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Safety 2003Advancing theEH&S ProfessionConference reaches new heightsRecord attendance, unique program drive success

TO QUOTE CHARLES DICKENS, “It was the bestof times.” And based on the feedback from attendeesand exhibitors alike, the rest of that well-knownquote simply does not apply.

From the wide range of new pro-grams and innovative learning formats,to an impressive collection of technicaltours and guest programming, Safety2003 was, indeed, ASSE’s best profes-sional development conference andexposition to date. With a record num-ber of attendees—nearly 2,900 peoplefrom 22 countries—and an expandedproducts-and-services exposition, theconference offered unmatched network-ing and learning opportunities.

In With the NewLearning is an individual experience,

and this year’s conference programspoke to that diversity through a rangeof new offerings and diverse learningformats. For example, five key-issueroundtables allowed attendees to gatherin small groups to examine five topics—selling safety to management, achievingworld-class safety, defining the role ofSH&E professionals, driving leadershipaccountability and involving employeesin safety. Attendees were able to engagein open-forum exchange and debate,sharing ideas and insights while learn-ing firsthand what others have tried. “Ireally like this format,” said oneattendee, voicing a sentiment shared bymany. “It afforded the opportunity fordialogue and interaction.” Addedanother attendee, “Interesting way tonetwork, which is what I came to thePDC to do.”

Another new element was Tuesday

afternoon’s “Big Idea Workshop,” facilitated byAndrew Razeghi, an author and motivational speak-er who also served as Tuesday’s general

From pre- and post-conferenceseminars to leading-edge

concurrent educationalsessions and a state-of-the-art

exposition, Safety 2003attendees learned aboutthe latest programs and

management techniques andbuilt skills needed for success.

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session speaker. Duringthis unique workshop,attendees shared ideas foraddressing specific chal-lenges in five broad cate-gories: Going Global:Managing Cultural Com-plexity; CommunicatingValue: Driving Growth;Working Together: Pro-fessional Collaboration; Fueling the Pipeline:Attracting and RetainingTalent; and MeasuringProgress: Leading Indica-tors. To encourage ideasharing, attendees listedtheir specific challenge

and its barriers on a worksheet, then shared thatworksheet with others in order to capture insightfrom the rest of the group. “The idea [of this work-shop] is to take home one big idea that you can exe-cute immediately,” Razeghi explained. To help themdo so, he also shared eight principles for preventing“sameness” in thinking:

1) Recognize what you believe and setit aside to open your mind.

2) Ask why not and challenge theorder of things.

3) Know your limits.4) Know how to enable people.5) Embrace process and fix it when

needed.6) Sell the invisible.7) Continuously innovate.8) Recognize that you will fail—and

learn to recover.Also new this year was Expo

Education—a series of educational ses-sions conducted by exhibitors. Partici-pants included Remedy Interactive,which examined the benefits and chal-lenges of implementing a “risk-based”office ergonomics program; ComplianceSuite (RMS Systems Inc.), which dis-cussed how to use software to automateregulatory recordkeeping and reporting,as well as to track inventory; Compre-hensive Loss Management Inc., whichexplained safety accountability andhighlighted a web solution for manag-ing safety initiatives; Shoes for Crews,which focused on slip-resistant materi-als and how to determine whether agiven material truly is slip resistant;CoreAdvantage, which explored thecritical role that first-line supervisorsand middle managers play in creating apositive safety culture; and WorkingConcepts, which detailed the negativeeffects of static positions and vibrationon workers, as well as possible solu-

Audio Tapes,CD-ROMAvailableAudio tapes of mostsessions, as well as aCD-ROM containingthe complete confer-ence proceedings, arecurrently availablefrom ASSE. For infor-mation on the tapes,see pp. 17-18 in thisissue of ProfessionalSafety; to learn moreabout the proceedings,contact ASSE at (847)699-2929.

InternationalAppealReflecting the growing interna-tional reach of ASSE, attendeesat Safety 2003 represented 22countries (including the U.S.).The Society was honored to haveseveral international dignitaries

in attendance, includingthe presidents of theInstitution of Occupa-tional Safety and Health(IOSH) and the CanadianSociety of Safety Engi-neering (CSSE) . During

Monday’s generalsession, IOSH’sEleanor Lawson,DPA, FIOSH, RSP,spoke of the fellow-ship between IOSHand ASSE. “Our twoorganizations arethe largest in theworld. Our member-

ships have a common purposeand share a similar vision. Byworking together, we can leadthe way to world-class standardsof excellence in our field.” CSSE’sJohn Boerefyn, CRSP, added,“The world is indeed becominga smaller place. It is very impor-tant for us to build relationshipsbetween our internationalprofessional organizations andwork toward harmonized pro-fessional and workplace stan-dards around the world.”

tions. “Our expo [is de-signed] to help attendeesfind real-world informa-tion to make SH&E pro-grams better,” explainsRichard A. Pollock, CSP,Chair of ASSE’s PDCPlanning Committee.“[Our exhibitors] oftenknow an application aswell as the people they aretrying to sell it to.[Through Expo Educa-tion], we captured some ofthat practical knowledge.”

Safety 2003 had itsshare of other firsts aswell. ASSE and MSHAsigned their first-everalliance on June 24. Underthe agreement, the groupswill strive to improve safe-ty and health conditions inU.S. mines by promotingbest practices and byencouraging mine oper-ators to develop anduse safety managementprograms. “This alliancemarks a new opportuni-ty,” said ASSE PresidentMark D. Hansen, P.E., CSP,who signed the alliancealong with MSHA DeputyAssistant Secretary JohnCorrell. “ASSE can betterlink the professionalism ofits members to MSHA’sefforts to continue to im-prove its capabilities inensuring safety andhealthier workplaces forminers.”

In addition, memberswere able to share theirthoughts and feedbackwith 2003-04 ASSE Presi-dent James “Skipper”Kendrick, CSP, who had a“Meet the President” officein the ASSE Service Center.Safety 2003 also markedthe first formal meeting ofWomen in Safety Engi-neering, ASSE’s new com-mon interest group.

Without Forgettingthe Tried & True

Coupled with the exciting newlearning opportunities were the traditional, hard-knowledge concurrent sessions. The program fea-

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From the wide range of new programsand innovative learning formats, to animpressive collection of technical toursand guest programming, Safety 2003was, indeed, ASSE’s best professional development conference and expositionto date. With a record number of attendees—nearly 2,900 people from 22countries—and an expanded products-and-services exposition, the conferenceoffered unmatched networking and learning opportunities.

tured 14 education tracks cov-ering the full spectrum ofSH&E topics—from safetymanagement and regulatorycompliance, to training and

career development. Not surprisingly, mold, emer-gency preparedness, management accountability,

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eon featuring speaker Bruce Wilkinson. Several after-hours receptions—including one with OSHA andgovernmental affairs representatives, and another forFoundation donors—gave attendees even morechances to meet colleagues with similar interests.

Thought-Provoking SpeakersThis year’s featured speakers—both general ses-

sion and plenary—enlivened the program and moti-vated attendees to get the most from their conferenceexperience. Keynote speaker Howard Putnam, for-mer CEO of Southwest Airlines, shared some “newrules for engagement” in 2003—one of which is thatsafety and security must have CEO-level attention.To emphasize that point, he shared a quote from for-mer Johnson & Johnson chair Ralph Larsen: “Clearlyas the CEO, I am ultimately accountable for every-thing that happens, both good and bad. But morethan anything else, I am responsible for the tone atthe top. Developing and selecting credo-based lead-ers and ensuring we have the proper systems andcontrols in place takes a tremendous amount of mytime.” Putnam also urged attendees to focus on cre-ating a “culture that works.” Such a culture, he said,requires leadership proactive in safety and ethics;honest and candid communication; exceeding expec-tations; giving ongoing feedback about performance;and creating opportunities for people to develop andachieve their highest potential.

Tuesday general speaker Andrew Razeghi chal-lenged attendees to move beyond the traditional roleof safety and urged them to better understand—andcommunicate—the competitive advantage that safe-ty provides. He built on that theme during The BigIdea Workshop, which, as noted, focused on helpingattendees think differently about safety.

The program also featured plenary session speak-er Gary Visscher, deputy assistant secretary of laborfor OSH, who reviewed OSHA’s strategies forimproving safety and health in the workplace, andBruce Wilkinson, Wednesday’s conference luncheonspeaker, who shared strategies to help attendeestransform their conference learning into take-home,tangible ideas.

With its full spectrum of activities and innovativeeducational choices, Safety 2003 indeed provided anexceptional professional development experience,one that raised the bar—significantly—for futurePDCs. Mark your calendar now for Safety 2004—June 7-10 in Las Vegas. �

Six Sigma and sustaining agood safety culture wereamong the most popular topicswith Safety 2003 attendees.

Technical and specialty top-ics were also in ample supply,with sessions focused on issuessuch as physical and biologicalhazards in the workplace;process safety management;compressed gas cylinder safety;boiler and combustion safety;machine safeguards; fall pro-tection; and effective signage.“This year’s PDC offered verygood sessions, relevant topicsand well-versed speakers,” anattendee said, confirmingthe positive feedback from

most attendees. Ex-tending the educa-tional experience,this year’s technicaltours took attendeeson behind-the-scenesexcursions to theNational RenewableEnergy Lab, Lock-heed Martin SpaceSystems and CoorsBrewing Co.

Rounding out the confer-ence program was a full lineupof pre- and post-conferenceseminars. In addition to thealways-well-received ASP/CSP certification exam prepara-tion workshops, this year’s pro-gram featured an overviewcourse for the CHMM certifica-tion—as well as the exam itself.Other seminars covered topicssuch as hazard analysis andrisk assessment; practicalergonomics; training non-English-speaking workers; in-vestigative photography; andfleet safety.

But the learning and net-working didn’t stop when theformal sessions did. Meetingsand luncheons of all sorts pro-vided expanded opportunitiesfor new learning and network-ing. Among these events werethe student luncheon, thechapter achievement luncheon,Standards Development Com-mittee/Council on Practices &Standards luncheon, academicsand educators program, and theWednesday conference lunch-

ASSE NamesFour New FellowsASSE welcomed four new Society Fellowsduring Safety 2003 (from left, with ASSE2002-03 President Mark Hansen, middle):William E. Phillips Jr., P.E.; Philip E. Gold-smith, CSP, ARM; Robert E. McClay Jr., CSP;and Joseph J. Townsend, CSP, ARM, ALCM,AIM. Each received the Fellow medallionand shared thoughts about the honor dur-ing a ceremony on Tuesday, June 24. Inreviewing his career and how he came tothe profession, Goldsmith noted, “It’s beena great ride for 33 years, but the ride’s notover. I hope I’ll see you all along the way.”McClay lauded the sharing nature of theSH&E profession. “I am happy and proud tobe part of a profession which is centered onthe principle of sharing our expertise andgiving of ourselves in the practice of pro-tecting our fellow workers.” Phillips, whoserved as ASSE’s 1992-93 president, shared asimilar sentiment. “[I have] a pride in whatis accomplished daily to better the lives ofmillions while contributing to the opera-tional performance of companies and cor-porations around the world. A pride inASSE which has represented our professionwith honor and dignity for over 90 years.”Townsend, like the other Fellows, acknowl-edged the support of his family throughouthis career. “This honor means a great dealto me, but this one is for my wife, my chil-dren, my father and my mother,” he said.

This year’s featured speakers—(from top) Howard Putnam,Andrew Razeghi, Gary Visscherand Bruce Wilkinson—enlivenedthe program and motivated atten-dees to get the most from theirconference experience.

ConferenceSponsorsThe success of this year’s con-ference and exposition wasdue in part to the generouscontributions of major spon-sors. ASSE would like to thankthese organizations for theiroutstanding assistance andsupport.

Comprehensive LossManagement Inc.MinneapolisPDC Briefcases

Behavioral ScienceTechnology Inc.Ojai, CACD-ROM Proceedings

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