A two-day training conference in Central Oregon will focus on the safety and health of workers in residential, commercial and industrial construction. The January 27-28 Mid-Oregon Construction Safety Summit will delve into a variety of topics, including fall protection, personal protective equipment, silica hazards and electrical safety.
Attendees will have access to a range of training sessions, including everything from the OSHA ten-hour training for construction and competent person for silica hazards to work zone safety and flagging. Certifications and recertifications will be available. And the conference will offer opportunities to earn continuing education credits through Oregon’s Construction Contractors Board and Landscape Contractors Board.
Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA), a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, encourages employers and workers to attend the 19th annual event at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes in Bend.
The conference’s keynote presentation, “Accidents are Forever,” will be delivered by Matt Pomerinke of Longview, Washington, on Tuesday, January 28. Pomerinke was 21 years old and working at a lumber mill when his arm was caught in an unguarded conveyor drive chain and ultimately amputated just below the elbow.
He now shares his story at businesses, schools and conferences to help people prevent such accidents. Pomerinke said he hopes people, after listening to his presentation, understand that an accident has a ripple effect that never really goes away.
“All your friends, family and coworkers go through it, not just you,” he said.
The Mid-Oregon Construction Safety Summit’s other workshops include:
- Excavation safety and soil classification
- Fall prevention
- Safety leadership and culture
- Cool tools and apps for construction
- What to expect from an Oregon OSHA enforcement inspection
- Multi-employer worksites
- Heat stress and Total Worker Health
- Safety meetings
- Marijuana and the workplace
Registration for pre-conference workshops (Monday, January 27) is $50. Conference registration (Tuesday, January 28) is $85. Registration for the OSHA ten-hour training for construction is $140 for both days. The cost of attending the silica competent person workshop (Monday, January 27) is $75.
To register, go to safetyseries.cvent.com/summit20. If you have questions or need help registering, call the Oregon OSHA Conference Section, 503-947-7411.
