NUCA’s 2015 Safety Directors Forum Heads to Atlanta

Hear from Safety Experts, Network with Fellow Safety Managers and Assure Your Safety Program Is OSHA Compliant. Plus, Receive a Free Attendance Badge to NSC’s Safety Congress and Expo

If you are a utility contractor, you have, at some point, probably found yourself face-to-face with an OSHA compliance officer. If an OSHA inspector walks onto your jobsite, do you know your rights and responsibilities? Do your employees understand their rights and responsibilities? Do you know what you must do to comply with OSHA’s new Confined Spaces in Construction Standard? These are just a few of the several topics on the agenda for this year’s Safety Directors Forum, Sept. 27-29, in Atlanta.

Under the current Administration, OSHA has significantly ramped up regulations for construction. OSHA has also issued directives to compliance officers for greater scrutiny on construction sites. A recent decision by the Review Commission has prompted greater scrutiny on personal protective equipment (PPE) and has opened the door for both civil violations and criminal liability, which may account for the recent spike in PPE citations.

For nearly two decades, NUCA’s annual Safety Directors Forum (SDF) has brought together safety managers and principals from utility construction and excavation companies for an informal conference that gives attendees:
 
An insider’s view of OSHA activities — directives and legal decisions — that directly affect utility contractors that they might not otherwise know about;

Presentations from safety, legal and insurance experts, who cover important safety issues attendees need to know; and
Informal networking opportunities with other safety managers from across the country.

This year’s three-day SDF will provide safety and risk managers the information they need to evaluate and improve their safety programs, so they can go home armed with the information to ensure their companies are in complete compliance. NUCA knows that keeping employees safe is a top priority for contractors. The information offered in this forum will help companies prevent unnecessary accidents and OSHA citations and fines.

For the first time, this year’s SDF will be held in conjunction with the National Safety Council’s (NSC) Expo — the largest safety expo in the nation. One day of the SDF will be dedicated to exploring and experiencing the Expo with other construction safety professionals from around the country. The cost of the Expo pass ($100) is included in the SDF registration fee.
In addition to the NSC Expo, a variety of important safety topics will be covered at the SDF:

New Confined Spaces in Construction Standard: Learn what contractors must do to be in compliance with OSHA’s long-awaited, recently released Confined Space Regulation.

Legal Perspective for How to Handle OSHA: This eye-opening session will help clarify your legal rights and what you, as an employer, can and cannot do during and after an OSHA inspection.

Managing Motor Vehicle Safety: This session will explore some of the methods companies are using to create and improve world-class fleet safety programs.

Creating a Jobsite Hazard Analysis (JSA): This session provides information about how to create an effective JSA, and will involve participants breaking into groups to create an effective JSA for a jobsite.

Emergency Management — Preparing Your Management and Crews: Presented by a highly experienced fire rescue captain with more than 35 years of experience dealing with emergencies, the session will provide information about how employers can prepare their managers and crews to be part of the solution should an emergency occur.

Getting the Most Out of the NSC Expo: George Kennedy will lead a brief session on the NSC Expo, which SDF participants will all attend the following day.

Open Forum: This will be an open discussion about safety, damage prevention and risk management topics. Please bring any questions, suggestions, problems, insights or concerns you may have, and you and your peers will find the solutions you need.

Join fellow safety directors and company principals for this highly informative forum. Registration fees are $475 for NUCA members and $675 for nonmembers. Due to the popularity and high attendance of the NSC Expo, rooms in Atlanta will be at a premium.  Discounted rooms are available for SDF attendees until August 17, but are very limited.  NUCA will not be able to provide rooms after August 17, so reserve your room early. For more information or to register, visit www.nuca.com/sdf.