5001 | Scaffold & Access 2.0; Engineering, Human Performance and Temporary Works that Don't Fail
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Scaffold and access incidents remain a leading SIF driver. This advanced session blends engineering controls, Human & Organizational Performance (HOP) concepts, and temporary-works planning to reduce fall and high-energy risk. Learn design-review checkpoints, error-tolerant practices, and field verification measures aligned with consensus standards (ANSI/ASSP A10, Z359, Z490). Attendees receive a pre-job scaffold checklist and leadership walk-around guide.
Track(s)
Fall Protection
Speaker(s)
Mike Klein
P.E., P. Eng., LEED AP
DH Glabe and Associates/Scaffolding and Access Industry Association Senior Engineer
Jason Galoozis
PremiStar/Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) Safety Director
Ryan Papariello
GSP
Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America (LHSFNA) Safety and Health Specialist
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5002 | Making Safety Change Stick: Global Insights from 100 Change Agents
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Discover how to make safety change last. Drawing on doctoral research at Griffith University under Professor Sidney Dekker, this session shares insights from nearly 100 global change agents. Learn five proven practices to gain executive buy-in, use micro-experiments, reinforce practices, and track milestones for sustainable safety improvement.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Georgina Poole
Griffith University Manager - Safety Science Innovation Lab
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5003 | Shape Better Safety Decisions with Dissenting Views
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Smarter decisions can stem from valuing dissenting viewpoints - challenging voices that reveal hidden risks and spark innovation. This session highlights lessons from popular and lesser-known historical approaches, and real case study examples, demonstrating how embracing dissent fosters trust, prevents errors, and promotes growth. Learn practical ways to build a culture where even unexpected voices count for safer, smarter decisions.
5004 | Safety Through the Eyes of the Owner: Influencing Excellence Through Risk-Informed Leadership
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Owners and developers have traditionally been detached from contractor safety programs. Hear from an owner/developer who actively engages in safety leadership, using risk assessment and HOP principles to influence excellence and reduce field-level shortcuts.
Level: Beginner | Track: Safety Management Systems
5005 | Understanding the "E" in EHS
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Understanding environmental compliance is crucial for EHS Managers. This training will provide a high-level overview of environmental regulations that typically impact facilities and their operations.
5006 | Invisible Threats? Investigating EMF Exposure and Its Implications for Generation Z
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
This study examines increasing electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from wireless technologies, including 5G networks, among Generation Z. Survey results indicate exposure may be higher than previously estimated. While definitive health effects remain unclear, ongoing research is critical to understanding potential biological impacts and guiding safe use of mobile devices, Wi-Fi, and emerging wireless technologies in daily life and occupational environments.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Mehdi Khalighi
Ph.D., MPH, CSP, CIH
Millersville University of Pennsylvania Associate Professor
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5007 | Hospitality: The Industry Safety Left Behind
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
By focusing on issues faced by lower-wage hospitality workers and the results of a research study (60 assessments at 30 unique properties) published in 2023, the session will delve into the industry’s unique organizational structure and financial performance, and analyze why it makes good business sense to invest in regular housekeeping assessments, employee training, and improved tools and equipment.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5008 | The Science of Influence: Coaching for Safer Workplaces
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Learn workplace coaching concepts from industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology and how these coaching interventions can enhance workplace safety, through measurable improvements to employee behaviors, to incident severity, and to team dynamics.
5009 | Unveiling the Invisible: Understanding Odor Thresholds in Safety and Health
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Explore the science behind odor detection and recognition thresholds with insights from the updated AIHA Odor Thresholds, 4th edition. Key terminology such as anosmia and hyposmia will be explained, along with factors influencing odor perception, including age, medical conditions, and COVID-19. Practical guidance will be shared to help professionals apply odor threshold knowledge more effectively in workplace health and safety.
Track(s)
Total Worker Health
Speaker(s)
Cheri Marcham
CSP, CIH, CHMM
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Associate Professor
5010 | Improve Your Safety Swing: Safety Tips From A "Wannabe" Golf Professional
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
What do golf and workplace safety have in common? More than you think. This lively session uses golf analogies to explore how mindset, preparation, and awareness drive safer outcomes. Attendees will learn how to "SWING for Greatness" by reducing interference, navigating hazards, and growing from wins and losses-transforming everyday safety performance into championship-level results.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
5011 | Arc Flash Hazard: OSHA PPE Guidance Document & NFPA 70E (2024) Emphasis on Electrical Equipment Maintenance Impacts PPE Selection - Take Note!
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
OSHA's arc flash hazard guidance document clarifies rules and answers questions regarding low voltage work and PPE for electrical personnel. Is FR/AR PPE needed for 120V work or for de-energizing or simply operating a circuit breaker? OSHA points to NFPA 70E! NFPA 70E emphasis on maintenance impacts arc flash likelihood and PPE best practices mitigate the consequences of human error.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5012 | From Heroes to Systems: Transitioning From Individual Safety Ownership to the ANSI/ASSP Z10.0 Safety Management System Standard
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Relying on safety heroes is risky when they are gone, safety can falter. Learn how to apply ANSI/ASSP Z10.0 to move from personality-driven efforts to a resilient, system-based safety culture. Join Luis A. Ortiz for real-world stories, proven tools, and strategies to build safety into every job, every shift, every day.
Level: Advanced | Track: Safety Management Systems
5013 | The 5 Levels of Safety Leadership: From Policy Enforcers to Safety Influencers
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Safety leadership does not begin and end with policies. It lives in the daily actions, accountability, and mindset of every supervisor and manager. This session introduces a clear, actionable framework known as the 5 Levels of Safety Leadership. It guides organizations to shift from compliance-focused oversight to sustained, behavioral safety ownership among workers.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
5014 | All Charged Up: The Lithium Ion Journey Continues - Cradle to Grave
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Starting with an essential look at lithium-ion battery hazards, this program covers the full lifecycle of the technology—from mining challenges to transportation safety. Our experts will detail regulatory shifts and help you develop strategies to mitigate environmental risks and safety exposures.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Mark Hansen
CSP, CPE, P. Eng.
CoolSky Energy Solutions Senior Director
Scott Baranowski
CSP
Duke Energy Corporation Environmental Health & Safety Training Scheduling and Delivery/Project Manager
Greg Bordner
CSP, CHMM, P. Eng.
Bordner EHS Consulting Owner, President
Lawrence Schulze
Ph.D., P.E., CSP
University of Houston Director, Process Safety Certificate Program and Associate Professor at University of Houston
5015 | Engineering, Law, and the Safety Ecosystem: A Unified Approach to Preventing Catastrophic Events
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Catastrophic incidents emerge from organizational blind spots and flawed decisions in complex legal and regulatory settings. This interactive session pairs an engineer and an attorney—two perspectives rarely combined—to explore prevention, enforcement, and response. Through real cases, attendees gain actionable strategies to detect weak signals, anticipate legal outcomes, and strengthen resilience by applying a unified safety ecosystem approach.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Michael Snyder
CSP, CFPS, P. Eng.
DEKRA Process Safety Vice President, Operational Risk Management
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5016 | A Guide to High Impact Learning - Achieving Real Change and Results in Your Organization
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Do you want training and learning activities to be "stickier," used and applied by your workers? Do need to make a business case for your learning plans? Learn proven strategies to "Partner" with your internal customers to identify business needs and plan effective training interventions that are tightly linked to important business goals desired by your key stakeholders.
5017 | Hard Hats to Headspace: Leveraging Neuroscience, Mindfulness, and the Safety Yogi Toolkit to Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Description
Discover how neuroscience and mindfulness practices from the Safety Yogi Toolkit can enhance existing safety frameworks to reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities. Learn practical interventions to boost focus, resilience, and hazard recognition while strengthening safety culture.
5018 | Industry Roundtable: The Future of AI and Risk Management - Where do we go from here?
June 27, 9:45am - 10:45am
Sponsored by Risk Management Practice Specialty
Description
This Industry Roundtable discussion will explore AIs transformative potential in workplace safety, focusing on four themes: integrating AI tools like predictive analytics with existing systems, continuous learning and AI evolution, fostering collaboration among safety professionals, and the group will discuss potential AI-focused learning opportunities through ASSP.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5021 | What Would You Do? Choices That Define Your Personal and Professional Integrity
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Every day, we face decisions where the right answer is not always clear. This session explores the critical intersection of law, ethics, and professional standards in EHS practice. Through real-world scenarios, participants will define the difference between legal and ethical choices, reflect on personal and professional values, and strengthen their ability to apply ethical principles when navigating complex situations.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Todd Loushine
Ph.D., CSP, CIH
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Associate Professor
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5022 | The Five Key Pieces of the Trusted Advisor Puzzle
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
The EHS professional must continue to become a Trusted Advisor to his or her organization by self evaluating the various skillsets needed to continually improve. This session will provide five key elements/attributes to move the advisory ball forward to assist in enhancing these efforts. Plan to take a look inside to improve opportunities for you and your organization.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Fran Sehn
CSP
F x S Risk and Safety Consulting Principal Consultant
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5023 | Organizational Decision-Making: The Cause and Effect Relationship
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Discover how unbalanced decisions create a domino effect of risk and operational inefficiency. This program provides a deep dive into the organizational cause-and-effect chain, centered around seven core principles for better governance. Through real-world examples, you will acquire the tools and strategies needed to master these principles and streamline your organization’s decision-making process.
5024 | Females in Construction: Safety Considerations
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Explore safety considerations specific to women in construction, including PPE, ergonomics, and workplace culture, with practical strategies to create safer, more inclusive jobsites.
5025 | Crisis Management: Essentials for Managing a Major Workplace Safety Incident
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Numerous safety precautions are taken on a day-to-day basis to ensure against the occurrence of safety mishaps at worksites. On the rare occasion an extraordinary event occurs, it is important to understand how to manage a crisis. Proactively establishing an Emergency Response Plan and preparing for next steps is critical.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Kristin White
J.D.
Fisher Phillips Partner and Co-chair, Workplace Safety Practice Group
5026 | No Easy Fix: Real-World Lessons in Fall Protection for Existing Facilities
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Retrofitting fall protection in existing facilities presents technical and operational challenges. This session combines engineering best practices with first-hand operational experience to show how organizations can assess hazards, apply the Hierarchy of Controls, and design solutions that are compliant, efficient, and worker-friendlyeven in less-than-ideal structures.
Track(s)
Fall Protection
Speaker(s)
Scott Roberts
CFPS
Georgia-Pacific Senior Manager of Safety, Global Safety & Health
5027 | Case Study: A New Way to Integrate Total Employee Health, Ergonomics, and Injury Prevention to Shift Workplace Culture
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Discover how integrating ergonomics with comprehensive injury prevention programs can lead to sustainable MSD management. This presentation highlights a large manufacturing facility that analyzed its data, culture, and operations to drive down incident rates. Through this approach, the organization achieved measurable improvements in workplace safety and transformed employee behaviors.
Level: Beginner | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5028 | This Is Your Brain on AI: Has Critical Thinking Left the Chat?
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
AI isn't the threat to critical thinking we are, when we stop questioning the answers it gives us. Challenge your assumptions and discover how critically thinking is integrated with AI to sharpen your skills for making well-reasoned decisions.
Level: Advanced | Track: Safety Management Systems
5030 | The Safety Scoop: An OSHA Enforcement and Regulatory Update
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Explore how shifting federal priorities are reshaping OSHAs enforcement, rulemaking, and leadership. Presenter Heather MacDougall will highlight recent OSHA developments, emerging trends, and practical strategies to navigate compliance. Attendees will gain insights on enforcement priorities, key rulemaking and regulatory rollbacks, staffing changes, and how to prepare for OSHAs evolving agenda in workplace safety and health.
Heat can result in heat exhaustion or even potentially heat stoke. This presentation covers the trigger temperatures and heat index for indoor and outdoor heat, components of an effective heat illness prevention program such as water, shade, rest break, cooling station, training, acclimatization, emergency procedures and much more. Come see the latest technology available to prevent heat illness.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
5032 | Safety Observations Gone Wrong: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls and Build a Coaching Culture
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Safety observations are part of a proven approach to increasing safe behaviors and decreasing safety incidents. But when organizational practice drifts, observation systems can falter, undermining trust, engagement, and even the safety culture. This session explores common traps organizations fall into with observation systems and provides practical guidance for creating an environment where safety observations fuel positive change.
Level: Advanced | Track: Safety Management Systems
5033 | Outdated Safety Theories and Practices: Is it Time to Move on?
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Many legacy ideas still shape day-to-day EHS decisions: from treating TRIR as the indicator of safety success (or lack of), to relying on the Heinrich triangle, “zero harm” as a metric, and finding the incident “root cause”. These concepts persist in policies, training, and dashboards, yet modern evidence shows they misdirect attention away from serious-injury exposure and control effectiveness.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Nicole Orr
CRSP
National Safety Services Inc. Chief Operating Officer
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
5034 | Optimizing Fire Protection in Your Safety Management System
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Fire protection is a key element of a comprehensive management system; however, it can be lost among other hazards. Systems need to include the ability to prevent events and protect people, property, and the environment from severe consequences. Success requires organizational capability, competency, and capacity. This session will define the value of fire protection as part of a robust SHMS.
Level: Executive | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5035 | Building the Next Generation of Safety Professionals - Are They Ready and What Are We Doing to Prepare Them?
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Every choice you make in safety teaches someone else how to lead. The question isn't if you'll leave a legacy it's what kind. This session challenges safety professionals to look beyond compliance and prepare successors who carry influence, courage, and resilience. The next generation is watching. What will they see in you?
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Jeff Spatz
CSP, CET, SMS
Graham Company Vice President, Advisory Team Lead - Safety Services
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5036 | Artificial Intelligence for the Safety Professional
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing how employers approach workplace safety. Learn from legal experts on how employers and OSHA are using AI to manage emerging risks and build AI-safe workplaces. Discover practical steps to ensure AI compliance in an evolving regulatory landscape.
5037 | The New Focus Four: Suicide, Opioids, Motor Vehicle, Falls
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Description
Suicide, opioids, motor vehicle and falls are the top leading causes of preventable deaths in the workplace. Our discussion will evolve around how to effectively address these four areas in the workplace as we share our struggles and success stories with participants.
Track(s)
Total Worker Health
Speaker(s)
Robert Labbe
CSP, CHST, ARM
American Global, LLC Vice President - Risk Engineering Services
5038 | Industry Roundtable: Real-World Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications and Use of Emerging Technology in Oil, Gas & Mining
June 27, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Sponsored by Oil, Gas, Mining & Mineral Resources Practice Specialty
Description
This Industry Roundtable Session will dive into how advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and predictive analytics are transforming field operations, safety management, asset integrity, and environmental monitoring. Come prepared to share your insights and experience on the application of advanced technologies in the oil, gas, and mining industries!
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Nicole Coughlin
ERIS, MBA, CSP
The Hartford Managing Director of Energy Risk Engineering
Level: Executive | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5041 | Uncover Safety Leaders in the Rough - The Hidden Force of Shifting Culture
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Safety influence doesn't come from a title it comes from trust. Learn how face-to-face time from supervisors to executives helps build credibility, spark hidden influencers, and turn everyday workers into the force that drives lasting safety culture change. This session explores how safety professionals and executives alike can strengthen advocacy for the workforce by stepping into the field with authenticity.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5042 | All By Myself - The Life and Times of a SOLO Safety Professional
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Being the only safety professional in an organization can feel isolating, but it doesnt have to be. Learn how to turn the challenges of working solo into opportunities for growth by discovering practical tools, resources, and communities that provide support, connection, and strategies to help you succeed.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5043 | Standards Based Users Groups: SBUGs as Measurable Consensus Standards Business Systems – Panel
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Voluntary national consensus standards are more than compliance checkliststhey can be strategic business systems. This executive panel introduces ASSPs Standards-Based User Group (SBUG) framework, a new model for operationalizing consensus standards through real-world application and a continuous data loop. Panelists will highlight the Avetta collaboration as an early proof point and share how leaders can use standards-aligned measurement to drive performance.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Tim Fisher
CSP, CHMM, ARM
American Society of Safety Professionals Chief Technical Officer, Safety, Health, and Well-Being
Steve Carasso
American Society of Safety Professionals Moderator - Manager Communications
Kevin Denis
Work-at-Height, LLC Owner
Fran Sehn
CSP
F x S Risk and Safety Consulting Principal Consultant
5044 | Incorporating A10 Standards to Strengthen Programs, Reduce Risk, and Lead in Construction Safety.
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Hear from the A10 Construction and Demolition Committee Leadership on incorporating standards to improve worker safety. The panel will explore the implementation of standards from the perspective of Labor, Construction Companies and Non-Profits. Topics include heat stress, highway safety, pre-task planning and training. This is your opportunity to ask your questions of the experts!
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
John Johnson
CSP
Black & Veatch Senior Vice President / Director
Gary Gustafson
CPWR--The Center for Construction Research and Training Director
Leaders will gain practical tools to strengthen workplace safety and resilience through behavioral threat recognition. Amid rising global tensions, you will be equipped with vital strategies to recognize, respond to, and recover from active threats.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5046 | The Ergonomist's Paradox: Why the Best Practice (Participatory Ergonomics) is So Prohibitively Hard to Implement
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Why is a best practice so difficult to implement? This session reveals the hidden struggles of participatory ergonomics and offers a playbook for success. Learn to navigate the three primary challenges lack of Commitment, poor Communication, and a resistant Culture and build a program that truly lasts.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Tara Diesbourg
Ph.D., CPE
Oakland University Environmental Health and Safety Program Associate Professor
5047 | Grief-An Unspoken Safety Risk: Addressing a Critical Gap in Safety and Workforce Wellbeing
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Great progress has been made in raising awareness around workplace mental heath, suicide, and substance use. Yet, grief remains largely overlooked and stigmatized. Participants will gain insight into how unaddressed grief affects the brain and body, why it creates safety risks, and the financial costs organizations face through lost productivity, absenteeism, turnover, and increased incidents.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5048 | Empower, Elevate, Evolve: The Mentorship Effect
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
"Empower, Elevate, Evolve: The Mentorship Effect" explores the transformative power of mentorship in personal and professional growth. Highlighting actionable strategies, personal stories, and key skills, this session emphasizes mentorship’s role in shaping leaders, fostering inclusivity, and driving success. Attendees will leave inspired and equipped to embrace mentorship as a vital tool for leadership development.
5049 | Practical Methods for Investigating and Addressing the Health and Safety Risks of Water Intrusion and Microbial Growth: Analysis of Four Case Studies
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Successful water intrusion and microbial growth investigations require a combination of both technical and soft skills. Through four case studies, this presentation will review the process by which the water intrusion was identified, including the qualitative and quantitative assessment of microbial growth. Critically, the strategy implemented for successful communication with stakeholders will be outlined.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Shannon Magari
Ph.D., MPH, MS
Colden Corporation Principal and Vice President, Health Sciences
Level: Executive | Track: Safety Management Systems
5050 | Why Fentanyl Belongs in Workforce Drug Testing: Policy Shifts, Exposure Realities, and Practical Readiness
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
With fentanyl now in federal workplace drug-testing programs, employers must adapt quickly. HHS rules are in effect, DOT proposals are forthcoming, and safety-sensitive industries face operational, compliance, and training updates. Acuity Internationals briefing equips leaders with practical guidance on testing protocols, exposure controls, and workforce communication to safeguard compliance, protect employees, and maintain mission continuity as fentanyl risks evolve.
5051 | Using Technology and Prevention through Design to Prevent Mobile Equipment Related Serious Injuries and Fatalities
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Learn how one manufacturer virtually eliminated powered industrial truck and pedestrian struck-by injuries, lowered the number of tip-over incidents, decreased mobile-to-mobile and mobile-to-object events with the use of AI cameras, mast height sensors, and speed control devices across their PIT fleet. The speakers will also discuss how the company eliminated BLEVEs by using Prevention through Design (PtD) concepts.
5052 | “But It Won’t Happen to Us”: How Safety can Impact Exposure to Nuclear Verdicts
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
In the US, the exponential growth of nuclear verdicts has begun negatively impacting employer financial statements. Employers run the risk of being labeled "irresponsible capitalists prioritizing profit over safety" by a clever, and often well-funded, plaintiff attorney. Safety pros will learn methods to advise senior leadership of these risks and proactive strategies to help control those risks.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Rob Connery
MBA, CSP
Aon Senior Casualty Risk Control Consultant and Retail and Consumer Goods Industry Thought Leader
Level: Beginner | Track: Safety Management Systems
5053 | Shiny Objects Syndrome: Benchmarking Tech Readiness in EHS
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Safety leaders are often tempted by new technologies, but you can't automate what you don't already have. This interactive session uses live audience polling to benchmark EHS maturity across industries, from pen-and-paper to software integration. Attendees leave with a roadmap, tailored tools, and strategies to manage change and avoid Shiny Objects Syndrome.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Samantha Mathews
Loci CEO
Arianna Bailey-Howard
Syncra Group EHS IT Systems & Data Consultant, Partner & Founder at Syncra Group
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
5054 | The Changing Face of OSHA: A Modern Approach to Workplace Safety
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
This program highlights a pivotal shift in OSHA's role and methods. Traditionally, OSHA was seen as a reactive organization, primarily focused on enforcing existing rules and responding to workplace incidents. The "changing face" refers to its new, more proactive strategy. This "modern approach" involves leveraging data, technology, and targeted programs to anticipate and prevent hazards before they cause harm.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Stephen Frost
CSP
USF OSHA Training Institute Education Center Assistant Director
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5055 | Operationalizing Sustainability - Leveraging What We Already Do best!
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Newly responsible for sustainability or just sustainability-curious? Want to operationalize sustainability? You already are! Come learn how to increase access to capital and improve adoption of sustainability principles by leveraging your skills. The presenter brings natural capitals, human capital, and foundational implementation strategies together to help you springboard to success whether you are environment, health and safety, or sustainability focused.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5056 | Successful Expert Witness Tips
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Description
Gain a clear understanding of the essential responsibilities and typical activities of an expert witness. This session identifies key strategies for success while highlighting common pitfalls and the best methods for avoiding them.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Paul Gantt
Ph.D., CSP, ME
Safey Compliance Management, Inc. Safety and Forensic Engineer
Learn how to integrate Total Worker Health® and Human & Organizational Performance principles into your safety program, even when faced with limited resources or authority. This session offers practical strategies, from quick wins to long-term initiatives, to improve safety culture, enhance worker well-being, and drive system-based solutions that create sustainable organizational change.
5058 | Industry Roundtable: Becoming a Trusted Advisor: Communicating Safety to Non-Safety Leadership
June 27, 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Sponsored by Black Safety Professionals
Description
Successful safety professionals must be able to sell the importance of safety to management in a way that aligns with overall business priorities. This session brings together in-house professionals and external consultants to learn from each other how to best present the case that reducing accidents is critical to business success.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Daniel Osadiaye
Oxbridge Safety Consultancy Limited Principal Lead
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5061 | Working Smarter, Not Harder: Embracing AI Without Forcing Adoption
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can transform safety—but only if teams embrace it. This panel brings together leaders from the C-suite to the floor to share how they built trust, won buy-in, and avoided the pitfalls of “tech for tech’s sake.” Walk away with practical strategies to adopt AI in a way that sticks.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Brittany DeRafelo
Voxel Director of Customer Solutions
Lisa Battino
United States Cold Storage Vice President of Regulatory Compliance and Safety
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5062 | Beyond the Safety Professional role: Positioning Yourself as a Strategic Business Partner Driving Organizational Success and Career Growth
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Do you need tools to personalize an action plan to elevate your impact, drive organizational success, and advance your career in safety leadership? Unlock the full potential of your safety professional role by aligning it with business strategy. Gain practical tools to enhance your executive influence, communicate safety in business terms, and build credibility across teams.
Level: Executive | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5063 | Influence with Intention: Empowering Safety Leaders Through Self and Team Awareness
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Discover how the Working Genius framework can help safety leaders align with what energizes them, build dynamic teams, and drive meaningful change. This session offers practical tools for personal growth, team collaboration, and leadership impact empowering professionals to lead with purpose and joy.
5064 | HIIPPs on Fire: What Separates the Best Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Programs
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Heat illness continues to be a hot topic as climate projections worsen. The day-to-day toll of extreme heat is projected to cost employers a stunning $500 billion by 2025 due to increased medical claims, insurance costs, and decreased productivity. The session will equip you to future-proof your heat injury and illness prevention program (HIIPP).
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Ibukun Awolusi
Ph.D.
The University of Texas at San Antonio Associate Professor
5066 | Beyond Ergonomics: Turning Data into Actionable Solutions
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
We all know how to collect ergonomic data but what comes next? Too often, assessments stop at identifying problems without delivering real, impactful solutions. This session goes beyond the basics of stretching and job rotation to show how ergonomic data can drive meaningful change.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Melissa Samuels
Ergonomics Vice President of Global Business Development
5067 | From Minimum to Meaningful: Building a Fall Protection Program That Works
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Strengthen your safety strategy with a roadmap to modernize fall protection from initial program evaluation and securing internal support to implementing proactive measures and risk-management technology. Gain the tools needed to prevent falls while protecting your organization from rising costs and liabilities.
Track(s)
Fall Protection
Speaker(s)
Jake Williams
CSP, P. Eng.
LJB Inc. Project Manager
Lizzette Vargas-Malpica
CSP
Stanford University LBRE Safety, Resilience and Preparedness, Associate Director
5068 | The Heart of Safety: How Emotional Intelligence Saves Lives
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Discover how emotional intelligence (EQ) can prevent incidents and strengthen safety culture. Learn practical strategies to recognize and manage emotions, build trust, and improve decision-making in high-risk environments. Leave with actionable tools to integrate EQ into your leadership style and create safer, more engaged workplaces.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
5070 | The Electrical Safety Risk Factor: Assessment & Mitigation
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
NFPA electrical safety standards (70/70B/70E) continue to address risk assessment and mitigation for worker safety to electrical hazards. Workers face electrical hazards which are reduced to acceptable levels by engineering controls but must maintain this equipment where lower-level controls apply. Covered are processes as required by the integration of NFPA standards focusing on risk reduction.
5071 | A Root Cause Walks Into A Bar: An Overhaul of a RCA Process
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Picture this: an incident occurs, but instead of damage control, you have a powerful tool to uncover the root cause and prevent it from happening again. Incident investigations signal a failure in our safety measures, but what if they could become opportunities for meaningful, lasting improvement? Discover how to transform every investigation into a game-changer.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5072 | Best (or Better) Practices for Communicating EHS Concepts
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
For a species with language, humans struggle to communicate. We're often confused, surprised, and/or frustrated what we think we've communicated clearly, isn't getting through. On top of that, a topic like OEHS is full of techno-jargon and sci-tech concepts. There are approaches and techniques that work better than some of our usual attempts. We'll discuss these using plenty of examples.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Jonathan Klane
CSP, CIH, ME
Jonathan Klane, Storytelling Consultant Storytelling Consultant
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5073 | Blueprint to Breakthrough: Mastering Safety Leadership Dimensional Patterns
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
he New Blueprint for Safety Leadership, introduced in 2025, incorporated the Blueprint connectivity to leadership proficiencies found in 12 dimensions that reframe leadership from a differential thinking, enabling and hyper-intentional perspective. Capitalizing on these building blocks, this session goes into the next phase of the New Blueprint – a deeper recognition of the 12 dimensions and highlights on operationalizing them.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Tim Page-Bottorff
CSP
Jones Lang LaSalle & ASSP HSSE Senior Director & Sr. Vice President, ASSP
Daniel Hopwood
MPH, CSP, SMS
Sompo NA Senior Vice President | Field Services Director
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
5074 | Why Your AI Initiatives Will Probably Fail
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Most AI safety projects fail not from bad algorithms, but from data, strategy, and culture gaps. Learn why failure is so common and gain practical tools to assess readiness, build trust, and align AI with safety priorities. Walk away prepared to turn stalled pilots into trusted, high-value safety solutions.
5075 | Navigating Ultrafine Particles & Engineered Nanomaterials: Safety Management for Changing Work Dynamics
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Identify key characteristics and sources of Ultrafine Particles (UFPs) and Engineered Nanomaterials (ENMs) in the workplace. Learn how to apply basic risk assessment and banding approaches to evaluate UFP and ENM risks and select appropriate controls and mitigation strategies.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Michele Shepard
Ph.D., MS, CIH
Colden Corporation Principal and Vice President, EHS Services
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
5076 | Beyond the Basics: Creating a Comprehensive and Adaptive Annual Safety Training Plan
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Discover how to craft a layered, year-round safety training strategy by integrating diverse methods such as micro-learning, hands-on activities, classroom sessions, and personalized coaching. This session equips you to develop an engaging, continuous learning program that aligns with your organization’s safety goals and promotes sustained safety excellence.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Wendy Stephenson
CSP, ARM
Marsh McLennan Agency Risk Control Executive Consultant
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
5077 | From Burnout to Balance: Safeguarding the Well-Being of Safety Professionals
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Safety professionals safeguard others but often face hidden hazards themselvesstress, burnout, workload, and emotional fatigue. This session explores these challenges, their organizational drivers, and practical strategies to build resilience, foster psychological safety, and apply Total Worker Health® principles to better protect those responsible for protecting others.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Abdulrazak Balogun
Ph.D., CSP
Indiana University Bloomington Clinical Associate Professor, Safety
Todd Smith
Ph.D., CSP, ARM
Indiana University Bloomington Associate Professor
5078 | Industry Roundtable: What is the Real Impact of Safety on Productivity? Positive or Negative
June 27, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Sponsored by Manufacturing Practice Specialty
Description
Join this interactive roundtable where safety professionals share real-world insights, challenges, and ideas to address and improve safety in manufacturing and it’s impact on production. Engage in small group discussions guided by key questions and help shape safer workplaces by contributing your voice. Don’t miss this opportunity to collaborate and make a difference and be part of the conversation.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6001 | Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Action: Elevating Safety with Satisfaction
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Discover how AI is transforming workplace safety from prediction to prevention to real-time response. This session showcases practical applications already driving results and includes a live demonstration of a digital twin of a Safety leader in action revealing how AI extends leadership presence, decision-making, and influence across the workforce for safer, smarter operations.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6002 | Evolving Leaders and Managers from Ad hoc to Systematic: Implementing EQ, with a twist of Communication, without the survival instinct functionalities
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
We are living in extraordinary times! The world is heavy, and EHS professionals are carrying more than their share. From layoffs and lawsuits to headlines and heartbreaks, today's leaders are navigating an unrelenting wave of emotionally charged moments. Build your knowledge base about emotional intelligence and communication, and different manager and leader approaches for intense situations.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6003 | Demonstrating Safety as a Valuable Business Investment
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Business leaders make decisions based on data. Demonstrating the financial benefits or value of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) interventions makes funding decisions more likely. This session provides practical examples of how to show value of OSH investments in equipment and/or worker interventions. Learn about applying cost-benefit analysis, return on investment, and value of OSH investments.
6004 | Welcome to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Talk
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) focuses on Natural Surveillance, Natural Access Control, Territorial Reinforcement, Maintenance, and Social Management to create a safe environment for businesses and residential locations. The primary goal of CPTED is to increase the perceived risk of getting caught for offenders. This presentation will take you through each section, providing tips to implementing a solid CPTED program.
6005 | From Risk to Readiness: Practical Tools for Building Fall Protection and Rescue Plans
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Falls from height are a top safety concern for safety managers, with over 1,400 fall protection violations annually (OSHA). Join expert Loui McCurley to explore how to build robust fall protection and rescue plans using ANSI/ASSP Z359.2 as a guide. Through case studies, a Fall Hazard Survey exercise, and rescue planning, gain tools to assess risks and prepare for emergencies.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6006 | The Nuts and Bolts of OSHA Recordable vs. First Aid Treatment: What Safety Professionals NEED to Know
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Master the practical skills needed to accurately classify workplace injuries and avoid costly OSHA recordkeeping mistakes. Understand how treatment decisions affect compliance, documentation, and safety metrics. Gain tools to assess injuries, collaborate with providers, and minimize recordables without compromising care. Leave empowered to apply what you've learned immediately strengthening your impact across safety operations.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Sharon Moise
M.D.
Medcor Chief Medical Officer
Michael Bledsoe
MS
Medcor Vice President of Clinical Affairs/ Associate Medical Director
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6007 | From Principles to Practice: Operationalizing Human and Organizational Performance for Real-World Impact
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Learn how to transform Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) from theory into everyday practice. This session provides eight proven strategies with measurable actions to engage leaders, empower workers, integrate safety into operations, and focus on preventing serious injuries and fatalities. Leave with a practical roadmap for embedding HOP into your organization’s DNA.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Cary Usrey
SafetyStratus Vice President of Growth
Hilary Framke
SafetyStratus, an Ideagen Company Vice President of EHS Solutions
6008 | Respirator Fit Testing Made Simple: Practical Guidance for Safety Professionals
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Respirators only work if they fit. This session cuts through the complexity of fit testing and gives safety professionals simple, practical tools for success. Learn when to use qualitative vs. quantitative methods, how to troubleshoot failed tests, and how to build worker trust in your program.
6009 | Human-Robot Collaboration: Physical, Psychosocial, and Organizational Risks Associated with Cobots
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Collaborative robots (cobots) are increasingly being used to improve productivity and reduce the risk for humans engaged in hazardous or highly manual processes. However, human-robot collaboration has introduced novel risk factors unique to this technology. This presentation will explore crucial concepts for organizations to protect and engage workers who will be working directly with or near cobots in the workplace.
6010 | Hot Cells, High Stakes: Mitigating Lithium Battery Fire Risks in the Workplace
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
This session tackles the rising threat of lithium-ion battery fires. Attendees will learn to assess risks, identify unsafe behaviors, and implement control strategies. Using real-world case studies, the session covers battery chemistries, suppression tactics, and OSHA/NFPA compliance. Participants will gain tools to create response plans and strengthen fire preparedness across industrial, commercial, and research environments.
Level: Executive | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6011 | Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness in HSEQ: Global Benchmarks & Leadership Playbook
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises improved efficiency and performance, but where should safety leaders start? Drawing on global benchmark data and a practical maturity model, you will learn how to separate hype from reality, identify opportunities, and build a roadmap for responsible AI adoption that drives performance and strengthens safety culture.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6012 | Management of Change? Change Management? - Consideration of Systems And People
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Throughout the profession and indeed even prescribed by our safety management system standards, is a need to evaluate the safety and health considerations associated with change. This presentation blends the concepts of management of change and change management to provide a comprehensive and wholistic approach to continual improvement. An approach that supports systems and people.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Wyatt Bradbury
CSP, CHST, ME
Avetta; University of Alabama Birmingham Principal - Health and Safety; Adjunct Professor
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6013 | How to take the "Uncomfortable" Out of Uncomfortable Climate Conversations
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Taking the "Uncomfortable" out of Uncomfortable Conversations is a tool that can be used in many scenarios, but this session we will explore tools and techniques specific for climate conversations. The goal in these discussions should never be to change someone's mind, but to leave them educated.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6014 | ISO 45001 and Prevention through Design Integration
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
A new model for successfully integrating two important occupational health and safety (OHS) standards was developed. The authors will present a structured overview of how ISO 45001 and Prevention through Design (PtD) can be integrated to reduce OHS risks and identify improvement opportunities. A real-world application of integrating ISO 45001 and PtD standards will be presented.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Lecy-Nickson Tah-Monunde
MS, ASP
United Nations Global Service Centre Occupational Safety Officer
Level: Beginner | Track: Safety Management Systems
6015 | Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety, Minus the Math: Spot Hidden SIF Risks and Stop Collisions in Real Operations
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety, minus the math. See how AI and computer vision uncover hidden SIF precursors in everyday text and video, rank what to fix first, and prevent people‑vehicle collisions in real operations. Beginner‑friendly demos, field case studies, and privacy‑by‑design tips. Leave with workflows, checklists, and metrics to run a small pilot and show measurable impact by Monday that stick.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6016 | Engineering Tomorrow's Guardians: How Google is Forging the Next Generation of EHS Leaders through CSRM University
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Discover how Google's CSRM University is revolutionizing EHS professional development. Learn actionable strategies to cultivate future safety leaders, enhance critical competencies, and build a culture of continuous learning, empowering your organization to proactively address evolving risks and drive EHS excellence.
6017 | From Hard Hats to Headspace: Building Safer Workplaces Through Mental Health Awareness
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Description
Safety starts with people-not just rules and checklists. This session explores how stress, fatigue, and anxiety impact safety outcomes. With half of U.S. workers facing burnout or depression, it's time to rethink risk prevention. Learn how to integrate mental wellness into safety programs and build a culture of support, trust, and resilience.
Track(s)
Total Worker Health
Speaker(s)
Steven Jablon
CSP
Dover Fueling Solutions Senior Manager, Environment Health & Safety
6018 | Industry Roundtable: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Smart Buildings, and Fire Detection: Opportunities, Pitfalls, and Lessons
June 27, 8:00am - 9:00am
Sponsored by Fire Protection Practice Specialty
Description
This roundtable will bring together engineers and fire protection professionals to discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and smart building technologies are reshaping detection, suppression, and safety planning. Participants will share real-world experiences, explore code and reliability challenges, and consider how to balance technology with human oversight in fire protection strategies.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Josh Densberger
CSP
VHB Corporate Director of Health & Safety
Scott Baranowski
CSP
Duke Energy Corporation Environmental Health & Safety Training Scheduling and Delivery/Project Manager
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6021 | Saving Your Safety Culture With No-Blame Accountability
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Blame suffocates culture. The solution is positive accountability. This presentation will give audiences the know-how to diagnose blame within their own work cultures-highlighting the common causes of blame and the misconceptions that allow it to thrive-as well as the tools to cut it out of your organization. Start curating the positive accountability necessary to strengthen your operations and enhance safety.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6022 | Mastering Safety's Most Critical Conversations
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Silence can be a hidden hazard in safety. In this interactive session, learn practical tools from the Fierce Conversations® framework to address unsafe behaviors, give impactful feedback, and coach for accountability. Through real-world safety scenarios and hands-on practice, you'll gain the skills and confidence to have the conversations that strengthen safety culture and save lives.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Denise Castille
MA, MBA
Any Day CPR Training, LLC Certified Fierce Conversation Facilitator | Chief Lifesaving Officer | Corporate Trainer
Eric Giguere, a former laborer, shares his story of how he was buried alive while working in a trench. Eric explains the events before his accident and the effect it has had on him and his family. A series of extraordinary events left Eric with an unbelievable story to tell.
6024 | An Industrial Athlete Approach to Trade Partner Safety & Well-Being in Data Center Development
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Speakers will present a roadmap-style framework for sports-medicine-based injury prevention that can be applied to data center development as a whole-mapping out phase-specific recommendations for mitigating injury risk based on job tasks performed on site throughout the project. We'll cover how to track pre- and post-intervention ergonomic risk data and leading/lagging indicators to measure success and further tailor this approach.
6025 | Cal/OSHA’s Evolving Landscape: Navigating New Walking-Working Surface and Fall Protection Rules - Panel
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Sweeping updates to Cal/OSHA Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection standards are being released. This session unpacks the upcoming regulations, compares them with federal OSHA requirements, and outlines practical steps for compliance. Learn from a panel of experts who helped shape the standards and gain tools to protect workers, avoid citations, and strengthen your organization’s safety culture.
Track(s)
Fall Protection
Speaker(s)
Thomas Kramer
CSP, P. Eng.
LJB Inc. Senior Fall Protection Consultant
Kevin Bland
Ogletree Deakins Shareholder, Attorney
Maryrose Chan
Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) Senior Safety Engineer
Josh Tims
CSP
Walmart Senior Manager - Enterprise Safety
Lizzette Vargas-Malpica
CSP
Stanford University LBRE Safety, Resilience and Preparedness, Associate Director
Level: Executive | Track: Safety Management Systems
6026 | Powering Your Stop Work Authority
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Stop work authority is often dysfunctional and at odds with production. A powerful stop work authority drives combined benefits of safety and production with concrete steps that can flip this vital workplace dimension from negative to positive and enhance the operational performance. Make a difference with five factors that drive the quality of safety work authority to help prevent incidents.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6027 | Be Relatable, Be Adaptable, Get Results
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Relatability plus adaptability equals results for safety professionals, whether it is on the shop floor, in a regulatory inspection, or addressing the C-suite. Gain insights into how relatability and adaptability are key components of a human and organizational performance based safety program, and how you can be accepted and seen as credible every day.
Climate change and weather related hazards (wildfires, floods, heat extremes, drought, hurricanes, etc.) have been an increasingly frequent and significant factor in safety, health and environmental management. This presentation will focus on the human and financial costs of climate change/weather events; on the hazards associated with extreme weather events; safety and health considerations; adaptation and mitigation strategies; and emergency management.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Leo DeBobes
MA, CSP
Stony Brook University (School of Health Professions) Clinical Assistant Professor and Environmental Health & Safety Concentration Advisor
Level: Beginner | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6029 | Stand Out: Become the Safety Leader You Need to Be, and More Importantly, the One They Need You to Be.
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Struggling to find time to be a more visible leader? Join a seasoned safety professional with 15+ years of experience as he shares practical tools and real-world insights to help you lead from the front. Learn how to eliminate phrases like, "We never see the Safety Manager," and build a stronger, more connected safety presence.
Level: Advanced | Track: Safety Management Systems
6030 | Assigning Safety and Health Law Liability in Contractor-Subcontractor Relationships
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
This presentation will explore how contractors and subcontractors may face OSHA liability for each other's actions. Through discussion of OSHA's Multi-Employer Citation Policy, recent enforcement cases, enforcement guidance, and related caselaw on joint employers, we will provide an overview of the relevant legal issues and share practical ideas for how contractors can strengthen safety practices and avoid surprise citations.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6031 | Humans Are a Weak Link in Safety - But they are the Best Link We Have!
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Learn how to transform human adaptability from a perceived weakness into your strongest safety asset. Identify where over-reliance on controls reduces resilience, apply Relentless Readiness to boost prevention and response, and design actionable steps to improve real-time hazard recognition, decision-making, and adaptability-equipping you to handle today's safety challenges with confidence and agility.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6032 | Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Safety Management: Practical Framework for Hazard Detection and OSHA Compliance
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Discover evidence-based strategies for implementing generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in safety management through comprehensive research synthesis of 52 studies. Learn practical prompt engineering frameworks, performance evaluation methods, and human oversight protocols. Gain actionable insights for pilot testing AI tools while maintaining professional judgment in critical safety decisions.
Level: Advanced | Track: Safety Management Systems
6034 | ANSI/ASSP Standards - Compliance and Use by Government - Why It Matters
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
This session will focus on the use of voluntary consensus standards to move compliance forward and will also address how standards are used by government. EHS Professionals ask questions related to this issue literally all of the time, and this session will help answer these questions. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the most widely adopted ASSP standards.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Tim Fisher
CSP, CHMM, ARM
American Society of Safety Professionals Chief Technical Officer, Safety, Health, and Well-Being
Wesley Wheeler
SMP
National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Executive Director of Safety
6035 | Utilizing Z15.1:2004 for the Successful Managment of Motor Vehicle Exposures
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
Utilizing the outline found within the Z15.1:2024 standard, this session will dive into real-world examples and guidance to improve their motor vehicle program so as to prevent fatal and life-changing events of both owned and non-owned fleet exposures.
Training Employees To Protect Themselves From Dog Attacks!
Bulli Ray's Dog bite prevention training, gives attendees the gain practical experience in dealing with dog attacks with our Dog Bite Prevention Training. The attendees will have the opportunity to experience training sessions that feature our live dog in presentations that will teach you and your employees how to prevent dangerous situations.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Cynthia Ballenger
ODBS Bulli Ray Enterprises COO/Co-owner
Mitzi Robinson
ODBS Bulli Ray Enterprises President/ Founder/Expert Speaker on Dog Bite Prevention
6037 | Well-being & The Safety Professional: Who's Looking After You?
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Description
As safety professionals, our primary role is taking care of others. However, just who is looking after you? Join our presenters as they address the toll our jobs can take on our personal and professional lives and share how prioritizing their own mental and physical health has led them to become more resilient and effective safety leaders.
Track(s)
Total Worker Health
Speaker(s)
Valerie Stakes
MA, CHST
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Safety Engineer
Level: Beginner, Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6038 | Industry Roundtable: When Training Gets Stale: Knowing When to Reinvent, Refresh, or Retire
June 28, 10:00am - 11:00am
Sponsored by Training & Communications Practice Specialty
Description
EHS training faces immense pressureschanging workforces, new technology options, tight staffing and budgets. How do you know when training still works, and when its past its prime? In this interactive roundtable, share experiences, spot the red flags of stale training, and learn how to make smart decisions about when to reinvent, refresh, or retire your approach.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6041 | Fall Protections Greatest Challenge!
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
The "greatest fall protection challenge" is usually the same in every industry. Fall-related fatality statistics remain steady despite advances in regulations, equipment, voluntary consensus standards, and training efforts. Opinions differ, and discussions include worker attitude, enforcement, economic fluctuations, supervision, or infeasibility. This session explores cultural issues, as well as the personal and organizational barriers when developing a fall protection policy.
Level: Beginner | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6042 | Ego: The Elephant in the Room
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Explore how ego - yours and others' - can block progress in safety. Learn practical strategies to "kill your own ego," de-escalate ego-driven conflict, and build stronger connections. This session equips safety professionals with tools to increase influence, strengthen relationships, and achieve lasting safety success.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6043 | ChatGPT Hacks for Safety Professionals: Practical Tools to Save Time and Strengthen Impact
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Discover how safety professionals can use ChatGPT to save time, improve communication, and enhance daily tasks like writing procedures, simplifying compliance, and developing training content. This session offers practical tips, real-world examples, and responsible ways to integrate AI into your safety process-no tech background required. Work smarter, not harder, with tools that support better safety outcomes.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Scott Gaddis
CHMM
Intelex Technologies Vice President, Global Practice Leader, Safety and Health
6044 | Exoskeletons on the Job: Practical Injury-Prevention Strategies for High-Risk Tasks
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
With WMSD rates stubbornly high in construction and other high-risk industries, proactive prevention is essential. This session explores implementing wearable exoskeletons through real-world use cases, offering a task-risk selection matrix, a five-step implementation process, pilot checklists, simple impact metrics, and take-home templates to plan, evaluate, and integrate exoskeletons into safety and health programs safely.
6045 | 8 Key Lessons from Real-World Deployments of Vehicle Safety AI Solutions
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
As AI-powered safety systems enter worksites, many fail under real-world complexity, creating "environmental blindness" or "alert fatigue". This session examines eight overlooked vehicle safety risks, from delayed machine reaction times to field hardware breakdowns, through case studies. Attendees will gain a practical vehicle safety system evaluation framework to avoid wasted investment and choose reliable operator-accepted solutions that truly improve safety.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Jason Lee Gillikin
MS
VIA Technologies, Inc. Director of Business Development
Fire protection is an elusive part of many EHS management systems. Fire hazards and risks are often hard to define, and regulations and standards can be difficult to navigate. This session will dive into developing a fire prevention and response plan from a theory and practice perspective and will be conducted by two subject matter experts for a contrasting discussion.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Charles Ramsey
MBA, CSP, CFPS
Winland Foods/Harborcreek Fire Department EHS Manager and Fire Chief
Level: Advanced | Track: Safety Management Systems
6047 | Resilience Engineering for the Safety Professional
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Resilience engineering is a discipline some, but not many safety professionals have heard of. This is a shame because it offers us opportunities for sometimes subtle, sometimes dramatic improvements in our practices. Its about creating the conditions for success despite complexity, changing conditions, and pressures. Come here my exploration of how to turn the theory into practice to get results.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6048 | Accountability in a No-Blame Culture
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Progressive safety cultures are cultures without blame, not cultures without accountability. The key is clarity around who should be accountable for what, and how to hold them accountable. This presentation will explore how to build accountability that protects psychological safety, while ensuring every employee takes responsibility for their role in safety.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Judy Agnew
Ph.D.
Aubrey Daniels International Senior Vice President, Safety Solutions
6049 | Beyond RICE: Modern Non-Recordable First Aid Tools for Managing Minor Strains
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Soft tissue strains remain a top driver of recordables and company costs. This session goes beyond spotting ergonomic risks to explore actionable first aid solutions. Learn how kinesiology tape, self-massage tools and preventative exercise can support recovery, reduce claims, and keep workers moving. Attendees gain awareness to ensure frontline teams apply modern, OSHA-approved methods effectively.
6050 | Beyone TRIR: Preventing SIFSs With Data, Desing and Field Learning
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Many organizations are moving beyond TRIR and toward preventing serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs). This session shows how to build a practical SIF taxonomy, define leading indicators, and verify critical controls for high-energy hazards such as line-of-fire and lockout/tagout (ANSI/ASSP Z244.1). Learn how to pair analytics with field learning and leadership routines that surface and act on SIF precursors
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Siddarth Bhandari
Construction Safety Research Alliance Director of Researach
Isabel Bacarella
Ameriacan Industrial Hygiene Associaton Board Member
6051 | In the Weeds: Managing Workplace Risks of Legalized Marijuana
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Learn from our panel of EHS professionals, turned attorneys, as they discuss recent developments in the ever-changing landscape of legalized marijuana. Topics will include developments in state and federal law; strategies for minimizing legal risks associated with determining impairment; workplace accommodations; discrimination; drug testing policies; defining "safety sensitive" positions and other key issues.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Barry Spurlock
J.D., CSP
Eastern Kentucky University / Crump Spurlock Associate Professor / Attorney
Todd Logsdon
J.D.
Fisher Phillips Partner and Co-chair, Workplace Safety Practice Group
Kristin White
J.D.
Fisher Phillips Partner and Co-chair, Workplace Safety Practice Group
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6053 | Female EHS Leaders: Leveraging Your Superpowers
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
What hidden strengths could transform the way you lead? This session reveals the “superpowers” female EHS leaders already possess—often without realizing it. From mastering salary negotiations to refining communication and setting boundaries, discover practical strategies used by experienced leaders to navigate challenges and unlock your full leadership potential. Our seasoned panel will share their experiences, expertise, and practical tips.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Jill James
MS
HSI Chief Safety Officer
Kristi McClure
HSI Marketing Director
Laynnea Myles
MS, CSP
L’Oreal Assistant Vice President: Environmental, Health and Safety
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6054 | Beyond Band-Aids: Raising the Bar on Workplace Incident Readiness
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Be ready before incidents happen. Learn the critical updates to ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 and Z358.1 and how they align with OSHA rules. Gain practical steps to improve workplace incident readiness and injury preparedness, ensuring your first aid kits and emergency eyewash/shower stations are compliant, effective, and ready to protect workers when every second counts.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Cam Mackey
International Safety Equipment Association President & CEO
Ryan Pfund
Bradley Corporation Sr. Product Manager
Todd VanHouten
Cintas Senior Director Digital Customer Experience
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6055 | Safe from the Start: Integrating Safety Standards into Workplace Design
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
ANSI/ASSP Z590.3 provides a framework for designing out hazards before they reach the workplace. By integrating this standard with other safety standards, HSE professionals can proactively reduce risks, strengthen safety systems, and promote a culture of risk prevention through design. This session explores how to apply these standards to create safer, smarter work environments.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Danyle Hepler
CSP, CPEA
ASSP Standards Development Committee, [SDC] Chair, ASSP Standards Development Committee, [SDC]
Lauren Bauerschmidt
CSP
American Society of Safety Professionals Senior Manager, Standards Development and Technical Publications
Deena Ibrahim
MS, CSP, CMIOSH
ASSP Standards Development Committee, [SDC] Vice-Chair, ASSP Standards Development Committee, [SDC]
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6056 | Microlearning - Advanced Approaches and Examples
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Microlearning is proven yet underused approach effective training. This session is much-requested follow-up to last year's introduction to microlearning. In this engaging session, we'll recap last year's, and move into advanced approaches (e.g., how to use it for instructor-led, just-in-time). There'll be different examples across industries and use cases. This'll help attendees regardless of their previous work settings and applications.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Jonathan Klane
CSP, CIH, ME
Jonathan Klane, Storytelling Consultant Storytelling Consultant
6057 | Workload vs. Capacity: Taking a Systems Approach to Reducing Burnout in Safety Professionals
June 28, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Description
Burnout is not just a personal issue. It could be a sign that the system is overloaded. This session will reveal how the tension between workload and capacity limits can erode safety performance. Learn to spot warning signs, apply a "systems thinking" approach, and build prevention and recovery strategies that protect your people and keep you on mission.
We learn best from our peers! Join this roundtable session to exchange creative solutions to ergonomics challenges. Through open discussion, safety professionals from diverse industries will share practical fixes, lessons learned, and adaptable strategies. Participants will leave with fresh ideas and peer insights to address ergonomics issues in their own workplaces.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Emily Horton
MRIS, CSP, ARM
CNA Insurance Risk Control Sr. Consultant
Tara Diesbourg
Ph.D., CPE
Oakland University Environmental Health and Safety Program Associate Professor
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6061 | The B.E.S.T. Leaders - Find Them, Keep Them, Be Them!
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
EHS Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. But how do we find the B.E.S.T. leaders? Once we have them, how do we keep them being the B.E.S.T? And how can we be the B.E.S.T leaders possible? In this session we'll discuss who these leaders are, and walk away with the skills to identify, grow and lead them well.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6062 | Four Voices, One Vision: Career Clarity Ahead
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Navigating growth opportunities to enhance your professional career can be challenging. Fortunately this panel of ASSP's Past Presidents and Fellows are ready to share their journeys, including both successes and mistakes. No matter how many years you've been an OSH professional, you'll be sure to learn from these dedicated professionals on how to chart a path that works for you.
6063 | The Necessity of (but Potential SERIOUS Issues with) Leading Edge Fall Arrest Equipment
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Powerful video demonstrations of real-world lanyard/SRL testing on common edge conditions not included in ANSI Z359 will be shared and discussed, highlighting failures and limitations of fall arrest connecting devices. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how failures in PFAS systems are leading to fatal events and steps that can be taken to prevent them.
Track(s)
Fall Protection
Speaker(s)
Mike Dickerson
MS, CSP
American Contractors Insurance Group (ACIG) Safety Consultant
6064 | Our Overlooked First Responders, Public Works, Facilities Services and Construction Workers
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
The national focus is now on building resiliency, particularly through Critical Infrastructure Protection. While police, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS) are widely recognized as the primary first responders, public works, facilities services, and construction workers often play a crucial, yet overlooked, role in emergency response and recovery efforts. Join us as we discuss their role as First Responders.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Dennis Terpin
Ph.D., OHST
The International Safety and Health Specialists CEO
6065 | The Control of Hazardous Energy When Handling Hazardous Materials: A Review of Incidents and Lessons Learned
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
The CSB has investigated numerous fatal incidents involving the ineffective control of hazardous energy while working with hazardous materials. This session will illustrate the importance of hazardous energy control while working with hazardous materials using case studies of fatal incidents investigated by the CSB. The emphasis of this session will be preventing future incidents through knowledge and best practice sharing.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Adam Henson
MS, CSP, CFPS
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Chemical Safety Recommendations Specialist
Tyler Nelson
MS, CSP, CFPS
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Chemical Incident Investigator
6066 | Healthy Minds: Integrating Mental Health Resilience into Safety Programs
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
In high-risk industries, untreated mental health issues are a hidden safety hazard, fueling incidents, absenteeism, and claims. This session gives EHS leaders concrete tools, metrics, and case studies to weave mental-health risk detection and support into existing safety programs - protecting workers, strengthening compliance, and cutting operational costs.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6067 | The HOPGun Mindset: Taking Human Performance from Academic to Action
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Explore HOP principles from a "Mission first-Safety always" mindset embraced by TOPGUN pilots. Move from HOP 1.0 to HOP 2.0 by going from academic to actionable to build capacity and accountability through simple tools and leadership techniques. Evaluate integration of safety and operations to ensure continuous mission success when confronted by dynamic environments, varied competence, complexity and unexpected events.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6068 | Redefining Safety Leadership for Lasting Cultural Change
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Safety leadership goes beyond compliance. It thrives on genuine connections, consistent engagement, and fostering a culture of care. This presentation focuses on a leadership approach that prioritizes regular, meaningful interactions between leadership and employees.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6069 | The EPA has Exposure Limits? Current Status of the Rules and What They Mean for EHS Professionals
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
The EPA issued updated regualtions for several chemicals under TSCA in 2024. These regulations are currently in review; however, they implement employee exposure limits that are lower then OSHA PELs. How do these rules effect EHS professionals, and how do we deal with another agency implementing exposure limits? We will answer and discuss these questions.
6070 | Workplace Violence + Active Shooter: How Do Your People Respond?
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Active shooters strike malls, high rises and factories as well as campuses. How will your employees, contractors and visitors respond? Response is dramatically different in a high rise than on a mall or corporate campus. This session will give you insights on how you and your employees should plan, train and exercise for this growing and foreseeable emergency.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6071 | Driving Safety Culture with ISO 45001: Leadership, Engagement, and Results
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Today's safety leaders face regulatory shifts, operational complexity, and pressure to keep employees safe. ISO 45001 provides a global framework to reduce hazards and build proactive safety cultures. This session offers practical steps, tools, and tech best practices-helping professionals engage workers, strengthen systems, and prepare for certification while driving accountability, risk reduction, and lasting cultural improvement.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Marc Juaire
MBA, CSP
VelocityEHS Head of Product for Safety, Operational Risk, Contractor Safety, and Permit-to-Work
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
6072 | We're Done Learning the Hard Way: The Journey Toward De-Leveraging TRIR and Prioritizing Fatality Prevention
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
'Learning the Hard Way' is no longer an option as the benefits of better practice for fatality prevention alongside consensus standards (ASTM: SIF Prevention) are gaining momentum. This session dives into three key areas to help today's safety professional align focus and strategy for SIF prevention, create 'Pull Systems' for leadership while creating 'Strategic Push' specific to SIF Intervention strategy.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
6073 | From Compliance to Commitment: Designing Safer Environments Through Behavioral Insights
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Struggling to engage resistant employees in safety conversations? This session explores powerful, evidence-based behavioral strategies to shift perceptions, foster trust, and create genuine buy-in - sometimes without saying a word. Learn how to turn hesitation into participation and transform compliance-driven interactions into lasting cultural change. Let's build a workplace where safety isn't just required-it's embraced.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Carly Baez
CHST, STS-C
CopperPoint Insurance Companies Loss Control Specialist
6074 | Sustainability and Safety: A Prevention through Design (PtD) Success Story
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
EHS professionals can and should play a significant role in developing new business plans and sustainability initiatives. The Prevention through Design (PtD) standard is a key component of any organization's sustainability efforts and could significantly affect occupational, operational, financial, and strategic risk management decisions. The authors will present a sustainability and safety success story based on the PtD standard methodology.
6075 | How AI Assistants are Reshaping the Future of OSH
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
This session explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping EHS. Through examples from Sophie, an AI safety assistant, we will examine how AI supports hazard recognition, risk scoring, documentation, and team coaching. Learn how AI can reduce mental fatigue, improve field engagement, and help safety professionals shift from reactive tasks to proactive, people-centered systems.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Brady Keene
CSP, ASP, CHST
StepoAI / Keene State College Co-Founder & COO / Keene State College
6076 | Psychosocial Hazards: The Missing Piece in Your Safety Program
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Transform your safety program by managing psychosocial hazards with the same rigor as physical risks. Learn about the 14-category framework for identifying workplace stressors, violence, and organizational factors that drive injuries. Through interactive exercises and industry-specific examples, develop practical controls using the hierarchy you already know. Leave with tools and strategies to overcome resistance while achieving measurable safety improvements.
6077 | Operationalizing Neurodiversity for High Performance
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Description
Neurodiversity describes those with neurological conditions (including ADHD, autism and dyslexia) which impact worker performance. Combining Human Performance and universal design principles with specific accommodations may help neurodivergent workers do their best work. A transformational change model with actionable steps to operationalize neurodiversity paradigms will be presented as a framework for introducing neurodiversity in the workplace.
6078 | Industry Roundtable: Who Moved My Cheese? Managing With Diminishing Resources & Regulatory Changes
June 28, 4:15pm - 5:15pm
Sponsored by Public Sector Practice Specialty
Description
In a time of change in the funding and scope of essential agencies (CDC, NIOSH, OSHA, EPA, MSHA, etc.), EHS professionals face challenges presented by diminished funding and staffing of essential agencies and programs; shrinking or closure of public sector OSH agencies; and changes in regulations or deregulation. Participants will discuss the various concerns, challenges and opportunities associated with change.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Leo DeBobes
MA, CSP
Stony Brook University (School of Health Professions) Clinical Assistant Professor and Environmental Health & Safety Concentration Advisor
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7001 | Responsible AI in HES: Practical Use Cases, Guardrails and Competencies - Panel
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already shaping EHS—from computer vision that detects line-of-fire hazards to tools that draft JSAs. This session helps safety leaders pilot AI responsibly: define use cases, select data, evaluate privacy and bias, and set governance. Explore two practical examples (PSIF analytics and vision-based observations) and the competencies needed to scale with IT/legal partners. Leave with an AI pilot canvas and checklist.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Cam Mackey
International Safety Equipment Association President & CEO
Arianna Bailey-Howard
Syncra Group EHS IT Systems & Data Consultant, Partner & Founder at Syncra Group
MK Fletcher
CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training Deputy Director
Susan Moore
NIOSH Associate Director - Science in the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7002 | Bridging the Gap: When HSE Technology Collides with the Multigeneration Workforce
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Adopting technology (or not) by individual workers is key when attempting to launch new initiatives. This presentation will look at workers who impact employee engagement as HSE attempts to communicate and convey information that extends across generational boundaries. We will also review workplace strategies that may be put in force to overcome generational divides in trust, training, and technology adoption.
7003 | Ignition Source Hazard Identification and Evaluation
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
All Safety Professionals work proactively to identify and mitigate hazards to protect people and property. This includes potential fire hazards. In order to adequately identify fire hazards, a Safety Professional must have a thorough understanding of ignition sources. The course helps Safety Professionals identify and evaluate a wide range of ignition sources and mitigation techniques.
7004 | Beyond Compliance: How Linguistically Inclusive Safety Drives Retention and Profitability
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Go beyond compliance and prove the strategic value of language access. Learn to calculate the ROI of a linguistically and culturally inclusive safety culture and build a powerful, data-driven business case for leadership. You will gain the tools to justify investment, directly linking multilingual programs to improved retention, lower incident rates, and increased profitability.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Loretta Mulberry
LM Consulting Services LLC Language Access Consultant
7005 | Psychological Safety as a Catalyst: Transforming Construction Site Safety Practices and Climate
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Discover how psychological safety drives stronger safety climates in construction. This session bridges the gap between human factors and operational excellence, offering safety leaders a practical roadmap to build trust, increase engagement, and reduce risk in complex construction environments.
7007 | ANSI/ASSP Z359 Fall Protection and Restraint Forum
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
The ANSI/ASSP Z359 Fall Protection Code provides an overall blueprint to help prevent injuries and illnesses that result when workers fall from heights. This session provides tangible techniques and answers key questions to help improve your fall protection program.
Track(s)
Fall Protection
Speaker(s)
Thomas Kramer
CSP, P. Eng.
LJB Inc. Senior Fall Protection Consultant
Jessica Bunting
MPH
Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) Director
Level: Beginner | Track: Safety Management Systems
7008 | Beyond the Haze: Identifying and Mitigating Safety Hazards in the Cannabis Industry
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
As the cannabis industry grows, so do unique occupational safety risks. This session explores hazards across the supply chain, chemical, ergonomic, biological, fire, and psychosocial. Attendees will learn practical strategies for hazard control and compliance, adapting traditional safety frameworks to a regulated industry. Real-world insights from multi-state oversight offer lessons for improving workforce safety in cannabis operations.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Michelle Reddish
MPH, MS
Cannabis Control Commission Inaugural Administrator, Rhode Island Cannabis Office
7009 | Global Approaches to Occupational Heat Standards: Policies, Interventions and Lessons Learned
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Learn how countries around the world are developing and enforcing occupational heat standards to protect workers in an era of extreme heat. This session explores best practices, policy gaps, and actionable interventions from both U.S. and international contexts to help safety professionals reduce heat-related risks in the workplace.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Merve Ercan Celenk
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Georgia Department of Public Health, Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security Occupational Health and Safety Policymaker, Fulbright Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow, Chemical Engineer MSc., OSHA 510, OSHA 521, OSHA2255, NEBOSH IGC
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
7010 | Wait! We Didn't Retaliate - Understanding an OSHA Whistleblower
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Being involved in an OSHA whistleblower investigation can be challenging for employers, especially those unfamiliar with the process. This session will provide practical insight for organizations to navigate through this process.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Todd Logsdon
J.D.
Fisher Phillips Partner and Co-chair, Workplace Safety Practice Group
7011 | Reducing Serious Injuries and Fatalities 24/7 (Because Your Employee SIF Problem isnt a Workplace Problem!)
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Applying HOC and BBS approaches has historically improved workplace safety outcomes. But statistics show the SIFs (80%-94% of the problem) that occur have not improved using these traditional methods. Companies need a human-factors approach with portable tools their employees can use everywhere.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7012 | Transformational vs. Transactional Safety Leadership
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Think and Execute "Transformation versus Transaction." This session will provide insight into how to identify the skills you need - and have - to become and refine transformational leadership skills. In turn you will learn how to create a workplace culture were controlling risk and making work safer is a shared value and responsibility.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Andrew Salvadore
CSP
Carr and Duff, LLC Vice President of Risk Mgmt. and Safety
Level: Executive | Track: Safety Management Systems
7013 | The Power of a Single Choice: Lee Shelby's Story of Triumph and Tragedy
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Lee Shelby, an occupational injury survivor, shares his story of tragedy and triumph. He turns complacency into conviction, powerfully demonstrating that safety is a personal responsibility—a mindset that can change everything.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
7014 | Reimagining a Safety Management System – Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Build on Employee Engagement
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
A proactive safety culture leans into suggestions for improvement that come directly from front-line employees. Using digital safety reporting, this global company laid the foundation for advanced hazard management and improved safety performance. Now, sophisticated machine learning delivers predictive insights and automated pattern detection, transforming traditional safety protocols into an intelligent prevention framework that continuously learns and adapts.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Jasmine Omar
Amazon Director, Worldwide Ergonomics and Safety Experience
Level: Executive | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7015 | Why Frontline Leaders Struggle To Deliver Safety Results Through Others and What We Must Do To Help Them
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
This program delves into the hidden hazards that can lurk in your workplace culture often created and reenforced by your front line leaders resulting in safety failures. Through four simple phrases, we'll explore how front line leaders unknowingly create a culture that silently undermines safety efforts, and what we must do to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7016 | If You’re Laughing, You’re Learning: The Role of Humor in Safety Training and Adult Learning
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
This engaging session explores how humor can transform routine safety training into memorable learning experiences. More than a tension-breaker, humor is a proven tool for boosting engagement and improving retention. Attendees will discover the science and strategy behind weaving laughter into instruction, learn practical ways to apply it, and see how humor fosters a positive safety culture.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Christopher Rainwater
Ph.D., MA
CorpsPro Safety Retired Chief of Safety, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District and Owner, CorpsPro Safety
7017 | Mental Health: No Yoga or Meditation Required
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Description
Forget one-size-fits-all wellness advice. Mental wellness doesn’t have to mean yoga and meditation. Join us as we dive into real, actionable strategies for supporting mental health. Learn how individuals and organizations can foster resilience and build lasting supports that improve well-being in everyday life.
7018 | Industry Roundtable: Liability for the Safety Professional: How to Mitigate Risk.
June 29, 7:30am - 8:30am
Sponsored by Consultants Practice Specialty
Description
This interactive roundtable explores rising liability risks for safety professionals and consultants, covering contracts, indemnification, insurance, and claims. Facilitators will guide breakout discussions where participants share strategies to mitigate exposure and protect against litigation. Peer learning and networking will be emphasized, along with ideas for continuation of discussions.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Safety Management Systems
7021 | Technology as a Proven Preventative Tool - Computer Vision-Based AI that Makes a Difference in the Lives of People
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
A brief introduction to computer vision based artificial intelligence. It will begin with definitions and progress through actual deployments with video-based case studies. We will discuss both the successes and the challenges faced in making these type solutions a reality. We will close by explaining ROI methodologies, and some proven actions by employers to gain buy-in and support.
7023 | Building Safety from the Start: Integrating Heat Stress Management in Contract Acquisition
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
Heat stress is a critical concern in construction where workers are exposed to extreme environmental conditions. The presentation will focus on incorporating proactive heat stress management strategies into the contract acquisition phase of projects. Emphasis will be on the importance of prioritizing worker health from the outset and providing actionable insights for heat stress management plans.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Mellena Nichols
Ph.D., CSP
Southeastern Oklahoma State University Associate Professor
7024 | The Value of STKY Hazard Identification and Controls
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
High energy based hazard recognition and controls are vital in organizations attempting to achieve improvement on their SIF (Significant Injury and Fatality) rates. Please join us as we explore together why high energy hazards often go unrecognized before work commences, and, more importantly, how this problem can be remedied through the application of the STKY Wheel and known controls.
Track(s)
Risk Assessment & Management
Speaker(s)
Paul Hurysz
CSP, SMS
Davey Resource Group Manager, Human Performance and Safety Consulting Services
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7025 | Small Changes, Big Results: How Ergonomics & Lean Improve Workplace
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
Discover how Lean and ergonomics work together to improve safety and performance. Learn practical strategies to identify risks, eliminate waste, and drive measurable improvements. This session equips EHS professionals with tools to integrate Lean thinking and ergonomics, reduce MSDs, and create safer, more efficient workplaces where employees and organizations thrive. This is a not-to-miss session.
7026 | One Step at a Time: A Case Study in Scalable Fall Protection
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
This session explores how one organization built a practical fall protection program by prioritizing risk, phasing solutions, employing prevention through design, and working within a tight budget. Through real-world examples, attendees will learn how to scale fall protection efforts, justify investment, and implement certifiable systems that adapt to changing operations—without compromising safety or productivity.
Level: Advanced | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7027 | Beyond Burnout: Redesigning Ways of Working for Sustainable Project Performance
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
In today's world of hybrid teams and digital overload, traditional work models fall short. Ana Smith-executive coach, former Microsoft and GE leader, and author of Mindset Intelligence-shares science-backed strategies for boosting focus, energy, and engagement. Drawing on cognitive science and wellbeing, she equips leaders to rewire team "operating systems" for clarity, collaboration, and lasting performance.
Track(s)
Business & Leadership Skills
Speaker(s)
Ana Smith
Brightflare Performance Solutions Chief Learning and Wellbeing Officer
7028 | Safer by Design: Innovations in Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
Workplace violence in healthcare is rising - but it's not inevitable. This session reveals innovative tools, design strategies, and real-world solutions to stop incidents before they escalate. Walk away with actionable tactics to protect staff, strengthen safety culture, and ensure violence is never "part of the job."
Level: Executive | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7029 | Focus Under Pressure: 3 Ways Safety Leaders Can Strengthen Mental Fitness without Another 'Wellness Fix' that Falls Flat
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
Workplace burnout drives a 50% increase in safety incidents and costs U.S. companies over $300 billion annually. In safety-critical industries, workers with sleep problems face a 1.6× higher risk of injury. Yet wellness initiatives rarely solve burnout. In this session, Amy Yip, mental fitness expert and 2× TEDx speaker, shares how safety leaders can build resilience, focus, performance under pressure.
Level: Beginner | Track: Safety Management Systems
7031 | "Hierarchy of Controls - Are you Getting the Most of Your Risk Assessment Toolbox?"
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
OSHA's Hierarchy of Control and risk assessments are well known but often underutilized and improperly executed. Spend some time learning how to leverage both tools including a revamp of the workplace safety sign-off system for overall positive change to workplace safety, employee education, and to influence management without the struggle.
7032 | From the Inside Out: The Science & Safety of FR Base Layers
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
Discover the critical role of flame resistant base layers in preventing burn trauma. Kelly Franko and Amy Roosa combine case studies and textile science to debunk myths like “cotton is enough” while highlighting next-gen designs with stretch, moisture control, and antimicrobial protection. Gain practical guidance on selection, standards, and implementation to strengthen your PPE program.
Level: Intermediate | Track: Business & Leadership Skills
7033 | Selling Safety in Your Organization
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
Selling Safety in Your Organization shows how combining technical expertise with soft skills builds influence beyond compliance. Participants will learn three components of selling safety-vision, knowledge, and heart-along with practical tools like the Make Safety Personal conversation. The result: stronger connections, proactive employees, and a lasting safety culture.
Level: Advanced | Track: Safety Management Systems
7034 | Harnessing and Integrating Digital Twin Technology into EHS Management Systems
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
Discover how digital twin technology can transform EHS management by enabling predictive safety, real-time monitoring, and better decision-making. This session introduces the fundamentals of digital twins, explores practical applications, and provides a roadmap for integrating them into safety programsdesigned for EHS professionals at the beginner to intermediate level.
Track(s)
Safety Management Systems
Speaker(s)
Emmanuel Winful
MPH, CSP, ME
Auburn University, College of Engineering Health and Safety Manager
7036 | Reasonable Suspicion in the Age of Cannabis: Protecting Safety Through Supervisor Training
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
Learn how to recognize and document workplace impairment in the era of cannabis legalization. This session equips safety leaders and supervisors with practical tools for identifying behavioral indicators, applying defensible reasonable suspicion protocols, and reducing liability. Attendees will leave with strategies to strengthen safety and build confidence in their impairment response procedures.
7037 | Building an Age-Friendly Workplace: Addressing Challenges and Promoting Work Ability Across the Workforce
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Description
An age-friendly workplace supports health, safety, and productivity for all workers, recognizing aging as a universal experience. By balancing job demands with worker capacities, organizations can reduce risks, enhance engagement, and promote longevity. Understand common challenges encountered in a multi-generational workforce and learn evidence-based strategies to maximize work ability, health and safety across the workforce.
Track(s)
Total Worker Health
Speaker(s)
Kristen Cederlind
WorkWell Prevention & Care Director of Clinical Services, Licensed Occupational Therapist
7038 | Industry Roundtable: Empowering Women Through Design: A Blueprint for Equity and Inclusion
June 29, 8:45am - 9:45am
Sponsored by Women in Safety Excellence
Description
This session explores how intentional design of work environments, company policies, and leadership development can create more equitable and inclusive spaces for women in safety and health. This session will highlight how procedural design choices influence participation, advancement, and through practical insights and collaborative dialogue, well examine how organizations can reimagine their structures to support foster a culture of belonging.