ACROSS Our PRESS DESK......

Sam Cahan, PE                          

Member in the News

Three hundred members comprise the San Diego Chapter, American Society of Safety Engineers. They represent an important cross-section of professional safety talent protecting the people, property and the environment in San Diego.

From our multi-talented roster, we selected and salute the unique safety position of member David L. Day. Interviewing David challenged our pre-existing concept regarding the "scope and functions" of a professional safety position. David represents the renown Sea World in San Diego, often referred to as "a City within a City." Sea World occupies over 800 acres, receives over 3,000,000 visitors per year and employs over 3,800 personnel. It features its world-famous Shamu attraction and other live shows, rides and exhibits that relate to the animal world and ocean creatures.

David currently holds the title of "Safety Training Coordinator," (an understatement in our opinion). His safety activities encompass the basic, recognized functions of many other safety professionals, i.e., the identification and appraisal of hazardous conditions and practices; the development of hazard control methods, procedures and programs; 

Beyond these formal mandates, however, David's safety management responsibilities are unique and challenging. Examples of his oversight tasks include:

· 25 certified crane operators
· Over 400 confined spaces
· Over 160 operators of powered industrial trucks
· 270 lockout/tag out sites
· A training program with over 38 categories, many highly specialized
· Unique safety challenges involving animals, exhibits and safeguarding the public
· Maintaining a "Divers" program for 134 Divers

We were intrigued, for example, by the unique requirements of the Job Safety Analysis (JSA) for the "Penguin Encounter Exhibit." Factored into the JSA were special safety guidelines relating to bird bites, scratches, safe feeding procedures, handling the huge, special ice- making machinery, utilizing ice picks, precautions for slips and falls and other situations.

It is, of course, beyond the scope of this report to encompass all the unusual responsibilities of David's office. His routine regimen (like other professional peers), also covers appropriate compliance with CAL/OSHA and other legal standards, emergency evacuation procedures, inspections and auditing and other mandates. 

Interviewing David was revealing. Our meeting underscored the notion that the "scope and duties" of a safety professional can be diverse, specialized and challenging ---and far beyond the "one size" broad definition of our duties sometimes found in professional literature. 

David L. Day is well appreciated. Always with a smile, Dave brings a wealth of professional knowledge and experience to our group. And as always, he is a welcomed participant in our many Chapter activities and Executive Board dialogues.

Samuel Cahan, PE
Chair, Public Relations
San Diego Chapter.

Photo One: 
Photo Two: Popular "Shipwreck Rapids" ride
Photo Three: Immense twin screws that create the "rapids." The screws are 60 feet tall, six feet in diameter and move 3,000 liters of water from lower to upper levels. (David Day in foreground)