August 7, Southern California LOC Meeting Minutes

Summary of Discussion (August 7, 2012) 

1) Additional Symposium/Panel proposed – Shane Que Hee proposed an additional panel to explore physical, chemical, biological exposures.  There was some discussion over the applicability of this to the audience at APA-NIOSH which is usually focused on “work stress” and psychosocial exposures. It might be interesting to look at appropriate ways to measure “environmental” or biological exposures when studying work stress so these can be appropriately adjusted for in analyses. Maybe a panel could give examples of research projects or tools that integrate environmental measures with psychosocial measures as a way of studying “Total Worker Health,” which should include noise and chemical exposures for example along with psychosocial exposures. 

*Shane to send a brief outline of the newly proposed symposium

2) Discussion of the definitions of “Panel” vs “Symposium.” A symposium usually has a coherent theme with speakers discussing different “angles” or presenting research on the same topic. Symposium is usually 90 minutes with approx. 4 speakers. Symposium descriptions and ABSTRACTS for each speaker must be submitted by October 1. 

*Peter to verify from APA-NIOSH that we will submit our proposed presentations as “symposia” and will email the requirements for submission, including Word-Limit for each speaker’s abstract.

3) Discussion of Continuing Education requirements – CME credit. If we want to encourage attendance by Occ Med Physicians, Nurses and Industrial Hygenists we need to figure out how to get CME credits ASAP. It may be too late to get approval from ACOEM for CME. 

*Peter and Cass Ben-Levi to contact APA-NIOSH organizers to find out what their resources are regarding CME’s and what exactly they need from the LOC

4) Symposia and Chairs confirmed (so far)

1. “The Future of Corporate Wellness Programs in the Context of Total Worker Health” or “Best Practices in Total Worker Health among Fortune 500 Companies” 

Chair: Warner Hudson, Co-Chair: Pam Hymel

Possible Speakers: 

Ron Loeppke – union participation in corporate wellness Principal for US Preventive Medicine Inc. – clients are Sam’s Club 

Peter Wald (USAA)

Cathy Basse (Health Risk Assessments and Safety results)

Bobette Bond – health care plans for union- management plan for the hotel workers.

2. Health Promotion and the Affordable Care Act

Chair: Paul Papanek  

Possible Speakers:

Linda Delp

Ron Loeppke?

Others 

3. California’s Low Wage Workers

Co-Chairs: Niklas Krauss, Marnie Dobson, Linda Delp

Possible Speakers

Niklas Krauss – garment workers in LA

Linda Delp – home health care workers

Barbara Burgel – taxi drivers in San Francisco (?)

Agricultural Workers (?) 

4. Globalization and its effects on labor (two possible Symposia)

Chair: Peter Schnall

A. The Foxconn-Apple controversy: Fair Labor Association and China Labor Watch

AND/OR

B. The effects of globalization on CA economy and labor force

a. Work hours and Work intensification (Ed Yelin?)

b. CVD and Work Hours (Niklass Krauss?)

c. Contingent labor – rise in temporary workers?

d. Unemployment in CA – health effects?

5. Workplace Obesity Research (?)

Chair: BongKyoo Choi, Co-Chair: Marnie Dobson(?)

Possible Speakers:

BongKyoo Choi – FORWARD Study

Tony Yancey – Community Health Services, UCLA

David De Joy – University of Georgia, Obesity Intervention 

California Wellness Foundation

Linda could find someone doing obesity research/policy issues (will check with APHA Occupational Health Committee (current chair).

5) Driver panel – not enough interest expressed.  Some driver issues can be incorporated into the low wage worker panel. Perhaps NC is interested in developing this issue further.

6) The other panel (6) (proposed by some at the Northern Cal meeting) on Health Care Organizations, will be forwarded to Julia Fawcett to find a Chair to forward this.

7) Finding local organizations to contribute to the conference by: 

a) sponsoring a reception/special session (or co-sponsoring) with a donation

b) endorse or associate name with the conference

Possible Organizations:

– California Industrial Hygienists association

– ACOEM

– ERC

– UCLA/UCI COEH – we have a commitment to endorse and sponsor from Dick Jackson

– CA OSHA

– CA AHA

– California Wellness Foundation (?)

*Peter to draft a letter that can be distributed (via email) to contacts we have at these or any associations that might possibly provide sponsorship with a checklist of ways to contribute. We will check with NIOSH regarding any restrictions on wording (also there might be this kind of letter already drafted from previous conferences)

8) Inviting local dignitaries. Possibilities:

a. Mayor of LA – Villaraigosa

b. Deputy Mayor – Larry Frank (Linda Delp contact)

c. Bill Rosenthal, District 11 Council Member

d. Henry Waxman, Congress

e. Betsy Butler, Congress

f. Others?

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