Cleveland Job Corps Safety Fair receives national recognition

As part of the Department of Labor/National Job Corps Inaugural Universal Safety Day, the Cleveland Job Corps Academy hosted a Safety Fair that was highlighted in the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Job Corps’ October 2010 national edition of the Job Corps Safety Circle Newsletter.

This recognition is in line with the Office of Job Corps’ evaluation of the Cleveland Job Corps’ performance rating as “Exceptional.” This category includes “Use of Innovations.”  Of the 124 Centers nationwide, Cleveland ranked number 20 from October 2009 through September 2010, which included its first-place ranking for GED/High School Diploma attainment and second-place ranking for vocational-trade completion.

The Safety Fair gave students, staff and community partners the opportunity to recognize and champion occupational safety, and personal health and safety. Students at the Center have long evaluated the Center as “safe,” a fact attested to by the Students’ Satisfaction Survey. Conducted biannually, this survey measures how students feel about their safety on each of the 124 Job Corps centers nationwide. Cleveland scored a 99.8%; the highest score ever recorded at any center in the nation, in the March 2009 survey, and averaged 96.8% for the three periods covering March 2009 through March 2010. The national average was 83.7% for the same reporting period. The national results for September 2010 are still being tabulated.

“I am proud of the students and staff who made the Safety Fair an enjoyable learning event,” said Dr. Lora Davis-Allen, the Academy Director.

Several of the Cleveland Job Corps’ community partners participated, including the Ohio Highway Patrol, the Ohio Department of Transportation, Cuyahoga Community College’s Environmental Health and Safety Department and the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Safety Services. Representatives from Cleveland Clinic Hospital talked about wellness from the perspective of drug and alcohol abuse, smoking cessation and diet. Cleveland Job Corps’ nursing students conducted blood pressure checks. Pharmacy Tech students competed in a contest to design safety posters.

The Cleveland Police Department was well represented. The department sent a mounted police officer, the blood alcohol testing vehicle and the urban assault vehicle used by the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT). Students had the opportunity to inspect these vehicles and ask the officers questions about their respective careers. The Cleveland Fire Department brought a fire truck on campus and the department’s Smoke House. The Smoke House is a vehicle that simulates a smoked-filled house on fire. Students learned that in a smoke-filled environment they need to drop and crawl because the air is more breathable near the floor. “For some students, this event may have been their first opportunity for a positive interaction with government employees and to learn about the science of safety,” said Vicki Chapman, the Cleveland Job Corps’ Safety Officer. Ms. Chapman, who earned a Masters of Science degree in Environmental Health and Safety Management, organized the event with students from the safety committee.

One of the highlights of the fair was the Bike Rodeo, which involved students and staff riding bikes around an obstacle course. The Bike Rodeo was organized by the Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op. “Students were challenged to perform different tasks on a bicycle and also learned how to change a tire and perform some safety inspections on the bike to make sure it was road ready,” said Chapman. In the end the participants received a certificate.

The Department of Labor recognized the Cleveland Safety Fair in part because it incorporated several of the Department’s identified best practices, such as providing an opportunity for students, staff and community partners to work together for a common cause; allowing students to appreciate the role of public safety representatives; allowing students to utilize their creativity and participate in friendly competition; and increasing students’ overall awareness of safety.

Applied Technology Systems Inc., under the leadership of Clark V. Hayes, Owner/CEO, operates the Cleveland Job Corps Academy for the United States Department of Labor.

 Stanley L. McBee is the STARS Coordinator for Cleveland Job Corps Academy.