Safety & Compliance Summit: California 2023

Tuesday, September 26 – Thursday, September 28, 2023 | San Diego, CA

The Safety & Compliance Summit: California 2023 is a must-attend event to keep you informed on the current and upcoming legal trends and regulations and provide the expertise and skills you need to keep your workplace safe and compliant. You’ll discover how to avoid new Cal/OSHA citations and violations and get the leadership skills you need to drive positive change in the workplace.

Join us and learn from our line-up of expert speakers and interactive sessions. We will cover a range of important topics including compliance with Cal/OSHA regulations, workplace safety, emergency preparedness and response, hazardous substance management, and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with fellow professionals, learn from industry experts, and hear about the latest best practices and case studies in Cal/OSHA.

Benefits of attending this insightful event include:

• Staying informed about the latest Cal/OSHA regulations, trends, and innovations in the field of occupational health and safety
• Networking with other EHS professionals – sharing experiences and making new connections
• Learning from and interacting with leading industry and legal experts who will share their insights, case-studies, and new legal rulings
• Receiving conference presentations decks and other event resources

The Safety & Compliance Summit provides you with valuable takeaways. Our legal and industry experts will share:

• The latest Cal/OSHA regulations, requirements, and guidelines and how they apply to your workplace
• Best practices in emergency preparedness and response, and how to develop and implement effective emergency plans for your workforce
• The latest developments in hazardous substance management, including best practices for safe storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous materials
• Best practices in workplace safety, including hazard identification and control, injury prevention, and employee health.
• Leadership skills that will help you create positive change
• And so much more!

Register today and get the knowledge, skills, and expertise to advance your workplace and your career. Don't miss this unique opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and keep your organization at the forefront of employee health and safety.

Safety & Compliance Summit: California 2023

Preconference Workshops

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

AM Preconference Workshop

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Registration & Networking Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
EHS Lessons in Leadership: Skills to Lead Positive Change
Presented by Claire Beich, Owner, Ascend Environmental Health & Safety LLC

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, safety professionals have a unique opportunity to shape and drive positive change within their organizations. This workshop will explore the essential qualities and strategies that safety professionals can employ to make a lasting impact and foster a culture of safety and well-being. We will look at the significance of emotional intelligence (EQ) and empathy in effective leadership, highlighting how these attributes can inspire and motivate others to follow your leadership. Get equipped with actionable strategies that you can implement within your organization, enabling you to make a positive difference and cultivate a safer work environment. 

Through engaging discussions, real-life examples, and practical exercises, this workshop empowers safety professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary that lead to real change within their organizations. Attendees will leave with a renewed sense of purpose, equipped to create a safer and more productive work environment, and gain actionable strategies for positive change. 

In this session, you'll explore: 

• How to cultivate and understand the importance of emotional intelligence in leading positive change, including self-awareness, motivation, empathy, and social skills 

• Practical techniques to enhance your leadership style and interactions by effectively communicating goals, overcoming resistance, and motivating your team towards a shared vision 

• How to implement a toolkit of actionable strategies within your organization, including methods to engage employees, promote safety culture, and drive sustainable change 

9:30 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Networking & Refreshment Break

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch On Your Own

PM Preconference Workshop

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Hot Spots in OSHA Enforcement: New Rules and Emphasis Programs
Presented by Adele Abrams, Firm President, Law Offices of Adele L. Abrams P. C.

The federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has engaged in an active rulemaking agenda since 2021, and significant items are now in progress that will impact OSHA program management across the United States. All state plan programs, including Cal-OSHA, must be at least as effective as federal requirements and so these developments will have a ripple effect in the near future. OSHA is also aggressively defending workers' whistleblower rights under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act and 29 CFR 1904.36, and added over a dozen new policies to its 2022 whistleblower investigation handbook.  

Among the items now under development which will be covered are new federal rules on heat illness prevention, workplace violence prevention, infectious disease rules, modification of guarding and powered industrial truck rules, changes to the Hazard Communication GHS Standard, updates to the respirable crystalline silica and lead health rules, and more changes to the agency's Electronic Recordkeeping rule, expanding the public-facing data that employers need to submit to OSHA!  

In addition, OSHA has revamped or rolled out new enforcement programs that also have nationwide implications. These include new criteria for inclusion of employers in the "Severe Violators Enforcement Program" (SVEP), a revision to the general industry "Site Specific Targeting" programmed inspection criteria using employers' own electronically submitted injury data, and new tools to impose penalties of up to $156,000 per exposed workers for certain violations under the "Instance-by-Instance" egregious policy. These initiatives will be addressed, along with the newly launched National Emphasis Programs for Fall Prevention in all industry sectors, and heat stress prevention.  

This expanded workshop will also review all these new initiatives, and target the hot spots for OSHA enforcement action: the most-often cited standards and novel uses of the General Duty Clause as a gap filler for emergent hazards. The speaker will also provide an update of federal case law impacting occupational safety and health, and unique regulatory actions that California employers should be aware of, to avoid costly penalties. 

You will learn:

• How whistleblower investigations have changed and why the stakes are higher than ever when mistakes are made by employers 
• Which federal rules are likely to change between now and 2025, and how this impacts state programs including CalOSHA 
• Which employers have exposure for inclusion in SVEP, may be inspected under the SST program, and could be subject to egregious penalties – and how to avoid such targeting

2:15 p.m. – 2:35 p.m.
Networking & Refreshment Break

4:00 p.m.
Preconference Day Adjourns

— Agenda subject to change —

Safety & Compliance Summit: California 2023

Agenda

Main Conference Day 1 — Wednesday, September 27, 2023

7:00 a.m. – 7:50 a.m.
Registration & Networking Continental Breakfast

7:50 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Welcome Remarks

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Cal/OSHA and Your Safety Program - What You Really Need to Know!
Presented by Brandon Hart, Cal/OSHA Program Manager for Communications and Strategic Planning

Have you ever wondered why the Injury and Illness Prevention Program is the most cited regulation in California? In this session, you will uncover what Cal/OSHA looks for when evaluating an employer's written safety program, why it is considered so important to the foundation of the overall safety and health culture of an organization, and how to make the written program work for you.

In this session, you will learn: 

• What Cal/OSHA looks for in an effective program
• Why it should be considered the foundation of your workplace safety & health culture
• How to make the written safety program work for you

9:30 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Networking & Refreshment Break

9:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.
Hot Work Safety: Kindling a Safe Workplace Instead of Igniting a Catastrophe
Presented by Kent Freeman, Former Owner/Instructor, California Health & Rescue Training

Hot Work is performed in thousands of industries every day in this country. Due to the inherent risk of explosions or fire, specific regulations have been implemented to assure a safe work site.

In this program we will look at the regulations and standards regarding hot work, we will review the components of a hot work permit, discuss the general work procedures and look at seven key lessons learned from recent incidents. In addition we will do a comprehensive review of a recent incident resulting in Cal/OSHA citations and fines.

11:20 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Networking Lunch (Provided)

12:10 p.m. – 1:40 p.m.
Substance Abuse, Impairment & Workplace Safety
Presented by Adele Abrams, Firm President, Law Offices of Adele L. Abrams P. C.

While California may have been in the marijuana legalization vanguard, both recreational and/or medicinal use of cannabis are now legal in a majority of states even as it remains an illegal drug at the federal level. Where it is legal, a crazy quilt of laws at the state, county and even municipal level creates challenges for multi-state employers seeking to craft a comprehensive substance abuse prevention and drug testing protocol. Questions of what constitutes "impairment" and how testing should be performed add challenges and implicate both HR and OSHA management. Fitness-for-duty approaches are gaining popularity as are new testing methodologies, even as courts are ruling that employers must pay for cannabis used to treat workers' compensation conditions.  

This session will provide insight into the various aspects of substance abuse and on-the-job impairment prevention in a world of legal marijuana and increasingly complex and conflicting regulations and case law. The speaker, an attorney, safety professional and employment law professor, will also provide recommendations for practice that balance employee rights to medical treatment and off-duty legal use against safety-sensitive needs and regulatory limitations on when and who may now be tested. 

You will learn:

• How state courts are protecting workers' right to use cannabis by using state ADA laws as "gap fillers" in legalization legislation 
• What types of drug testing restrictions are now common, and new developments in assessment of fitness-for-duty that covers all forms of "impairment" without triggering testing laws 
• How to balance the tension between OSHA's "general duty" requirement to have an impairment-free workplace against OSHA's worker protections from certain post-accident drug testing 
• Best practices for determining who should be drug tested, for what, when and why... and what to do with the results. 

1:40 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Networking & Refreshment Break

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Minds Matter: Strategies for Identifying Workplace Stress and Mental Health Issues
Presented by Claire Beich, Owner, Ascend Consulting Environmental, Health & Safety LLC

We are all aware of the importance of promoting mental health and wellbeing in the workplace; and we’ve seen what happens when things go wrong. Learn the real impact workplace stress and mental health has on your worker’s safety and productivity and discover practical strategies for identifying and addressing these critical issues.

You will discover:

• The impact of workplace stress and mental health on worker safety, productivity, and well-being, and how it’s positively/negatively affecting to your organization
• How to identify the sources of workplace stress and mental health issues stemming from rigorous work demands, work-life balance, and workplace culture
• How to implement effective strategies for promoting good mental health and wellbeing, including providing employee support and resources, and fostering a culture of open communication
• The influence fatigue has on the job and how it impacts mental health and safety of all your workers

Main Conference Day 2 — Thursday, September 28, 2023

7:00 a.m. – 7:50 a.m.
Networking Continental Breakfast

7:50 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Welcome Remarks

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
How to Make Awesome Safety Training Videos
Presented by Rachel (Walla) Housman, Safety and Industrial Hygiene Consultant, Ally Safety LLC

You can make safety training entertaining! Creating in-house training videos is a critical skill for any modern safety professional. In this hands-on session, we will review the technical details involved, discuss how-to's and equipment, and get a template for your first safety video. During this session, we'll explore:

• Why making our own safety videos is a critical skill for safety professionals today 
• How to integrate your phone and inexpensive equipment to get started easily and cost-effectively 
• Strategies for designing safety training that engages employees 

9:30 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Networking & Refreshment Break

9:50 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.
An Industrial Hygiene Plan for Chemical Exposure to Hot Metals
Presented by Seyed Mirmohammadi, PhD, MSc, BSc, EHS Operational Supervisor, CBRE at Google

During any soldering process plenty of airborne particles and fumes generate around a worker’s respiratory system area. Inhaled manganese from melting metals through occupational chronic exposure has straight correlation with increased central nerves system and respiratory disease such as manganism and bronchitis. manganism's symptoms, like those of Parkinson's disease, may include trembling, stiffness, difficulty walking, facial muscle spasms, and potentially severe depression, anxiety, and hostility. For neurologists to make the best decision to treat the patient, they ask a simple question: what is your job? This helps to distinguish between manganism and Parkinson's in the early stages.

This session will examine a cross-sectional field study on the effects on the nervous systems of manganese dioxide on exposed workers by measuring manganese in blood. We’ll also explore the strategies EHS professionals can use to monitor and reduce manganese exposure for workers soldering metals and their immediate environment.

You will learn:

• The best strategy for air sampling, analyzing and monitoring toxic metal particles in the workplaces (step-by-step for sampling and analysis)
• How to identify manganism in workers and the immediate steps that should be taken
• How to setup a respiratory protection strategy that includes proper PPE and periodic blood exams

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Fall Rescue: Closing the Loop on Your Fall Protection Program
Presented by Kent Freeman, Former Owner/Instructor, California Health & Rescue Training

The update of the ANSI standard and application of Fall Protection regulations have brought fall rescue into focus. General Industry and construction employers now recognize fall rescue as a required component of a complete fall protection program. Simply listing the Fire Department as your option for lowering or raising a worker who is left suspended on fall protection after a fall is insufficient. This program will provide an overview of the regulations regarding Fall Protection/Fall Rescue, provide low risk options for raising or lowering victims, discuss potential injuries and physiological effects of being suspended in a harness.

12:30 p.m.
Conference Adjourns

— Agenda subject to change —

Safety & Compliance Summit: California 2023

Speakers

	Adele L. Abrams, Esq., ASP, CMSP Firm President Law Offices of Adele L. Abrams P. C. Adele Abrams is an attorney, safety professional, and trainer who is president of the Law Office of Adele L. Abrams P.C. in Beltsville, MD, Charleston, WV, and Denver, CO, a multi-attorney firm focusing on safety, health and employment law nationwide. As a certified mine safety professional, Abrams provides consultation, safety audits and training services to MSHA and OSHA regulated companies. Abrams is a regular columnist for numerous magazines on legal, employment, mine, and occupational safety/health issues, and is coauthor of several books related to mining, construction, employment law, and occupational safety and health. She is a member of the Maryland, DC and Pennsylvania Bars, the U.S. District Courts of Maryland, DC and Tennessee, the U.S. Court of Appeals, DC, 3rd and 4th Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court. She is a graduate of the George Washington University’s National Law Center and earned her B.S. in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her professional memberships include the American Society of Safety Professionals, National Safety Council, the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, Associated Builders and Contractors, the Industrial Minerals Association-North America, and the American Bar Association. In 2017, she received the NSC’s Distinguished Service to Safety Award.
	Claire Beich, CSP  Owner  Ascend Consulting Environmental, Health & Safety LLC  Claire Beich, CSP, is an environment, health, and safety professional and business owner. After getting a taste of safety in the U.S. Army, Beich was sought out to lead the safety program at her first job back home in Washington state. Beich spent her time while working in food manufacturing and transitioning to the roofing manufacturing industry earning her BA in safety and health, graduating summa cum laude, and attaining the CSP designation. Her extensive experience with teambuilding and the growth of safety culture in a rocking environment in each of her industries will add to your ever-filling toolbox.
	Kent Freeman   Former Owner/Instructor  California Health & Rescue Training  Kent Freeman is a 30 year veteran of the Fire Service, retiring from Roseville Fire Department as a Captain and Coordinator of Technical Rescue Operations. He is the author and developer of California State Fire Training Divisions, Confined Space Rescue Awareness program, and served as the project leader for the curriculum development team for the Confined Space Rescue Technician program. He also served as a committee member of the curriculum development team for California State Fire Training Divisions Trench Rescue Technician program. He has completed work with Cal-OSHA on a project developing a text (Is it Safe to Enter a Confined Space?) to guide general industry on developing regulatory compliant confined space entry programs.   Kent was the owner and principle instructor for a small company, California Health & Rescue Training, where he provided specialized training programs for Fire Departments and private industry throughout the United States.
	Brandon Hart  Cal/OSHA Program Manager for Communications and Strategic Planning  California Dept. Of Industrial Relations Brandon Hart is a member of Cal/OSHA’s leadership team. Currently, he coordinates and oversees five critical programs and units at Cal/OSHA, which include the Alliance Program, Professional Development and Training Unit, Outreach Coordination Program, Publications Unit, and the statewide Heat and Agriculture Program. In addition to overseeing and managing these programs and units, he works with the department’s communications unit to develop campaign strategies to provide important messaging and outreach to workers and employers.  Brandon first joined Cal/OSHA in 2009 as an Associate Safety Engineer in the Santa Ana district office. He received a promotion to Senior Safety Engineer in 2014 and was assigned to work in the Region 3 regional office. In the ensuing period, Brandon conducted and coordinated many high profile inspections, participated in outreach events, trained new compliance safety and health officers throughout the southern region, and acted in a lead role in various regional and Division-wide assignments. In 2017, he received a promotion to his current senior management position and tasked to establish new units and revitalize older units and create a cohesive program with related functions. Prior to joining Cal/OSHA, Brandon worked at State Compensation Insurance Fund as a Loss Control Consultant and Workers’ Compensation Claims Adjuster in Fresno, California. Brandon received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from National University and his Master of Science degree in Occupational Safety and Health from Columbia Southern University.
	Rachel (Walla) Housman, CSP, CIH  Safety and Industrial Hygiene Consultant  Ally Safety LLC Rachel Housman, CSP, CIH is the founder of Ally Safety, a modern safety training company committed to creating entertaining training. With the mission of making safety topics engaging for the workforce, she began posting fresh takes on safety topics to YouTube in 2020. By 2021, her career had transformed to full-time video creation. Ally Safety now has a full suite of training videos along with a library of more than 130 Toolbox Talk Videos. Rachel’s goal is to test the limits of conventional safety training by creating content that resonates with employees, demonstrates rather than tells, explores rather than explains, and replaces zoning out for tuning in.
	Seyed Mirmohammadi, PhD, MSc, BSc EHS Operational Supervisor CBRE at Google Dr. Seyed Mirmohammadi is an Environmental Health and Safety professional for 22 years with a great scientific practice at Harvard University as a Visiting Scientist in 2019. Seyed earned his PhD degree in Environmental Technology from University Science Malaysia (2010) and MSc, BSc in Occupational Health. He served as Occupational Health Assistant Professor at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences for 10 years and published 26 ISI papers by peer reviewed journals. Seyed has years of experience with teambuilding and safety culture development for hi-tech, labs and pharma companies, focused on regulatory compliance and gap analysis leads with solid technical and management skills gained through experience in developing projects related to Cal/OSHA and the EPA.

Safety & Compliance Summit: California 2023

Location

DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley
7450 Hazard Center Drive
San Diego, CA 92108

• Room rate: $205 +$3 fee/night plus taxes and fees
• Hotel cut-off date: Monday, September 4, 2023. Hotel rooms may sell out earlier than the cut-off date, so book early!
• Reservation Center: Call 619-297-5466 and reference the Safety & Compliance Summit event
• Reservations URL: https://book.passkey.com/go/SafetyAndComplianceSummitCA
• Hotel website: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/sdgo-dt-doubletree-san-diego-mission-valley/

Parking Information:
The Doubletree by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley is offering self-parking at a discounted rate of $24.00/night. Parking is not validated by BLR; prices are subject to change.

Simplify Compliance/BLR has no affiliation with any third-party companies or travel assistance providers. Rooms should be booked directly with the event hotel using the official information provided on the website and in the brochure.

Pricing

Preconferences:

• Retail price: $299 each
• Morning & afternoon pre-cons purchased together: $499 — Save $99!

Main Conference:

• Retail price: $799
• Early Bird price: $699 — Expires June 21, 2023

Safety & Compliance Summit: California 2023

Sponsor

Interested in becoming a sponsor or exhibitor? Reserve your spot today!

Contact Cathleen Lavelle at clavelle@blr.com for more information.