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12/03/2012

Institute Handbook, Advisory Council Deliver Value for Companies, Employees & Customers

Hose Safety Institute Handbook

On December 1, NAHAD’s Hose Safety Institute released its new HANDBOOK for the Design & Specification of Safe Hose Assemblies; the culmination of a two-year collaborative effort by scores of NAHAD member volunteers, following more than 10 years of hose assembly guideline development.

The new HANDBOOK incorporates all of the updated content from the seven NAHAD Hose Assembly Guidelines first introduced in 2005 as well as new and expanded content, charts, graphics and photos. A comprehensive and powerful reference tool for employee training and recognition, as well as the basis for, or a complement to, a company’s Quality Manual, the new HANDBOOK provides the perfect marketing tool for distribution sales professionals, allowing them to have “intelligent discussions with customers, centered around safety, quality and reliability, and not about price.”

New Handbook Exams & Certificates

To complement the new and expanded HANDBOOK, the Institute has revamped and updated its online exams and certificates program, set to roll out on January 1. Scores of Institute members are currently participating in pilot testing the five new exams. More than 3,000 certificates have been issued to individuals who have successfully passed the online Hose Assembly Guidelines exams since their initial introduction in 2005.

In addition to the exams serving as powerful employee training and recognition tools for distributors, they also enhance the business in other ways. The requirement that each company assign a training coordinator to facilitate the exams, for example, has led to unexpected changes. For some companies, adoption of the program marked the first time that training efforts were spearheaded by a single person, which sparked the formation of formalized training programs and the creation of internal quality manuals.

The exams’ effects on employee morale also exceeded expectations. Company adoption of the program has spurred increased emphasis on employee development, and the recognition that employees receive when they earn their certificates has instilled a stronger sense of appreciation and loyalty.

HSIAdvisory Council Connects Institute Members & Customers

In keeping with its focus on engaging end-users, the Hose Safety Institute Advisory Council, comprised of end-user representatives of key hose markets, offers advice and input to the Institute, while also addressing their specific market needs and applications. Current Council members represent a variety of industries and markets, including Military, Mining, Transportation, Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Bio-processing, U.S. government agencies and Product Testing. The Council will meet at the NAHAD offices in Annapolis, MD in December to further its work in support of the Hose Safety Institute.Another powerful benefit of adopting the Handbook, exams and guidelines is the impact that they have on customers and end-users. With increasing customer focus on hose safety and reliability, especially hose assemblies going into particularly hazardous environments, the last thing customers want is a hose assembly to fail needlessly, resulting in downtime, spills, fines or personal injury. The ability to distinguish hose distributors who have a commitment to safety from those who don’t is extremely valuable to customers. Hose Safety Institute members have committed to using the HANDBOOK guidelines and to meeting other eligibility criteria, giving end-users more peace of mind and confidence.

More information about the Handbook and the Hose Safety Institute Advisory Council, including member photos and bios, is available at HoseSafetyInstitute.org