​ 
A new year is coming!  What will we make of it? I always like the new year feel because it’s a way to tell myself to start fresh with renewed enthusiasm for making operations safer. I feel like I can have a chance to make the new year better than the last!
 
One of the best ways to do this is to have a safety committee evaluate what was done to make the current year as safe as possible. From there, the committee can develop new plans for the new year to make it even more successful. 
 
A committee can look at actual events, review trends, and determine the success of goals and key performance indicators. By doing this, the committee can get a good feel for how things went and define with confidence what didn’t work so well, what did work well, and what adjustments might need to be made. Studying the year’s events for trends and situations that did not go according to plan are very telling for a committee.  As an example, a safety committee had a goal of increasing hazard reports and near miss reports by 15% by the end of 2022. However, after reviewing the data, they found that they were down 11%. Why? What went wrong? In their review they found that the day shift was not reporting as many items as they used to. They found that the shift was down a supervisor, and the supervisor they did have was new. The supervisor was not aware of the intent to increase reporting and did nothing to further the effort.
 
The committee had great intentions but found a “hiccup” in their plans. So, now the committee has to determine whether this situation had a negative impact on their overall goals. Considering the situation above, the safety committee can now see some of the challenges they did not count on. They can now add fixes to these challenges into their 2023 safety plan.  Safety plans are kind of like a play book. The committee sees how the previous year went and can clearly adapt adjustments to the new year plans. They will want to keep the plan manageable and effective but also not so rigid that they can’t make changes as they go throughout the new year. If the committee and leadership follow the plan, and evaluate their success along the way, they can make timely adjustments to ensure a more effective plan that realizes the intended outcomes.
Essentially, the plan becomes a baseline to operate by. When you have a known baseline, your starting and evaluation points are more refined. This truly does help with making minor adjustments and with resetting the plan each year. So, evaluate your year. Consider what worked and what didn’t work and then make a new plan for 2023. Doing this can help 2023 be the safest year on the books!
 
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
Chapter President
 
 

 I first created this StayWell 18 years ago. It has been so requested that I have updated it over the years and continued it as an annual tradition. My wish is that there is an idea in this that is meaningful, or supportive, for you. I know I learn and benefit from it each year :).

 
Bringing Your Best to Holiday Gatherings
Thanksgiving and holiday gatherings can be full of wonderful moments spent with people we love. I hope your gatherings are full of this.

• Before you meet, think about what you want to bring to the table: your wit, a great story, patience with your 'gift' person, and what do you want to leave in others' hearts and memories about you and this gathering? 
• Attend to your greetings. You set the tone for the whole experience in the first ten seconds of greeting people. Set a kind, warm, or gracious tone.
• We have had much loss, and this gathering might be the first for someone who has recently lost a beloved or is making their way through grief and/or depression and is struggling with feeling thankful. Honor and support them.
• Remind yourself that people who may be challenging for you are important to the person you love. Honor your loved one by rising above pettiness. And have a sense of humor—we are all someone's challenging person!
• Remember your Q-TIP (Quit Taking It Personally). Let others be who they are. Their behavior is not about you. Let go of any urges you may feel to change, criticize, or fix others. 
• Focus on positive aspects of your lives, share funny stories, and remember special family moments. Intentionally bring delight and positive pieces to the conversation.
• If you have children, be aware that you are teaching them important lessons about being kind, polite, and respectful. Model handling holiday gatherings with grace.
• Every awkward or tough situation needs someone to “step-up.” Be that person. Appreciate yourself for taking the high road. Breathe... 
• Use gentle humor to lighten tense moments. Conflict requires two. Avoid it by not engaging in it. Maintain your perspective. It's just a party. You can do this.
• Have a long festivity? Add a walk or go outside and toss a ball with others. Some fresh air and activity are great additions.
• Quick reminder—you can stress, or you can digest, but you can't do both at once. If you are tense, nervous, or angry, those emotions will impair your digestive system. Focus on the positive... you'll be happier in the moment, and your body will be a lot happier in the long run.
• Hosting? Find a moment for yourself, some solitude, to rest, to reflect, to be with your thoughts and feelings. It's easy to lose ourselves in the midst of a busy day in the midst of a stressful year... Take care of yourself; you are important.

I am grateful for each of you and wish you, and those you love, gatherings that bring meaningful connection, a spirit of joy, and moments of pleasure.

Robin

 
Copyright © 2022 Robin Rose Training and Consulting, All rights reserved.
Robin Rose Consulting: https://www.robinrose.com/
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​There’s good news and bad news; in the end, we can make it all good with the right outlook.  Think about it; we enjoyed a successful Southern Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Conference because of the hard work of the conference planning team. We are now headed for the holiday season. These are rays of shining light and hope in these trying times. Trying times? The end of the year is bearing down on us. The midterm elections are now unfolding. Decisions in our courts of law and opinion seem divided. The economy has turned some people’s lives upside down with high housing costs, fuel prices, inflation, interest rates, consumer prices, etc. All of these economic markers are hitting very high levels. So, how is it that we can have a successful conference among all this seemingly glooming commentary of the day? 
 
Let’s do a little analysis first. There is a popular saying that seems to remove responsibility by the mere utterance: “It is what it is.” In the normal context of use, it is off-putting and sometimes repugnant. But used in a different context, it may make sense. There is also a saying we use at work: “Manage and lead the things that you are able to control.” Considering these terms, I see these challenging times in the following way: Most of us can’t do individual things to change the economy—it is what it is. Sure, we can be heard as individuals by exercising our responsibility to vote, but our day-to-day individual actions do not have much impact on the nationwide challenges we are experiencing. Nevertheless, we can manage our individual day-to-day outlook and actions which will carry us through. Why is it important in safety to see things this way? It is my opinion that we can hold our heads up, press on, do what is right, and find the positive in our teammates and family. Doing so is an individual action that makes a difference to those around us. Otherwise, we can lose sight of safety because we’re focused on things we don’t have an effect on.
 
As an example, the conference planning committee continued to meet even though there were all kinds of challenges. Mike Hill, the Oregon OSHA conference team, and the local members of the team stayed the course, put on a smile, and controlled the things they could. Despite the challenges of our world, the conference was an overwhelming success—because we did not let the times get in the way.
 
Surely, there is uncertainty in a lot of our organizations, and if we dwell on the issues we can’t control, it can get in the way of success, including safe operations. A mind focused on looming issues that are out of our control is going to be distracted. So, I say, let’s find joy and happiness at work and with our families. By doing so, we can fix our thoughts on positive things we can engage individually. Talk to your teams to let them know that they matter and that people are counting on them. Find ways to engage them in things they can improve or manage directly. Focus on leading success in the work they do and their involvement with family and friends. 
 
If we can get our minds and thoughts to focus on what is in our control—no matter what is going on in this season—we can rise above the bad times. The bad times will have very little effect on our efforts. We can promote a good outlook in ourselves and those around us. This will keep safety happening no matter what. It helped make the conference a success in our community!

​Chris Lawrence, Chapter President

​As the 2022 Conference came to a close on Thursday, October 20th, I had a mixture of emotions, but mostly I was proud! I was extremely proud that we had another conference in the books and that it came together without too many issues. I was proud of the many people who worked hard putting the conference together, starting in January and right up until the day of the event. I was grateful for 19 presenters who did a fantastic job sharing their expertise and knowledge with us. I was thankful for the many sponsors that help each and every year to make our conference happen and provide the high quality training for the 199 registered attendees this year.
 
I’m relieved that, hopefully, a difficult chapter in our conference history, one of pandemic, lockdowns, and outbreaks that shut down many conferences in Oregon for the second year in a row, is coming to a close.
 
I’m thrilled that we are planning on a 100% in-person conference next year, and I’m thrilled that I have the privilege to pass the reigns to the very capable David Hanson next year. Of course, I’ll still be on the team.
 
Thanks again to everyone who helped make this year’s event a success! We had some very interesting new content. We discovered a local leadership expert in Jeff Crapo, a local sleep scientist who would like to continue working with our committee, and even a couple other new planning committee members. If you’d like to join us, starting in January, to build our 33rd annual safety conference, please let David Hanson or me know. We’d be glad to have you join us. We meet for lunch once per month to put together all of the details, and we even have some fun along the way!
 
Lastly, for those of you who attended, please watch your email for a link to a page on our www.sosafety.org website. You will receive a login password to view all the sessions again or just the ones you missed. They should be available until the end of the year.
 
It was my pleasure to serve as the 2020, 2021 and 2022 conference planning chair!
 
Sincerely,
Michael Hill

1.       Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
2.       Tips to Get Through the Holidays Safely
3.       Click It or Ticket
4.       Thanksgiving Memory
5.       2022 Thanksgiving Impaired Driving Prevention
6.       Rain, Rain, Here to Stay?
7.       Alternative Travel Options During Winter
 
1. You must choose your role before drinking begins:
 
Will you drink or will you drive?
 
Remember, even if you had just one drink and you think you are "okay to drive," you could still be driving impaired.
 
 
2. How to ensure you get to follow through with your holiday plans.
 
1. Don’t drink and drive.
If there will be drinking at your holiday get-together, choose a designated driver who will remain alcohol free.
 
2. Make sure the car is ready.
Be sure your vehicle is properly maintained, in good shape for travel, and ready for winter driving conditions.
 
3. Map your route out ahead of time when possible.
Have a plan and be aware of projected weather conditions.
 
4. Buckle up!
Ensure you and your passengers are properly restrained in seat belts and car safety seats.
 
6. Avoid fatigue.
Get a good night’s sleep the night before, take regular breaks, and share the driving if possible. If you are tired, pull off the road to a rest area.
 
7. Have an emergency plan.
Have a cell phone and charger with you so it can be used in case of an emergency. Keep the contact information for emergency roadside assistance handy.
           
8. Do not text while driving and minimize cell phone use in order to keep your full attention on the road.
 
Use a hands-free device if you need to use your cell phone. See our prior blog posts for details about cell phone and texting while driving laws in Washington State.
 
9. Keep a safe following distance, allowing for ample time to react to the traffic around you.
If someone is tailgating you, allow them to pass. Don’t try to compete with impatient and aggressive drivers.
 
10. Watch your speed.
Drive to the conditions and don’t drive over the speed limit. Give yourself plenty of time to get to where you are going so you are not in a rush.
 
11. Remain calm.
If you feel stressed or irritable, take some deep breaths and stay calm. Don’t drive with road rage – this compromises the safety of yourself and the people around you.
 
 
3. Click It or Ticket
 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced the launch of the annual Click It or Ticket national seat belt enforcement mobilization with the goal of reminding drivers that seat belts save lives.
 
“As we continue to see an increase in traffic deaths across the country, risky driving behaviors, like failing to wear a seat belt, continue to be a contributing factor,” said Dr. Steven Cliff, NHTSA Deputy Administrator. “This campaign is designed to remind drivers that a seat belt is truly your best defense in a crash. Click It or Ticket isn’t about citations; it’s about saving lives.”
 
A $10 million paid media campaign will run May 16 through June 5, 2022, featuring radio, TV, and digital ads in both English and Spanish.
 
The public awareness campaign will coincide with special enforcement efforts May 23-June 5, during which state and local law enforcement agencies across the country will be issuing tickets to drivers who choose not to buckle up.
 
The work of our nation’s law enforcement officers plays an important role in preventing and reducing traffic-related fatalities.
 
NHTSA is committed to promoting equity in enforcement and impartial treatment of all people because the public must feel safe from harm on the road. Knowing that the law will treat them fairly is essential to this goal.
           
The paid media campaign will target drivers who, according to research data, are less likely to wear seat belts. In 2020, more than half of all young adults ages 18 to 34 killed in crashes were completely unrestrained.
 
Men make up the majority of those killed in crashes, representing 67% of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2020.
 
Data show 55% of men killed in crashes were unrestrained, compared to 43% of women killed in crashes.
 
This year’s enforcement mobilization will once again be kicked off, on May 23rd, by the Border-to-Border initiative, a one-day national seat belt awareness event with states participating nationwide.
 
 
4. Don’t have this be your
Thanksgiving memory!
 
1. Plan Ahead
Before you start your trip, make sure your vehicle is in good shape for travel. This is especially important for winter driving conditions. Check the weather before heading out to ensure the roads are safe to drive on. And don’t forget a windshield scraper!
 
2. Stay Fresh And Alert
Make sure you’re well rested before a long drive. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports from 2017 show that 91,000 drowsy-driving-related crashes resulted in 50,000 injuries and 800 deaths. Get home safely this holiday season.
 
If possible, plan your trip with another person who can drive. This makes it possible to take regular breaks to avoid drowsy driving.
 
3. Mind Your Speed
Give yourself plenty of time and distance to react to the traffic around you. An Automotive Fleet Magazine article notes that for every one percent increase in speed, a driver’s chance of an accident increases by two percent, the chance of serious injury increases by three percent, and the chance of a fatality increases by about four percent.
 
4. Drive Defensively
Increased holiday traffic and winter road conditions can be frustrating. Put the safety of everyone in your car first by letting impatient and aggressive drivers pass you or go through the intersection ahead of you so that you control the situation.
 
5. Don’t Drive Impaired
If you plan to drink, don’t plan to drive. NHTSA’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign has set out to end drunk driving through cutting-edge technology. Using a designated driver when you have a couple of holiday refreshments is always the safest choice.
 
6. Avoid Distractions
According to Distraction.gov, sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s enough time to travel the distance of an entire football field. Driving requires your full attention. When you’re able to do so safely, pull off to the side of the road or find the nearest rest stop when you must use your cell phone.
 

5. 2022 Thanksgiving
Impaired Driving Prevention
November 23 - 27
 
 Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
 
As we prepare for festivities with family and friends, we want to remind all drivers the dangers of impaired driving.
 
Consequences - 51% of Passenger Vehicle Occupants Who were Killed in 2020 Were Unrestrained
Of the 23,824 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2020, 51% were not wearing seat Belts — a 4% increase from 2019.
 
Seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives and could have saved an additional 2,549 people if they had been wearing seat belts, in 2017 alone.
 
The consequences of not wearing, or improperly wearing, a seat belt are clear:
 
Traffic Safety Facts for Seat Belt Use
1. Buckling up helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas not buckling up can result in being totally ejected from the vehicle in a crash, which is almost always deadly.
 
2. Air bags are not enough to protect you; in fact, the force of an air bag can seriously injure or even kill you if you’re not buckled up.
 
3. Improperly wearing a seat belt, such as putting the strap below your arm, puts you and your children at risk in a crash.
 
 
The Benefits of Buckling Up are Equally Clear
● If you buckle up in the front seat of a passenger car, you can reduce your risk of:
1.       Fatal injury by 45% (kahane, 2015)
2.       Moderate to critical injury by 50%
 
● If you buckle up in a light truck, you can reduce your risk of:
1.       Fatal injury by 60% (kahane, 2015)
2.       Moderate to critical injury by 65% (NHTSA, 1984)
           
 
6. Rain, Rain, Here to Stay?
 
The holiday season brings a number challenges that make safe driving difficult.
 
During this time of year, there can be difficult weather conditions, limited daylight, and drivers in unfamiliar areas.
 
Here are six ways you can drive safely and smartly this holiday season.
 
Rain can create dangerous driving conditions including reduced visibility, reduced traction between tires and the road, and less predictable car handling. When it’s raining, be cautious and give yourself more time to get where you are going. Also remember to:
 
● Slow down, especially through high water. Driving through several inches of water at high speed can cause you to lose control of the car.
 
● Watch for hydroplaning conditions. If you hydroplane, ease off the gas, gently apply the brakes and steer straight ahead.
 
● Keep your distance. If it hasn’t rained in a while, road surfaces will be slick.
 
● Turn on your headlights to improve visibility.
 
● Disengage your cruise control.
 
Maintain your Vehicle
● Before heading out in wet weather, check your wipers for signs of damage. Replace wiper blades regularly.
 
● Make sure your defroster is functioning properly, especially if you haven’t used it in a while.
 
● Check your brakes. After driving through a puddle, check that brakes are working properly by tapping them gently a few times.
 
● Make sure tires are in good condition and are at the recommended inflation level. Tires should have a recommended 2/32 of an inch tread depth at any two adjacent grooves. Driving on over-inflated or under-inflated tires reduces traction and control on wet pavement.
 
 
 
7. Hesitant to Hit the Highway? Try Some Alternative Travel Options During Winter
 
Oregonians have options when it comes to travel. We have bus service in all the major metropolitan areas, and even in some of our smaller communities.
 
Throughout the state, regional bus services offer connections. Here are some options:
 
● Plan your trip using Get There Oregon. You can enter your starting and ending locations and select the transit option to find information on routes.
 
● On Get There Oregon, use the Ride Board feature to find a one-time shared ride.
Amtrak Cascades train and Cascades POINT bus offer service from Eugene to Portland to Seattle to Vancouver, B.C.
 
● POINT intercity bus service makes connections all over the state.
 
● To get the latest tips for safety, including COVID-19 efforts, visit our Public Transportation Division website.
 
 
 
 

Making safety happen is something I speak about with new supervisors all the time. All new supervisors I meet speak well of their knowledge and commitment to safety. Most are not speaking in the affirmative to just appease the conversation with me as a safety professional. Most really do believe in safety. Most really do want a safe operation. 
 
However, there are times when a supervisor will make a comment like, “Yes, I really do tell and expect my team to be safe!” I will often ask how they make that happen. They usually give feedback indicating the idea that communication is important and that one must talk with the team and tell them that they need to be safe and then observe their actions. Unfortunately, this falls short of what is really needed. I tell them this, “You need to be more descriptive because here’s a really uncomfortable fact: You can’t make people safe by telling them to be safe. Telling them to be safe and then becoming upset when they do something you deem unsafe is a losing proposition. Telling someone to be safe means absolutely nothing to the person doing the hard work.”
 
Personnel who work in a production setting are often found working hard, trying to do a great job, trying to be productive for the team, and trying to “own” what they do. Therefore, a supervisor owes it to them to be very clear on the supervisor’s expectation of what is meant by “be safe.”  Because the term “be safe” is a moving target, there is no chance to apply the term to all that is being done on the job. Being more descriptive is key!
 
It is work and harder to do than telling someone to be safe, but for the safety of the team, it changes everything. By doing hazard assessments, by understanding work performance and the safety issues that can arise with it, and by documenting results for continuity, supervisors can have a good foundation to start with. Writing standard operating procedures and completing job safety analyses are essential foundational safety documents. The team must understand all of these elements. Still, this is not enough. Communicating what being safe means rounds out the effort and is the most essential element.
 
I had a supervisor tell me that he brings his crew into the lunchroom before every shift. He tells them that he needs them to wear the gloves chosen for the work, that they need to wear their safety glasses, hearing protection, arm guards, safety-toed shoes, and the appropriate clothes. He tells them that when they have to use tools to overcome a machine system malfunction, he does not want them to use excessive force when pushing or pulling on items or tools. He tells them to “pre-task” the work to discuss hazards before they start and control hazards up front. He tells them to slow it down and not worry about production because the repairs need to be done safely. You see, this supervisor gets it. He understands that he has to be clear on what “be safe” means. His team knows how to be safe!
 
The takeaway is this, the words “be safe” mean very little where the rubber meets the road. Clear and specific communication that describe precisely what is meant goes so much further at building a team who truly does know what it means to be safe. Better stated: The team can apply specific and clear actions from clear and specific description of what safety is. If you have a desire for a strong safety culture, this level of communication is foundational!
 
 

ASSP 2022

Twenty-two workers have died as a result of trenching and excavation hazards this year, surpassing the year-end total of 15 from 2021 and prompting OSHA to launch enhanced enforcement initiatives under its national emphasis program for excavations. According to the agency, its compliance officers will perform more than 1,000 trench inspections nationwide where they may stop by and inspect any excavation site during their daily duties.
“OSHA is calling on all employers engaged in trenching and excavation activities to act immediately to ensure required protections are fully in place every single time their employees step down into or work near a trench,” says OSHA Administrator Doug Parker. “Every one of these tragedies could have been prevented had employers complied with OSHA standards.”
OSHA standards require protective systems on trenches deeper than five feet and mandate that soil and other materials be kept at least two feet from the edge of a trench. Additionally, trenches must be inspected by a knowledgeable person, be free of standing water and atmospheric hazards, and have a safe means of entering and exiting prior to allowing a worker to enter.

• Download our Tech Brief on the ANSI/ASSP A10.12 standard on excavation:

https://www.assp.org/docs/default-source/asspdoc/a10_12_technical_brief_2022_05.pdf?sfvrsn=48279447_0

• Listen to The Case for Safety Podcast episode on trenching and excavation:  

https://www.assp.org/resources/the-case-for-safety-podcast/2020/07/29/episode-46-trenching-and-excavation-safety

​Cold Stress- Winter Is Coming!
It seems almost counter intuitive to start talking about preparing employees for cold stress when it is 80° outside, but the reality is that cool weather is on the horizon. Employers should make a plan now and provide training to keep folks that will have occupational exposure to cold weather safe.
Employers should take the following steps to protect workers from cold stress:

• Schedule maintenance and repair jobs in cold areas for warmer months.
• Schedule cold jobs for the warmer part of the day.
• Reduce the physical demands of workers.
• Use relief workers or assign extra workers for long, demanding jobs.
• Provide warm liquids to workers.
• Provide warm areas for use during break periods.
• Monitor workers who are at risk of cold stress.
• Provide cold stress training that includes information about:
  • Worker risk
  • Prevention
  • Symptoms
  • The importance of monitoring yourself and coworkers for symptoms
  • Treatment
  • Personal protective equipment

 
Workers should avoid exposure to extremely cold temperatures when possible. When cold environments or temperatures cannot be avoided, workers should follow these recommendations to protect themselves from cold stress:

• Wear appropriate clothing.
  • Wear several layers of loose clothing. Layering provides better insulation.
  • Tight clothing reduces blood circulation. Warm blood needs to be circulated to the extremities.
  • When choosing clothing, be aware that some clothing may restrict movement resulting in a hazardous situation.
• Make sure to protect the ears, face, hands, and feet in extremely cold weather.
  • Boots should be waterproof and insulated.
  • Wear a hat; it will keep your whole body warmer. (Hats reduce the amount of body heat that escapes from your head.)
• Move into warm locations during work breaks; limit the amount of time outside on extremely cold days.
• Carry cold weather gear, such as extra socks, gloves, hats, jacket, blankets, a change of clothes, and a thermos of hot liquid.
• Include a thermometer and chemical hot packs in your first aid kit.
• Avoid touching cold metal surfaces with bare skin.
• Monitor your physical condition and that of your coworkers.

 
 
 
 

​Good news—this year’s Southern Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Conference is coming up in October! This year’s conference, scheduled for October 18-20, is partially in person and partially virtual. The in-person sessions will be held at the Ashland Hills Inn in Ashland, Oregon. To be specific, the first day (known as the professional development workshop) will have a four-hour in-person leadership development class called Harnessing Leadership for Business Through Purpose, Direction, and Motivation. This will be a fun and interesting class that safety professionals, leaders, and supervisors will truly benefit from. Companies need leadership, but for many, leadership in the truest sense escapes the fold because the skills needed for true leadership must be learned and honed. Why not come to a class like this and learn from a dynamic individual who has well-honed leadership skills which have been challenged to the highest levels of performance? 
 
Following the professional development workshop will be a lunch with a technical class called Discover the Importance of Sleep to Maximize Employee Performance and Safety. Health, human resilience, clear and focused minds all depend on adequate sleep. Evidence shows that many workplace incidents occur because worker performance is hindered by fatigue. This class will provide insight on how to help our workforces improve sleep-related performance. Anyone wishing to attend this lunch event will need to register specifically for the lunch. The in-person day will be capped off with an awards ceremony and a networking mixer. Be sure to attend these events as well! 
 
Day two and three of the conference will be held virtually. With the necessity of early planning which started in January, we were unable to predict with certainty what COVID-19 restrictions may be in place. As a result, we planned the virtual part of the conference to ensure we would be able to offer classes that are necessary according to Oregon OSHA guidance for safety committees and to cover other elemental necessities of safety that are important to our communities. Besides the safety committee classes such as Safety Committee 101, Hazard ID, and Root Cause Analysis, other important elements to be covered include Construction Safety, Safety Culture, Serious Injury Prevention, Safety Technology and Apps, Ergonomics, and Silica Awareness.
 
We look forward to this year’s conference; learning opportunities, recognition events, networking, and comradery in safety are just around the corner. See you there! You can visit the OR-OSHA website conference section or the Southern Oregon Chapter of the ASSP to view the conference information and to gain links to register. You can also use the QR Code attached to go directly to the registration site.

​A fellow safety professional from a peer company asked me why I am so plugged in to the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). Rather than saying the same thing I always do, I spent some time reflecting on the question and wondering if there are any different reasons at this time in my life. I had to consider what keeps me “plugged in.” I came to the same conclusion I always have: it’s the people. It’s the people whom I serve in the company I work for and the people in the safety community. It just seems the right thing to do if I am going to call myself a safety professional. When I first entered the safety career field many years ago, I became involved right away. Since that time, I have remained plugged in. But to stay in the game, I had to ask myself if there is any value in the time and effort.
 
I took a new job about 10 years into my safety career. My direct supervisor was the president of the organization. At 7:30 am on the first day of work at the company, I met with my new supervisor so we could lay the foundation of building a safety program. It turned out to be a very short meeting because he only had a few things to say; he mostly wanted to know what questions I had. I asked him two questions: “What are my work hours?” and “What are your expectations for the position?” Regarding the work hours, he told me that the hours are mine to figure out—just get the job done—create a best-in-class safety program. Regarding the expectations, his first words were, “Get involved in your trade organization and participate.”  I found this a bit funny because I was going to ask permission to stay involved with the ASSP. He noted that it was a requirement for my continued development. He was a very intelligent and well-educated man, and he was a renowned leader in the construction industry—because he was plugged in to his “trade organization.” He knew the value of being involved in the trade organization of one’s career.
 
My message here? This is a huge part of being in the safety career field. Each of us may be serving our company well, but I firmly believe that if we are not involved in the safety community, we are not serving to our full potential. In other words, we are holding our potential back from our employers and ourselves. The networking, the moral and uplifting support, the knowledge base, and the friendships have become so important to me. Sometimes I get cynical about the day-to-day goings on because it seems that there is no finish line in our career field. However, when I go to an ASSP chapter meeting or event, I see so many people with varying, but positive, perspectives and I feel inspired to keep up the effort. 
 
For your team, for the safety community, and for your self-development, may I suggest that you consider attending the monthly meetings for the local chapter of the ASSP. At the Southern Oregon Chapter, you will get to know people who are on a similar path, and when you build those types of relationships, you will gain more than you are putting in. It is worth the time and effort. Maybe not on the first or second meeting, but as you go, you will find it to be a very wise effort for your professional career.  
 
If you are already actively participating, keep it up because you are making a difference in the safety community.
Chris Lawrence