THE LEADING EDGE
Tips to reduce exposure to poisonous plants
By josh wilder steff manager
Compared to the general population, workers in our industry face a higher risk of coming in contact with poisonous plants, especially during summer months
According to OSHA, approximately 85 percent of the population develops an allergy if exposed to poison oak or poison ivy The resulting painful reactions can last weeks Simple practices can reduce the risk of exposure
Who is at risk of having a reaction to poisonous plants?
• Everyone You can develop an allergy at any time and especially after repeated exposure Just because you haven’t had a reaction in the past doesn’t mean you won’t
How can you recognize poisonous plants?
• Poison ivy is a vine and poison oak is a shrub, but the leaves of both plants grow in clusters of three
What are the typical symptoms of allergic reactions?
• Poison ivy/oak reactions are usually skin rashes that show up six hours to two weeks after contact A rash can develop months later if you come in contact with oil from the plants on tools, equipment, clothing, or shoes Itching, redness, a burning feeling, swelling, and blisters are common at the site of the rash
What can be done to reduce exposure or having a reaction?
• Wear a hat, gloves, and a long-sleeved shirt tucked into pants Tuck pant legs into socks or boots. Remove and wash clothing immediately after work
• Don’t burn poison ivy/oak Inhaling the smoke can create a rash on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and severe reactions even in people far downwind.
What if you are exposed to a poisonous plant?
• Take off clothing that might have come into contact with the
From left, Rene Medina, Lance Whitworth, and Erik Velazquez work on a new irrigation install at a DeSoto County property Lance was reaching under the driveway to retrieve a boring bit that had snapped off PHOTO BY CALEB KING
plants
• Thoroughly wash skin with soap and cool water as soon as
possible
• Apply rubbing alcohol to skin within 30 minutes of exposure
• Treat reactions with an oral and/or topical antihistamine
GINNY SHIKLE
@hatcherlandscapememphis
@hatcherlandscapehsv
@hatchlandscape mem
@hatchlandscape hsv
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GINNY SHIKLE
Poison ivy and poison oak leaves grow in clusters of three. Reactions are usually skin rashes that show up six hours to two weeks after contact.
Inova replaces Employee Navigator
By lana brown head of hr/it
You’ll be happy to learn that PTO is now fully integrated into Inova! You can begin submitting new PTO requests directly through Inova’s HCMToGo app rather than Employee Navigator, which is no longer available. HCMToGo is the same app you use to check your pay statements and change your direct deposit, home address, and tax withholdings
As part of the transition to Inova, the
calendar has been refreshed with all your previous PTO records from the old system In other words, if you requested future PTO that was approved in Employee Navigator, it has transferred to Inova. However, because this is a new system, please double-check your time off requests and resubmit them, if necessary, in Inova
PTOINSTRUCTIONS
Ifyouhaven’tdonealready doneso,downloadandinstall theHCMToGoappfromthe AppStore(iOS)orGooglePlay Store(Android) Theapp lookslike this
Checkyouremailforlogincredentials Ifyouhave troublewithyourusernameandpassword, pleaseaskyourmanagerforassistance.
Loginandopentheapp Ifyouhavetrouble accessingtheapp,pleaseaskyourmanagerfor assistance.
Fromthedashboard,tap theTimeoffairplaneicon
Thisscreen,labeledMytimeoff,tellsyouwhen yournextscheduledtimeoffis,ifany Italsohas linkstoyouraccrualbalances,openabsences, andaccrualdetails.YoumayalsoviewyourPTO history,viewthecalendar,andrequestPTO
Torequest PTO,selectthe darkgreen buttonlabeled RequestPTO.
We think you’ll find that our new HR platform is more efficient and userfriendly We encourage you to familiarize yourself with Inova and use the HCMToGo app for all future PTO requests Your manager can help if you have any questions or need assistance.
I appreciate your patience through this process Stay tuned for future announcements about other ways we will begin using Inova, including performance management and benefits administration
Thentapthe calendaricon onthenext screentoselect theDate
Fromhere,clickon thedayordaysyou arerequestingoff ThentapDone
Onthenext screen,you mayupload documents andenter comments Then,click thedark green Submit Request button
Fromthisscreen,selecttheTimeOffType(PTOor UnpaidLeave),andintheRequestTypesection, usethedrop-downmenutochoosethetypeof leave(FullDay,MultipleWorkDays,orPartialDay)
Thisscreen displaysa messagestating thatyourtimeoff requestwas successfully submitted To proceed,tapthe darkgreenbutton labeledOK Youwillreceiveanemailfromyourmanager regardingtheapprovalstatusofyourPTO
Chris Thomas, Master Lawn Raul Gonzalez, Commercial Maintenance
Will Batson, Commercial Maintenance
Eli Michael, Commercial Maintenance
Will Comstock and Christian Warren, Commercial Maintenance
Megan Mooney, Admin
Jason Luckett, Commercial Construction
Casey Dorl, Sean Pestana, and Balvino Verdugo, Commercial Construction
Steve Tice, Commercial Construction
PHOTOS BY GINNY SHIKLE
GET TO KNOW OUR RECRUITING TEAM
Meet Nick Koehler, Rachel Nelson, and Sofia Ponce
By ginny shikle marketing and Communications specialist
Three employees are helping to grow Michael Hatcher & Associates Nick Koehler, Director of Talent and Development, and Recruiting Coordinator Sofia Magallanes Ponce are based at The Landscape Center Rachel Nelson is the Office/Facilities Manager for our Huntsville Branch
Here’s more information about our recruiting team and how to reach them:
NICK KOEHLER
nkoehler@hatcherlandscape com
Nick brings a wealth of experience and a unique background to his position As Director of Talent and Development, he recruits and hires new team members and manages our employee training and professional development programs
“Michael Hatcher & Associates is a local business serving its community through a real, tangible service,” said Nick, a New York City native and Baruch College graduate who spent nine years specializing in recruiting executives for hedge funds and Finance/Tech companies before joining our Team in May
“I have always remained in the talent space because the end product and clients are always individuals,” he said. “I find this work qualitative and rewarding because it’s not a science ”
RACHEL NELSON
rnelson@hatcherlandscape com
Rachel also has a multifaceted role. In addition to managing the office and facilities and handling administrative and accounting tasks, she also recruits and onboards for the Huntsville Branch
“I’m excited to be part of an amazing culture and to help the company grow to its highest potential in Huntsville,” said Rachel, who joined our Team in July
A Tuscaloosa native, she is an experienced recruiter with a degree in finance from Austin Peay State University and a background in management/operations. Her resume includes managing a restaurant and working for staffing agencies in
healthcare, hospitality, food/beverage, and retail.
SOFIA MAGALLANES PONCE sponce@hatcherlandscape com
Sofia was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and grew up in Hernando She’s worked at restaurants, for non-profit clinics, and also in her family’s business.
“My goal isn’t just to recruit future talent
for the company but to bring people that identify with the core values of the company: Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence,” she said
Sofia joined our Team in July She has a bachelor’s degree from Christian Brothers University in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and is currently in the MBA program at CBU.
PHOTO BY GINNY SHIKLE
Sofia Magallanes Ponce assists two new hires during Onboarding.
PeachyKeen
On June 21, we shared yummy peaches with our hardworking team This sweet treat, fresh from Pearson Farm in Ft Valley, Georgia, and Ayers Farm in Huntsville, Alabama, is more than just delicious. It’s a reminder of our commitment to Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence With every peach, we celebrated honest work, collaboration, and always striving for the best It was a fruitful day!
Ginny Shikle
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Commercial Maintenance Crew Member Danie Sanchez Rubio, left, and CEO Russ Sneed were Hatchergram ready with their peaches from Pearson Farm in Ft. Valley, Georgia.
swag.
The Landscape Center crew members
day.
PHOTO BY KYLE WILLIAMS Huntsville crew members enjoyed fresh peaches from Ayers Farm.
PHOTO BY MIA FRIEND
PHOTO BY ANGIE OLIVE
Lawn Care Specialist John Carpenter of Master Lawn shows off his peach
PHOTO BY JARRET FOWLKES
with their peaches before heading home for the
Technology aids communication at CM launches
Editor’s Note: The following article contains excerpts from a Communication Aid Proposal submitted by FOM Todd Williams of Commercial Maintenance earlier this year
By todd williams field operations manager
Every morning, we hold a meeting before launch to relay important information about changes in schedules, policies, safety, expectations, and sometimes things we need the crew leaders and their crews to complete that day on the fly, or often behaviors to not repeat that work day
This, as simple as it sounds, can be a very difficult task Not only to communicate within a 5-minute window, but to then also have that message be repeated in Spanish by a translator This is all done while trying to compete with engine noises, and the waning attention spans of the crews before us In my opinion, the points and tasks that we are trying to get across to the crews are much too important to be explained within a 5-minute window So, some alternative methods and strategies of communication might prove useful
recent Commercial
Which brings us to the point, how can we possibly do this better?
I believe that if we were to invest just a few hundred dollars, we could really take our communication with the crews to the next level and solve some of the problems with information retention
Let’s say we were to buy a flat-screen TV
and install it in the barn where we check in the crews We could put together some slides on a loop (repetition) that are pertinent to the job, upcoming events, the remembrance of safety, reminders, and deadlines of tasks, and translate them into Spanish as well I believe this would enable us to capture their attention to get our points across in a more effective manner than
CEL
for the company
UPDATE:
The reaction has been positive Immediately after we turned it on, crew members were watching it. I need to make some new slides, but overall, it has had a positive reaction and has been a useful tool to communicate and reemphasize certain points to the crews.
Crews, technicians n
Our crew members and technicians are special to us, so we do everything we can to make them feel loved On Aug 1, that meant cheering them on as they launched for the day
When they drove out the gates, our Construction, Maintenance, and Lawn Care teams from The Landscape Center, Master Lawn, and our Huntsville Branch were greeted by our support staff and treated with goodie bags containing snacks, water, sports drinks, and electrolyte drink mixes
We had so much fun at the Morning Cheer Celebration, and we are thankful for our crew members and technicians who work hard to care for our customers’ properties
Ginny Shikle Marketing and Communications Specialist
PHOTO BY GINNY SHIKLE
FOM Todd Williams, right, goes over the day’s schedule with crew members at a
Maintenance launch.
PHOTO BY ANGIE OLIVE
Master Lawn Service Manager Elijah Cato prepares to give a goodie bag to Lawn Care Specialist Fisher Wills during the Morning Cheer Celebration on Aug. 1.
