The Council of Management for the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), located in Leicestershire, UK, unanimously voted to join the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) in making a donation to the Liberty Fund to help the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The IOSH donation of $5,000, combined with ASSE's September commitment, were sent this week to the Liberty Fund. The total donation from the two non-profits is $15,000.
In a letter to ASSE Executive Director Fred Fortman announcing the gift, IOSH Chief Executive Rob Strange said, "The very best, and sincere, wishes of the whole IOSH Council, together with staff here at The Grange, are sent to you and your members at this very difficult time."
The IOSH is Europe's leading body representing health and safety professionals, with more than 25,000 members working in commerce, industry and the public sector. IOSH and ASSE work closely together in their ongoing efforts to increase workplace safety throughout the world.
Founded in 1911, ASSE has more than 30,000 members who are occupational safety, health and environmental professionals that work in industry, government, education, and insurance.
In addition to donating funds to help the victims of Sept. 11, ASSE members have been volunteering and working at Ground Zero since September 11. ASSE members also donated and organized, with New York City and FEMA authorities, distribution of thousands of respirators, work gloves, work boots, dust masks, rakes and shovels.
In fact, ASSE member Kim Vorreuter of Auburn, N.Y., donated 9,184 pairs of gloves, 29,760 disposable dust/mist respirators and 1,481 Tyvek suits, 500 pairs of safety glasses, 100 goggles and assorted other items from water coolers to flash lights and rain suits, which were picked up and delivered to Ground Zero by the National Guard. ASSE members and IOSH continue to provide ongoing relief effort support by donating their services and are also working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), coordinating the pro bono work of occupational health and safety professionals at Ground Zero and the Pentagon.
In addition, on Sept. 13, the ASSE Foundation set up a special scholarship fund called "America Responds" in memory of the ASSE members that died Sept. 11 as a result of the terrorist assaults. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a student seeking a career in occupational safety and health and will be made in honor of those victims.
For more information on ASSE and its Sept. 11 activities and scholarship fund, check the www.asse.org Web site. For more information about IOSH, please go to www.iosh.co.uk.
edited by Sandy Smith ([email protected])
