“The world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic”

Well, it’s official.  Dr. Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization (WHO) has  raised the world to Level 6.

Before everyone starts scrambling for masks and hunkering down, let’s remember:

1. Yes, this is a virus; and yes, it is contagious.  So is the common cold and many other things. If you’re sick, stay home. Keep a good social distance (whether you’re sick or not).  Wash your hands and avoid touching your face.
2. Remember that not every case of the flu is deadly. Sadly, it is true that people have died from this strain of the flu—but people die from every strain of the flu. MOST people recover without the need for hospitalization or medical care.

Want to know more? WHO has lots of information posted to help educate the public on what they can do to protect themselves.

Nowadays, everybody has a mascot. New Pig has Sparky, and the Little Fiber Guy is a wanna-be. The Phillies have the Fanatic. And the Health Partners health clinic in the Twin Cities have Petey. Petey P. Cup to be precise.

Now, being an FOS (friend of Sparky),  I understand the need for people to identify with a lovable, personable character, a face to go with the brand. I also understand that a health clinic doesn’t have a whole lot of options.

So out of necessity, Petey was born. I must admit, he is popular. He has his own Facebook page with over a 1,000 fans! Not bad for a plastic waste container.

Well, maybe the clinic was short on ideas, but people are buzzing about Petey. He’s on Youtube.

Maybe I’m  asking the the wrong question …

To pee or not to pee: That is the question. (Click here for rimshot)

But seriously, Petey, I’m wishing you a super summer!

But not a great fall! (Click here for rimshot)

But in case you do have a great fall, we recommend several of these:  PIG® BioSafety Spill Cleanup Kit.

I sent the following message as an email to all Piggers, and we decided to share it here as well—not to toot our own horn but to show our passion for our company and our work.

YES, I’m PIGGER PROUD…AGAIN!

Piggers know that meetings, conferences, group tours of our facilities go on here all the time for customers, prospects, suppliers, students, teachers, consultants, salespeople, joy seekers, whoever! No big deal.

Anyway, this past Tuesday, 42 high school students and 4 faculty met with six departments in three buildings to learn first hand about how a local business operates and what career opportunities are available in their own community. They experienced not only our people up close and personal, but also our products, marketing, manufacturing, warehouse / distribution, human resource services and customer service. They raved about their visit. No surprise—it happens ALL THE TIME and that’s what’s amazing!

It’s the norm here, and it should never be taken lightly. But it’s not the norm in most places. It’s just remarkable how consistently enthusiastic, professional, and friendly everyone is toward fellow Piggers and visitors. After each visit, without fail, our guests have always expressed nothing but the highest praise and admiration for our people and company. And they’ll share their delightful New Pig experience with many others. That’s powerful and a very important element of our success.

Sometimes we get to play a major role like the six managers who presented on Tuesday and sometimes just a minor role. But everyone contributes to the whole. Whether we realize it or not, no matter what our role may be in the company, we’re all in a sense in public relations, sales and service.

The face we show to the public is a major element of the PIG® Brand. We are New Pig. May it always be so and never taken for granted.

Thank you to Pam and Paula at the Altoona Area School District
for providing these photos!

Now you can ham it up in a pair of bacon sneakers!

I Ked you not!

Don’t tell Sparky!

I just came across a forum discussion that raised the question: “What’s the shelf life for a 55-gallon drum of oil?”

I’ll ask my pals in New Pig Tech Services about that, but I wanted to note that we got a mention in the discussion, in a reply from Wis Bang: “New Pig sells bibs for the tops & containment stands too.”

Thanks for the shout-out, Wis Bang!

I always like hearing what a user calls a PIG® product when the name is different from what we call it, because what matters it what happens in the field, not in Tipton.

A bib for the top of a drum is one of our PIG® Barrel Top Absorbent Mats, made to catch leaks and drips from drum pumps. It’s a temporary cover that helps you avoid cleanup time—yes, a bib.

A containment stand for a drum is one of our PIG® Spill Containment Pallets in polyethylene or steel. A Spill Containment Pallet is essentially a strong, durable box with a grated top; in case of a leak or drip from a drum, it catches the liquid and saves cleanup time. Its use helps workplaces meet regulations such as 40 CFR 112.7 for SPCC requirements and 40 CFR 264.175 for containment of hazardous liquids.

What’s a Containment Pallet when it’s not catching liquids? Just as Wis Bang says, it’s a stand. Ideally, none of your oil drums will ever spring a leak, and each of your Containment Pallets will always be a stand.

We’d love to hear other everyday names for PIG® products. Comment on this post or email me. Thanks!

Couldn’t have summed it up any better!

Sorry, Sparky!

The folks over at The Last Straw have had it with juice box messes. Click here to check out their innovative solution: the first squirt-proof straw!

I personally think this is pure genius. I mean, even I have trouble getting a straw into a certain silver-pouched juice drink without spraying juice all over the place. Imagine how much more frustrating it is for little ones with little hands. Or for poor Sparky. (Oy, those hooves!)

At the same time, that’s a small-scale version of the frustration of overfilling a storage drum. Cleaning a little juice off your shirt is one thing. Cleaning up potentially-dangerous drum contents is quite another. Our solution is the PIG® Overfill Preventer. Like the Last Straw, it stops spills before they start. Plus, it’s easy to add to a PIG® Burpless® Drum Funnel.

Good luck to the Stribling family and all the people at The Last Straw working on bringing this spill solution to every home. I’m sure you’ll soon be making everyone’s favorite boxed and bagged beverages cleaner, safer and more enjoyable.

Image © Ivonne Wierink – Fotolia.com

Brad: Sexiest Man Alive 1995 and 2000

Me: Alive

Brad: Fight Club

Me: Fat Club

Brad: Stays clean with pre-moistened wipers

Me: Stays clean with PIG® Pre-Moistened Wipers

Film image © oxygen64 – Fotolia.com

This is a great idea: A historical tour related to industrial hazards.

It’s 1,100 miles by bus, with five stops covering 150 years of environmental and occupational health and safety: a coal mine, a steel plant, an automotive factory complex, a chemical plant and Love Canal.

The tourists are twenty-five college students and nine faculty from six universities and a range of disciplines including nursing, occupational safety, industrial hygiene and ergonomics. They’ll explore work hazards and share a multitude of perspectives. What a rich experience and great way to reinforce advances made in industry.

Okay, so this trip has a different kind of appeal than a fried-chicken tour, but I think I’d like it more.

This group of tourists is certain to encounter PIG® Absorbents and other PIG® products along the way (though they may not notice them). For that matter, if their bus takes I-99 between the first two stops (Scranton and Pittsburgh), they’ll pass within a few miles of New Pig headquarters.

I’m going to email the organizer offering some New Pig swag to everyone on the tour just because I think this imaginative trip will go a long way toward helping them keep people in industry safe, healthy and productive. Those people are our customers, so we have the same goal.

Kudos to the Historical Perspectives Tour! Here’s a sow-lute from One Pork Avenue as you roll by!

Image © alma_sacra – Fotolia.com