Safety Symposium Offered by ASSE

American Society of Safety Engineers offer interactive online symposium on preventing slips, trips and falls at work.

DES PLAINES, IL - In an effort to educate and present best practices and solutions aimed at preventing slips, trips and falls in the workplace, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) will offer a virtual symposium titled "Slips, Trips and Falls: Best Practices and Standards" this October 20 - 22.

As a follow-up to its successful first virtual symposium in April titled 'Best-in-Class Safety Management', ASSE's upcoming 'Slips, Trips, and Falls: Best Practices and Standards' virtual symposium will discuss how to minimize the cost of slips, trips and falls - both personal and financial - in the workplace. ASSE and its members have found that slips, trips and falls account for a vast majority of workplace incidents and can negatively affect employees as well as cause a significant financial burden on organizations.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), falls alone were responsible for 13 percent of all workplace deaths in 2008, with falls being the third largest cause of on-the-job deaths. In 2007, nonfatal work injuries due to falls on the same level, requiring days away from work, increased by 10 percent from 2006 levels. In addition, floors, walkways and ground surfaces accounted for 20 percent of all 'days-away-from-work' injuries or illnesses in 2007, an increase of seven percent from 2006.

In a Professional Safety Journal article titled, "Walkway Surface Safety & Traction in the Workplace: The Rest of the Equation" Steven Di Pilla, ARM, American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ASSE A1264.2 slip resistance standard subcommittee chair noted,"Falls in the workplace are the number one preventable loss type, and in public places, falls are far and away the leading cause of injury.

"To achieve significant reductions in accidental losses, risk managers and safety professionals must identify loss problems through analysis, establish priorities and attack the worst problems first. Falls are the dominant controllable loss type in most types of businesses, whether the exposure is highest to employees, customers or both," Di Pilla wrote.

During the 'Slips, Trips and Falls' symposium, attendees will have the opportunity to attend 12 general and concurrent live virtual sessions on new ideas and proven practices as well as the ability to interact with peers and speakers within the Virtual Symposium Network in real-time. The keynote virtual presentation "Lessons Learned Investigating Slip, Tip and Fall Incidents" will be give by Keith Vidal, P.E., president of Vidal Engineering L.C. and chairman of the ANSI/ASSE A1264 committee and the ASTM F13.10 committee on traction. Concurrent virtual session topics include slip, trip and fall prevention training strategies, insurance perspectives, investigation, fraud management, behavior change, best practices, industry specific sessions, maintenance, design, and management controls. There will also be a mini-expo available online to learn about the latest information about slip, trip and fall products and services.

Registered attendees will also receive select ANSI/ASSE standards: A1264.1 "Safety Requirements for Workplace Walking/Working Surfaces and Their Access"; A1264.2 "Standard for the Provision of Slip Resistance on Walking/Working Surfaces"; TR-A1264.3 "Technical Report for Using Variable Angle Tribometers (VAT) for Measurement of the Slip Resistance of Walkway Surfaces"; and A10.18 "Safety Requirements for Temporary Roof and Floor Holes, Wall Openings, Stairways, and Other Unprotected Edges in Construction and Demolition Operations".

The ASSE Virtual Symposium is an online environment where safety professionals from around the world learn, share their experiences and ask questions. It provides online learning opportunities without having to leave one's own desk.  The format is simple to follow and easy to use. To participate attendees need a computer and Internet connection.  Attendees may participate when and where it is most convenient for them. A session may be viewed "live" during the day of the session, or as a recording later that evening up to 30 days after the symposium ends. For more information and how to participate in this virtual symposium please go to http://www.asse.org/education/stfsymposium/.

Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the largest and oldest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. Its more than 32,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professional members lead, manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor, health care and education. For more information please go to www.asse.org.

Latest