Safety Forum

Reducing Serious Injuries & Fatalities: 3 Approaches & Their Effectiveness
Presented by Don Wilson, Vice President of SafeStart, a division of Electrolab Limited

For at least the last decade, organizations in the forefront of safety performance have noticed a disturbing trend – while overall injury rates have been steadily declining, serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) have either been reduced at a much slower rate or, in many cases, have actually stopped improving altogether. Some companies are even beginning to question if their “Zero Harm” initiatives and focus on the TRIR number are actually making this situation worse by diluting the focus of improvement strategies away from what really matters. This session will look at three different approaches for improving what is arguably an organization’s most important safety performance metric.

By the end of the session, each participant will be able to:

• Identify the strengths and limitations of reducing SIFs in the three major influence areas for safety: Personal, Social and Structural
• Gain insight into the tools required to operate successfully in the personal area and learn why normal workplace safety tools aren't effective for portable 24/7 use
• Re-wire automatic (subconscious) brain processes to help protect from SIFs 24/7 through: Real Experiences (the school of “Hard Knocks”), Vicarious Experiences (learning from the “War Stories” of others) and Imagined Experiences (thinking about possible severe negative outcomes after a minor injury or close call when SIF potential exists)

Proactive and Actionable Steps for Preventing Heat-Related Illness
Presented by Terry DeRise, Director of Manufacturing at Portacool, LLC

Every year, thousands of workers are exposed to heat on the job created by environmental conditions, clothing and workload. In addition, according to the EPA, we have experienced record high temperatures globally over the last three years. Combined, these effects create a recipe for negatively impacting worker safety and productivity given heat exposure can lead to costly mistakes, time lost due to illness and even death in extreme heat illness situations. Heat-related illness prevention is most effective when management commits to identifying and reducing exposure to heat hazards. Developing an IIPP, we'll cover three actionable areas that give preventative actions to reduce worker AL or TLV triggers and proactive measures to pursue.

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding heat safety- the impact it can have on employee health, business costs and overall productivity
• Proactive planning initiatives and tools to utilize
• Actionable steps to implement: engineering controls, administrative controls, personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Daily diligence pays off in long-term planning

The Prescription for Success
Presented by Walter Fluharty, Psy.D., SPHR, CEES

This very interactive and lively workshop will demonstrate, via structured exercises, how a properly conducted assessment will allow safety professionals to evaluate the effectiveness of their organization’s safety efforts.  Attendees will leave understanding how to capture the perceptions of a cross section of employees which are used by organizations to make informed decisions on where to place resources to obtain optimum results, visibility and worker buy- in. 

These elements are critical precursors to the success of any safety process.  The session will also illustrate the need to customize “off the shelf” safety programs or behavioral based safety processes to fit their organization’s culture.  Attendees will leave understanding how to capture the perceptions of cross section of employees which are used by organizations to make informed decisions on where to place resources to obtain optimum results, visibility and worker buy-in.

SDS and the Global Harmonizing System of Classification and Labeling
Presented by Carl Mustari, MS, CSP, ASP, CHST, Safety and Loss Control Consultant/Safety Trainer at CompTrustAGC

For years since the MSDS was replaced with the new 16-section SDS/GHS, employees and employees are still not upt o speed on the new format; they're still calling it MSDS!

This session will cover a common and current approach to classifying chemicals and communicating hazard information on labels and SDS. A thorough review of basic changes from MSDS that would include new labeling procedures, pictograms, signal words and hazard statements that are all part of the SDS/GHS system.

In addition, the session will provide an update to the 2019 top 10 OSHA violations, current changes and reductions in respiratory hazards, lead updates, and combustable dust. This seminar will also go over steps to avoid OSHA fines by properly developing a written hazard communication program.

By the end of the session, each participant will be able to:

• Gain insight on the 16-section SDS
• Understand GHS classification of labeling chemicals
• Identify signal words, cautionary statements, and hazard statements
• Understand and identify labeling pictograms
• Gain insight into properly developing a written hazard communication program

Understanding the Management Process - The Key to Unleashing Safety Culture.
Presented by Scott Gaddis - Vice President and Global Practice Leader, Safety and Health, for Intelex Technologies

Focusing on safety process variation is critical to safety performance. This session will explore how to identify program threats, the treatment of risks, and how best to extend learning deep in your organization in a way that builds effective employee partnerships and a desired safety culture.