programs, Membership, Nominations and Elections, Awards and Scholarships, Communications, Government Affairs, Professional Organizations, and WISE (Women in Safety Excellence).  The appointed committee chairs then add volunteers to their respective committee.

Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated.   Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  I hope to hear from you soon.

James A. Woodward Sr.
ASSP Chesapeake Chapter President

Thank you for being a member of the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. While not long ago, the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve and we rang in 2025, for the governing body of the American Society of Safety Professionals, we are more than 2/3 of the way through our chapter year and it is time to start planning for the 2025-2026 year! We need your help!

In the next few weeks, all chapter members will receive an email regarding the upcoming chapter elections. Elected officers include President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director. Each position requires the officer to volunteer between 2 and 10 hours per month, and all elected officers serve one-year terms. In addition, the elected President appoints a chair for the following committees: Chapter Professional Development Conference, Programs, Membership, Nominations and Elections, Awards and Scholarships, Communications, Government Affairs, Professional Organizations, and WISE (Women in Safety Excellence). The appointed committee chairs then add volunteers to their respective committee.

Now is the time to step up, get involved, and truly embrace the many benefits that the American Society of Safety Professionals has to offer! The Chesapeake Chapter is one of the most active chapters in the nation, with monthly chapter ‘hybrid’ lunch and learns, and multiple social events that take place during the day and in the evenings. In addition, the chapter partners with the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Chesapeake and Potomac Locals for one of the most highly attended professional development conferences in the region. If you are interested in running for any of the elected positions, volunteering to serve as a committee chair, or assist by becoming a member of any of our committees, please reach out to me directly.

Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. I hope to hear from you soon.

James A. Woodward Sr.
ASSP Chesapeake Chapter President