DES PLAINES, IL - The political landscape, updates from the country's top occupational safety and health officials along with the most up to date technical insights from the experts are just some of the highlights of the June 9-12 American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) Professional Development Conference (PDC) and Exposition, Safety 2008, to be held in Las Vegas, NV.

This year thousands of occupational safety, health and environmental practitioners will attend the ASSE event which features more than 200 educational session, key speakers, an exposition of more than 350 exhibitors featuring the latest in safety products and services, safety issue roundtables where attendees share their stories, concerns and expertise, and a corporate executive summit.

Safety 2008 key speakers include Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. who will be joined by Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health John Howard, MD for a panel session at the Tuesday plenary session; Time Magazine Washington Bureau Chief Jay Carney will provide a view from Washington; Arizona State Professor of Psychology Dr. Robert Cialdini will discuss the power of influence. The closing luncheon ends with a lighter note with comedian Frank Miles will speak on laughing at fear.

As for hot topics, the top sessions drawing interest include: creating a culture where employees own safety; motivating leadership for safety excellence: what really works; four serious, common and persistent mistakes in safety management; leading measures for safety performance; creating a zero incident safety culture: proactive metrics spring to life; the magic of safety communication and fun safety meetings; practical evidence - based strategies for world class safety; and, effective methods of managing contractor safety to minimize risks and legal liability.

In addition, ASSE will unveil "The Safety Professionals Handbook" which features 79 chapters, has contributions from more than 250 occupational safety, health and environmental professionals as well as 900 ASSE member survey responses. Top safety experts have written chapters on such topics as management of safety engineering work, risk assessment, hazard control, physical hazards from an industrial hygienist perspective, fire dynamics, ergonomics, personal protection equipment (PPE) and cost analysis and budgeting.