Celebrating 20 years of safety, health and the environment
2015-05-01
Twenty years ago, after a “shocking” electrical incident at Johnson Space Center, the Safety Office wanted to warn and educate employees, resulting in the first-ever “Electrical Safety Fair.” That initial fair consisted of 15 booths. Today, in what has evolved into the Spring Safety, Health and Environmental Fair, it now boasts more than 100.
Unlike the first fair, which was held in the lobby of the Teague Auditorium, the event now encompasses the Gilruth Center gym, lobby and outside pavilions. Held during mid-day hours, JSC team members were encouraged to take advantage of their lunch break and come learn new ideas to improve their lives—both at work and at home.
“It’s a great way to get educated,” said Rindy Carmichael, chair of the JSC Communications Committee, which hosts the annual event. “People retain what they learn better if they have fun doing it.”
This year, on April 22, the fair shared the spotlight with the 45th anniversary of Earth Day. While the gym was turned into an exhibition hall packed with experts on safety and health, the outside was lined with emergency-response vehicles and environmental exhibits. Employees could tour fire and monster brush trucks, Houston’s Mobile Emergency Command Center, patrol boats or a Coast Guard MH65 Dolphin helicopter. In addition, the Environmental Office partnered with the Friends of Freeman Library to host a book swap, while nearby, JSC’s Sustainability Partnership Team showcased their Solar-Powered Outdoor Collaboration Kiosk, or SPOCK for short—and offered to recharge cell phones.
Participants could also get up close and personal with rescued rat snakes, check out a red-shouldered hawk being cared for by on-site wildlife rehabilitators, take home a free native tree to plant and learn about recycling and pest management. A shred truck was also available and collected about 7,600 pounds of paper from employees, saving approximately 64 trees in the process.
Entering the gym lobby was a treat, as Juan Manuel & Friends entertained with music and karaoke, showing that JSC is not only adept at science, technology, engineering and math—but also the arts. At times it was standing-room only, with onlookers clapping and cheering the performers on.
But it’s not all fun and games, as the annual fair serves a vital center need. Each year, the fair focuses on issues that JSC deems to be most important. Past events have brought to light common issues such as slips, trips and falls; personal safety; and Information Technology security. This year, the fair had a booth that showcased—quite vividly—the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. Attendees donned special goggles that distorted their vision and then attempted to “drive” through city streets without hitting anything or getting pulled over by the police. By the end of the day, the success rate was … zero. It’s a sobering lesson.
KPRC Channel 2 Meteorologist Britta Merwin was at the fair, too, and discussed the importance of hurricane preparation. (JSC will begin preliminary hurricane preparations in May, to be ready when hurricane season starts on June 1.) Other safety and health professionals offered employees free screenings, including diabetes testing, valuable health information on everything from nutrition to the benefits of exercise (and watched some great Latin dancers), as well as the opportunity to learn about important safety issues at work and for the family.
What’s in store for the future? Carmichael is already looking forward to next year, and intends to see the event grow. For her, the best part is when someone tells her how the fair was medically beneficial, or that they are now more safety conscious because of something they saw or learned. That’s when she knows she’s made a positive difference in people’s lives.
It’s with that feeling, after the last brochure is handed out and the last demonstration is finished—feeling tired but extremely rewarded—she said, “Yes, I can do this again.”
Michelle Fraser-Page
NASA Johnson Space Center
Unlike the first fair, which was held in the lobby of the Teague Auditorium, the event now encompasses the Gilruth Center gym, lobby and outside pavilions. Held during mid-day hours, JSC team members were encouraged to take advantage of their lunch break and come learn new ideas to improve their lives—both at work and at home.
“It’s a great way to get educated,” said Rindy Carmichael, chair of the JSC Communications Committee, which hosts the annual event. “People retain what they learn better if they have fun doing it.”
This year, on April 22, the fair shared the spotlight with the 45th anniversary of Earth Day. While the gym was turned into an exhibition hall packed with experts on safety and health, the outside was lined with emergency-response vehicles and environmental exhibits. Employees could tour fire and monster brush trucks, Houston’s Mobile Emergency Command Center, patrol boats or a Coast Guard MH65 Dolphin helicopter. In addition, the Environmental Office partnered with the Friends of Freeman Library to host a book swap, while nearby, JSC’s Sustainability Partnership Team showcased their Solar-Powered Outdoor Collaboration Kiosk, or SPOCK for short—and offered to recharge cell phones.
Participants could also get up close and personal with rescued rat snakes, check out a red-shouldered hawk being cared for by on-site wildlife rehabilitators, take home a free native tree to plant and learn about recycling and pest management. A shred truck was also available and collected about 7,600 pounds of paper from employees, saving approximately 64 trees in the process.
Entering the gym lobby was a treat, as Juan Manuel & Friends entertained with music and karaoke, showing that JSC is not only adept at science, technology, engineering and math—but also the arts. At times it was standing-room only, with onlookers clapping and cheering the performers on.
But it’s not all fun and games, as the annual fair serves a vital center need. Each year, the fair focuses on issues that JSC deems to be most important. Past events have brought to light common issues such as slips, trips and falls; personal safety; and Information Technology security. This year, the fair had a booth that showcased—quite vividly—the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. Attendees donned special goggles that distorted their vision and then attempted to “drive” through city streets without hitting anything or getting pulled over by the police. By the end of the day, the success rate was … zero. It’s a sobering lesson.
KPRC Channel 2 Meteorologist Britta Merwin was at the fair, too, and discussed the importance of hurricane preparation. (JSC will begin preliminary hurricane preparations in May, to be ready when hurricane season starts on June 1.) Other safety and health professionals offered employees free screenings, including diabetes testing, valuable health information on everything from nutrition to the benefits of exercise (and watched some great Latin dancers), as well as the opportunity to learn about important safety issues at work and for the family.
What’s in store for the future? Carmichael is already looking forward to next year, and intends to see the event grow. For her, the best part is when someone tells her how the fair was medically beneficial, or that they are now more safety conscious because of something they saw or learned. That’s when she knows she’s made a positive difference in people’s lives.
It’s with that feeling, after the last brochure is handed out and the last demonstration is finished—feeling tired but extremely rewarded—she said, “Yes, I can do this again.”
Michelle Fraser-Page
NASA Johnson Space Center
Fair onlookers take in the Coast Guard MH65 Dolphin helicopter. Image Credit: NASA
KPRC Channel 2 Meteorologist Britta Merwin meets a JSC team member. Image Credit: NASA
This year's fair vividly demonstrated the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. Image Credit: NASA
Karaoke, anyone? Thankfully, there were JSC team members brave enough to come to the mic. Image Credit: NASA
JSC Director Ellen Ochoa is a good sport at the fair, but looks as if she definitely prefers spaceflight over snakes. Image Credit: NASA