Creative Safety Solutions

Thomas D. Schneid is the Department of Safety & Security and interim director of the graduate program and a tenured professor in the School of Safety, Security and Emergency Management in the college of Justice and Safety at Eastern Kentucky University. In his 25 years at EKU, Tom has served in many capacities including Chair of the Department of Safety and Security, interim chair for SSEM Graduate Studies and Research; graduate program director for the online and on campus Master of Science degree in Safety, Security and Emergency Management; Coordinator of the Fire and Safety Engineering program; and SSEM Career and Cooperative Education Coordinator. Tom has worked in the safety and human resource fields for over 30 years at various levels including corporate safety director and industrial relations director. In Tom’s legal practice, he has represented numerous corporations in OSHA and labor related litigations throughout the United States. Tom has earned a B.S. in education, M.S. and CAS in safety as well as his Juris Doctor (J.D. in law) from West Virginia University and LL.M. (Graduate Law) from the University of San Diego. Tom is a member of the bar for the U.S. Supreme Court, 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and a number of federal districts as well as the Kentucky and West Virginia Bar. Tom has authored and/or co-authored numerous texts on including Corporate Safety Compliance: Law, OSHA and Ethics (2008); Americans With Disabilities Act: A Compliance Guide (1994); ADA: A Manager’s Guide (1993); Legal Liabilities for Safety and Loss Prevention Professionals (2010); Fire and Emergency Law Casebook (1996); Creative Safety Solutions (1998); Occupational Health Guide to Violence in the Workplace (1999); Legal Liabilities in Emergency Management (2001) and Fire Law (1995). Tom has also co-authored several texts including Food Safety Law (1997), Legal Liabilities for Safety and Loss Prevention Professionals (1997), Physical Hazards in the Workplace (2001) and Disaster Management and Preparedness (2000) as well as over 100 articles on safety and legal topics. Tom recently completed work on a new text titled "Labor and Employment Issues for Safety Professionals" and is currently working on a text on legal issues in safety and security.

Introduction. Effective Selling of Safety and Health Programs. Creative Safety Equipment Purchases. Tapping Employee Creativity. Traditional "Things". Involving the Family. Involving the Community. Establishing and Using your Network. Joint Ventures to Reduce Costs. Grants, Contracts, Tax Credits, and Deductions. Utilizing Free Services. Using the Internet Resources. Tapping Other Resources. Creative Safety Communication Ideas. Acquiring University and Student Services. Looking Outside the Safety Arena. Creative Solutions to Difficult Problems. Creative Safety Programs. Appendix A Potential Sources of Assistance. Appendix B Employee Workplace Rights. Appendix C Targeted Hazard Identification System. Appendix D Sample Action Plan. Appendix E Sample Safety Audit Assessment.