I went to the Southern Oregon Chapter of the ASSP monthly meeting to hear a presentation on Safety Leadership from Brandi Davis, a member of the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Now some might question what an OSHA person knows about safety leadership since they just enforce laws, which is in no way leadership. However, if such a person would have sat through her very powerful presentation, he or she would have a completely new perspective on the subject. Obviously, most OSHA personnel have previous experience in the private sector, so it's no surprise that like most safety professionals, they know leadership is key to safety success. The perspective Brandi brought was very impacting. She used a series of bad accidents to show where various company leadership teams failed to lead safety. She showed how certain leadership actions could have prevented these tragedies.
As she presented, I was thinking about how we are very different people with very different work perspectives. However, most safety people, whether private or public sector, are looking for the same thing – to improve and sustain safety. In her description of one incident, she became emotional as she spoke on the tragic outcome of the event. Her emotions showed a truly human response to a bad human event that didn’t have to happen. That is where our perspectives joined on the same path. To this day, I still get very emotional if I happen to talk about the investigations of some tragic events that didn’t have to happen. Talking to a 14-year-old daughter whose father will never return home is imprinted in my mind forever. Seeing a wife and her two young children scurrying around a humble home while I talk to her husband as he sits in his wheelchair, knowing their life will never be the same again, can be emotionally draining. I realized that she and I are very different people, but our mission is the same. This is the absolute beauty of being involved in these meetings.
If you are not regularly attending these monthly meetings at the Black Bear Diner on the first Tuesday of the month, you are really missing out on an opportunity to share what you bring to the table and to learn from what others bring. These meetings give us a chance to meet people who have different perspectives and a variety of experiences. I find that attendees have different backgrounds, training, education, experiences and skill level. I see that they come from a variety of entities such as public and private sectors. We have attendees from schools, government, manufacturing, insurance, service, non- profits and many other types of organizations. Each brings a potential for supportive professional relationships that help us to become better at what we do and, yes, maybe we help others become better champions of their professional efforts. This is the beauty of these meetings; we are all on the same mission, but we can always learn from different perspectives that will show up at these meetings.
I hope to see you there in future meetings – I can’t wait to hear your perspective at improving and sustaining safety! It just feels like it’s a place where safety people belong.
​
Chris Lawrence
President, ASSP – Southern Oregon Chapter


With over 20 years in occupational safety and health, Chris Lawrence is a retired US Air Force Safety Professional who is the
Regional Safety Manager for Boise Cascade

​By Amy Stonehill

A New Decade Challenge

In our fast-paced world, I sincerely doubt that anyone wakes up thinking, “Wow, I better be careful today or I might slip/trip/fall/get hurt”. And yet, this exact circumstance happens daily… to very unsuspecting, very busy people.

For me, it has to do with paying attention. I am a planner. I tend to be 3 steps ahead. I’ve always been this way. I’m already thinking ahead to what is next WHILE I am walking/driving, with the ‘assumption’ that everyone will just “do what they’re supposed to do” and I’ll just tootle on by and get to whatever it is that I am trying to do…

As life would have it, I have been caught in the freefall suspended moment in time on my way to the ground knowing, “Oh, this is gonna HURT!” more times than I would like to admit. In ponderingthe new decade, I came to the realization that perhaps slowing down – JUST A SMIDGE – might allow me to see that people/cars/stuff may not act the way I “assume” that they will. 

I decided to experiment to see if I could actually DO it. So, here we are in February 2020. And do you know, I haven’t missed anything “important” – I actually have MORE time than I thought I had! AND, I’ve avoided slipping on wet pavement or tripping over curbs. I’ve actually caught myself looking up and enjoying the scenery rather than rushing by to ‘get there’. The funny thing is, I’ve found when I actually DO have something important, I still get there on time, unrushed, and – dare I say – happier? What a concept!

In our culture where ‘being busy’ is HIGHLY ESTEEMED, where getting things done ‘FASTER! BETTER! MORE EFFICIENTLY!’ has now become the standard, perhaps we may miss the downside: more injuries. One thing I know: WHEN (not if)you slip or trip or fall and are injured, you WILL HAVE TO SLOW DOWN. But WHAT IF we CHOSE to go against the flow and – dare I say CHOOSE to slow down – to notice our surroundings? David Cassidy’s final words of, “So much wasted time” kindled something deep in me that perhaps I WAS MISSING SOMETHING… 

I would like to CHALLENGE YOU: Consider choosing to slow down. Who knows? Maybe you might find – as I have– that you not only avoid being injured because you saw something that you had time to avoid, but that this journey of life really is worth slowing down for.

​Happy New Year!  “So, what shall I write about this month,” was the droning question in my mind – I knew I wanted to tie this to the new year in a “starting fresh” approach.  Then it dawned on me!  Why not look at our chapter and evaluate how we are doing and see where we can improve in the eyes of the membership.  So, if you are reading this, please go the chapter web page at: http://www.soassp.org/ and go to the bottom of the page in the contact section and let us know where we can improve.  Some things to consider might be:

How are we doing with the newsletter? Are you reading it? Are you finding value in it?  What would make it better?  Would you be interested in helping with the newsletter?

Are you coming to our technical meetings each month for networking and learning events?  What can we do better at these meetings?
If you were King/Queen of the Chapter for a day, what improvements would you make and why?

What else can we improve on?

We feel that we are doing well and our membership is growing, but we also know that we have to seek continual improvement.    We have a very functional website.  We have a dedicated team of board members.  We have an informative newsletter.  We put on one of the best safety conferences in the region once a year.  We come up with additional learning and networking activities, and we have educational monthly meetings.  This is, of course, my point of view which may not be accurate when compared to others.  So, if you see or feel that we should consider some improvement effort, please let us know.  This is your chapter and the outstanding members of the executive board who are tasked with managing it are diligently trying to present you with the best ASSP Chapter experience possible.  Help your chapter serve you in the best way possible by letting us know your thoughts!
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I hope to see you involved in our training meetings on the first Tuesday of every month at the Black Bear Diner!  Come early at 11:30 and spend some time networking before the presentation begins at 12:00 – 1:00.  I also hope to see your comments and your potential involvement in helping to manage the chapter activities – it is rewarding to safety professionals of all levels.  Have a safe and blessed New Year!
 

Chris Lawrence
President, ASSP – Southern Oregon Chapter


With over 20 years in occupational safety and health, Chris Lawrence is a retired US Air Force Safety Professional who is the
Regional Safety Manager for Boise Cascade

​I’m about to tell you something I’ve tried to keep a secret for a long time. Well, I’m glad you didn’t know this before I was the safety conference chair. But the truth is, I make mistakes. And the reality of it is that we all do.Human error is predicable. It’s repeatable. Its understandable. Unfortunately, it is also dangerous, unproductive and wasteful. Understanding this is a solid first step to preventing human error and the problems it causes.
 
The understanding of this concept is a fundamental basis of cutting-edge safety management approaches. Ever since Heinrich and his famous pyramid, we’ve known that it is those unsafe behaviors and errors that give us a glimpse into the leading indicators that can almost predict our next injury or near miss. On this concept, Behavior Based Safety (BBS) and Human and Organizational Performance(HOP) management approaches agree.
 
We should be looking for ways to understand the behaviors of everyone within an organization. Enter the theory we know as “Behavior Based Safety” (BBS).  BBS concepts have been around for a while now and we have had many more opportunities to implement them improperly. I believe that the foundational concepts of BBS are sound:

• Most incidents/injuries are triggered by unsafe behaviors.
• Addressing behavior change can solve real world problems.
• Safety partnership between management and employees that focuses attention on processes and systems creates a framework for safety success.
• Improving what people do by understanding why they do things the way they do.
• Preventing errors reduces the chances for injuries and other problems.
• Discovering root causes can help identify ways to prevent incident from happening again.

 
Somewhere along the line, the wrong message was sent. That unintended message said “your workers decisions are the reason for your problems. If you fix your workers so that they make better decisions, you will have fewer problems.” Why do we keep having to re-discover that this approach is too one dimensional to improve safety performance? Incident analysis root causes that focus on blaming the employee for making a mistake is a lost opportunity to understand the system elements that contributed to the incident.
 
In some ways Human and Operational Performance (HOP), is a response to ways that BBS was being misunderstood. Proponents of HOP and the “new view of safety” admit this. In my opinion, the foundational concepts of HOP are solid:

• Human Error is normal, and it is not a choice.
• People come to work to do good work.
• The pressure to fix a problem can outweigh the desire to learn.
• There is almost never only one root cause.
• Learning & improving is vital (Organizational learning especially).
• Blame fixes nothing (blame creates barriers to learning and is caustic to a proactive safety climate).
• Context drives behavior (Employees don’t make errors that are independent of the system, why should we analyze the error without understanding the context…).
• How leaders respond to failure is what really matters.
• Organizations and operations need to have more resiliency to error in order to be safer.

 
Studying these ideas and concepts is helpful to implementing a successful safety program. The thoughtful understanding of the maxims that these approaches teach are key to identifying how to keep people safer. Most of these approaches have a lot of overlap and common ground and have been improved over the years as they are tried. Look at companies that have tried to implement safety efforts based on BBS, HOP, LEAN or others. Find out what works and what doesn’t. Network with other companies through our monthly ASSP meetings at Black Bear Diner to get more information. Don’t forget about other Southern Oregon safety associations like the Redwood Safety Association and the Klamath Safety Group. I hope to see you at these and maybe even the Safety Summit this Spring in Grants Pass.
 
David Hanson, CSP  

​I walked around an industrial manufacturing center this week, and I asked a variety of machine operators and laborers how they were able to do such a good job of staying safe. Each of them had a very similar reply. Essentially, they conveyed that they wanted to remain free of injury for their futures and for their families. They evaluate the actions at hand and choose to work through those actions as safely as possible. They watch out for themselves and fellow teammates. Listening to them was especially heartwarming because it is the holiday season. To me, this time of year epitomizes why safety is so important. It’s a time for family, friends, and to look forward to the coming new year. 
 
One Christmas many years ago, while stationed in a foreign country, I recall sitting in an outpost at a highspeed taxiway where our Alert Fighters would scramble to escort Russian bombers through protected airspace. It was Christmas Eve, it was blowing snow, and it was -20 degrees outside. I had no heat, but I did have the finest in military cold weather garb. Still, I stood there shivering, holding my M-16, and listening to the little transistor radio that was barely working as it aired the Armed Forces Radio and Television Christmas music special. My communication mobile radio had failed because of the cold, so I had no contact with anyone. The only thing I could think of was family—who wouldn’t in such a situation and time?  Ever since, I have felt that family and family relationships are just about the most important aspects of life, and it helped me to have a deeper concern for situations that hurt or separate families.
 
So, this time of year, I always have two highlighted focuses that float in the back of my mind: 1. thinking of our military personnel stationed around the world that won’t be home with family during the holidays; and 2. thinking of the fact that we will end another year in our country where nearly 5,000 workers will not have made it home safely to their families. I know it sounds a little depressing, but I want to focus on the positive side. I am thankful for those who serve our country, and I hope it will always be a safer place because of them. I am proud of the employees who look out for themselves, and their fellow employees, for their families. I am certain the workplace will be a safer place because of them, and families will have a better chance of staying whole. 
 
As we go through the holidays and head into a new year, let’s keep those who serve in our minds—whether they are first responders or military.Find some way to show appreciation for their efforts at keeping our country and communities safe. In our workplaces, we should be building safety plans that will help make the new year a safer year to ensure we reduce the number of workplace tragedies that our country experiences each year. If our safety plans focus on creating a culture where operators and laborers automatically think of how they can keep themselves and their fellow workers safe, then we will reduce these situations that devastate families.
Happy Holidays! End the year safely, and make the new year an awesomely safe year for your teams and keeping their families whole!
 
Chris Lawrence
President, ASSP – Southern Oregon Chapter
 
​With over 20 years in occupational safety and health, Chris Lawrence is a retired US Air Force Safety Professional who is the Regional Safety Manager for Boise Cascade.

​By Jen Killpack, Safety & Workers’ Compensation Coordinator – City of Medford
 
New Year, New Changes
As the Christmas tree needles fall and the last bit of pie is devoured, we start to realize the new year is fast approaching. We ask ourselves, “What will we do differently this coming year?” Or we make statements like “This is the year I am going to lose that weight.” Rest assured, we all have goals, and there is always room for improvement, but do we ask ourselves, “What is realistic?”
 
As a lover of all things health and fitness, I, too, struggle with the above questions and statements. What has helped me to be successful at reaching my goals has been to set them realistically, and then move the mark once they are achieved. If you look at losing that 20 pounds in five-pound increments, it doesn’t seem so overwhelming. If you look at that garage that needs to be organized and divide it into sections, it doesn’t seem so massive.
 
Goal Setting: Start with a checklist of the items you want to tackle in 2020. Prioritize the list with the most important things at the top and lowest priority at the bottom. Once this is set, start looking at the goal and break it up into quarters, like the example of 20 pounds mentioned above. Assign a start date and completion date that is realistic but still provides enough pressure to stay focused.
 
If weight loss is your goal, keep in mind that two pounds a week is considered healthy weight loss. So, maybe you plan to lose five pounds a month with the achievement set for four months. To some, this might be too much time allowed to achieve the goal, but with weight loss, it is important to try to make a lifestyle change rather than using a fad diet. Now that you have a sub-goal of five pounds per month set, you might feel less stressed and making healthy decisions will be easier.
 
Make sure to reward yourself at the end of each month—small things that help support the goal are best, such as a new pair of workout pants or a set of exercise bands. Keep it healthy and find rewards that support you toward the overall goal.
What happens if you don’t reach the goal? It’s ok! Breathe, re-group and re-evaluate, and try again!
 
Let 2020 be the year of setting yourself up for success, one attainable goal at a time. This will help achieve a lifestyle based on success rather than a slippery slope of setting goals too high and not being able to achieve them.
 
Jen Killpack, City of Medford
ASSP Member

​The 2019 Southern Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Conference was another success! There are a lot of hands involved in making the conference happen.This included Sharell Lien, Jill McConnell, and Diane Kronemann from OREGON OSHA’s very professional conference coordination team. And by the conference committee:  Pam Ahr, SAIF Corporation; Jake Austin, Sweed Machinery; Tim Capley, Oregon OSHA; Debbie Dill, City of Medford; Tanya Haakinson, Medford Water Commission; David Hanson, SAIF Corporation; Mike Hill, SAIF Corporation; Josh Johnson, Adroit Construction Company; Tim Mauck, Timber Products Company; Patti McGuire, SAIF Corporation; Susan Riehlman, Jackson County; Shyra Vaughn, Roseburg Forest Products; and a host of specific volunteers such as the Medford Police Dept. Honor Guard and the Hill Family Singers.Without this group and the outstanding efforts of David Hanson, the conference chair, this successful event would be so much less than the outstanding event that it has become.

We had some incredible sponsors recognized for their continued support.We had some very familiar vendors, who consistently display their safety support for the community, and we welcomed some new vendors this year. Thanks to the sponsors and vendors we can keep the cost of the conference attendance low for our community. This is so important in ensuring we can have this safety learning event open to as many companies and employees as possible.

And this is the key: Without those companies, organizations, and employees, there would be no need for such a conference. So, beyond measure, we are thankful that companies and organizations are able to send personnel to this event in order to learn more about keeping our community workforces safe! In talking with many attendees, I heard the same words over and over: “I am glad my company sent me,” and “This conference is really good for learning safety information.” To me, this means we are succeeding in our mission to bring a quality safety learning event to the community, and by doing so, we are helping companies and organizations have the potential for safer workplaces. 
​
Quality safety learning is the point of this collaborative event between Oregon OSHA and the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.We are blessed to have such a relationship with such an outcome. There are major cities and regions throughout the United States who do not have an event like this available to them. It takes a desire for safety to bring the event to life, but it takes many hands to keep it going year after year.If you would like to be a part of the team of volunteers who put this conference on, please contact an ASSP Southern Oregon Chapter member to find out how! Visit: http://www.soassp.org/.
 
Chris Lawrence
President, ASSP – Southern Oregon Chapter
 
​With over 20 years in occupational safety and health, Chris Lawrence is a retired US Air Force Safety Professional who is the Regional Safety Manager for Boise Cascade.

Federal OSHA, 10-Hour Training - General Industry Outreach
The 10-hour training program is primarily intended for entry level workers. Students successfully completing the course will receive an “OSHA 10” card they can present to their employer as proof of basic safety training. This outreach training provides an overview of the hazards a worker may encounter on a job site and emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, control, and prevention. The purpose is to promote workplace safety and health and to make workers in any industry more knowledgeable about workplace hazards and their rights/responsibilities in the workplace. The class will include hands-on activities and demonstrations. As a bonus, students will receive a Federal OSHA/Oregon OSHA regulation crosswalk and other useful reference information.
1/17/2020
1/24/2020
9:00AM
3:00PM
$170

 
https://www.roguecc.edu/ContinuingEducation/detail.asp?CourseID=1327148
 
Federal OSHA, 30-Hour Training - General Industry Outreach
The 30-hour training program is intended to provide workers who have increased levels of safety responsibility a greater depth of awareness and training so they can be successful in their roles. Students completing the course will receive an “OSHA 30” card to prove their knowledge and success to employers. This training provides not only an overview of the hazards a worker may encounter on a job site, but what the employer’s responsibility is in hazard identification, avoidance, and control. There is additional training on the risk recognition, abatement, and guidance for management of workplace hazards. Workers' rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint are also covered. The class will include hands-on activities, demonstrations, and “safety jeopardy.” Students will receive a Federal OSHA/Oregon OSHA regulation crosswalk, a supervisor’s safety primer, and other useful reference information.
2/7/2020
3/13/2020
9:00AM
3:00PM
$550

 
https://www.roguecc.edu/ContinuingEducation/detail.asp?CourseID=1327149

My friendship with Chris Lawrence started about 12 years ago while serving on the ASSE (at that time) Executive Committee. Chris was such a kind and generous mentor to me, helping to provide guidance for my career goals and advice through any crazy situation that my safety management work threw at me. Chris has served our Southern Oregon Chapter for all those years in various positions on the committee as well as Region 1 ASSP and Society as a whole.
Chris was nominated for this award by someone who works closely with him in his role as safety manager at Boise Cascade, Lori Austin. In a recent discussion with Lori, she stated that he is the most caring and kind safety manager that she has ever known. He truly wants to keep workers safe and that genuine caring shines through everything he does. She was so excited to nominate him based on how much Chris means to her, and even more thrilled to find out that he won this prestigious award.

Please join me in congratulating Southern Oregon’s newest Safety Professional of the year!

Michael Hill, CSP, SAIF Corporation
Past President and Award Committee Chair


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