By Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal BSc., MPhil., FLS., MSB.
Dept of Life Sciences
University of the West Indies
St. Augustine Campus

I first heard the term "environmental literacy" in a presentation by Kyle DeLima at the "Second Youth Forum on Climate Change" hosted by Earth Conscious magazine in early August of 2012. At first I assumed that it just referred to educating oneself by reading the relevant literature. But as the presentation progressed I realised that this topic was more complex and more structured than my first impression. The goal of this article is to introduce this aspect of environmental education.

The goal of environmental literacy is to educate persons so that they can individually or collectively act to conserve and protect our environment. But in order for environmental literacy to be successful, five components need to take place: awareness, knowledge, attitudes, skills and collective action (CEL, 2012). Of course it is more comprehensive if we explain the simplest to the most complex concept. The simplest component of environmental literacy and the first step in sowing the seeds of environmental literacy is awareness, which refers to a person's consciousness or general impression of the topic. For example a person may know that global warming is bad for people and the environment but they do not know in detail the mechanisms that cause it. Environmental education is one of the ways in bringing about awareness of environmental topics.

• Delivering Effective Presentations 
• Manlift Operator 
• Lock Out Tag Out
• Job Safety/Hazard Analysis
• Managing Contractor Safety
• Building a Management System 
• Transformational Leadership
• Industrial Hygiene 
• Crane Operator
• Merchandising Safety
• Safety Inspections
• Trenching & Excavation
• Ethics and Communication for Safety Professionals 
• Driving for Work
• Hazardous Materials Transport
• Safety Awareness
• High Angle Rescue
• Food Safety (HACCP)
• Fall Protection and Prevention
• Scaffolding Competent User
• Ergonomics 101
• Chemical Safety
• Crash Scene Investigation
• Marine Safety
• Skid Steer Operator
• Emergency Preparedness and Fire Prevention
• PLEA
• Fire Warden and many more...

Feel free to contact us to customize a training program or for further information.

By Stacy-Ann Balfour

... In the Caribbean, there is a lack of fire safety codes or fire prevention codes that specifically address the issue of fire prevention in different types of buildings.  Instead, fire safety issues are usually addressed within general building codes, which may not allow for thorough management of fire prevention issues. Moreover, these building codes are largely based on prescriptive international codes... The importance of building codes in Caribbean countries has already been established.  This fact is reflected in the creation of the Caribbean Uniform Building Code (CUBiC), as well as in efforts by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)  Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) to develop revised Regional Building Standards and to encourage CARICOM member states to develop or revise their own building codes (Preparation of Revised Building Standards 2009).  Unfortunately, codes that emphasize fire prevention goals are significantly less prominent, and many of the building codes that include fire prevention issues are yet to become legal...

Stacy-Ann Balfour

By Howard Robin

... The issue of climate change is of global significance in context of its potential impacts as well as the strategies that are needed to address the phenomenon. This is evident in the high level of participation of individual countries as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the climate change regime... Many countries have recognised the need to address the issue of climate change.  However, their ability to influence a global policy varies due to their unique economic, political, technological and military capacity.  Some countries have been able to significantly influence decisions on international policy, while others have hampered or retarded the implementation of those policies.  Therefore, this inequity of economic and political power has encouraged political alliances to be forged...the presence of all these groups has positive implication especially for the least powerful political and economic states. The position and needs of these states would not have been heard if they were standing on their own. These states are able to make a more forceful statement by their numbers, using their collective resources and expertise and articulating their position through the most influential parties.

By Derek Emmanuel

... The term "accident prevention" can be loosely defined as "A set of precautionary measures taken to avoid possible bodily harm" (DOH 1993). Accidents may also include an unexpected and medically important bodily event especially when injurious, as in the case of a cerebrovascular accident or accidental heart attack ... The Ministry of Health's Annual Statistical Report (2004-2005), lists Diseases of the Heart as the number one cause of death in Trinidad and Tobago; accounting for 24.8 % of all deaths and 189.5 deaths per 100, 000 individuals (9). It is well known that great strides have been made in preventing and treating heart disease and stroke, causing the death rates from cardiovascular disease (CVD) to decline... Generally, in order to keep accident numbers at an acceptable level, accident prevention needs to shift from a reactive mode to a proactive mode... This approach includes knowing how to effectively use the many strategies available to achieve good health. Prevention costs less than expensive medical interventions, and in the long run brings more benefits...

Small Business Starter Pack

Overview

Managing safety for most small businesses can be very daunting and expensive. Jaric ESH has developed a customised and simplified approach to HSE Compliance for small businesses.

Our package for small businesses (10 or less employees) who are beginning the journey of compliance will include:

• HSE Policy Statement
• HSE Policy Manual
• Facility Risk Assessment
• Emergency Response Plan Development
• First Aid Training (2 persons)
• Safety Awareness Training

Call today to know if you qualify (868) 223-1198 or (868) 221-4100.

Cost: $9,995.00 VAT Inclusive

Duration: 6 weeks

With this package you would receive a FREE quarter page ad in the HSE Quarterly magazine.

By Lacey Williams
Managing Director
Caribbean Transportation Consultancy Services
(CARITRANS) Company Limited

Red light running has been a problem for many decades; as far back as 1923, when the first modern traffic signals were used in Ohio to control the movement of vehicles and ironically, to lower the accident frequency in Cleveland. Since then, departments of transportation (DOTs) in the US and their equivalent agencies around the world have been implementing diverse methods, including improvements in signal timing and implementation of Red-Light Running Cameras (RLRCs), in order to reduce red light violations. However, the most appropriate remedial action to correct violation at intersections has not necessarily been implemented due to a lack of understanding of the factors that affect Red Light running, as well as a certain inherent potential for red light running. That is, all intersections will have some background level of red light violation depending on its design. This background level is referred to as the Red Light Violation Index (RLVI). Understanding the RlVI for an intersections is implemented, given the significant cost involved with the implementation of any type of treatment.

By Cherma St. Clair;
PGCE, MSc, Ba (Hons), DipMid, RN Lead
 Nurse in Practice Development; London; England

There is an increasing amount of evidence linking stress and its effects to many different manifestations of ill health. there is also widespread recognition  that stress is experienced as part of everyday life by most individuals, occupational stress  and its effect being one of the most common and most researched topic in past decade. Despite its commonalities in experience, stress has proven to be an elusive concept to understand and thus define. Stress from a psychological view, is defined as a “stimulus”, whereas physicians tend to describe it as a” response”. Research and treatment have focused on management and coping strategies.

This article aims to discuss the relationship between stress and health. Various definitions and concepts of stress will be described, together with the influences the different types of stress have on health. Occupational stress and its management will also be discussed, before making some recommendations for self-management.