Third Annual Northern Minnesota Safety Conference on April 3

BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation, through its affiliation with the Northern Minnesota Safety Council, is cosponsoring the Third Annual Northern Minnesota Safety Conference on Thursday, April 3, at Evangelical Covenant Church, 5405 Hart Lane NW, Bemidji, Minn.

The day-long conference will feature several speakers and 10 break-out sessions led by private consultants, local experts and representatives from state agencies. Those attending will also have an opportunity to visit with a variety of vendors offering safety-related products and services.

The registration fee of $65 includes lunch, refreshments and presentation materials from speakers and break out sessions. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 25. Registration materials and additional information may be found online at http://www.cri-bsu.org or by calling the CRI at (218) 755-4900; or toll free, (888) 738-3224.

The conference is designed for anyone interested in enhancing their knowledge of today’s leading safety issues including business owners, managers and employees who may be responsible for safety issues in the workplace.

The day’s featured speakers include Jeff Isakson, director of Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Compliance, St. Paul, Minn. and Jan Fedora, an Occupational Safety and Health Services consultant with the Minnesota Safety Council, St. Paul, Minn.

Isakson’s presentation, “35W Bridge Collapse,” will discuss OSHA’s role in the nine-week recovery and removal process following the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis and the partnerships that were established resulting in 100,000 work hours being carried out with no injuries reported.

Isakson began his career with Minnesota OSHA in 2003 as a supervisor for greater Minnesota and became the program director in 2005. He previously worked 14 years in the pulp and paper industry managing safety and health programs and also has worked in the mining and railroad industries.

Fedora will speak on three separate topics and participants will receive handout materials in each instance. Her conference presentations are:

• “Bloodborne Pathogens- An Ounce of Prevention Could Save Your Life!” – discussing OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen Standard which prescribes safeguards to protect workers against the health hazards associated with exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials.

• “Right to Know – Are Your Employees ‘In the Know’ About Their Workplace Hazards?” – The session is designed to assist employers in complying with the Minnesota and federal right-to-know standards, which cover employee information about the hazardous chemicals in their workplaces, container labeling requirements, material safety data sheet guidelines and more.

• “Effective Safety Committees – Getting Started, Staying Focused and Meeting Your Goals,” – reviewing state statute requirements for companies with 25 or more employees to establish a joint labor-management safety committee and providing advice on how to form a productive committee.

Fedora has been a training consultant with the Minnesota Safety Council for the past 20 years, teaching and providing training on occupational safety and health topics. She also worked for 24 years with Barsden Building Maintenance and American Security LLC as a training director providing training on technical and human relations skills.

Other presentations and break-out session topics include ergonomics for a healthy workplace, the softer side of safety/lessons from the life of Daniel Boone, AWAIR (Workplace Accident and Injury Reduction), fall protection and OSHA updates.

For more information contact the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation at (218) 755-4900; or toll free, (888)-738-3224; or on the Web at http://www.cri-bsu.org.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR
April 3
– 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation hosts the Third Annual Northern Minnesota Safety Conference, a presentation of the Northern Minnesota Safety Council. Location: Evangelical Covenant Church, 5405 Hart Lane NW, Bemidji, Minn. Cost: $65, includes lunch, open to all persons interested in workplace safety. REGISTRATION DEADLINE: MARCH 25. For information: (218) 755-4900; (888) 738-3244; http://www.cri-bsu.org.