8/20/2019 Connections: October 22, 2015 http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/connections-october-22-2015 1/25 by Tammy Wallace MoDOT’s first Stand Up for Safety Day happened earlier this month. Employees around the state took time from their busy schedules to come together and talk about what we can do to work more safely. Individuals from a wide variety of organizations like the Highway Patrol, Department of Natural Resources and the Division of Fire Safety, just to name a few, shared best safety practices and gave visual demonstrations to district and division work units. Employees shared first-hand experiences of near misses and remembered accidents, discussing tactics to make sure these situations never happen again. PPE was checked and replaced, facilities were checked and equipment was tested. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Districts and divisions are preparing reports of the day’s activities, which will be collected and organized into a summary document. When completed, the summary will be shared with MoDOT’s Commission and employees. Below is a photo collage of Stand Up activities from around the state. Check the district pages in this edition of Connections to see more on Stand Up for Safety Day. To view all photos, visit the statewide and district flickr sites - http://www.modot.org/flickr/index.htm . Don't Miss Out - Benefits Deadlines Nearing! Deadlines to sign up for dental and vision, medical plan and cafeteria plan are coming up. Don't miss out! Make note of these deadlines, website links and contact information below. Oct. 31 Dental and Vision MCHCP www.mchcp.org 1-800-487-0771 Nov. 13 Medical Plan MoDOT/MSHP Medical Plan http://www.modot.org/newsandinfo/benefits.htm 1-877-863-9406 Dec. 1 Cafeteria Plan ASI www.mocafe.com 1-800-659-3035 October 22, 2015 Central Office Districts Northwest Northeast Kansas City Central St. Louis Southwest Southeast Page 1 of 5 Connections 10/21/2015 http://modot.org/connections.htm
MoDOT’s first Stand Up for Safety Day happened earlier this month. Employees around the state took time from their busyschedules to come together and talk about what we can do to work more safely.
Individuals from a wide variety of organizations like the Highway Patrol, Department of Natural Resources and the Division of
Fire Safety, just to name a few, shared best safety practices and gave visual demonstrations to district and division work units.
Employees shared first-hand experiences of near misses and remembered accidents, discussing tactics to make sure these
situations never happen again. PPE was checked and replaced, facilities were checked and equipment was tested. And that’s justthe tip of the iceberg.
Districts and divisions are preparing reports of the day’s activities, which will be collected and organized into a summarydocument. When completed, the summary will be shared with MoDOT’s Commission and employees.
Below is a photo collage of Stand Up activities from around the state. Check the district pages in this edition of Connections to seemore on Stand Up for Safety Day. To view all photos, visit the statewide and district flickr sites -http://www.modot.org/flickr/index.htm.
Don't Miss Out - Benefits Deadlines Nearing!Deadlines to sign up for dental and vision, medical plan and cafeteria plan are coming up. Don't miss out! Make note of thesedeadlines, website links and contact information below.
Oct. 31 Dental and Vision MCHCP www.mchcp.org 1-800-487-0771
of the same document). This scenario can go onand on and consume large amounts of storage.SharePoint allows users to collaborate on a singledocument in one location.
How can I share documents or allow others to see
documents?
Permissions can be assigned to the sites andlibraries within SharePoint. This allows fordifferent levels of access to those documents suchas read-only or editing and deleting abilities.Different permissions can be assigned to different
users based on their business needs.
Why must I “check out” a document?
This is a setting which can be turned on/off perstorage location. It is best suited for locationswhich allow multiple users to contribute to thesame document(s). It allows a user to lock adocument for editing while they add their own
comments. Once they have completed their changes, the user can then check the document back in for the next user to makechanges.When used in conjunction with Versioning, it can also track changes over the life of the document, view who and whenchanges were made and allow an older version of the document to be restored to a current version as needed.
These features ensure users are viewing the most current copy of a document, thus eliminating the need for multiple copiesand outdated documentation saved to various locations.
My Sites: What are they? What should I do with them?
My Sites are the personal aspect of SharePoint. It allows users to store work-related documents not intended forcollaboration purposes. In other words, if the documents are needed to perform your job duties, or needed by others in yourarea in order for them to perform their job duties, they belong in your collaboration area, not in a personal My Site.
My Site Things to know:Your My Site is limited to 500 mg total. Anything classified as working documents for your unit should not be stored here.
There are two libraries created in your My Site for your use:
• Shared - Everyone in MoDOT can see• Personal - Only the My Site Owner can see these documents. This would be a good location to store your Maps, Expense
Reports or Leave Requests
What resources are available to help me with my SharePoint questions?
We have over 220 trained representatives from each division to help our users with their needs. If you’re unsure of yourSharePoint division/district contacts, please see SharePoint Contacts. For individual training or questions on topics inSharePoint, please visit Training Information Site.
Some Things Aren't Worth ChancingMotorists reminded to drive safely around big trucks
Commercial motor vehicles (CMV) are an important part of our nation's economy. They carry goods from coast to coast and makeup 20 percent of all traffic on Missouri's interstates.
During Operation Safe Driver Week, Oct. 18-24, along with statewide educational efforts, law enforcement will actively pull passenger vehicles and trucks over for unsafe behavior, issuing citations for all manner of violations, from speeding to failure toobey a traffic device, to DUI's.
Crashes involving tractor trailers don't happen very often, butwhen they do, the disproportionate size of a truck versus acar means those crashes can often involve serious injuries orworse. Research shows that in the majority of these crashes,drivers of passenger cars unnecessarily endanger themselves
by not paying attention and driving recklessly around bigtrucks. That's why it's so important for all motorists to drive
safely around big trucks. There were 111 people killed inMissouri traffic crashes involving a CMV in 2014, with 25
being drivers/passengers of the CMV.
There's no room for taking chances around big trucks - theyrequire big room. "We don't want you to take any chanceswhen it comes to safely moving around big trucks," said BillWhitfield, chair of the executive committee of the MissouriCoalition for Roadway Safety. "Please pay attention."
• Don't cut off large trucks or buses. Make sure you cansee the top of the truck or bus in your rearview mirror
before moving back into your original lane.• Stay out of the "No Zone". Big trucks have large blind
spots on either side and up to 200 feet behind avehicle. Pass only on the left side.
• Watch your following distance. Keep a safety cushionaround trucks. Can you see the truck's side mirrors?If not, the driver cannot see you.
"Commercial motor vehicle drivers are required by federal law to follow strict safety guidelines, including mandatory seat beltusage and hands-free cell phone devices," said Colonel Bret Johnson, Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol."Failure to do so can result in violations and can affect both the driver and company's safety score."
For additional information regarding roadway safety, or other transportation-related topics, contact the MoDOT Customer ServiceCenter toll free, at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636). For more information on the Operation Safe Driver Campaign, visithttp://savemolives.com/campaigns/details/operation-safe-driver-awareness-week .
What's Happening2015-2016 Arbor Day Poster ContestOnce again the Missouri Community Forestry Council, MissouriDepartment of Conservation and Forest ReLeaf of Missouri issponsoring Missouri Arbor Day Poster Contest for 5th grade students.
Fifth grade students are encouraged to design posters to reflect thisyear’s theme and educational curriculum, "Trees Work For Wildlife AndPeople," using their imagination to show why they like trees so much!
Posters must be postmarked no later than Dec. 1, 2015 to enter thecontent.
For contest rules and all the details, click on the attached – Trees Work for Wildlife And People flier, and visit the website athttp://mocommunitytrees.com/arbordaypostercontest/201516postercontest.html.
Capital Fellowship ProgramHarry S Truman School of Public Affairs Capital FellowshipProgram provides opportunities for high potential mid-career stateemployees to attend the Master of Public Affairs program.
The application deadline for students interested in applying for funding for the Spring 2016 semester is Nov. 15, 2015. See all thedetails on this flyer - Fellowship Program.
October Retirements
Ronald D. Ettinger – NW – 32 years
Ervin H. Fackler – NE – 31 yearsJohn W. Gabathuler – CD – 30 yearsLeRoy E. Bauer – CD – 30 years
Douglas R. Garner – CD – 25 years
Michael T. King – SL – 31 yearsRandy L. Garrison – SW – 26 yearsTommy E. Smith – SE – 27 years
Freddie L. Taylor – SE – 27 years
Willie C. Hawkins – SE - 27 yearsMark S. Ham – SE – 17 years
In Memoriam
Robert Taylor Former D1 – September 21Kenneth Biesemeyer Former D5 – September 21Joseph HicksSW – Septmeber 21Richard MurphyFormer D4 - September 26
James BridgesFormer D10 – September 28
Larry Barber Former D10 – September 29Royce GatesFormer D10 – September 30William KetronFormer D4 – September 30Richard HamiltonSL – October 1
Jerry HamacherFormer D5 – October 3Marge TellmanCO – October 6Joe Howles NW – October 10Bobbie MallicoatFormer D7 – October 13
Connections
The mission of Connections is to be a source ofMissouri Department of Transportation news andfeature articles that connect employees statewide.
Communications - MoDOTP.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102573.751.2840 / www.modot.org
Editor: Tammy Wallace
Comments & Suggestions
We would like to hear from you. Send commentsand suggestions to Tammy Wallace [email protected] .
Mission
Our mission is to provide a world-classtransportation experience that delights ourcustomers and promotes a prosperous Missouri.
To view or print other pages, click on thelinks below:
Stand Up for Safety at Central OfficeAll divisions at Central Office participated in the first Stand Up for Safety Day earlier this month. Below is just a sample ofsome of the activities that took place that day. To view all photos from Central Office, visit MoDOT's flicker site -
Stand Up for Safety.
During the personal protection equipment checks,Communication Director Fay Fleming models her safetyvest, which was properly secured with velcro closures.
Captain Jerry Blomberg with the Jefferson City FireDepartment gives a demonstration on how to properly use afire extinguisher to employees with the Information SystemsDivision.
Sergeant Scott White, with the Missouri State HighwayPatrol, explains to Devin Frank, resource managementanalyst with Financial Services, and to employees fromseveral divisions, how alcohol impairment simulationgoggles work to demonstrate the effects alcohol has on aperson.
Tim Taylor, senior risk management specialist, talks with theTraffic and Highway Safety Division about building securityissues.
Think pink! If the world suddenly seems awash in pink, it’s because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
This month, many people will wear pink and participate in events to recognize survivors of the disease, remember those
who lost their battles, raise awareness about prevention and raise funds for breast cancer research.
Highlights in this issue include:
• Tips for preventing breast cancer
• Guidelines for early detection• Tips for healthy family meals
Click here for October’s Coventry Newsletter – Breast Cancer Awareness.
Cool Weather Reminderon Personal HeatersWith cooler temperatures just around the corrner, General Services begins focusing on the impact cool weather has on
MoDOT facilities. One particular item for employees to keep in mind is that personal heaters are not allowed in our
facilities for safety reasons, including:
• MoDOT’s electrical systems are not designed to accommodatethe electrical requirements of the personal heaters, and
• Personal heaters are a potential fire hazard. While the heater
may have a temperature control, the element may be hot. Papers
or cardboard may be inadvertently close to the unit with the possibility of creating a fire.
Supervisors need to ensure their staff is aware personal heaters cannot be used. If you have concerns regarding the
temperature of a work area, please submit a service request to the facilities staff, who can address the temperature concerns.
We all want to keep everyone safe during cool weather.
Central Office Happenings
Missouri State Employees Blood DriveSponsored by Governor’s Office Building
Oct. 23 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Governor’s Office Building - Conference Room 450
200 Madison Street, Jefferson City
All presenting donors will receive a complimentary MIZZOU blooddrive t-shirt, while supplies last!
Complimentary pizza will also be available to donors after their
donation.
To make an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org, and enter
sponsor code MOState.
For additional questions, please contact Robert Veth at [email protected].
Mammography Mobile VanEllis Fischel Cancer Center from Missouri Health Care Nov. 6 beginning at 8:30 a.m. - 601 West MainOpen to all Central Office or Central District female employees
To sign up, you must be 40 years of age or older. Women under 40
years of age with a family history of breast cancer can be seen for amammogram screening with a doctor’s order. Women who are
pregnant or breast feeding should not schedule an appointment with
the mobile van.
Most insurances cover one mammography screening a year, so check
with your provider. If you have Coventry, it will cover a yearlymammogram as long as you are older than 40 years of age or have a
doctor’s order.
There are 26 spots open for screenings, and they are open on a first- come, first served basis. To register, email Amanda
More information is available on these two documents – Tips, Guidelines.
Mentor/Mentee WorkshopsDo you want to enhance your leadership skills? Boost your career and professional competencies? Would you like to see an
increase in employee morale and engagement? Then look no further – these fun-filled interactive workshops are for you.
Mentor Workshop
Nov 3 – 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
830 MoDOT Drive – Gold Room
Nov 5 – 1 to 2 p.m.
Central Office - Room 303
This workshop will leave you ready and excited to be the most effective mentor you can be. Learn how to effectivelyengage your mentee in order to provide the best experience possible. You will also learn more about yourself and what you
have to offer as a mentor.
Go to MoDOTU and search Mentor Workshop under course code 92014 to enroll.
Mentee Workshop
Nov 3 – 1 to 2:30 p.m.830 MoDOT – Gold Room
Nov 5 - 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.Central Office - Room 303
This workshop will leave you ready and
willing to engage in a mentorship. Come and
learn how to find the best mentor for you andwhy having a mentor is one of the best things
you can do for your career. Learn how to bean effective mentee and how to gain the most
out of your experience. You will learn about
yourself and what you want to strengthen inyour career.
Go to MoDOTU search Mentee Workshop
under course code 92014 and enroll.
Mentor Supervisor Training
Nov 4 - 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Central Office - Room 206
Learn how and why mentoring is so effective in the workplace. Learn what you can do as a leader in MoDOT to encourageyour employees to use this valuable program to their benefit. Gain a new understanding and perspective about what
mentoring has to offer your employees, you and MoDOT as a whole.
Go to MoDOTU search Mentor Supervisor Training under course code 92014 and enroll.
For questions, contact Beckie Brietzke - 573-522-9482.
Connections
The mission of Connections is to be a source ofMissouri Department of Transportation news andfeature articles that connect employees statewide.
Customer Relations - MoDOTP.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102573.751.2840 / www.modot.org
Editor: Tammy Wallace
Comments & Suggestions
We would like to hear from you. Send commentsand suggestions to Tammy Wallace [email protected].
Mission
Our mission is to provide a world-class
To view or print other pages, click on thelinks below:
Photo from KQ2 - Drone footage of the police emergencyshows law enforcement vehicles parked in the middle ofRoute 6 and and empty interstate as the hostagesituation played out.
Photo from Fox 26 KNPN - Traffic was routed offInterstate 29 between U.S. Route 36 and U.S. Route 169north. The four-mile section of roadway was closed forapproximately 11 hours.
Photo from KQ2 - Several crews from MoDOT were calledinto action to close off Interstate 29 and Route 6. Above,
One Team MoDOT
The call came in around 9:30 a.m. from the St. Joseph Communications Center. The dispatcher said they were closing
Interstate 29 in both directions in a four-mile section around Route 6 (Frederick Avenue) in St. Joseph. Also, Frederick
would also be closed in the same area. The dispatcher then asked if MoDOT could please bring out barricades and othertraffic control devices as soon as possible to aid in the closure. Then, they told Senior Customer Service Representative
Shelly Aebersold the reason for the closure: a shooting and hostage situation at a local hotel at the intersection of I-29 andFrederick.
That’s when One Team MoDOT kicked into gear. Aebersold placed a call to Assistant Maintenance Supervisor Jim Bosleyand updated him on the situation and what the Communications Center had requested. Bosley mobilized his forces along
with help from the Regional Bridge Crew to get barricades placed and staffed. Aebersold was the only Communications
employee in the office that day, so Executive Assistant Jamie Fergison, Senior Administrative Tech Dee Culver and SeniorFinancial Services Tech Melanie Noel jumped in to help notify other MoDOT departments (EOC, Motor Carrier Services,
etc.) of the closure and help out answering the barrage of phone calls that soon began pouring in.
With traffic rerouted off the interstate, other routes soon became congested as motorists sought alternate routes to get
through town. Signal electricians and traffic engineers were dispatched to manually monitor the traffic flow and makeappropriate changes to the signals as needed throughout the emergency situation.
Maintenance and traffic personnel were out for the duration of the eleven-hour standoff, thankfully out of harm’s way. Law
enforcement officers from several agencies, including some from the Kansas City area, worked tirelessly – often while being shot at – to resolve the situation peacefully. The hostage did suffer a gunshot wound to the arm, but is expected tomake a full recovery and the suspect was taken into custody.
Thank you to everyone involved. Thank you for not saying, “That’s not my job.” Thank you to everyone who stepped up
and asked what they could do to help. This situation could have ended very differently. The entire day could have beenmore chaotic than it already was, but thanks to the cooperation of our employees across different departments and crews,
along with the excellent working relationship we have developed with law enforcement officers in our region, the
emergency situation went as smoothly as possible and had a positive outcome.
Gallatin Senior Maintenance Worker Clint Cole happilypitched in during his building's spill drill.
Roadside Intermediate Maintenance Worker Mitch Dunlapexplained beads used in striping to several district officeemployees during afternoon sessions, including RiskManagement Technician Danielle Lankford.
Many buildings took advantage of the beautiful weatherto run through a spill drill. Princeton maintenance ispictured above.
Several buildings used this time to inspect and organizetheir sign inventory, including Maryville maintenance,pictured above.
Pictured is the New Florence crew using absorbent padsto practice helping with a spill.
Marion County Sheriff's office shared some valuableinformation with the Work Life Center employees onthe do's and don'ts during an active shooter situation.
Employees went over the proper use of an AED machinethat could be needed in a medical situation.
Pictured is the Shelbina crew practicing a spill drill.
Several crews began their day with meetings. Picturedis the Troy maintenance facility gathered together.
Crews spent some time inspecting their PPE.Pictured is the Moberly crew.
Hannibal maintenance had a timber safety expert spendsome time with them that day.
Fire extinguisher safety was also a topic of the day.Here, Janet Groenda in human resources, is shownpracticing properly using an extinguisher.
MoDOT, along with Buckles, participated in HannibalBig Truck Night. Many children enjoyed the event.
Pictured is the final stages of work being done toCoon Creek Bridge on Route J in Lincoln County. Thework was done as a bridge rehabilitation project thatreplaced the deck and widened the bridge withshoulders. The bridge is now back open to traffic.
KRCG, ThinkFirst Missouri and the Missouri Coalitionfor Roadway Safety have partnered together for the
Focus on the Road campaign. Pictured here isThinkFirst speaking to a group of high schoolstudents at Mexico High School as a part of thatcampaign.
Left, the KC Communications department showcased theirstyle representing one of the most popular movies from1985, The Breakfast Club.
Below, employees played games to help raise money forthe KC Employee Assistance Fund.
Kansas City District Fall MeetingsOffered Unique 1985 ThemeRecently, the KC District hosted its fall employee meetings to discuss benefits, safety, health and wellness, and more with aunique twist. Employees were invited to "Party Like its 1985" to kick-off the meeting, and help celebrate the 30-yearanniversary for the Kansas City Royals baseball team's World Series win.
The day's events and presentations began with some interesting facts from 1985, including some of the projects MoDOTwas working on 30 years ago. In addition, employees were eager to show off some of their best dress from 1985 orsupporting the boys in blue with KC Royals gear while hearing some great topics and news from the district and across the
state.
Several employees took advantage of health screenings and flu shots to prep for the upcoming flu season. Other eventsincluded mini games and basket raffle drawings hosted by the KC EAEC to raise money for the KC Employee AssistanceFund. Thanks to the generosity from many employees, great prizes were awarded and more than $1,400 raised for the fund.
Above, several of the KC District employees were sporting their Royals blue for the fall meetings.
The Central District participated in the first Stand Up for Safety Day on Oct. 8. Below is just a sample of some of the
activities that took place. To view all photos from Stand Up for Safety Day at the Central District, visit MoDOT CentralDistrict's Flickr site - Stand Up for Safety Photos.
District Team Mentors Capstone Class at MU
The University of Missouri-Columbia selected three of the Central District’s projects - the Columbia I-70 Bridges, the
Business Loop 70 interchange and the Rangeline/Route 763 interchange - to use as an exercise for their Civil Engineering
Capstone Class during the fall semester. District employees who are helping mentor the class are Project Manager BruceGreen, Assistant District Engineer Travis Koestner, Project Designer Susan Ivy and Senior Construction Inspector Chris
Graham. MU students pictured below are (left to right) Cullen Ewen and Allie Gowen.
Linn Maintenance Receives Customer Thank You“We visited our place (on Route P near Meta) this
past weekend. The right of way looks fantastic.
I had asked about cutting the grass from fence line
to fence line. The grass was cut from fence line tofence line and I am writing to say it looks great.
Our ranch manager, Bill Haines, told us ‘HighwayP looks the best it has ever looked in the 29 years
we have lived here.’
Thank you very much and please pass along our
thanks to every person on the crew who really cares
about doing a great job.”
- Rick Sullivan
Around the District
Pictured above is some of the recent work on the Central District Fallen Workers Memorial site. A Fallen Workers MemorialWork Party is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. If you would like to volunteer to work on this day, you
can sign up for a work shift in the Central District customer service center or you can contact Communications Manager Sally
Fun at the Fulton Fall MeetingLaughs were found throughout the building during an age diversity exercise at the recent fall meeting in Fulton. Those present
got a chuckle reminiscing about years gone by and realized the similarities between age groups in the process.
Ballas maintenance crew members check road signsto make sure they are clean and presentable for dailymaintenance operations.
Construction and Material employees participate in aStand Up For Safety Family Fued activity.
Bellefontaine maintenance members inspect theirhardhats to ensure that they have not expired.
St. Louis District Stand Up For Safety Day
Normandy maintenance crews work through ademonstration of how to handle a fluid leak from afleet vehicle.
Eureka maintenance revisit proper techniques of howto ensure motorist can see themselves and theirsigns while standing in a work zone.
St. Clair maintenance starts their Stand Up For Safety daydiscussing objectives for the day's activities.
Fall Meetings Embrace Diversityby Shaunda White
MoDOT champions diversity and strives to be an inclusive organization that values and respects the differences of all people. This year the St. Louis fall meetings offered employees an opportunity to enhance their diversity knowledge and
RB VISITS THE DISTRICT – Interim Director RobertaBroeker visits with Branson Maintenance SupervisorJim Jewsbury. Broeker dropped in on the Bransonmaintenance facility during Stand Up For Safety onOct. 8. (Photo/David Mitchell)
WHAT I USE IS SAFE – (left to right) IntermediateMaintenance Worker Joe Gundel, Senior MaintenanceWorker Darrel Arnold, Intermediate MaintenanceWorker Dustin Terry, Crew Leader Jesse Durossetteand Crew Leader Clay Vaught, all from the Cassvillemaintenance facility, are part of a discussion aboutpersonal protection equipment (PPE) during thestatewide Stand Up For Safety event. (Photo/DavidColf)
THERE’S A HOLE THERE – Branson SeniorMaintenance Workers Ryan Ward-Melton (center)and Joe Watson (right) inspect a pair of chainsawchaps during the Stand Up For Safety event at theBranson maintenance facility. (Photo/David Mitchell)
UNMASKING SAFETY – Branson Maintenance WorkerJack Livingston (second from right) describes aspecific visor needed following a safety inventory ofequipment during Stand Up For Safety day.(Photo/David Mitchell)
SAFETY DISCUSSION – District Safety and HealthManager Gary McLarry talks highway safety withMissouri State Highway Patrol troopers near the I-44and U.S. Route 65 interchange in Springfield.(Photo/David Mitchell)
SUPERINTENDENTS MEETING – Clinton MaintenanceSuperintendent Johnny Mathews is part of adiscussion about budgets, winter operations andsafety during a meeting of district maintenancesuperintendents in Springfield on Oct. 14.(Photo/David)
SUPERINTENDENTS MEETING – District MaintenanceEngineer Michael Middleton leads a discussion onbudgets during a meeting of district maintenancesuperintendents in Springfield on Oct. 14(Photo/David Mitchell)
DDI TRAFFIC – The newest diverging diamondinterchange in the district at U.S. Route 65 &Battlefield Road in Springfield opened to traffic inlate September. Click on the image above to see ashort video of traffic flowing through the newinterchange.
