Featuring a variety of workshops and networking opportunities, a two-day conference in Eugene will bring workers, supervisors, and employers together to learn about innovative tools to strengthen the safety and health of workplaces. The March 8-9 event includes a keynote presentation by Erike Young, vice-chairman for the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for ISO 31000 on risk management and global safety manager for Google. The Department of Consumer and Business Services, Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) is one of several partners presenting the Cascade Occupational Safety and Health Conference at Eugene’s Valley River Inn, 1000 Valley River Way. On Tuesday, March 8, Young will present “Risk Managers Are From Mars, Safety Professionals From Venus: Creating a Perfect Marriage.” His discussion will show how safety professionals can achieve greater success by addressing risks that are not insurable, including human capital, operational, financial, and reputational hazards. “If you truly want safety to be integrated in your operations and have senior level support, safety professionals need to understand risk management and how safety can play a role in managing risks beyond just compliance risks,” Young said. In addition to his work for the U.S. Technical Advisory Group and for Google, Young serves as a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers’ Risk Assessment Institute Committee. With changes in technology, new materials, and a frequent lack of regulatory guidance in these areas, Young said, conferences such as the one in Eugene “are essential to both safety professionals and those who have responsibility for their organization’s safety program.” Conference attendees can take advantage of workshops focused on topics that include: * Building a successful safety culture; * Preventing and responding to workplace violence; * Forklift safety and unsafe work practices; * Fleet defensive driving strategies; * Marijuana and the workplace; * Preventing slips, trips, and falls. The registration fee for both days is $175, or $95 for single-day attendance. For more information or to register, go to www.regonline.com/cascade_16.
