Report from American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Conference & Expo 2012

This year’s American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Conference & Expo was another great showing of safety development seminars and informative exhibitors.

Some key points from the workshops I attended are the changes to NFPA 70-E and OHSA’s new Hazard Communication Standard for the classification and labeling of chemicals. The NECA / IBEW Safety Committee will be providing more information on these topics and more. I feel that there is so much more that this committee can be doing to communicate the current trends in safety as well as getting out information on the changes to regulations and standards. Look for more to come from your safety committee in the near future.

The joint NECA & IBEW safety committee’s mission statement is to pursue a “Safety Always” work environment for all working craftsmen and women through education and training. We are a resource for you, if you have any safety related questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to give us a call.     

Jerry McGlynn, CHST, STS
Board Chairman
NECA / IBEW Safety Committee 

Information from the ASSE Safety Conference June 2012

I would like to thank the Safety Committee and the LMCC Board for giving me the great opportunity to represent Local 701 at the ASSE Safety Conference in June. The conference was attended by more than 4000 safety professionals representing many industries. The one common goal shared by these individuals was the belief that all workers should return safely, without injury, to their homes at the end of their work day. This belief was truly evident in the level of courses offered to attendees during the seminar. Not only did you have the opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in the safety industry, you also had the chance to hear real life stories relating safety in operation in the work place. Panel discussions, smaller classes and special interest groups contributed an array of knowledge and experience second to none.

As the economy takes its toll on our lively hood, we need to remember that finishing a job quickly, without regard to safety, does not pay. As electricians we need to de-energize when feasible. We must always take the time and care to use the proper PPE for the task at hand. We have to keep our work areas safe so we all return home safe, without injury or incident. We also need to take every advantage of classes offered through the Local 701 Apprenticeship office as well as the LMCC. Again, thank you for the opportunity to represent Local 701 and gain valuable knowledge for the future.

Respectfully Submitted,

Deborah Erbach