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?)

Filling Your Schedule: Can’t Miss Sessions at Safety 2022 Safety 2022 promotes over 125 educational sessions for attendees. Here’s a few you won’t want to miss. By Sydny ShepardJun 17, 2022 The American Society of Safety Professionals has long promoted education and career development at their Professional Development Conference and Exposition and this year is no different. Safety 2022 is set to take place June 27-29 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. and safety professionals cannot wait to sit in on educational sessions tailored to their profession. Since there are three days of concurrent sessions to sift through, OH&S thought it may be helpful to highlight some of the sessions our editors are interested in sitting in on and learning more about. Below you’ll find three sessions that have piqued our interest. DEI's Impact on Safety Leadership and Program Development Monique Parker, CSP, Piedmont Lithium, VP – Safety, Environment Health As a safety professional, how we lead and the programs we will develop are done with the key purpose to keep all employees safe and protected in the work environment. We many times take for granted that the people we are protecting essentially have similar experiences and backgrounds. In the past, we when thought about diversity and how we adapt programs we focused primarily on gender, but diversity is so much more than just gender. During this session we will explore how diversity should be considered in how we lead and how to adapt programs to meet all employee's needs. Course 5001 - Monday, June 27 at 9:15 a.m.  Risk Tolerance: Why Do Good Employees Make Risky Decisions? Leslie Stockel, Oklahoma State University, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice Why do good workers make risky decisions that result in incidents? Explore the psychological underpinnings of why and how humans make risk-based decisions, and discuss some strategies for uncovering and addressing the psychological reasons humans do what they do. Course 5057 - Monday, June 27 at 3:00 p.m. Best Practices for Managing Musculoskeletal Disorders Whitney Williams, Skanska USA Building, Environmental, Health, and Safety Manager Chantel Gorton, Work Right NW, Physical Therapist, Corporate Team - Brand Director Cases related to musculoskeletal disorders make up a large percentage of workplace injuries. That's why it is essential to implement a prevention program that focuses on recognizing the symptoms and intervening early. Learn how to address the most prevalent workplace injuries and deepen your understanding about the benefits of early intervention. Course 6019 - Tuesday, June 28 at 10:30 a.m. To learn more about ASSP Safety 2022, visit safety.assp.org. Adblock test (Why?)

ASSP Safety 2022 to Highlight Session with Doug Parker, OSHA Head Safety 2022 in Chicago is focusing on bringing safety professionals much needed education, including a conversation with OSHA’s Doug Parker. By Sydny ShepardJun 17, 2022 Safety professionals are buzzing to get to Chicago for the American Society of Safety Professionals’ Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference and Exposition. Attendees of Safety 2022 will have the ability to network, learn and see the latest safety and health innovations while at the conference, and now—they’ll have the ability to sit in on a special general session featuring Doug Parker, the assistance secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. The session, which is set for June 29, at 8 a.m. CT, will feature a Q&A with Parker in front of attendees attending both live at McCormick Place Convention Center and online through Safety 2022’s virtual platform. Parker, the 13th person to be sworn in as assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, will be interviewed on stage about current issues OSHA is facing, including the pandemic, extreme heat, record keeping, enforcement, falls from height and OSHA’s staffing goals, according to a press release from the Society. The session is highly anticipated as safety professionals yearn for more information about important workplace safety and health topics such as the on-going Covid-19 pandemic and extreme summer heat that continues to put workers at risk for heat-related illnesses and injuries. The special general session with Doug Parker will be one of five major sessions being live streamed from Safety 2022 so in-person and online attendees can experience them together in real time. To learn more about how to attend Safety 2022 in person or online, visit safety.assp.org. Adblock test (Why?)

ASSP Safety 2022: Headed to Chicago! The OH&S team will be at ASSP’s Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference & Exposition covering the event. By Sydny ShepardJun 03, 2022 Safety professionals from all industries are excited to be packing their bags and heading to Chicago, Ill. for the American Society of Safety Professional’s Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference and Exposition on June 27 - 29. Safety 2022 will highlight best practices, industry trends and the latest product innovations. Attendees will have the ability to attend concurrent sessions by industry leaders as well as walk through the aisles of the expo floor that will feature hundreds of companies showcasing their own safety solutions. “If your job involves the safety and health of your organization, Safety 2022 is the place to gain critical insights and knowledge to advance your work environment,” said Stephanie Gurnari, CSP, chair of ASSP’s Professional Development Conference Planning Committee, in a press release. “It’s a comprehensive experience that provides significant value.” In the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, ASSP has put together an on-site safety plan that will help to keep attendees safe. Registered attendees must provide proof of full vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours of badge pick-up. At this time, ASSP is not requiring face coverings, but noted that they will continue to monitor public health trends and may revise their guidance as the event draws closer. For those who are not comfortable traveling yet, ASSP is offering Safety 2022 as a virtual event with livestreamed sessions that allow online attendees to experience the sessions in real-time with those who are at McCormick Place. In addition, OH&S will be attending Safety 2022 and covering the event from the show. Before, during and after the show you can check back in with www.ohsonline.com to read our coverage of the event each day. If you are attending in person, you can also stop by booth #1212 to grab the most recent copy of the magazine. Adblock test (Why?)

ASSP Seeks to Educate All Safety Professionals with Livestreamed Sessions at Safety 2022 The American Society of Safety Professionals will be streaming sessions at the conference this year so virtual attendees can experience them together in real-time. By Sydny ShepardJun 03, 2022 At the end of the month, safety professionals from all over the country will be traveling to The Windy City to attend the American Society of Safety Professional’s Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference and Exposition. The event, which will take place June 27-29 in person at McCormick Place, is an opportunity for safety professionals to come together to learn, network and develop skills in an immersive environment. Now, for the first time ever, ASSP will be allowing virtual attendees of to also be submersed in major sessions by live streaming them online so all attendees can experience them together. “The broad access to Safety 2022 programming will reach thousands of safety and health professionals around the world who use what they learn to grow their career development and elevate safety at their organizations,” ASSP said in a press release. The four main sessions that will be live streamed are: Monday, June 27 7:30 a.m. The Truth About Heroes: Being Your Best When It Matters the Most Kevin Brown has taken an unconventional path to success. After experiencing failures in business and relationships, he was guided to a new path by a mentor who helped him define what he now calls “the hero effect.” He will explain how to be your best when it matters most, especially during a crisis. Brown will focus on four ideas that can move people from where they are today to a place they never imagined. Tuesday, June 28 1:45 p.m. How Equity Drives Safety Forward: Exploring the ‘E’ in DEI Diversity, equity and inclusion play key roles in helping organizations achieve safety. While diversity and inclusion are well-known terms, equity is often the least understood. Equity recognizes that people may need different experiences or resources to achieve similar outcomes. A moderated four-person panel will help build an understanding of equity and discuss why it is important to worker safety and health.  Adblock test (Why?)

More Inclusive PPE for Women Starts With Finding the Right Fit Everyone deserves to feel safe on the job. By Robin SkillingsJun 01, 2022 It is no secret that the United States is facing a skilled trade shortage. According to research from the National Center for Construction Education and Research, approximately 41 percent of the current construction workforce will retire by 20311. As this essential segment of workers heads into retirement years, the discussion of growing the skilled trade workforce has taken center stage.   Women, in particular, play a vital role in the future of the trades. Although the skilled trades remain a male-dominated field, recent years have seen a growing number of women entering this workforce. According to Labor Force Statistics, the amount of women in construction has steadily increased since 2012. Between 2019 and 2020, the share of women grew by about 0.6 percent and in 2021, women now make up 11 percent of the construction workforce.  While this is encouraging progress, one of the most critical areas women in construction still remain underserved in is the accessibility to safety gear. As more and more women enter the workforce, the disparities they encounter have become more apparent. Generations of tradeswomen know all too well the struggles of dealing with personal protective equipment (PPE) that was designed for the frame of a man including poorly fitting safety boots as well as gloves, belts, harnesses, respirators and more.  Everyone deserves to feel safe on the job site and this segment of workers absolutely requires PPE built for their unique anatomy. As more women enter the skilled trades workforce, there is an increased demand for better fitting safety gear built for the wearer. Luckily, many of today’s manufacturers are meeting that demand, developing better fitting PPE. Laying the right foundation for a safe working environment often begins with safety footwear, and many times, that starts with the best fit.   PPE is Not One-Size-Fits-All   While the lack of inclusivity as it pertains to women workers may not be intentional, it has been pervasive throughout the industry until recently. Because the various trade industries have historically been dominated by men, it is no surprise that a majority of PPE has been tailored to this demographic.   This article originally appeared in the June 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety. Adblock test (Why?)

AIHce EXP 2022: Glad to be Back Day 1 of AIHce EXP 2022 proved to be a warm welcome back to networking and education for OEHS professionals. By Sydny ShepardMay 23, 2022 Walking into the keynote session at AIHce EXP 2022 was like walking into a family reunion. As attendees flowed into the Karl F. Dean Ballroom at Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. conversations flowed easily between professionals. “It’s so good to see you again." “It’s nice to meet you in person and put a face to a name.”“I’m so excited to get to see people in person again.” The gleeful snippets of conversation were a result of years in semi-isolation, working from home and distancing from others in the midst of an infectious disease threat that took over the world. Industrial hygiene professionals know all too well what to do to pivot to create safe and healthy workplaces for employees and the pandemic only served as a collective test for all who sat in the ballroom at Music City Center in a sort of celebration to have come out on the other end. Relying on training and knowing how to change directions on the sport is a general theme of the morning, one that keynote speaker Captain Chris Cassidy, a former U.S. Navy Seal and retired astronaut echoed in his presentation, “Keys to Assessing Risk—Knowing When to Push and Pivot.” In the keynote, Cassidy gave example after example about his ample career as a Navy Seal and astronaut, occupations that must rely training, education and your gut to lead a successful mission. Professionals in the audience made easy work of drawing comparisons between a successful space mission and the mission to keep workers safe and healthy. “When it comes down to it,” Cassidy said. “If you your gut is telling you that something is wrong—it is.” It’s a conclusion that we can all remember as we move through this first day of the AIHce EXP 2022 conference. Safety professionals and industrial hygienists work hard to assess risk and train (and then train some more) so that the dangers of the workplace can be easily and effectively mitigated. OH&S will be at AIHce EXP 2022 all week. Stop by booth #1513 to grab a copy of the May issue of the magazine or follow our coverage of the show all week on Twitter or Linkedin. Adblock test (Why?)