VPPPA Prioritizes Health & Safety at Annual Safety+ Symposium Amid an on-going pandemic, VPPPA is assuring attendees of their annual Safety+ Symposium that safety and health is their top priority. By Sydny ShepardAug 15, 2022 Amid an on-going pandemic, the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association are assuring attendees of their annual Safety+ Symposium that safety and health is their top priority. In a statement posted to the VPPPA website, the Association said, “The wellbeing and protection of all Safety+ Symposium attendees is paramount, and VPPPA, along with the District of Columbia and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, are engaged in proactive safety and health measures to ensure that attendees remain protected. Safety+ will adhere to COVID-19 recommendations issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and requirements issued by the government of the District of Columbia, as well as safety & health best practices.” At present, the District of Columbia remains in a low state of COVID-19 community transmission, but VPPPA knows that safety professionals may have different comfortability levels with others. The Association plans to encourage attendees to participate in their “Green/Yellow/Red” Greeting System. Green Wristbands will mean that the attendee feels safe to shake hands and enter into close contact with others. Yellow Wristbands will indicate that the attendee would prefer a fist or elbow bump and maintain an acceptable distance from others. Red Wristbands will be a visual cue to other attendees that the wearer would like to refrain from physical contact and would prefer space and social distancing. Hand sanitizer stations will be prominently positioned throughout the Walter E. Washington Convention Center; all attendees are encouraged to make use of these stations. Additionally, 3 KN95 masks per attendee will be available in the swag room. VPPPA says they will continue to monitor community transmission levels and work with the government of the District of Columbia and leadership at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center to adjust health and safety protocols if necessary. Adblock test (Why?)

VPPPA Offers Special Events at Safety+ Symposium 2022 Throughout the days of the Symposium, attendees will have a chance to interact with the Association a variety of ways via featured events. By Sydny ShepardAug 15, 2022 The Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association will be kicking off their annual Safety+ Symposium in Washington, D.C. on August 23 - 25. Throughout the days of the Symposium, attendees will have a chance to interact with the Association a variety of ways via featured events. These include: Heka Walking Challenge Join VPPPA and the Heck Health Walking Challenge at the Safety+ Symposium this year by tracking your steps! Attendees can participate in some friendly competition with their safety peers using a personal Apple Watch, Fitbit or other step tracker integrated into your smartphone. Attendees will have the ability to earn bonus steps by scanning QR codes located around the Symposium. Winners will be announced at the Closing General Session. LaBlast Dance Workout Looking for ways to up your steps for the Heka Walking Challenge? Do so by joining other safety peers at scheduled LaBlast Dance Workouts throughout the week of the conference. Scheduled times are Tuesday, August 23 at 7:15 a.m., Wednesday, August 24 at 5:45 p.m. and Thursday, August 25 at 7:15 a.m. Prizes! VPPPA will be giving away over 40 gift cards throughout the week of the conference. Opportunities to win a prize include participating in the Heka Health Walking Challenge, Passport to Prizes in the Exhibit Hall, drawings from attending the Annual Meeting of the Membership, entering the Scholarship Raffle, and random daily drawings. The value of the prize ranges from a $25 Amazon gift card up to a $1,000 gift card of your choice. Check the Safety+ Guide or the Safety+ Mobile App for more information about events at Safety+ Symposium 2022. Adblock test (Why?)

Retired CIA Intelligence Officer to Kick Off VPPPA’s Safety+ Symposium VPPPPA is excited for their annual Safety+ Symposium, which is set to take place in Washington, D.C. August 23 - 25. By Sydny ShepardAug 15, 2022 The Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association is excited for their annual Safety+ Symposium, which is set to take place in Washington, D.C. August 23 - 25. To kick of the event, the Association is excited to welcome Jonna Mendez, former CIA Intelligence Officer, as a keynote speaker during the Opening General Session on Tuesday, August 23. Mendez, a 27-year veteran of the U.S. intelligence community, was instrumental in developing a series of innovative—Hollywood-inspired identity swaps, ingenious evasion techniques, and an arsenal of brilliant gadgets—that allowed CIA officers to outmaneuver the KGB, according to her book The Moscow Rules. During her time as Chief of Disguise, she prepped foreign assets to operate subminiature spy cameras and processed intelligence gathered from them. At times, she was tasked with hiding the true identity of intelligence officers and foreign assets by creating false documentation and disguises at a moment’s notice. In her keynote address, Mendez will reveal her experience with operational safety applications, and introduce attendees to the way the CIA handled day-to-day danger, both to its employees and to the foreign agents working for the CIA, keeping everyone out of harm's way. VPPPA’s Safety+ Symposium will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and will feature many events and an exposition. Adblock test (Why?)

Live From Safety 2022: Day 1 Jun 27, 2022 Day one of ASSP Safety 2022 is over! Nearly 5,000 people attended both virtually and in person. Want to catch up on the day? Visit our Live From page for coverage at ohsonline.com/live. With nearly 450 exhibitors, there was a lot to see and do at ASSP Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference and Exposition. WaveCel showcased their newest hard hats, the WaveCel T2+ MAX and the WaveCel T2+ PRO. These are lined with new technology that can help reduce traumatic brain injuries. Learn more at booth #929. Magid had a variety of products to see and try. Stop by booth #416 to learn about the Magid® D-ROC® DX+ Technology® DXPG52 15-gauge Polyurethane Palm Coated Coreless Work Glove that is cool to touch and lightweight cut resistant. To learn more about ASSP's Safety 2022, visit safety.assp.org or follow OH&S’ coverage at the event at ohsonline.com/live. From Our Live From Sponsor: VPPPAThe VPPPA Safety+ Symposium is just around the corner! Join other safety and health professionals in Washington DC from August 23-25, 2022, for networking, sharing, learning and more! Learn more at https://www.vpppa.org/events/safety-symposium/. Adblock test (Why?)

Safety 2022 is Just Getting Started in Chicago By Sydny ShepardJun 27, 2022 The American Society of Safety Professional’s Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference & Exposition started with a bang Monday, June 27 in Chicago. Nearly 4,000 safety professionals packed the halls of McCormick Place listening in on educational sessions, seeing innovations on the expo floor and networking and connecting with one another—some for the first time in a long time. For those unable to join ASSP in Chicago, the Society offers a virtual version of the PDC online where General and Plenary Sessions are livestreamed. According to ASSP, over 1,000 safety professionals have chosen to engage with the show virtually this year. While the first day of the show may be over, there is still plenty to look forward to. On Tuesday, June 28, the Society will be showcasing PPE for women at the end of the 200 aisle on the expo floor. The event will happen at 9:15 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. in case you cannot make the first viewing. On Wednesday, June 29, there will be a special session featuring a Q&A with Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Doug Parker. Parker will discuss important safety and health topics such as impending regulation for extreme heat, commentary around the Covid-19 ETS that was blocked by the Supreme Court and more. It will be an informative conversation, that’s for sure! Finally, make sure you attend the Closing Session with Devin Harris, an Olympian known for being a founding member of the Jamaican Bobsled team. Harris knows the power and pain of overcoming inertia and pushing beyond. Devon's incredible story brings a whole new perspective on the quality of persistence and will close out the time together at Safety 2022. To learn more about ASSP’s Safety 2022, visit safety.assp.org or follow OH&S’ coverage at the event at ohsonline.com/live. Adblock test (Why?)

Chicago is Buzzing with Safety Professionals at Safety 2022 By Sydny ShepardJun 27, 2022 While Chicago is an amazing place, I don’t think the Windy City had much to do with the electric buzz felt between attendees at the American Society of Safety Professional’s Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference & Exposition on Monday, June 27. As safety professionals filed into the Skyline Ballroom at McCormick Place bright and early, the animated greetings between attendees was evidence of the excitement at the conference’s Opening Session. The conference and exposition, which will take place from June 27 - 29, will provide attendees with an opportunity to network, learn and professionally grow in an atmosphere where they are surrounded by professionals itching to connect with one another. In a way, the first day of the conference felt like a celebration, like a collective sigh of relief in acknowledgment that the last two and a half years had more downs than ups and, yet, somehow made it through to the other side. While the Covid-19 pandemic still gets top billing in the movie rights of 2022, there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel for those who worked tirelessly to ensure that essential workers were safe in one of the most uncertain moments of our lifetimes. There’s finally space to stop and reflect on the last few years and the inspiring work that has been done, space to realize that you are a hero. When you ask Kevin Brown, keynote speaker at the Opening Session, what a hero is, he will tell you. “What does it mean to be a hero?” Brown asked the crowd Monday morning. “It means bringing the best version of yourself to this little place called now.” But what makes up the best version of yourself? Is it your upbringing? Your education? Or is it the people you surround yourself with? The influencers and educators you learn and grow from? For safety professionals, it’s the coworkers, leaders, educators, CSPs and CIHs you surround yourself with to shape your best version. In Chicago, and online through their virtual platform, this week, ASSP has given thousands of safety professionals the opportunity to reach beyond. An opportunity to not only work on their best selves but to invest in the best selves of others — strengthening thijs community of professionals who serve the OSH industry each day. To learn more about ASSP’s Safety 2022, visit safety.assp.org or follow OH&S’ coverage at the event at ohsonline.com/live. Adblock test (Why?)