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Campaign to Cut Work Cancer Deaths Launched

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LEICESTER, England, Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — An industry-wide campaign to cut the number of deaths from occupational cancer will be launched today (Monday 3 November) in London.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141103/713621)

According to conservative estimates, some 8,000 people die from cancer and around 14,000 contract the disease each year in the UK because of exposure to a work-related carcinogen, such as diesel exhaust fumes, silica dust or asbestos fibres. Worldwide, occupational cancer claims the lives of more than 666,000 a year – one death every 47 seconds.

The figures far outstrip those for fatal incidents in the workplace, but the invisibility of carcinogens, the long latency of their effects and a lack of knowledge continue to produce this staggeringly high number of preventable deaths and cancer registrations.

Led by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and backed by business leaders, academics and charity Macmillan Cancer Support, the No Time to Lose campaign will call for a collaboration of government and employers “to beat occupational cancer”.

A national database of work-related carcinogen exposure, more research into the potential cancer risks of new technologies, a greater focus on work cancer in medical courses and awareness training for apprentices are all part of the call to action.

IOSH, the world’s largest professional organisation in occupational safety and health, will also publish new guidance today for employers to help them identify and deal with cancer risks. And the Chartered body wants businesses to sign a pledge demonstrating their commitment to controlling carcinogenic exposures in their workplaces.

IOSH head of policy and public affairs Richard Jones said: “We need a concerted joint effort to educate and protect future generations from work-related cancer. Simple actions today will save lives tomorrow – there really is no time to lose in tackling this global tragedy.”

Findings of a survey of its members by IOSH found 80 per cent of respondents felt industry was doing too little to tackle occupational health issues, due to a lack of awareness and resources.

Dr Lesley Rushton, of Imperial College London, is lead researcher behind the most recent study into the UK’s work cancer burden. She said: “There’s no excuse for young people entering into work today and being exposed to carcinogens. And we need innovative ways to get key messages to the self-employed and those working in smaller businesses.

“If we don’t do something now, we are going to have thousands of occupational cancers annually, but if we take action now we can beat occupational cancer.

“We know there are problems with exhaust fumes and shift work, sun exposure is a problem. We know what the problems are, and we know how to reduce the risks. Now, we just need action.”

For more information about the campaign, this afternoon’s House of Commons launch, and the No Time to Lose call to action, visit http://www.notimetolose.org.uk.

Health Care

Lakeland Industries Provides Update on Business Activity Relating to Ebola Crisis

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RONKONKOMA, New York, Oct. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Lakeland Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: LAKE), a leading global manufacturer of industrial protective clothing for industry, municipalities, healthcare and to first responders on the federal, state and local levels, today provided the following update on recent business activities and corporate developments.

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In anticipation of the worsening of the Ebola crisis, on September 12 the Company announced its intent to increase manufacturing capacity for specialty protective suits to be worn by healthcare workers and others being exposed to Ebola.  The Company has been experiencing significant interest globally for its ChemMAX® and MicroMAX® protective suit lines.   Manufacturing of select lines of these garments involves proprietary processes for specialized seam sealing, a far superior technology for protecting against viral hazards including infected body fluids than non-sealed products.  Lakeland accelerated its capital investment program for new machinery to accommodate higher levels of output and increased its spending for raw materials and the hiring and training of manufacturing personnel to address the increase in product demand. 

“Recent developments have enabled us to strengthen our balance sheet, increase forward cash flow from the elimination of interest service on expensive debt, and increase production capacity to contribute to the fight against the spread of Ebola which has led to a material improvement in our business,” said Christopher J. Ryan, CEO of Lakeland Industries, Inc.  “At the same time, we have also been experiencing an improvement in operating conditions for the balance of our business globally.  I am very proud of the way the worldwide team of Lakeland Industries has responded to the Ebola crisis while continuing to provide the highest level of service and quality garments to our traditional customers.”

Monthly production capacity for sealed seam ChemMAX and MicroMAX protective suit lines has increased by nearly 50% from August 2014, prior to Ebola-related product demand, to October 2014, and is on track for a 100% increase from that level by January 2015, with the ability for additional increases as needed.  Substantially all of the available production capacity in August 2014 had been allocated to purchases by the Company’s industrial customers (for non-Ebola related purposes).  The Company will continue to service its industrial customers who are dependent upon Lakeland to conduct their work safely.  The expanded capacity is necessary in order to meet obligations for both traditional customers as well as for protection against the spread of Ebola.

Through its direct sales force and numerous distribution partners throughout the world, Lakeland has secured new orders relating to the fight against the spread of Ebola.  Orders have been received from government agencies around the world as well as other public and private sector customers.  Certain of these contracts require weekly delivery guarantees or shipments through the first calendar quarter of 2015.  The aggregate of orders won by Lakeland that are believed to have resulted from the Ebola crisis amount to approximately 1 million suits with additional orders for other products, such as hoods, foot coverings and gloves.  Lakeland started shipping such orders only in October, which is the end of its fiscal 2015 third quarter reporting period.  The main impact from Ebola-related orders received to date will not be realized until the Company’s fiscal 2015 fourth quarter ended January 31, 2015. 

Furthermore, the Company is presently participating in bidding on numerous customer requests for additional quantities.  This additional amount may not reflect any of the global requirements for preparedness strategies to be implemented by governments and healthcare organizations resulting from the crisis in anticipation of future contagion scenarios.  It is important to note that product demand in crisis and emergency situations is very difficult to predict, and the Company makes no assurances of its ability to win additional business. 

Lakeland remains committed to participating in the fight against the spread of Ebola.  The Company’s global workforce and management team have been vigilant in responding to an unprecedented level of inquiries and in ramping production to meet delivery requirements.  For additional product information or to place an order, please visit www.lakeland.com or contact customer service:

United States at +1-256-350-3873
Argentina at +54-11-4897-5760
Brazil at +55-11-3613-3700
Canada at 800-489-9131
Chile at +562-551-8562
China at +010-6437-9226
India at +91-8447556757
Mexico at 800-837-9236
Russia at +7-495-775-72-64
UK at +44-14304-78140

About Lakeland Industries, Inc.:
Lakeland Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: LAKE) manufactures and sells a comprehensive line of safety garments and accessories for the industrial protective clothing market.  The Company’s products are sold by a direct sales force and through independent sales representatives to a network of over 1,200 safety and mill supply distributors. These distributors in turn supply end user industrial customers such as chemical/petrochemical, automobile, steel, glass, construction, smelting, janitorial, pharmaceutical and high technology electronics manufacturers, as well as hospitals and laboratories. In addition, Lakeland supplies federal, state, and local government agencies, fire and police departments, airport crash rescue units, the Department of Defense, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many other federal and state agencies.  For more information concerning Lakeland, please visit the Company online at www.lakeland.com.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:  Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions as described from time to time in Press Releases and Forms 8-K, registration statements, quarterly and annual reports and other reports and filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or made by management.  All statements, other than statements of historical facts, which address Lakeland’s expectations of sources or uses for capital or which express the Company’s expectation for the future with respect to financial performance or operating strategies can be identified as forward-looking statements.  As a result, there can be no assurance that Lakeland’s future results will not be materially different from those described herein as “believed,” “projected,” “planned,” “intended,” “anticipated,” “estimated” or “expected,” or other words which reflect the current view of the Company with respect to future events.  We caution readers that these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof.  The Company hereby expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events conditions or circumstances on which such statement is based.

Any customers referenced or implied through reference in this press releases does not represent an endorsement of Lakeland Industries or its products.

Health Care

10,000 RNs to Join National Conference Call Today for Nurses on Ebola as RNs Call for Highest Standards for RN, Patient Safety

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– Call Follows NNU Release of Statement from Texas Health Presbyterian RNs Citing Concerns about Hospital Preparedness

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — With news Wednesday morning that a second Dallas health worker has now tested positive for Ebola, more than 10,000 registered nurses from across the U.S. are expected to join a conference call Wednesday hosted by National Nurses United to discuss what U.S. hospitals are doing to prepare for Ebola to improve safety for patients, nurses, other hospital personnel, and wider communities they service. The call will be held at 3 p.m. EDT, 12 noon PDT.

(Media may listen in to the call via webcast, at https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/731/6167 or via phone, from U.S. or Canada, +1-877-384-4190 or international, +1-857-244-7412. Participant Code 26306511#. The call will be open to media questions after nurses’ questions. When the call is opened for press questions, push *1 (star one) to be put thru to an operator-assisted queue.) 
Press conference and call in at 2000 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA

The call occurs just hours after NNU released a statement by RNs who work at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas voicing frustration and concern over what they viewed as a lack of preparation and training at their hospital, the first in the U.S. to see, first a patient with Ebola who subsequently died, and now an RN who has been infected with the virus.

In the statement, the Texas RNs described confusion in the hospital over policies in responding to patients with Ebola, inadequate advance training and availability of proper personal protective equipment, and changing guidelines. In the end, the nurses, said they felt “unsupported, unprepared and deserted to handle the situation on their own.”

“Sadly, the problems expressed by the heroic Texas Health Presbyterian RNs were predictable in our fragmented, uncoordinated private healthcare system, and it mirrors concerns we’ve heard from nurses across the U.S.,” said NNU Executive Director RoseAnn DeMoro.

“There is no standard short of optimal in safety for patients, RNs, and the public,” said DeMoro. “Nurses and other frontline hospital personnel must have the highest level of protective equipment, such as the Hazmat suits Emery University or the CDC themselves use while transporting patients and hands on training and drills for all RNs and other hospital personnel including the practice of putting on and taking off the optimal equipment. The time to act is long overdue.”

NNU has been warning for weeks that nurses throughout the U.S. have concerns about inadequate preparation for confronting Ebola – represented again by 10,000 RNs who have now signed up for the call via the NNU website and Facebook.

More than 2,300 RNs have also completed an online survey on Ebola. Highlights:

  • 85 percent say their hospital has not provided education on Ebola with the ability for the nurses to interact and ask questions – a percentage that remains largely unchanged.
  • 40 percent say their hospital has insufficient current supplies of eye protection (face shields or side shields with goggles) for daily use on their unit; 41 percent say there are insufficient supplies of fluid resistant/impermeable gowns in their hospital – both numbers are increasing as more survey results come in.
  • 40 percent say their hospital does not have plans to equip isolation rooms with plastic covered mattresses and pillows and discard all linens after use; only 8 percent said they were aware their hospital does have such a plan in place.

NNU is calling for all U.S. hospitals to immediately implement a full emergency preparedness plan for Ebola, or other disease outbreaks. That includes:

  • Full training of hospital personnel, along with proper protocols and training materials for responding to outbreaks, with the ability for nurses to interact and ask questions.
  • Adequate supplies of Hazmat suits and other personal protective equipment.
  • Properly equipped isolation rooms to assure patient, visitor, and staff safety.
  • Proper procedures for disposal of medical waste and linens after use.
Health Care

Paul G. Allen Backs Two New Initiatives in the Fight Against the Ebola Virus

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— Efforts Part of Comprehensive “Tackle Ebola” Relief Campaign

— Initiatives will provide 50,000 health kits to affected areas and facilitate flights to deliver essential supplies

SEATTLE, Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Philanthropist Paul G. Allen announced today two new initiatives as part of a comprehensive relief campaign to provide resources and support to tackle the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. The efforts will put an additional $6.6 million toward supporting business and organizations working on logistical and transport needs. This raises Mr. Allen’s initial commitment to fighting the disease to more than $20 million, with further donation announcements planned for later this week.

“The Ebola outbreak requires dedicated and creative solutions to prevent its further spread across Africa and the world,” said Mr. Allen. “We can tackle Ebola, but it will require an accelerated and coordinated global effort. Time is of the essence in this battle.”

The initiatives announced today will facilitate the movement of goods, resources and people in the region. The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and leading businesses have come together to make the following solutions possible:

First, is a $3.6 million matching contribution from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF that in coordination with UPS will air lift 50,000 protection kits into Liberia to help prevent the spread of the virus among caretakers and family members.

“UPS is providing global transportation logistics expertise to UNICEF to speed the delivery arrangement considering the time sensitive nature of this important mission,” said Mitch Nichols, senior vice president, UPS Transportation and Engineering.

The kits are designed to protect healthy people when family members are showing Ebola-like symptoms. Individuals will be trained in how to use the gear, dispose of waste and reduce the risk of infection. In addition, the funds will equip 2,371 community health volunteers with the resources to educate their communities on how to prevent the spread of Ebola and protect themselves and their families.

“We are so grateful for the generous support from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, UPS and partners such as USAID,” said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “There are 4.5 million children under the age of five living in areas affected by Ebola and UNICEF is working around the clock to protect communities and families against the deadly virus. The funding support from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and the logistics support from UPS will help UNICEF continue to rush critically-needed, lifesaving supplies to the region.”

With the match from others in the U.S. Fund for UNICEF family and partners, additional kits and ongoing funding for social mobilization and care will be sent to the communities affected by this devastating virus.

Second, a $3 million partnership has been established with Airlink to execute an air bridge, with flights departing on a regular basis for the next three months, to deliver critically-needed medical protective gear and pharmaceuticals to West Africa. Airlink is a 24/7 disaster and humanitarian response organization that links pre-qualified nonprofits with airlines for air and cargo transportation. With a rapid-response business model that supports the delivery of aid in a very timely manner, Airlink’s mission is to support nonprofit organizations working to get required supplies to the areas of greatest need. The first flight will take place the week of September 21.

“With the supply chain significantly contracted by many carriers deciding not to fly into West Africa at this time, we are particularly appreciative of the support from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation,” said Steve Smith, executive director of Airlink. “Many nonprofits have told us we are the only avenue for them to deliver aid, thus, the generous funding to create an air bridge has the potential to open the pipeline for many more relief organizations.”

These funding commitments and business partnerships come at a time when the international community is struggling to provide enough support to control the epidemic. International groups such as Medecins Sans Frontieres and the World Health Organization have said resources to contain the disease and treat those in need are falling short of what is required. Simultaneously, Ebola is spreading exponentially across West Africa – this outbreak being currently the worst on record, killing more than 2,300 across four countries. Unless contained, hundreds of thousands or even millions of lives are at risk.

Today’s announcement follows a $9 million grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to the CDC Foundation to establish emergency operations centers in the most-affected countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. These centers will help to develop a systematic response with improved data management and communication systems for disease and patient contact tracing, which will ultimately help to detect and stop the disease from spreading.

The Paul G Allen Family Foundation also committed $2.8 million to the American Red Cross in August 2014. This donation is currently funding equipment, volunteers and educational materials in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to help stop Ebola.

For more information, visit TackleEbola.com and follow #TackleEbola on Twitter.

About Paul G. Allen
Paul G. Allen is a leading investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist who has given more than $1.5 billion to charitable causes over his lifetime. He founded Vulcan Inc. in 1986 with Jody Allen to oversee his business and philanthropic activities. Today, that Seattle-based company oversees a wide range of Allen’s investments and projects throughout the world. In 2003, he created the Allen Institute for Brain Science to accelerate understanding of the human brain in health and disease and, a decade later, launched the expansion of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence to explore opportunities for development in the field of AI. He is the co-founder of The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, which has awarded more than $475 million to nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Through his foundation and direct gifts, Allen has given about $10 million since 2008 to support key research, education and technology initiatives across Africa. For more information, go to www.paulallen.com, www.pgafamilyfoundation.org and www.vulcan.com.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Alexa Rudin
AlexaR@vulcan.com
+1.206.342.2230

Health Care

Gates Foundation Commits $50 Million to Support Emergency Response to Ebola

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SEATTLE, Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced that it will commit $50 million to support the scale up of emergency efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and interrupt transmission of the virus.

The foundation will immediately release flexible funds to United Nations agencies and international organizations involved in the response to enable them and national governments to purchase badly needed supplies and scale up emergency operations in affected countries. In addition, the foundation will work with public and private sector partners to accelerate the development of therapies, vaccines, and diagnostics that could be effective in treating patients and preventing further transmission of the disease.

“We are working urgently with our partners to identify the most effective ways to help them save lives now and stop transmission of this deadly disease,” said Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Gates Foundation. “We also want to accelerate the development of treatments, vaccines and diagnostics that can help end this epidemic and prevent future outbreaks.”

To date, the Gates Foundation has committed more than $10 million to fight the Ebola outbreak, including $5 million to WHO for emergency operations and R&D assessments and $5 million to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to purchase essential medical supplies, coordinate response activities, and provide at-risk communities with life-saving health information. An additional $2 million will also be committed immediately to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support incident management, treatment, and health care system strengthening.

In August, Nigeria responded to the current crisis by opening an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Lagos, with support from the foundation and the Dangote Foundation. Leveraging expertise and lessons from the national polio program, the EOC has been at the center of an aggressive push by the federal and state governments to contain the spread of the virus, and there is cautious optimism that this prompt action may have helped avert a broader outbreak.

As additional grants are made, the foundation will provide further details on its funding commitments to on-the-ground operations and to research and development for Ebola drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics.

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

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FARO Announces Acquisition of The CAD Zone, Inc. to Expand Presence in the Law Enforcement Products and Services Market

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LAKE MARY, Fla., Aug. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — FARO Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: FARO), the world’s most trusted source for 3D measurement, imaging and realization technology, announced it has acquired The CAD Zone, Inc., a leading software provider in the law enforcement accident and crime scene reconstruction market. CAD Zone’s point cloud software application will be integrated with FARO’s laser scanning technology to provide turnkey solutions for crime scene and other forensic applications.

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110415/MM84316LOGO

FARO’s continued push into the $8.3 billion[1] law enforcement forensic technologies market supports its implementation of a long-term strategy of expansion into key vertical markets with its disruptive 3D metrology, imaging and realization products.

“We believe CAD Zone’s leading software solutions for law enforcement will provide FARO with a compelling integrated 3D documentation product offering,” stated Jay Freeland, FARO’s President and CEO. “This acquisition is an important part of our strategic focus on penetrating key vertical markets that offer FARO the most market potential. While law enforcement is a relatively small vertical market for FARO today, we believe it represents a significant opportunity for the right 3D documentation solution and our acquisition of CAD Zone takes a major step forward in creating that offering.”

[1] 

Transparency Market Research, Forensic Technologies Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 – 2019
CSE Health Care

Frost & Sullivan Applauds MobileHelp for its Targeted Supplies for the PERS Market

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, July 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Based on its recent analysis of the personal emergency response systems (PERS) market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes MobileHelp with the 2014 North America Frost & Sullivan Award for Price Performance Value Leadership. MobileHelp’s leadership in flexibility across in-home and mobile usage directly captures expectations for tech progression in personal emergency response, and exemplifies key demands of US consumers for these solutions.

MobileHelp is at the forefront of convenience and utility in the M-PERS market and offers a simple two product option covering the range of use cases, with a uniform cellular rate plan. MobileHelp has been active in its dedication to broader mobile medical device product goals that augment its core capabilities in emergency response. Frost & Sullivan believes that both its referral branding within facility-to-home care as well as its increasing direct-to-consumer presence will allow it to expand a cost-effective product base across the medical and monitoring spectrum over time.

Primary consumer interest factors in PERS include price, reliability, contract flexibility, and customer experience of the emergency response. MobileHelp has delivered a strong value story for buyers with its simple interface and top-class emergency referral, including robust features and services provided in system pricing for its DUO series.

MobileHelp has been a pioneer in wearable devices with its wristwatch, which greatly reduces product bulk, damage through movement or falls, and issues related to daily forgetfulness of use. Secondly, the two-step transition between the Classic and DUO product suites allows customers to seamlessly upgrade from indoor-only to mixed indoor/outdoor use, with no interruption to service. MobileHelp also focuses on return guarantees, low obligatory service commitment and easy product upgrade, making its solutions very attractive for new buyers that are seeking emergency care support without product risk.

“Mobility is a key component of shifting customer expectations in personal emergency response systems,” said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Daniel Ruppar. Providing systems which broaden flexibility, while offering important ease of use, service support, and other high value factors supporting solution purchase decisions are key characteristics of leadership in this important Senior focused market.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company that has developed a product that offers price competitiveness, ease of use, as well as service effectiveness.

Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for outstanding achievement in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and product development.