Summer Leader 2017 - International Safety by VPPPA

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3, SUMMER 2017

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THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

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Don’t Snooze? You Will Lose. BY JAMIE MITCHELL, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, VPPPA, INC.

hile growing up, we repeatedly heard from our doctors, teachers and parents that everyone needs at least eight hours of sleep each night. But as we get older and have busier schedules, a full night’s sleep tends to fall lower on our list of priorities. It does hold true that adults typically need seven to nine hours of sleep to function at their best during the day, however, there is no one-size-fits-all formula. As people age, their sleep needs change. For example, newborns need 14 to 17 hours of sleep a day and teenagers need about eight to 10 hours a night. A variety of factors establish your “magic number” when it comes to hours of sleep; for example, age, sleep quality, pregnancy and your amount of existing sleep debt. Sleep debt occurs when you get two to three hours too few each night. Typically, we catch up on our sleep debt by sleeping in on the weekends, but sleeping in too long can once again throw off our sleep schedules come Sunday night. Paying down sleep debt is best done in a slow and steady manner, and there are numerous ways to try and achieve a better night’s sleep, such as going to bed about 15 minutes earlier each night, trying to stick to a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, relaxing before bed without electronics or even taking a daytime nap, if possible. But why does sleep matter when it comes to workplace safety and health? Sleep-deprived workers are costing the world’s economies billions of dollars, especially in the United States. It is estimated that the U.S. loses $411 billion annually through tired or absent employees; additionally, around 1.2 million working days are lost every year. Other countries like Japan and the U.K. also feel the effects of insufficient sleep on their economies—costing Japan $138 billion and the U.K. $50 billion. Aside from the financial issues associated with sleep deprivation, according to EHS Today, there are a variety of other dangers associated with a lack of sleep including: decreased

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

communication, performance deterioration, increased risk of becoming distracted, driving impairments, increased number of errors, poor cognitive assimilation and memory, poor mood-appropriate behavior, greater risktaking behavior, inability to make necessary adjustments and the effects of sleep deprivation compounded across nights (repeated nights of partial sleep can equate to a full night of no sleep, which can affect your body function for up to two weeks). When we are awake, the chemical adenosine builds up in our blood, and when we sleep, our bodies break it down and replace it with glycogen (a form of energy storage in humans, animals and fungi). Therefore, less sleep leads to an adenosine buildup in the bloodstream, urging the human body to want to sleep. When we are tired like this, reaction time slows and we are much more prone to making dangerous mistakes—whether while driving a car, or working a machine, these preventable mishaps can be deadly. An article on Sleep.org notes, “A shortage of sleep is to blame for some 100,000 traffic accidents, 76,000 injuries and 1,500 deaths a year.” As stated in a November, 2016 article by the RAND Corporation, “Sleep deprivation leads to a higher mortality risk and lower productivity levels among the workforce, putting a significant damper on a nation’s economy. A person who sleeps on average less than six hours a night has a 13 percent higher mortality risk than someone sleeping between seven and nine hours, researchers found, while those sleeping between six and seven hours a day have a seven percent higher mortality risk. Sleeping between seven and nine hours per night is described as the ‘healthy daily sleep range.’ In total, the U.S. loses just over 1.2 million working days a year due to sleep deprivation among its working population. Productivity losses at work occur through a combination of absenteeism, employees not being at work, and presenteeism, where employees are at work but working at a sub-optimal level.” Sleep is vital to our overall health and well-being, and we spend about one-third of our lives asleep. Most of us realize that sleep is important for us, yet we continue to neglect this crucial aspect of life. However, we rarely

consider how staying up late at night watching our favorite show or surfing the web can affect our safety, the safety of our co-workers, as well as the productivity and economies of our company or country. Per the RAND Corporation, a few simple tips for improving your sleep include: • For individuals—Set consistent wake-up times limit the use of electronic items before bedtime and physical exercise during the day. • For employers—Recognize the importance of sleep and the employer’s role in its promotion; design and build brighter workspaces with facilities for daytime naps; combat workplace risks and discourage the extended use of electronic devices after working hours. • For public authorities—Support health professionals in providing sleep-related help; encourage employers to pay attention to sleep issues and introduce later school starting times. Many employees and employers are unaware of the impact fatigue can have, and the issue of sleep deprivation often remains ignored until a tragic accident occurs. A small adjustment to your daily sleep schedule can make a positive change in your life or even save the life of someone around you.

Resources: 1. www.rand.org/news/press/2016/11/30.html 2. www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2016/11/161130130826.htm 3. sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/howmuch-sleep-do-we-really-need 4. sleep.org/articles/how-many-hours-of-sleepdo-we-need/ 5. sleep.org/articles/get-rid-of-sleep-debt/ 6. sleep.org/articles/why-driving-makesyou-tired/ 7. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/ mm6608a2.htm?s_cid=mm6608a2_w 8. www.howsleepworks.com/how_ homeostasis.html 9. www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/ 2016/12/01/report-sleep-deprivation-coststhe-u-s-economy-400-billion-every-yearinfographic/#584498df1998 10. ehstoday.com/safety/ten-dangers-sleepdeprivation-workers

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infographic corner

Safety and health conferences take place in the U.S.,

Asia, Europe and all over the world.

International safety conferences have seen significant growth over the last decade.

The World Congress on Safety & Health takes place every three yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this year it will take place in

Singapore.

Globally, there are

some 96,000 fatal falls and

68 million fall-related

non-fatal accidents every year.

2.3 million people

die from workplace accidents and diseases globally.

According to the American Society of Safety Engineers a comprehensive workplace safety program can decrease the likelihood of a workplace injury by

up to 50 percent.

About 25 percent

According to the International Labour Organization,

of all fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries worldwide are caused

a worker dies from a

by falls. vpppa.org

every 15 seconds work-related accident or disease.

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

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ONE SIZE

BY MARK NICHOLLS ANSELL

here are plenty of things that are understandably different depending on where you are in the world. Language barriers force some obvious variances. Mass transit is dramatically different if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in London, Lagos or Los Angeles. Even power generation and manufacturing practices differ from country to country and region to region. Worker safety, however, should be universal because workplace practices, risks and hazards are fundamentally universal. And yet, standards and regulations designed to protect workers are wildly inconsistent around the globe. This is no trivial concern. In the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of workers suffering hand injuries were not wearing gloves when the injury occurred. The other 30 percent were wearing gloves that were damaged, inadequate or not designed for the nature of the injury. These are failures, at least in part, of workplace safety regulations in the U.S. And make no mistake: the U.S. is among the most progressive countries when it comes to worker safety. Workers are at far greater risk in many other parts of the world.

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THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

The U.S. is not the gold standard, however. In most instances, Europe is considered the world leader in developing, implementing and enforcing standards and regulations to keep workers safe. The EU is a complex market, with a vast number of companies engaged in multiple verticals across the industrial marketplace, with manufacturing facilities and customers in dozens of countries in the region. To bring some clarity to such a complicated environment, governments across the EU have agreed upon the world’s most progressive personal protective equipment (PPE) standards and enforceable regulations. That illustrates a fundamental difference between the safety cultures of Europe and the U.S. While government and regulatory bodies are significantly involved in Europe—up to and including potential prosecution for violators—U.S. safety regulations are largely employer- and industry-driven. In the EU, the controlling regulatory instrument (the PPE Directive 89/656) requires employers to assess and provide PPE appropriate to the level of risk associated with the work activity. In the U.S., OSHA requires that employers provide a level of appropriate hand protection when employees are exposed to a work hazard. The former requires more of an employer to provide a level of protection commensurate with the risk and demonstrate evidence of compliance. The latter requires employers to provide PPE protection but no definition of required evidence of compliance; it is at the discretion

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

The U.S. is not the gold standard, however. In most instances, Europe is considered the world leader in developing, implementing and enforcing standards and regulations to keep workers safe. of the employer. In such an environment, enforcement mechanisms in the U.S. are less binding and less effective, although the threat of fines, reputation damage and litigation can be powerful incentives for compliance. As the rest of the world shuffles to keep pace, they typically use the European system and regulations as a road map due to the established history of the EU Directive and the compliance standards that are in place. Australia is similar to the EU in its approach to PPE. Brazil has had an established PPE certification program but is moving increasingly to harmonize with the EU, and Mexico has been proactive in adopting similar standards, albeit enforcement mechanisms are quite discretionary. China and South Korea are also taking steps to bring their respective workplace safety efforts in line with Europe. At the other end of the spectrum, safety programs in Africa remain largely company-driven and

inconsistent across the continent as many of the markets in that region are seeking to encourage business investment and a more liberal regulatory environment. It should come as no surprise that more developed nations, such as Egypt and South Africa, are more safety-conscious. These types of inconsistencies breed confusion in the industry—and for manufacturers, confusion leads to noncompliance and non-compliance causes injuries. Clearly, this is not acceptable for any industry stakeholder. To solve the problem, we first need to understand it.

Understanding the European Safety Culture Make no mistake: The vast majority of businesses around the world operate with the safety of their workers foremost in their minds. This is a fundamental factor to longer term success on so many levels, whatever the industry, whatever the region. Companies that do not prioritize worker safety are not successful for long. There are, however, some interesting nuances from region to region. Even before these activities became regulated, there was a strong safety culture across most of Europe. The EU’s standards and regulations grew around existing practices and built on a shared commitment to prioritizing worker safety. A key factor in this evolution was the strength of Labor/Union vpppa.org

parties in the EU. Employers in the U.S. also value worker safety, of course, but there has been a historical trend of prioritizing business growth and self-compliance. As industrial safety became increasingly regulated in the U.S. though, companies understandably structured their safety programs to prioritize compliance. So, despite these different safety paths, we are seeing an increasing and more harmonized focus on improved workplace safety standards, albeit it accidental. There is a subtle difference in the U.S. approach, so let’s look at an example where compliance may not lead to improved worker safety. Workers at risk of cut injury should always wear cut-resistant gloves and sleeves, and regulations in the U.S. typically require employers to provide gloves and sleeves that meet a certain minimum standard of cut protection. Those standards can be loosely defined, with language that provides plenty of room for interpretation for which type of PPE is appropriate for a given job. That is an invitation for safety officers to err on the side of caution—to provide gloves that far exceed the level of cut protection actually needed for a given job. They are mandating thicker, potentially less comfortable gloves to workers, and if we know anything about worker habits, it’s this: if a glove is uncomfortable, the worker will take it off. That is how we get to the point where 70 percent of injured workers were not wearing gloves. In this example, the employer had the worker’s best interests in mind, was in compliance with available regulation, and yet the glove choice is encouraging workers to remove their gloves. European regulations aren’t dramatically different, but they do require more effective matching of glove to job and risk, and employers in Europe tend to work closely with glove manufacturers to ensure they are making the right glove choices as well as providing relevant evidence and education to such a choice. We are seeing improved communication along those lines in the U.S. as well, which is an important step toward moving beyond a compliance-driven safety culture. There is increased participation by US industry in standards organizations (ASTM and NFPA) to establish standards for product performance, albeit voluntary. And the European system continues to evolve. There is a proposed initiative to move the EU directive to a regulation; the former provides implementing discretion to member vpppa.org

states, the latter requires adoption without discretion across the EU. New EU regulations are expected to increase the responsibility of distributors in the safety chain, pushing them to ensure the gloves and other PPE they stock and sell are compliant with safety standards. This is a significant ask for smaller, private label PPE vendors, and it may lead to a shift in the market toward larger manufacturers more equipped to manage these types of requirements. Ultimately, any regulations that encourage additional attention to safety should be welcomed, and other world regions will be watching this shift and contemplating similar adjustments in how they regulate distributors. As discussed, Brazil, China and South Korea are increasingly looking to harmonize with the EU so an eventual adoption of a similar regulatory framework and the accompanying standards is quite likely. Eventually, while the U.S. will assess the use of EU standards, the regulatory framework is not likely to evolve into any governmental initiative but rather improved industry practice.

Standardization and Next Steps While some standards are becoming increasingly similar, ANSI cut standards are inching closer to their European counterparts (EN). For example, it is unlikely we will see any sort of universal PPE regulations anytime soon. This remains a regional focus, and when there is any sort of consensus from country

to country, it is usually driven by companies with multinational manufacturing facilities and customers. Those interests often cross international borders, and the industry polices itself accordingly. Ultimately, the most significant hole in safety regulations is the absence of compliance mandates—and this is true in the U.S. and developing markets. Europe and the previously noted adopters of its regulation, has a more mature regulatory approach to the requirement but still has work to do on addressing noncompliance incidents. Governments, regulatory and industry bodies continue to work with employers to make the appropriate gloves and sleeves available to workers to keep them safe and productive, but they are not taking that next step to mandate compliance and penalize non-compliance. Certain companies are doing this now with great results, but no meaningful industry-wide or government regulatory mandates are in place. Until we institute stronger mandates, we will continue to see hand injuries at a rate that is unacceptable in industrialized societies when countless options for hand protection are available. Mark Nicholls is the Senior Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer—Americas for Ansell, a global leader in personal protective equipment for both industrial and medical settings. Mark leads the NA Region commercial organization for the global company.

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

FALLS AT WORKSITES AND HOW TO GET THERE All Workplace Injuries are Preventable

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

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BY PROFESSOR JUKKA TAKALA SENIOR CONSULTANT AT THE WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH INSTITUTE, MINISTRY OF MANPOWER, SINGAPORE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH (ICOH)

This article first appeared in The Straits Times, April 2017.

Imagine putting together 46,000 workers to work on a massive construction job over a span of five years. There are bound to be injuries, and perhaps, unfortunately, a number of fatalities, right?

ctually, there were none. This remarkable feat was achieved leading up to the 2012 London Olympics, when in building all the stadia, tracks, aquatics centre and the games village, not a single workplace fatality occurred. The statistics generated by that Olympic feat were worthy of a medal. In the 80 million man-hours worked, the construction force accomplished 30 periods of one million hours worked without a reportable injury, plus five periods of two million hours and two periods of three million hours. This produced an accident frequency rate (AFR) of 0.16 injuries per million man hours—well below the average for the United Kingdom (U.K.) construction industry. In 2016, Singapore’s workplace fatal injury rate was 1.9 per 100,000 employed persons, translating to 66 fatalities, with 29 percent (or 19 of them) due to falls. In 2008, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong set the goal of reducing the workplace fatality rate from 2.9 in 2007 to 1.8, or better, by 2018. Trying to achieve a fatal injury rate of zero right away may sound like wishful thinking, but working toward it is laudable. About 25 percent of all fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries worldwide are caused by falls (The Lancet). Globally there are some 96,000 fatal falls and 68 million fall-related nonfatal accidents every year (ILO). In Singapore, other than fatalities, 41 percent of major injuries and 32 percent of minor injuries were caused by falls (falls from heights and slips, trips and falls) in 2016. The majority of the falls from height cases were in higher risk sectors such as construction and marine while slips, trips and falls cases occurred in various sectors.

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As surely as gravity will always act on a falling apple, the number of fatalities caused by falls in Singapore can be brought down. Unlike gravity, a natural force, fatal falls are manmade and therefore preventable. My native country of Finland has a similar sized population to Singapore’s of around 5.5 million. However, the difference in the number of construction workers is triple, with 130,000 in Finland, and 400,000 in Singapore.

The workplace fatal injury rate due to falls in 2013, when it was last analyzed, was 0.2 per 100,000 employed persons in all sectors. The workplace fatal injury rate due to falls in 2013, when it was last analyzed, was 0.2 per 100,000 employed persons in all sectors. There were two fatalities due to falls then, and of those, one was in construction. Last year, Singapore’s workplace fatality rate for the construction sector was 4.9 per 100,000 employed persons. There were 19 fatal falls, of which the bulk (seven cases) was from construction. Singapore can aspire to figures such as in Finland with a combination of: • Commitment from management • Regulatory measures • Enforcement and inspection • Total workplace safety and health, a holistic program to look at all risks at work • Knowledge, evidence, experience and best practices effectively passed on THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

• Enhanced techniques, processes, equipment and tools • Workplace cultures, attitudes and behaviour continually improved The Singapore government, together with the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council, takes a serious view of workplace safety and health and has put in place various regulations and voluntary measures. However, employers and employees must also take ownership of workplace safety and health. This must come from the top down with constant training, follow up and reminding for both new and existing employees. Companies can also learn from one another. Woh Hup’s The Interlace condominium was completed with no fatalities or other reportable accidents in 14.4 million man-hours, depicting exemplary practices. Building a safety and health culture is a slow process. There are many things we can do, starting from schools, vocational institutions and universities. The Ministry of Manpower and the WSH Council have done well in this area. It is important to go further and not allow the fatal fall rates to stagnate.

Risk, Certainty and Uncertainty Human beings tend to assess low risk as certainty. If you have driven your car at 80km/h in a 50 km/h zone, it could falsely reinforce bad behaviour. But if such bad behaviour is multiplied by all drivers doing this regularly, the fatal accident rates would multiply. In an airplane, you are likely to be afraid that it may crash; yet you are not afraid of driving in your car, which is much more dangerous. The airline industry consistently reminds passengers about seat belts and exit routes. That kind of behaviour is needed in the construction industry and wherever there are risks of falls. The other illusion is the “turkey illusion.” The bird would first be careful with the caretaker but then learns that he comes regularly and always provides food. This

continues day after day—until Thanksgiving. The turkey will run happily to the caretaker and that will be the end of it. The learning point is that past experience and perceived lack of risk does not mean there is no risk.

Vision Zero The concept of Vision Zero is a mindset where we recognize that all injuries and health issues at work are preventable. It is easy to think that having 99.9 percent level risk-free operations is acceptable. But with a global workforce of 3.4 billion, this would mean 3,400,000 workplace deaths annually—which is obviously unacceptable. Each day, approximately 100,000 commercial flights land safely. A 99.9 percent success rate would mean 100 airline accidents, every day, but only 300 to 500 people die annually from commercial airline accidents while 2.3 million die from workplace accidents and diseases globally.

Each day, approximately 100,000 commercial flights land safely. A 99.9 percent success rate would mean 100 airline accidents every day, but only 300 to 500 people die annually from commercial airline accidents, while 2.3 million die from workplace accidents and diseases globally. Aiming for Vision Zero is not about a single action but instilling a “safety and health first” mindset in all stakeholders. It is like a pyramid. Having one fatality on site is symptomatic of many smaller accidents and injuries below. To eliminate that fatality at the top, you must eliminate the thousands of

“almost accidents” at the base of the pyramid before they become serious.

Is Zero Fatal Falls Achievable? Yes, it is, in the following possible time frames: • Any company and workplace in one year’s time, and for many years in a row. The nonfatal period frequency should be gradually extended from one year to 20 years. • All industries—other than the traditionally higher risk ones, such as construction and marine industries—in one year’s time, but better risk management is needed. The risk level is lower so we can expect quicker results. • Construction and marine industries which employ a large workforce, in five to 10 years’ time, but this will require intensive efforts. One major factor in reducing workplace accidents is using modern and clever techniques in building to lessen the risk of falling from heights. The fewer workers you have in risky operations, the better. For example, I saw the building of a condominium in Helsinki. The whole toilet was like a container box–pre-fabricated in a factory, transported by truck, and lifted by crane into place. All in, it took two construction professionals about two hours to put it together. Then they moved to the next flat, with another modular toilet being delivered meantime, ready to be put in place. Given the tight labor market here, the longterm solution is to do more processes outside of the construction site using a pre-fabricated system with automated processes in place. Also, it is not necessarily prudent to go for the lowest price tendered, but for a better price with the stipulation that there will not be a single fatality, as evidenced in the London Olympic build. Singapore can improve its fatal injury rate vastly. Using benchmarks elsewhere today, Singapore should have no more than six fatalities a year. Similarly, using the London Olympic build as a benchmark, it should translate to four fatalities. In short, there are several approaches that can be taken to reach Vision Zero. Professor Takala will be speaking on Prevention of Occupational Cancer at the upcoming XXI World Congress on Safety and Health at Work to be held in Singapore September 3–6, 2017. This is the first time this event will be held in Southeast Asia.

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

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BY GLENN TROUT PRESIDENT AND CEO, VELOCITYEHS

International safety conferences have seen significant growth over the last decade, with the biggest sessions showcasing a dizzying array of occupational safety and health solutions and products from around the world. For would-be attendees, the size of these conferences, and the complications of international travel, can be intimidating and make it difficult to maximize the value from the experience.

f you plan on attending an international conference in the near future, here are some tips—based on my own experience and others at VelocityEHS who are regulars at top global shows and who have spent time as both attendees and exhibitors—to help ensure you achieve the greatest return on your time and investment.

TIP 1

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME AT INTERNATIONAL SAFETY CONFERENCES 16

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

Be Selective

Just because a show is large and offers a vast number of exhibitors and information doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right one for you to attend. In many cases, companies spend money to attend a large international show thinking it will provide them with the widest variety of vendors and breakout topics. In the end, however, they don’t find what they need because the show doesn’t attract the kind of vendors they are looking for or workshop topics that reflect their interests. A more effective approach is to source targeted events that fit your company’s needs and safety objectives, with vendors aligned by industry and/or solution. For example, if you are in the market for EHS software, then a smaller event where every vendor is a software solution provider may be a better fit, over the larger shows where only a handful of exhibitors might align with your needs. Event organizers recognize that delegates and exhibitors these days often have specific agendas for the shows they attend, and in turn have tailored events to meet everyone’s needs. If you don’t have an agenda or are looking for broad exposure to industry trends, then a larger, more diverse show may be the better bet. However, if you know what you’re hunting for, be open to scouting smaller more solution-targeted shows. vpppa.org

TIP 2

Book Accommodations Early

If you are attending a popular event or an event in a small city, it is critical that you book your hotel, and even meal reservations, early. This is especially true when it comes to the larger international shows where last minute arrangements can push you to the outskirts of the city, or sometimes to a neighbouring city. Transportation to and from a large event space can be tricky for even the most seasoned traveller, but is considerably more difficult and expensive the farther from the conference location you stay. Your best, and often most cost effective bet, is to stay at a hotel recommended by the conference organizers, taking advantage of early bird deals, or at a hotel that is as close to the conference as possible. A nice benefit of being nearby is the ability to quickly get back to the hotel for a rest or to freshen up between events.

TIP 3

Make a Plan Ahead of Time…And Try Your Best to Stick to It

A+A in Düsseldorf, Germany is the world’s leading international trade forum for health and safety professionals and a great event to see niche product vendors who may not attend a lot of other shows. However, with an event of that magnitude, it’s also just as easy to become overwhelmed by the number of exhibitors and miss out on the information you’re seeking. For these larger events, it is wise to have a plan of attack. Spend some time with the program before you get onsite. Make a list of all the booths you want to hit, and map out a route ahead of the show. Show websites provide a wealth of information, providing extra insight into vendors and new products. Additionally, if there’s a particular product you absolutely need to see, reach out to that vendor directly and try to set up a time when you can meet with the attending representatives. Also, plan to visit exhibitor booths earlier in the schedule rather than later. Towards the end of an event, high demand vendors can become booked with meetings and you may not have the access you hoped or planned for. Connecting with vendors early in the event gives you the option to schedule follow-up sessions and dedicated one-on-one meetings later on.

TIP 4

Find the Experts Right for You

One of the benefits of attending a large international conference is the opportunity for you to hear from a diverse group of EHS vpppa.org

experts about best practices, industry challenges and regulatory changes. However, the sheer number of speakers and concurrent sessions usually requires some pre-show work on your part to review the speakers and sessions that best address your needs. Again, the event website can provide useful insight. As you investigate, don’t just look at the topic, but pay close attention to the speaker. A well-seasoned and dynamic presenter can make all the difference in terms of useful takeaways. At the same time, many events use the same speakers, so if you are looking for a new perspective, you may need to pick your events accordingly.

TIP 5

Don’t Just Linger at the U.S. Pavilion

While country-specific pavilions may seem like a good idea, condensing a group of highly targeted vendors into one area, these pavilions often don’t receive the kind of foot traffic vendors need to pay off the investment in a large conference. As such, the pavilions often don’t include many of the best vendors, especially those operating with a global footprint. Instead, many U.S. exhibitors at international shows secure prime booth space outside of the U.S. pavilion. So while it may be tempting to focus primarily on the U.S. pavilion, thinking you’ll see the vendors that fit your specific business and safety needs, you may need to get out into the main hall or other country pavilions to find the industry leaders.

TIP 6

Take Advantage of Networking Events

When attending a conference, the events listed in the program are just the tip of the iceberg. Each day there are likely to be a variety of extracurricular events—happy hours, dinners, off-site trips—where you can connect with your peers and gain access to industry leaders in a less structured environment. Often held at the end of the event-day or into the evening, it’s an opportunity to generate new professional contacts and deepen supplier relationships. After a full day of walking the tradeshow floor and attending sessions, the idea of adding a post-show event may seem daunting, however, the return on investment can make all the difference between a successful conference and unsuccessful one. Don’t worry if you don’t know a lot of folks. A larger than usual percentage of the people attending conferences are outgoing types, and if you’ll just show up, you can usually count on those folks to do a lot of the heavy icebreaking.

TIP 7

Pack Comfortable Shoes and Hydrate

Shoes: This might be a nobrainer for many, but the biggest difference between international and domestic safety conferences is the size of the spaces each takes up. Anticipate doing a lot of walking and standing on a concrete surface, with only a thin layer of carpeting. Pack shoes that will not only get you from point A to point B, but provide a little extra comfort as the days add up. Hydration: It is easy to get caught up in the fast pace of a large show and forget to eat or drink. Make sure you drink plenty of water, especially in the morning, and take full advantage of the complimentary beverage services you’ll usually find in the breakout rooms and snack breaks.

TIP 8

Get Out and Enjoy the Culture

With all the professional activities surrounding international shows, it’s easy to forget to take some time to explore the local sights and activities. If you can, fit in an extra day or schedule a later flight home to allow for some extra time to go sightseeing. Many international conference websites also provide local travel information to help visitors get the most from their time in the area. At the very least, your hotel concierge can assist you with arranging sightseeing activities or make a restaurant recommendation so you can enjoy some of the local culture while there.

A Little Bit of Planning Goes a Long Way At their best, international conferences are a fun and exciting way to connect with thought leaders and gain valuable insights and exposure to emerging best practices. At their worst, they are nearly untenable. The good news is, the difference between a good experience and a bad one is in your hands. With a little bit of work on the front end, you can ensure that your experience provides the value you expect. Glenn Trout is president and CEO of VelocityEHS, a cloud software provider with easy-to-implement and easy-to-use environment, health and safety solutions, including products for conducting audits and inspections, managing incidents, corrective actions, SDS/chemical inventories, ergonomics and compliance with air, water and waste regulations. For more information, visit www.EHS.com or call 1-888-362-2007.

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

ONE COMMON LANGUAGE:

SAFETY For 69 days in 2010, the world watched and waited as 33 men were trapped 700 meters, or 2,300 feet, underground. As this August is the seven year anniversary of the Chilean mining accident, it is perhaps a good time to reflect on lessons learned.

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

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BY KERRI CARPENTER COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, VPPPA, INC.

hat the world knows is that on August 5, 2010, 33 miners were trapped a half mile underground at the San Jose copper-gold mine in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Miraculously, all 33 workers were safely rescued on October 13, 2010, as billions of people watched worldwide. But, after all was said and done, as the camera crews dissipated and the offers of book and movie deals began to dwindle, the real story surfaced. That narrative speaks highly of the importance of international cooperation, while, sadly, it shows how the rights and regulations of a healthy and safe work environment can be ignored.

The Importance of International Cooperation The former deputy chief medical officer at NASA, Dr. Michael J. Duncan, said that “It was the Chileans who brought all the teams together and deserve credit for the rescue” because of their willingness to seek outside input. Without hesitation, the Chileans reached out to international allies. Indeed, what brought in such high attention to the Chilean mining accident may have been the global response. Teams, companies, researchers and specialists from the United States, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan, to name a few, came together to offer expertise. While this kind of cooperation can clearly aid, and in some cases expedite results, it is not always the norm. Susan Froetschel, former assistant editor of YaleGlobal Online, wrote for the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization that, “Tolerance to occupational, financial and environmental hazards varies wildly around the globe.” Unfortunately, mining accidents are not uncommon the world over. China is known for an abysmal safety record. In 2009, Chile saw 35 mining fatalities, the U.S. had 34, while the number in China was 2,631. However, it is unusual for mining accidents in China to make headlines nationally, let alone on the international stage. Why is that? Why is there not more emphasis on precautionary safety? “Disaster prevention can never be as thrilling as triumphing over crisis. Steady prevention, solid safety records, vpppa.org

capture few headlines, movie deals or speaking invites,” Froetschel speculated.

The Importance of Listening to Your Workers Two separate investigations were launched after the 2010 Chilean mining accident, with different results. A 2011 congressional report found the owners of the San Esteban Mining Company, Alejandro Bohn and Marcelo Kemeny, were responsible for the rock collapse. The report concluded that Bohn and Kemeny were guilty of negligence since they have a responsibility to deliver a safe workplace for their employees.

“It was the Chileans who brought all the teams together and deserve credit for the rescue because of their willingness to seek outside input.” —Dr. Michael J. Duncan, former deputy chief medical officer, NASA At the same time, the report also found the Chilean state shared responsibility for the disaster. Sernageomin, the government mining agency, did an improper job supervising mining operations and enforcing decisions. Had they operated differently, the mine owners “could have avoided” the entire collapse. That particular mine was known as an exceptionally dangerous place to work. But workers continued to come onboard because of higher-than-average salaries, even though accidents claimed the lives of miners in both 2004 and 2006. In addition, a geologist was killed in January 2007. After the 2007 incident, Sernageomin did order the mine closed. But one year later, the mine was reopened, despite new safety measures not taking effect. Unlike the congressional report, a three-year criminal investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to charge the mine owners and government officials of the mining agency with any criminal responsibility in the matter. Hector Mella, the Atacama regional public prosecutor said, “this was a complex case, and

we did everything we legally could to gather evidence, with the collaboration of specialized police units and technical agencies.” Still, it has become known that the 120-yearold mine, 500 miles north of Santiago, did not meet basic safety standards. A New York Times article in 2013 claimed that “Sernageomin officials…knowingly allowed [the mine] to continue operating,” despite the known safety hazards. The article went on to elaborate on union leaders, who had repeatedly and persistently warned of these hazards. Multiple accidents and injuries had occurred there over the years leading up to the 2010 collapse. In fact, only one month prior to the accident on July 3, Gino Cortez, a worker at the San Jose mine, experienced a rockfall. His leg was severed and eventually amputated. In a 2010 report in The Telegraph, Cortez admitted that after his accident, his co-workers were ordered back to work mere hours later. No investigation was ever launched into that accident. Cortez believes that “the mining company ignored safety regulations in the pursuit of profit. ‘What happened to me wasn’t a surprise. The mine has a reputation as the most dangerous in the region but [what happened to me] should have been a wakeup call.’” Furthermore, he offered a grave statement. “The [accident that trapped the 33 miners] could have been avoided if they had investigated properly after my accident. But the company ignored the warning and it was business as usual. Everyone knew that work to strengthen the walls of the shafts hadn’t been finished, fissures were not treated seriously. To do so would mean concentrating on safety rather than production and that doesn’t produce profits.” One of the 33 miners rescued from the Chilean mining accident, Mario Sepulveda, told the website Soy Chile that the owners of the mine are “free and happy going about with their lives, even though they left us buried underground.” He added, “What else can we expect?” A lot more than that. Every worker, no matter the country, should expect to work in a safe environment. The 2010 Chilean mining accident had a happy ending for those 33 workers. But that is not always the case. No matter the language, the continent, the industry, safety should always rule. THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

BY MA JOELLE LINGAT TECHNICAL WRITER, GENSUITE

H G U O R H T G N I T A S G E I G V N E NA L L A H C G N I N I A TR

L A B O WITH G L T A T N E M E L P M I 20

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

vpppa.org

N O I

isiting a foreign country can be intimidating—navigating your way to different destinations, not knowing the local language and also unfamiliarity with culture and traditions. Implementing a new digital tool for compliance program management can be a lot like charting unfamiliar territory. As with travel, global environmental, health and safety (EHS) software implementation is made easier and more comfortable with a tour guide to lead you in the right direction. When a global conglomerate company needed EHS training at their Latin American sites, they trusted Gensuite to help. The Gensuite team is comprised of 250+ global team members across nine different offices, all equipped with the resources needed to train new EHS software system users on a global scale. It was important for the company to choose a vendor with international reach to help them navigate through challenges that come with global implementation. The company’s Latin American team designed a customized training and launch program that would best suit their users. Gensuite led four webinar training calls in Spanish and completed seven in-person trainings across their locations, including a post-training follow-up to answer any questions, across five cities in three different countries in 10 days, training 125 users. “No words could thank [the Gensuite team] for all of [their] commitment with this training project. I am a witness of the quality, dedication and attention that the Gensuite team has given to our employees during all sessions,” said the company’s EHS Analytics & IT Expert. So what made this training experience so successful?

Providing In-Person, Hands-On Support

When it comes to learning how to use a new tool, it is much easier to have someone guiding you step-by-step to answer any questions. Choose an EHS vendor with EHS training leads that can support your team in-person and in the local language. To make the experience even more impactful, the company’s leadership was in attendance to convey the intended use of the tool and program importance at such trainings.

Understanding Different Cultural Needs

Having an EHS training team that understands the culture that your employees vpppa.org

live in eliminates any gaps in communication. Culture includes all characteristics of people and their region—going beyond just language to include values, social habits and more. How well a vendor can articulate their EHS software to your users depends on their global presence and cultural knowledge. You should choose a provider that aligns with your business objectives, in any region of the world. With an office in Mexico, the company knew that Gensuite would be able to provide understanding to their Latin American sites. Prior to deployment, their team sat down with representatives from Gensuite’s Mexico office to map out the priority applications that they wanted to deploy and establish a process for training.

Employee Engagement

For successful global training, you should engage employees by: • Providing hands-on instruction with captivating, in-person experience • Providing tools that are multilingual and mobile-enabled, making it accessible to employees anywhere and at any time. Offering in-person training for new system users sends the message that the program is important and that the users are valued; and having capabilities such as mobile and multilingual interfaces allows for a smooth and quick transition. Sure, global training can be difficult, but doing research and choosing an EHS software vendor that can support your global needs is the key to a successful launch. Understanding your company’s international needs, employee engagement and finding a vendor with an exceptional training program will help guide your users through global implementation. Learn more about Gensuite at www.gensuite.com. Ma Joelle Lingat is a technical writer for Gensuite, a cloud-based compliance and management systems software solutions provider. In this role, she has covered topics in environmental, health and safety, sustainability, security, product stewardship and responsible sourcing for different marketing opportunities, including writing for the company blog, social media, website, collateral and public relations, and interviewing industry thought-leaders and experts. Ma Joelle received her bachelor’s degree in English with a professional writing concentration from Wright State University in 2016.

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

VPP Journey

VPP: Our Commitment to Improving Employee Safety SUBMITTED BY: CAROLYN BRYDEN, SAFETY COORDINATOR, DELTA AIR LINES

Delta's National Safety Month celebration: Power Up for National Safety Month with Power Rangers

We could not have been more proud or excited! This extraordinary honor was humbly and very gratefully received… and now the journey continues.

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

Carolyn Bryden, a Dallas-based Safety Coordinator at Delta Air Lines, describes the journey Delta’s facility at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport took to achieve VPP certification.

n January 2013, one of our managers approached me about beginning a new project that would not only improve the safety and health of our employees but also increase productivity and cost savings at Delta: VPP Star Certification. As someone who’s closely engaged with safety programs at Delta, the project seemed like the perfect fit and I couldn’t wait to jump in. For our first order of business, our team researched fully the benefits that Voluntary Protection Programs offer employees and the business, as well as how to implement the program’s best practices. We leaned heavily on both our corporate and divisional safety coordinators, as well as our colleagues in Cincinnati and Minneapolis for their invaluable guidance and support. They trained us on how to implement various workplace safety and health management systems, such as creating a VPP filing system and setting up a hazard log for employees to report safety concerns. During this time, we worked tirelessly at getting many pieces organized all in an effort to make our work environment as safe as possible for employees. Next, our area VPP coordinator contacted us, requesting a pre-certification meeting to look around our facility prior to our official inspection in June. Although we had

thought of every detail and put together a comprehensive plan, we anxiously awaited our first OSHA representative at our doorstep and hoped it would go well. When Josh Lewis from OSHA arrived, he quickly toured our location, looked around briefly and asked a couple of questions about the facility. Afterward, we settled back into the business of preparing for our formal visit in mid-summer. During that time, we made sure we crossed all the T’s and dotted all the I’s, ensuring the new safety procedures were running properly and smoothly. VPP banners and shirts were ordered, mock interviews were set up and suggestions were sent out to our management team to help prepare our employees. When Josh and his team arrived in June, we felt proud of the progress our facility had made and were ready for our full inspection, hopeful we would meet the requirements for acceptance into the VPP Star program. In mid-October 2015 (with the help of many hands and hearts), our VPP program blossomed into a full blown Star Certification. We could not have been more proud or excited! This extraordinary honor was humbly and very gratefully received…and now the journey continues. vpppa.org

AN INTEGRATED SAFETY & HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS SYMPOSIUM

PRESENTED BY VPPPA

JOIN US IN NEW ORLEANS! AUGUST 29–SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 | ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER | NEW ORLEANS, LA

It’s not too late to register for and attend this year’s annual event!

All workplace accidents are preventable. Safety+ will provide you with the tools to improve safety and health at your site.

The Premier Global Safety & Health Organization

93%

EDUCATE National and regional events Webinars Access to safety and health articles Innovative safety solutions

of 2016 attendees would recommend this symposium

87%

of last year’s attendees ranked the educational content of the event as “outstanding” or “very good”

COLLABORATE Networking Mentoring Industry partnerships Best Practices Directory

ADVOCATE Congressional outreach Union and labor cooperation Update national safety practices

Top Industries Represented: Aerospace & air transportation Chemical

Construction Petroleum

www.vpppa.org | 703.761.1146 | registration@vpppa.org | Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2017

Transportation equipment, services, trucking & warehousing Utilities And many more

SYMPOSIUM AGENDA MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017

Pre-Symposium Day 7:00 AM–3:00 PM

Registration

8:00 AM–5:00 PM

Pre-Symposium Workshops

TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017

Symposium’s Official 1st Day

10:30 AM–11:30 AM

Regional Networking Meetings

11:30 AM–1:00 PM

Lunch & Exhibit Hall Open

1:00 PM–2:00 PM

Workshops

2:00 PM–3:30 PM

Exhibit Hall Open

3:30 PM–4:30 PM

Workshops

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2017

7:00 AM–5:00 PM

Registration

7:00 AM–8:30 AM

Labor & Management Open Forum

8:00 AM–4:00 PM

Registration

8:30 AM–9:30 AM

Workshops

8:00 AM–8:30 AM

First Timers’ Workshop

9:30 AM–11:00 AM

Exhibit Hall Open

8:30 AM–9:00 AM

Mobile App Demonstration

11:00 AM–12:00 PM Workshops

9:15 AM–10:00 AM

Annual Meeting of the Membership

10:15 AM–12:30 PM

Opening General Session Part 1

12:30 PM–1:30 PM

Lunch

2:00 PM–3:30 PM

Opening General Session Part 2

4:00 PM–5:00 PM

Workshops

5:00 PM–7:00 PM

Grand Opening of Exhibit Hall & Reception

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017 7:00 AM–4:00 PM

Registration

8:00 AM–9:00 AM

Workshops

9:00 AM–10:15 AM

Exhibit Hall Open

12:00 PM–1:30 PM

Lunch & Exhibit Hall Open

1:30 PM–2:30 PM

Workshops

2:30 PM–3:00 PM

Afternoon Break

3:00 PM–4:00 PM

Workshops

6:00 PM–9:00 PM

Casino Night Reception (will take place at the New Orleans Marriott)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 8:00 AM–10:00 AM Registration 8:30 AM–9:30 AM

Workshops

9:45 AM–10:45 AM

Workshops

11:00 AM–12:30 PM

Closing General Session

Pre-Symposium Workshops: VPP Application® Workshop

Industry leaders from VPP worksites and OSHA will guide you step-by-step through the process of putting together the major components of a successful application.

Inspection Techniques and Hazard Recognition

Attendees will learn the different types of inspections, inspection techniques and typical safety and health hazards.

What’s New in DOE-VPP?

This workshop, intended for employees at DOE sites, offers an overview of what’s new in the DOE-VPP program.

First Aid/CPR/AED Training

The purpose of the American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED program is to help participants recognize and respond appropriately to cardiac, breathing and first aid emergencies. This course is being presented by the American Red Cross.

Before Pulling the Plug on VPP Has your company or represented employees thought about pulling the plug on VPP and calling it quits? In this session you will hear from workers and management regarding the trials of VPP.

OSHA #7115—Lockout/Tagout

This course covers the role and responsibility of the employer to develop and implement an energy control program, or lock-out/tag-out (LOTO) for the protection of workers while performing servicing and maintenance activities on machinery and equipment This course is being presented in conjunction with MidSouth OTI Education Center.

OSHA #7300—Understanding OSHA’s Permit-Required Confined Space Standard This course covers the requirements of the OSHA Permit-Required Confined Space Standard. This course is being presented in conjunction with MidSouth OTI Education Center.

Symposium Highlights JOIN thousands of the EHS industry’s most dedicated and ambitious professionals for four days of learning and networking VISIT hundreds of safety and health exhibitors demonstrating the industry’s newest offerings BE INSPIRED by nationallyrecognized keynote speakers CHOOSE from more than 100 workshops on a variety of topics including fall protection, confined space training, lockout/tagout, improving your relationship with OSHA and more MEET others at your regional networking meeting and the receptions PARTICIPATE in multiple contests and win dozens of prizes

NEW THIS YEAR, VPPPA and the Louisiana Governor’s Safety & Health Conference are combining their events to join thousands of safety and health professionals from across the country and expose both sides to new best practices, training, safety equipment, ideas and safety and health vendors.

Get Social! Tuesday: Grand Opening of Exhibit Hall & Reception

You will have the opportunity to meet with cutting-edge safety and health manufacturers and network with other attendees at the opening kick-off event.

Wednesday: Regional Networking Meetings

Meet the other safety and health professionals in your local area!

Thursday: Casino Night Reception

Taking place at the New Orleans Marriott, you won’t want to miss this year’s casino night event! Make connections with other professionals in the industry while enjoying drinks, games and prizes.

www.vpppa.org | 703.761.1146 | registration@vpppa.org | Aug. 29–Sept. 1, 2017

FEATURED P R O D U C T S Booth 809

Booth 1106

GAS CLIP TECHNOLOGIES

MEGACOMFORT INC.

Jeremy Majors (972) 775-7577 www.gascliptech.com The non-charging portable 4-gas detector for H2S, CO, O2 and combustible gases (LEL) provides continuous assurance of protection, 24/7, for two years—requiring no battery or sensor replacement! Visit our booth and learn how low-power photometric infrared technology makes 4-gas detection simple!

Dr.Kevan Orvitz drkevan@megacomfort.com / (877) 634-2266 www.megacomfort.com The MEGASteps Advisor helps take the guesswork out of your footwear and insole program. The Advisor scans feet in less than one minute recommending the best safety footwear and insole based on foot size, arch type, workplace requirements and availability.

Multi Gas Clip Simple

MEGASteps™ Footwear & Insole Advisor

Booth 749

Booth 811

PUREFLO

RITE-HITE

Ronnie Dunne rdunne@gentexcorp.com / (980) 322-1030 www.gentexcorp.com/pureflo/us The PureFlo 4000 is a fully integrated head mounted powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) incorporating head, eye, face and hearing protection with communications. PureFlo 4000 is typical of Gentex’s dedication to advanced technology to optimize personal protection and user performance.

Andy Olson info@ritehite.com / (800) 456-0600 www.ritehite.com Help prevent accidents where people and material handling equipment share the same space in your facility. Perfect for blind corners and busy intersections, the Safe-T-Signal detects traffic from all directions and communicates with high-visibility traffic control symbols to oncoming traffic.

PureFlo 4000 Integrated Mining Helmet

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

Safe-T-Signal

vpppa.org

AN INTEGRATED SAFETY & HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS SYMPOSIUM

PRESENTED BY VPPPA

Booth 911

ROCK MILLS ENTERPRISES

ROCO RESCUE

Don Moos sales@rockmillsent.com / (712) 451-6550 www.rockmillsent.com The lifter removes manhole covers at the push of a button. Easy to install and operate, this pioneering tool mitigates the risk of injury associated with manual lifting. Contact us now to learn more about this safe, practical and cost-effective solution.

Teresa Wilson twilson@rocorescue.com / (800) 647-7626 www.rocorescue.com The FreeTech™ Harness allows the user to safely and easily transfer their body weight from the dorsal connector on the upper back to the front waist location of the harness to reorient the user into a seated position.

The Lifter and The Lifter PLUS

CMC/Roco FreeTech Harness

Booth 907

Booth 707

SAFETYCAL HOLDINGS, INC

WORKING CONCEPTS, INC.

Teresa Powell teresa.powell@safetycal.com / (800) 446-3525 www.safetycal.com Our most popular and versatile product. Available in several sizes, materials and colors. Simply use a felt marker, paint pen or printed material to mark your tag. Then simply seal your information beneath the durable, chemical resistant laminate. Keep it tagged and safe!

Lori Crampton lori@softknees.com / (503) 663-3374 www.softknees.com Ergokneel® Body Mat is one inch thick close celled foam, and is designed for industrial use. It will not absorb liquids, is petroleum resistant and will hold up in tough environments..

FLAP™ TAG 3-in. by 5-in.

vpppa.org

Ergokneel Body Mat

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

member info corner

Congratulations to our 2017 award and scholarship winners! Safety & Health Achievement Program Whether it is at the worksite or in the community, the VPPPA Safety & Health Achievement Program provides special acknowledgement to non-managerial employees at VPPPA member sites who have taken the initiative to learn and apply safety and health best practices. Candidates are expected to fulfill the program criteria and complete a workbook containing questions on the major elements of workplace safety and health. The program is geared toward hourly, non-safety and health workers at VPPPA member sites. Winners(s): • Curtis Crenshaw, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, SC • Darrell Freeman, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, SC • Dwayne Carter, HII-NNS, Newport News, VA • Edward Szela, GE Healthcare Electric Avenue, Milwaukee, WI • Loretta Williams, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, SC • Maggie Yarborough, HII-NNS, Newport News, VA • Marcus Hills, HII-NNS, Newport News, VA • Nicholas Mueller, GE Healthcare Electric Avenue, Milwaukee, WI • Paul Lux, HII-NNS, Newport News, VA • Robert Knoll, GE Healthcare Electric Avenue, Milwaukee, WI

Annual Awards VPP Outreach Award The purpose of the VPP Outreach Award is to provide recognition for our “VPP Ambassadors.” This award recognizes those who achieve an outstanding level of outreach activity and encourage others to share their knowledge. Reaching out to communicate and persuade others of the benefits of pursuing OSHA or DOE VPP approval is an important part of the mission of VPPPA. Another part of the mission is to persuade other government regulatory agencies to adopt similar programs. The VPP Outreach

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

Award is for an individual, company or worksite that has done an extraordinary amount of work in these areas. Winner: • Hendrickson Mitchell Ergo Team, Mitchell, SD

trades (respectively). This annual scholarship is granted to students who are either employed at a VPPPA Full member site or to the child/ grandchild of a member. Winner: • Alexandra Crabb, Wappapello, MO

VPP Innovation Award:

Sergeant SafetyScholarship

The purpose of the VPP Innovation Award is to provide recognition for an individual, company or worksite that has developed and successfully implemented an innovation, encouraged others to try new approaches and emphasized the value of creativity and flexibility in the resolution of worker safety and health problems. The innovation may be program-related or of a technical nature.

The VPPPA Sergeant Safety Scholarship (also known as the DoD Scholarship) is intended for students pursuing either an undergraduate or graduate degree in the safety, health or environmental field and is associated with the Department of Defense or contractor sites. This scholarship is open to students enrolled in, or enrolling in, a college or university.

Winner(s): • East Tennessee Technology Park—UCOR, Oak Ridge, TN • Washington River Protection Solutions, Richland, WA

Winner: • Robin Henle, Richland, WA

VPPPA Safety & Health Outreach Award The purpose of the Safety and Health Outreach Award is to provide recognition for our “VPP Models,” who reach out to share the safety, health, technical and management expertise developed at their sites. The award is for an individual, company or worksite that has achieved an outstanding level of outreach in the safety and health arena, not directly encompassing the VPP. Winners(s): • East Tennessee Technology Park—UCOR, Oak Ridge, TN • Idaho National Laboratory—Battelle Energy Alliance, Idaho Falls, ID

Scholarships June Brothers Scholarship The VPPPA June Brothers Scholarship was established in 2005 to recognize students who are leaders and role models in their schools and communities and who are entering either the environmental, safety and health areas or the

Stephen Brown Scholarship The VPPPA Stephen Brown Scholarship was established in 2005 and is intended for students pursuing a degree in the trades. This scholarship is open to students enrolled in, or enrolling in, a vocational school, college or university. This annual scholarship is granted to one student who is either employed at a VPPPA full member site or to the child/ grandchild of a member. Winner: • Maria Ellinger, Pasco, WA

William “Sully” Sullivan Scholarship During the February 2007 VPPPA National Board of Directors meeting, the board established the VPPPA William “Sully” Sullivan Scholarship. This scholarship is intended to recognize an employee at a VPPPA Full member site who has made significant contributions to the VPP program at his/her site. This scholarship is open to employees enrolled in, or enrolling in, a vocational school, college or university. Winner: • Jackson Steele Owens, Tucson, AZ vpppa.org

2017 Regional Mentors and SGEs of the Year Mentor of the Year • Region I: The Cartamundi Team, Cartamundi, LLC • Region III: Frank Ragone, Cintas Corporation • Region IV: Mississippi Gulf Coast / Southeast Louisiana Voluntary Protection Program Council (Sponsored by VPP Participants at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi) • Region VI: Lesli Trahan & Dale Miller, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. • Region VII: Terry Bass, Ply Gem

SGE of the Year • Region I: Darwin Irish, FLEXcon Company, Inc. • Region II: Robert Brynes, Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. • Region III: Al D’Imperio, Naval Surface Warfare Center • Region IV: Merrill E. Dickinson Jr., Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany • Region V: Tina Kennedy, Flint Hills Resources • Region VI: Hal Lancon, Albemarle • Region VII: Michael Yount, W.W. Wood Products • Region VIII: Cathy West, GE Analytical Instruments

Roster Contest Winner Congratulations to Donald Rudge from Wheelabrator Technologies in Millbury, MA, for winning the roster contest! Thank you to all who submitted updated rosters; your efforts will help us provide you with all the benefits of VPPPA membership. It’s not too late to update your roster and ensure that you are still receiving all of your membership benefits. Send updated rosters to membership@vpppa.org.

Social Media Contest Winners Congratulations to Carmen C., Donna R. and Linda R. for winning our June social media contest. Each won a $50 Walmart gift card for liking our VPPPA Facebook page, following VPPPA on Twitter or retweeting us. vpppa.org

Our #HowISafety contest winner, Warren Gipson.

In addition, we extend a big congratulations to Warren Gipson, the winner of our #HowISafety contest! Check out Warren’s winning photo above.

Whether it is at the worksite or in the community, the VPPPA Safety & Health Achievement Program provides special acknowledgement to non-managerial employees at VPPPA member sites who have taken the initiative to learn and apply safety and health best practices.

Take a Selfie with a Board Member Contest Last year’s selfie contest at the national VPPPA event was so much fun, we are bringing it back. We had an overwhelmingly positive response. There were even a few people who were able to snag a selfie with all twelve members of the National Board of Directors. What’s involved in this contest you may ask? That’s the best part—all you have to do is take a selfie...with a VPPPA Board Member. The more selfies you take, the better your odds of winning. However, each selfie you take must be with a different board member. Every time you take a selfie and post it to either VPPPA’s Facebook or Twitter page with the #VPPPA33, your name will be entered for a chance to win a gift card. Some opportune times to take selfies are directly after the Opening General Session or the Annual Meeting of the Membership, during receptions or when you’re hanging around the registration areas, as board members will be readily available. The list and pictures of the board members can be found either on the website or viewed on the mobile app under the “Symposium Information” icon.

#VPPPA33 Make sure to use our hashtag #VPPPA33 on social media when sharing posts and pictures about Safety+. See you in New Orleans! THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

state-plan monitor

COMPILED BY KATLYN PAGLIUCA, MEMBERSHIP & OUTREACH MANAGER, VPPPA, INC.

Federal OSHA States State-Plan States Public Sector Only

Oregon Oregon OSHA VPP has had a busy 2017 so far. We have completed four VPP evaluations with seven Special Government Employee (SGE) partners assisting. Sherwin–Williams’ Purdy Brush facility in Portland was reapproved as a Star site on February 24. Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt’s Linnton plant was reapproved as a Star site on May 1 and Cintas First Aid & Safety in Tualatin, was reapproved as a Star site on May 8. One additional Oregon VPP site is currently under deferred approval while completing some 90-day items. We have five more VPP evaluations scheduled for 2017, and plan to use nine more SGEs on those evaluations. We currently have one VPP application under review. The Oregon OSHA VPP Coordinator was invited to present two classes at the Region IX All-Star Safety Summit in San Francisco, CA, in April, and to assist with their VPP Application Workshop. He also assisted with the application workshop and presented

classes at the Region X Northwest Safety and Health Summit in Spokane, WA, in May. Oregon OSHA has three more safety and health conferences coming up this year: • Central Oregon Occupational Safety & Health Conference in Bend— September 19–20 • Southern Oregon Occupational Safety & Health Conference in Ashland— October 17–19 • Western Pulp, Paper, and Forest Products Safety & Health Conference in Portland— November 28–December 1 Feel free to visit us at www.orosha.org for registration or additional information.

Washington Washington State VPP currently has 32 Star sites. Cintas, Spokane Valley, and Cintas, Pasco, were recently approved as Star sites and Columbia Vista Sawmill, Vancouver, was recently reapproved as a Star site. Nucor Steel, Seattle, also held a reapproval ceremony. Trident Seafoods in Everett had an onsite evaluation conducted in April and the report is in process. Trident Seafoods in Anacortes, WA, also had an onsite evaluation in June. The 2017 Voluntary Protection Program Seminar: Melvin E. James Honorary Lectures on Safety was held on March 30 in Tumwater, WA. 167 people were in attendance from a number of state and federal VPP sites, sites interested in VPP and other workplaces around the state. The agenda included opening remarks by Joel Sacks, Director, Department of Labor and Industries.

Michigan There are currently 27 sites in the Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP), with 24 Star sites, one Rising Star (Merit) and two MVPP/C (construction) sites. Doug Kimmel, MVPP Specialist, gave a presentation on the MVPP to management and safety committee members at Quality Aluminum, Hastings. He has also met with the representatives from Sherwin–Williams, Holland, to discuss their interest in applying for the MVPP. The Spring MVPP Mentors’ meeting was held in April. The meeting was well attended with representatives from many of the MVPP/ MVPPC sites attending in person and others attending remotely via interactive media. Michigan will soon be piloting the use of SGEs. In support of this initiative, a training course was held in April. The course was led by

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

vpppa.org

OSHA Region V VPP MVPP Manager, Nancy Mugavero, and was hosted by DTE Fermi 2 (an MVPP Star site) at their facility in Monroe. The course also included a Michigan-specific session that focused on the differences between the VPP and the MVPP, as well as MIOSHA safety and health standards that differ from OSHA’s. SGEs looking to participate on an MVPP review team in Michigan will need to have attended both the OSHA and MIOSHA portions of the training. The MVPP Advisory Group met again in July for further discussion on how to grow and continually improve the program. Applications currently pending for the MVPP include: • Marathon Pipe Line LLC (Woodhaven) • Eaton Corporation (Grand Rapids) • Walbridge—Dearborn Campus Transformation (Detroit) • Cintas First Aid & Safety (Kentwood) • GE Aviation (Grand Rapids) • Robert Bosch (Farmington Hills) • GE Aviation (Grand Rapids)

On-Site Reviews Onsite reviews have been performed at: • Walbridge—Dearborn Campus Transformation (Detroit) • Eaton Corporation (Grand Rapids) Reevaluation onsite reviews have been performed at: • Pfizer Global Supply (Kalamazoo)

New MVPP Sites Sites that have recently been approved for participation in the program: • Cintas (Westland)—Rising Star

Reapprovals Sites that have been reapproved for participation in the MVPP include: • Holly Construction (Detroit)

Upcoming Events The Fall 2017 MVPP/MVPPC Mentors’ meeting will be held on October 25. This event is sponsored by Albemarle (South Haven). “Like” us on Facebook at MichiganOSHA, follow us on Twitter @mi_osha and subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/ MIOSHA_MI. For further details on the MVPP, contact Doug Kimmel, MVPP Specialist, at (231) 546-2366, or visit the MIOSHA website www.michigan.gov/miosha. vpppa.org

contacting each state >> Alaska Christian Hendrickson VPP Manager Christian.hendrickson@ alaska.gov Phone: (907) 269-4946 Arizona Jessie Atencio Assistant Director jessie.atencio@azdosh.gov Phone: (520) 220-4222 California Iraj Pourmehraban Cal/VPP & PSM Manager ipourmehraban@ hq.dir.ca.gov Phone: (510) 622-1080 Hawaii Clayton Chun Supervisor/VPP Coordinator clayton.g.chun@hawaii.gov Phone: (808) 586-9110 Indiana Beth A. Gonzalez VPP Team Leader bgonzalez@dol.in.gov Phone: (317) 607-6118 Iowa Shashi Patel VPP Coordinator patel.shashi@iwd.iowa.gov Phone: (515) 281-6369

Michigan Sherry Scott MVPP Manager scotts1@michigan.gov Phone: (517) 322-5817

South Carolina Sharon Dumit VPP Coordinator sharon.dumit@llr.sc.gov Phone: (803) 896-7788

Minnesota Tyrone Taylor, MBA Director of Workplace Safety Consultation MN Dept. of Labor & Industry Occupational Safety & Health Division tyrone.taylor@state.mn.us Phone: (651) 284-5203

Tennessee David Blessman VPP Manager david.blessman@tn.gov Phone: (615) 253-6890

Nevada Jimmy Andrews VPP Manager jimmy.andrews@ business.nv.gov Phone: (702) 486-9046 New Mexico Melissa Barker VPP Coordinator melissa.barker@state.nm.us Phone: (505) 222-9595 North Carolina LaMont Smith Recognition Program Manager lamont.smith@labor.nc.gov Phone: (919) 807-2909

Kentucky Brian Black VPP Program Administrator brian.black@ky.gov Phone: (502) 564-3320

Oregon Mark E. Hurliman, CSHM VPP/SHARP Program Coordinator mark.e.hurliman@ oregon.gov Phone: (541) 776-6016

Maryland Allen Stump VPP Manager stump.allen@dol.gov Phone: (410) 527-4473

Puerto Rico Ilza Roman Director roman.ilza@dol.gov Phone: (787) 754-2171

Utah Jerry Parkstone VPP Coordinator jparkstone@utah.gov Phone: (801) 530-6901 Vermont Daniel Whipple VPP Coordinator dan.whipple@vermont.gov Phone: (802) 828-5084 Virginia Milford Stern VPP Manager stern.milford@dol.gov Phone: (540) 562-3580 x 123 Washington John Geppert VPP Manager gepp.235@lni.wa.gov Phone: (360) 902-5496 Wyoming Clayton Gaunt VPP Manager clayrton.gaunt1@wyo.gov Phone: (307) 777-7710

For additional information and up-to-date contacts, please visit www.vpppa.org/chapters/contacts.cfm

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

regional round-ups

COMPILED BY JAMIE MITCHELL, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, VPPPA, INC.

Region I Region I held its annual conference at the Killington Resort in Vermont May 15–17. There were approximately 250 attendees and about 25 exhibitors that participated in the conference activities. Keynote speakers were Olympian Josh Davis and motivational speaker Randy Royall who has over 25 years of safety experience. At the conference, the Region I VPPPA Regional Administrator’s Award was presented to outgoing Region I Chairperson, Steve Gauthier.

Steve also received a special recognition from the Region I Board of Directors as he is retiring from the board after many years of service. The Region I SGE of the year award was presented to Darwin Irish of FLEXcon and the Region I Mentor of the Year award was presented to the Cartamundi Team of East Longmeadow, MA. Elections were held for the Board of Directors at the conference. The new chairperson is Karen Girardin of L.L.Bean, Inc., Freeport, ME. The new treasurer is Paul Ludington of Dominion Nuclear, Waterford, CT. The new hourly rep from a site with a collective bargaining unit is Chuck Cashman of GE Aviation, Lynn, MA, and Local 149 International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers. The vice chairperson position is still open. If anyone is interested in the position, please check the Region I website vppregion1.com for more information and for directions on how to submit nomination forms. Contributed by Karen Girardin, Region I Chairperson

Region II

The 2017 Region II SGE class at Covanta Essex, Newark, NJ, with OSHA Area Director Kris Hoffman.

TRANSCAER (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response) Training Tours will be hosting several free hazardous materials transportation emergency response training sessions in Ohio and New Jersey from August 25–October 13. Tour stops include Orrville, Ohio; Martins Ferry, Ohio; Logan Township, NJ; and

On Tuesday, June 6, 2017, the Parsons Lakewood Inspection Station, 1145 Route 70, Lakewood, NJ, held their New VPP Star ceremony. OSHA Area Director Paula DixonRoderick from the Marlton Area Office made the VPP Star plaque and flag presentation.

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vpppa.org

VPP site tour at GE Healthcare—Waukesha, during the Region V conference.

Newark, NJ. Contact Sam Simon at (215) 781-4303 or samsimon@dow.com for dates and locations. The 2017 National Safety Stand-Down as well as the GLOBALFOUNDRIES mass safety meeting, which aligned with Industry Safety Week 2017, were both very successful events. On May 1, a safety meeting was held where several speakers addressed approximately 350 trade employees on topics such as OSHA’s 2017 fall prevention campaign, injury free workplace and bringing safety home to all our projects while “off the clock.” GLOBALFOUNDRIES management also delivered the message that there is nothing important enough at the jobsite (schedule, budget, etc.) to risk you or your partner’s safety. Finally, Honeywell, Towawanda, NY, will be mentored by Olin Corp, Niagara Falls, NY. Contributed by Brenda Wiederkehr, Region II Chairperson

Region IV The Region IV VPPPA Safety and Health Excellence Conference was held June 20–22, at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel in Atlanta, GA. The vpppa.org

conference began with opening speaker, and former Assistant Secretary of Labor, Ed Foulke. Mr. Foulke reminded the group of the impacts, both realized and unrealized, of serious and fatal incidents and how to articulate the importance of safety and health to senior organizational leaders. In addition to the 54 breakout sessions offered during the conference, various workshops were offered including a SGE workshop. The conference exposition provided attendees with the opportunity to interact with 45 exhibitors offering a wide array of products and services. In addition to the conference, attendees had the opportunity to relax and enjoy the Region IV VPPPA “Atlanta Braves Experience” sponsored by the Cintas Corporation. The conference concluded with Dale Lesinski’s motivational message, “Safe 4 the Right Reason,” sending the attendees back to their respective worksites ready, and energized, to share knowledge gained during the conference. The Region IV Board of Directors would also like to recognize The Mississippi Gulf Coast / Southeast Louisiana Voluntary Protection Program Council who was selected as the 2017 Mentor of the Year. The council provides benchmarking and mentoring for the Stennis Space Center and local industries.

Plans are already underway for the 2018 Safety and Health Excellence Conference which will be held June 19–21, at the Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. Submitted by Christopher Colburn, Region IV Treasurer

Region V Region V Conference News The 2017 Region V Conference was held May 16–18 at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, WI, with an estimated 350 total attendees participating in the event. 32 Exhibitors were on hand to provide the latest information on products and programs available to improve the safety and health of workers. 40 workshops were available on a wide range of topics along with a VPP application workshop with 35 in attendance. Thank you to all those presenters who volunteered to share your success stories and best practices.

Region V Board Update Region V had two longstanding board members step away from the board during the election cycle. THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

regional round-ups

Special Service Recognition Award for a Past Region V VPPPA Board Member: Leslie Peterson, Shire Pharmaceuticals; Safety Champion Individual Award: Michael Metze

• Jim Harmon served as treasurer for the past seven years. Jim did an excellent job throughout the years leading our budgetary and finance efforts. Steve Washburn served as director-at-large for three years. Steve was instrumental in running our VPP site tours and most recently making the 2017 Region V golf outing a huge success. Their leadership and hands-on efforts will certainly be missed. • Bill Linneweh was re-elected as chairperson. • Shawn French was elected as treasurer. • Tina Kennedy was re-elected as hourly representative from a union site. • Andy Youpel was re-elected as representative from a mobile workforce. • Erica Arnold was elected as director-at-large. • Following the election, the board appointed Eric Siefker, director-at-large, into the open secretary position vacated by Shawn French. The board also appointed Paul Labriola into the open director-at-large position vacated by Eric Siefker.

Congratulations to the Region V Award Winners • Safety Champion Team Award: Flint Hills Safety Team • Safety Champion Individual Award: Michael Metze • Special Service Recognition Award for a Past Region V VPPPA Board Member: Leslie Peterson

Conference Recap Board Members: (L–R) Jimmy Jacquez, Andy Youpel, Randy Schwartzkopf, Tamara Reiter, Craig Sievert, Deborah Krajicek, Shawn French, Erica Arnold, Glenn Trout, Nancy Mugavero, Eric Siefker, Karen O’Hara, Steve Washburn, Tina Kennedy, Paul Labriola, and Bill Linneweh

The opening speaker for the conference was Scott Waddle, former Commanding Officer of the USS Greenville Fast Attack Submarine. The closing speaker was safety consultant, Hap Pigsley. Forty attendees took part in the VPP site tour hosted by GE Healthcare—Waukesha South Operations. This division produces PET and CT scan machines along with x-ray equipment.

Save the Date for the 2018 Conference

Flint Hills Safety Team: (L–R) Tina Kennedy, Blake Jacobs, Jake Redlich, Nick Raef, Chris Mcknight and VPPPA Region V Chair Bill Linneweh

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We know it’s early but it’s a good time to mark your calendars for the 2018 Region V Conference. The conference will take place in Indianapolis at the Indiana Convention Center May 23-24. Watch for more information at vpppa.org or www.vppregionv.org. vpppa.org

Congratulations to these Region V VPP Sites New Star Sites • OSHA (Indianapolis Area Office) • Cargill Corn Milling North America (Dayton, OH) • Marathon Petroleum Company LP Ohio • Refining Division (Canton, OH) • Southwire Company (Flora, IL) Reapproved Star Sites Ohio • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Columbus Resident Office (Columbus) • CH2M HILL (Cincinnati) • Continental Building Company (Columbus) • Delta Air Lines, Cincinnati Reservations (Cincinnati) • GE Aviation Customer Technical Education Center (Springdale) • Momentive Performance Materials (Hebron) • MV Commercial Construction (Dayton)

The Region VII SGE training class took place in Chesterfield, MO, July 11–13. We recently offered an application workshop with eight new companies interested in pursuing VPP and a SSQ workshop with 12 participants in both workshops. We have five new mentor/mentee matchups so far this year, with numerous other that mentioned during the conference that they were interested in the mentor program. In April, Cintas in Springfield, MO, celebrated their Star status with a flag raising celebration. The Region VII $5000 scholarship was awarded to Shianna Oestreich, daughter of Todd Oestreich, who is an employee of NuStar Energy, Norfolk, NE, Shianna will be attending Peru State, in Peru, NE. this fall. We had 247 attendees at the conference in Kansas City, MO. The Region VII Mentor of the Year was awarded to Terry Bass, PlyGem, Kansas City, MO.

Region VII just completed the 24th Annual Midwest Health & Safety Conference and Expo and it was a huge hit.

Illinois • Lyondell Basell Industries Equistar Chemicals (Morris) • Honeywell Sensing and Control (Galena) • Monsanto Monmouth Agronomy Center (Monmouth) • Morton Salt Research Laboratory (Elgin) • Occidental Chemical Corporation (Chicago) • OSHA Area Office (Peoria) • Senco Construction Inc. (Robinson) • Sherwin–Williams, Rockford Powder Plant and DSC (Rockford) Wisconsin • Frito Lay Rhinelander Agricultural Research & Development (Rhinelander) • OSHA Area Office (Eau Claire) Contributed by Steve Washburn, Region V Director-at-Large

Region VII Region VII just completed the 24th Annual Midwest Health & Safety Conference and Expo and it was a huge hit. We offered four different varieties of workshops this year, trying to reach all different types of learning potential. We offered the basic one-hour workshop, the 2-for-1 workshop (two 30-minute workshops), the power hour (four 15-minute workshops) and a large “for everyone” workshop. vpppa.org

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

regional round-ups

The Region VII “Mike Murphy” SGE of the Year award was given to Michael Yount, W.W. Wood Products, Dudley, MO. Contributed by Bill Turner, Region VII Chairperson

Region VIII Our 2017 regional conference was held at the DoubleTree in beautiful Colorado Springs, CO. It was one of the most successful

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

conferences we’ve had with the highest attendance we’ve seen in the last six years. In addition, we increased our profit by approximately $9,000 while not skipping a beat on overall conference quality. All board positions were retained. Our 2018 regional conference will be held May 8–10 at The Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne, WY. Congratulations to our Inaugural Spirit of R8 Scholarship winner, Adriana “Bailey” Garcia, who will be attending UT State, as well our Bervin Hall Memorial Award winner Lou Greer, Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc., Rocky Mountain Arsenal Project. OSHA Region VIII leadership awards were presented to Scott Holm from 3M Healthcare in Brookings, SD, and Christina Ross from Morton Salt. Also, a special award for leadership and commitment to employee safety and health was presented to A. Neal Hall from the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council. SGE of the Year for Region VIII was Cathy West from GE Analytical Instruments. Decades of Excellence Awards were presented to GE Control Solutions in Longmont, CO; Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center in Bismarck, ND; Talen Energy in Colstrip, MT and the U.S. Army at Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Commerce City, CO. In addition, OSHA recognized 33 Zeroes Heroes Sites. A recent SGE training was held June 20–22 at Hellman & Associates in Wheat Ridge, CO. Region VIII VPPPA continues to have articles published in OSHA’s Denver Federal Safety & Health Council quarterly newsletter, The Safety Peak, which has been a tremendous partnership and opportunity to reach DOD Sites. In addition, Region VIII VPPPA board members once again attended and supported the OSHA R8 Workers’ Memorial Day which was held at the IBEW Local #68 Union Hall in Denver, CO, on April 28 as well as Ft Carson Army Post, CO, with VPP(PA) information for their Safety Day. Our upcoming regional VPPPA best practice sharing program, “What’s Gr8 in R8,” structured quarterly program is currently scheduled to be held in Colorado at Sturgeon Electric Company and the Pueblo Chemical Depot Training Facility. New VPP sites include Cardinal Insulated Glass in Fargo, ND, and Southwest Generation vpppa.org

in Fountain, CO. Recent VPP reapprovals include Delta Air Lines Technical Operations in Denver, CO; Miller Coors in Huntley, MT; CF Industries in Grand Forks, ND; Integrity Windows and Doors in Fargo, ND; Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems in Mitchell, SD, and Owens Corning in Denver, CO. Thank you, Lindsay Kalis, for serving on the Region VIII board as a representative (non-union) and for always doing what was asked and never ever complaining. Sometimes our careers come in seasons and it’s only for what seems like a moment our paths cross. Rest assured you more than filled the gap and changed Region VIII for the better. We know you will always be Region VIII’s VPPPA biggest ally! Contributed by Mark Moya, Region VIII Chairperson

Region X Awards • Chairperson Award: Mark Hurliman, Oregon OSHA and Michelle Steeler, AECOM • SGE of the Year: Julie Stout, ESH Manager, Georgia-Pacific • Innovation Awards: CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company, Richland, WA, and ConocoPhillips, Kuparuk, AK • Safety & Outreach Award: Idaho National Laboratory–Idaho Falls, ID • Safety & Health Outreach Award: INL Laboratory Employee Safety Team • The 24th Annual Northwest Safety & Health Summit will be held May 1–3, 2018, at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown and the Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center in Anchorage, AK.

Region VIII 2018 regional conference will be held May 8–10 at The Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne, WY.

Contributed by Jack Griffith, Region X Treasurer and National Board Director-at-Large

Region X The 23rd Annual Region X Safety & Health Summit took place May 16–18 at The Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane, WA. “Blazing the Trail for Safety” was the theme. This conference held classes over three days and had 262 attendees, 31 vendors and 18 sponsors. It was supported by: Alaska OSHA, Oregon OSHA, Washington Department of Labor & Industries—DOSH, U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Labor—OSHA. Matt Pomerinke of Kapstone Paper & Packaging Corp in Longview, WA, was the opening keynote speaker, his topic was “Accidents are Forever.” Michael Wood, Administrator, Oregon OSHA, served as the closing keynote speaker. There were six tracks offered to attendees including: • VPP Basics • Strengthening Star • Management/Leadership • Industrial Hygiene • Technical • Health and Wellness Richard McConnell provided the national update and Terry Schulte discussed H.B. 1444. Computers were set up for attendees to contact their congressional representatives, encouraging them to support H.B. 1444. Over 120 attendees participated in the activity. vpppa.org

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

VPPPA Contacts

calendar of events

To reach the VPPPA National Office, call (703) 761-1146 or visit www. vpppa.org. To reach a particular staff member, please refer to the contact information below. Mike Maddox mmaddox@vpppa.org Executive Director Ext. 103 Sara A. Taylor, CMP staylor@vpppa.org Director of Operations Ext. 107

August

September

August 29–September 1

September 15

33rd Annual National VPPPA Safety & Health Conference, now called Safety+ Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans, LA

Conference survey deadline

August 29–September 1

October 13

Take a Selfie With a Board Member Contest

October Priority period ends for exhibitors and sponsors

December Mid–December Membership renewals

Amanda McVicker, CMP amcvicker@vpppa.org Conference & Education Manager Ext. 112 Kerri Carpenter kcarpenter@vpppa.org Communications & Outreach Manager Ext. 121 Jamie Mitchell jmitchell@vpppa.org Communications Coordinator Ext. 117 Katlyn Pagliuca kpagliuca@vpppa.org Membership Manager Ext. 115 Natasha Cole ncole@vpppa.org Member Services Coordinator Ext. 113 Sierra Johnson sjohnson@vpppa.org Special Projects Coordinator Ext. 114 Heidi Hill hhill@vpppa.org Senior Event Sales & Advertising Coordinator Ext. 111 Michael Khosrofian mkhosrofian@vpppa.org Accountant Ext. 104 Bryant Walker bwalker@vpppa.org Information & Data Analyst Manager Ext. 110 Courtney Malveaux, Esq cmalveaux@vpppa.org Government Relations Counsel Ext. 105

THE LEADER / SUMMER 2017

vpppa.org

7600-E Leesburg Pike, Suite 100 Falls Church, VA 22043-2004 Tel: (703) 761-1146 Fax: (703) 761-1148 www.vpppa.org VPPPA, a nonprofit 501(c) (3) charitable organization, promotes advances in worker safety and health excellence through best practices and cooperative efforts among workers, employers, the government and communities.

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