Enroll in the Wooster Area Safety Council for FY27!
Joining the Wooster Area Safety Council can help lower your workers’ compensation costs. You’ll learn risk management information and strategies to reduce costs and you can earn a 3% safety council rebate on your premium. Meetings are held monthly at the First Presbyterian Church located at 621 College Ave. Wooster, OH 44691.
Join the Wooster Area Safety Council and qualify for these benefits:
- Earn rebates of 3% on your workers' compensation premiums
- Help your organization become a safer workplace
- Gain knowledge on relevant topics
- Network with fellow industry professionals
Enrollment is FREE! Simply complete the New Enrollment Form and send it to smcfarland@woosterchamber.com. The deadline to enroll for FY27 is September 30, 2026.
Beyond the Holiday Cheer: Caring for Your Mental Health
Presented by Dr. Mark Yoder, DNP, FNP-C, PMHNP-C
While the holiday season is often filled with joy and celebration, it can also bring heightened stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and loneliness. Join us for an engaging community discussion led by Dr. Mark Yoder as he explores the unique emotional challenges that can accompany the winter holidays.
This timely presentation will offer practical strategies for managing holiday stress, setting healthy personal and workplace boundaries, coping with grief and loss, and prioritizing mental well-being. Attendees will gain valuable, actionable tools to navigate the season with greater resilience, balance, and emotional wellness, as well as guidance on when and how to seek additional support.
About the Presenter
Dr. Mark Yoder is the Executive Director of the Viola Startzman Clinic in Wooster, Ohio, and a dual board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Holding a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, he brings extensive expertise across primary care, behavioral health, and healthcare leadership.
In his role at the Viola Startzman Clinic, Dr. Yoder leads initiatives dedicated to expanding access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare, with a strong focus on underserved populations and integrating mental health services into primary care. He also serves as the Wayne County Chapter Leader for the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (OAAPN) and is an adjunct professor in Walsh University's Family Nurse Practitioner program. Recognized in 2025 by the Charitable Healthcare Network as the Free Clinic Advanced Practice Provider of the Year, Dr. Yoder is deeply committed to reducing mental health stigma, improving care access, and empowering individuals to actively care for their well-being.
Future Meeting Dates
October 28 - Blame it on the Brain: Tiffany White, The Village Network
November 18 - Beyond the Holiday Cheer: Caring for Your Mental Health - Dr. Mark Yoder, DNP, FNP-C, PMHNP-C, Viola Startzman Clinic
December 16 - The Vehicle Is Part of the Workplace: Building a Stronger Driver Safety Culture - Our Driving Concern with the National Safety Council
January 20, 2027 - First 10 minutes of an Emergency - Nate Yoder, Wooster Twp. Fire Department
February 17, 2027 - Safety in the Age of Automation & Cobots - MAGNET
March 24, 2027 - Machine Guarding - SCR Safety Solutions
April 14, 2027 - Artificial Intelligence & Cybersecurity Risks in the Workplace Safety - Computer Mixx
May 26, 2027 - Post Injury Rehabilitation & Safe Return-to-Work Strategies - Dr. Daniel Myer, Crystal Clinic
June 23, 2027 - TBD
The Wooster Area Safety Council meets monthly to share knowledge on relevant topics, network with fellow industry professionals, assist organizations in creating safer workplaces, and provide companies with opportunities to earn a rebate on their workers' compensation premiums.
This meeting will take place at the First Presbyterian Church in Wooster from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $20 for Chamber members and $25 for non-members.
Wooster Safety Council Committee
Jim Pindell - Unilock
Rob David - MedPro Group
Don Noble - United Titanium
Mary Hauter - McClintock Electric
Heather Ogi - Seaman Corporation
Bob Sommers - Buehler’s
Tracy Houchins - Artiflex Manufacturing
Kyle Berg - Artiflex Manufacturing
Wooster Safety Council - Chamber Team
Sarah McFarland - smcfarland@woosterchamber.com
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Wednesday, June 22
Dr. James Nappi discussed "Common Workplace Injuries of the Hand and Upper Extremity."
During the meeting Dr. Nappi discussed the following:
Outline most common workplace injuries (trigger finger, tendonitis, lacerations, crush injuries, amputations, etc)
Discuss how each injury presents and symptoms in the employee/patient
Discuss treatment of the injury and first responder actions
Includes before and after pictures of injuries
Includes lots of humor and questions!
James F. Nappi, MD, is an orthopedic hand surgeon at Hand and Microsurgery Associates in Columbus, Ohio. His areas of focus include injuries of the fingers, hand, wrist, and arm.
Dr. Nappi began his career in medicine by attending medical school at The Ohio State University in Columbus. He completed his internship and surgical residency at Summa Akron City Hospital (part of the Summa Health System). He completed his plastic surgery residency at The Ohio State University, and his fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery at the Curtis National Hand Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
Wednesday, March 23
Nicholas V. Cascarelli Ed.D., Wayne County Health Commissioner presented during the March 23 Safety Council meeting. Cascarelli discussed best practices for preventing the spread of infection as well as provided an update on COVID-19 and an overview of how the health department has responded to the pandemic.
Attendees learned:
1. Infection control measures such as handwashing and sanitization of surfaces prevent the spread of infection.
2. Best methods of protection against COVID-19 and how the health department has responded to the pandemic.
3. Services the health department can provide.
Nicholas V. Cascarelli Ed.D. has served as Wayne County Health Commissioner since 2015. Nick has been a public health professional for 22 years and had previously served as the Carroll County Health Commissioner from 2011-2014 and served as a Community Health Educator from 2000-2011 at the Mahoning County Health Department where he focused on lead poisoning prevention and tobacco prevention and control. Nick received his Masters in Health Promotion and his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Youngstown State University where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Health Professions.
Wednesday, February 23
Nicole Smith, Diabetes Program Consultant at the Ohio Department of Health, will discuss the impact of prediabetes on your workforce. She will share information about the benefits of the National Diabetes Prevention Program and provide tools, resources, and employer opportunities to determine if this program is right for you and your organization. Given the rising cost of diabetes and the increased risk for COVID-19 complications for people with chronic conditions, this is a presentation you won’t want to miss!
After the presentation, attendees will be able to:
1. Describe the burden of diabetes and prediabetes in Ohio and on your workforce.
2. Describe the National Diabetes Prevention Program, including participant eligibility, program goals, and program delivery modes.
3. Identify next steps to determine if the National Diabetes Prevention Program is a good fit for their organization.
Nicole Smith provides technical assistance to the CDC-recognized National Diabetes Prevention Programs in Ohio. She also works with employers and health plans (both commercial and Medicaid) to expand coverage for the National DPP as a medical or wellness benefit. She holds a Bachelor’s in Health and Sports Studies from Miami University, and a Master of Public Health in Physical Activity and Public Health from the University of South Carolina. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist and has served in several board member roles, including her current role as Professional Development Chair, for the Ohio Society for Public Health Education.
Wednesday, January 26
Erica Springer, Executive Director of the Wayne County Regional Training Facility, presented Preparing for a Medical Emergency a the January 26 Wooster Safety Council meeting.
She shared information and special considerations involving first aid and ways to protect employees in emergency medical situations. As well as ways to help improve outcomes and assist first responders with vital information.
Springer is also a certified emergency nurse with additional certifications in trauma care, pediatric care, advanced cardiac life support, pediatric advanced life support, stroke care, and emergency medical services. She is a graduate of Northwestern High School and has a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Management.
She oversees 56 staff members and instructors who provide training to members of public safety organizations from nearly 50 different counties in the state of Ohio, in addition to 20 different states. The instructors have a combined 1,357 years of firefighting experience and 1,343 years of EMS experience.
Wednesday, November 17
Howard Eberts, Compliance Assistance Specialist with the U.S. Department of Labor/OSHA presented an OSHA Enforcement Update at the November 17 Wooster Area Safety Council meeting.
During his presentation, he will cover OSHA inspection statistics and results, review recent significant OSHA enforcement actions, explore results from a study of OSHA inspections, and present OSHA's enforcement plans and initiatives for the upcoming year.
Currently, Eberts oversees the Cleveland Area Office, an OSHA enforcement office with 28 people, including 18 Compliance Officers and three Whistleblower Investigators. The Cleveland Area Office is one of four OSHA Area Offices in Ohio, with Toledo, Columbus, and Cincinnati, and it covers 12 counties in the northeast corner of the state.
Eberts graduated in 1987 from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and started with OSHA as a Compliance Officer (Industrial Hygienist) in the Columbus Area Office in 1988.
He worked in the Chicago Regional Office from 2001-2006 as Assistant Regional Administrator for Cooperative and State Programs. His responsibilities as Assistant Regional Administrator included overseeing Region V’s (six states) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), State and Consultation Programs, Training, Grant Programs, Emergency Preparedness and Response Program, and Compliance Assistance Activities, including Partnerships and Alliances.
Upon returning to the Columbus Area Office in 2006, he served as the Compliance Assistance Specialist for the office until 2010 and then moved to the Cleveland Area Office as the Area Director in January, 2011.
Wednesday, October 6
Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the first Ohio Safety Council Mega Meeting. We look forward to participating in the Mega Meeting scheduled for April 13, 2022.
Wednesday, September 22
Tricia Pycraft, with Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston presented at the September Safety Council virtual meeting on the topic of COVID and HIPAA and ADA, oh my!
As an employer, does HIPAA restrict your ability to ask questions about vaccinations status? How does the ADA come into play? What restrictions do employers have regarding vaccine mandates and incentives? Learn the answers to these questions, and more on how COVID continues to change the way employers must handle a variety of workplace issues.
Tricia enjoys representing employers as they navigate the ever-changing landscape of federal and state employment law. She assists employers in a proactive manner by helping them develop compliant policies and practices, drafting employee handbooks, and advising on day-to-day issues that arise, such as wage and hour questions, discipline matters, discrimination and harassment complaint investigations, responding to EEOC and OCRC complaints, employee requests for leave and accommodations, and drafting severance agreements.
The first virtual meeting was held
Wednesday, August 25
Kelly Ott, Ergonomic Consultant with the Ohio BWC Division of Safety and Hygiene presented Working remotely or from home? How to reduce exposure to ergonomic risk factors.
Ergonomic hazards include working in awkward or uncomfortable postures and using excessive force or high repetition to complete a task. Working remotely has created a need for good ergonomics when working from home. Good ergonomics ensure comfort and safety, enhanced productivity, all while keeping you healthy and pain-free.
Kelly Ott works to assist employers with developing a system-based approach to ergonomics and safety through services such as safety grant application assistance, ergonomic team development, safety culture assessment, and strategic planning.