ISEA Announces Free Confined Spaces Expert Roundtable
The Aug. 21 event in Arlington, Va., comes as OSHA is nearing completion of a confined spaces rule for construction and Cal/OSHA has launched a special emphasis program, ISEA President Dan Shipp noted.
The Aug. 21 International Safety Equipment Association Washington Roundtable will feature seven experts from OSHA, equipment manufacturers, labor, and industry on working safely in confined spaces. A free event, it will take place from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in the Crystal City area of Arlington, Va., near Washington Reagan National Airport.
The scheduled panelists include OSHA confined space expert Sherman Williamson, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' William "Chico" McGill, Newport News Shipbuilding safety chief Jim Thornton, marine chemist Ken Congleton, and experts from ISEA members Honeywell Analytics, Mine Safety Appliances Co., and Scott Safety. ISEA President Dan Shipp will ask questions to the panelists.
July 20 is the registration deadline.
"Protecting workers who must enter potentially hazardous confined spaces is among the most difficult and complex worker safety challenges," Shipp said. "Confined work spaces are everywhere, found in industries ranging from shipbuilding to winemaking. They exist below ground in utility systems and mines and high above in wind-turbine nacelles. All types of personal protective and other forms of safety equipment may be required, depending on the situation.
"This issue is so important that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is nearing completion of a confined space in construction rule. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has launched a statewide Confined Space Special Emphasis Initiative to prevent worker deaths and injuries. I encourage all who are responsible for confined space worker safety to take advantage of this learning opportunity," he said.
More details and a registration form are posted at this page.