Headed to Safety 2022? What the Windy City Has to Offer

This year’s ASSP Safety 2022 Conference and Expo will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago.

• By Alex Saurman
• Jun 20, 2022

The ASSP Safety 2022 Conference and Expo is being held in Chicago this month. This year’s event will take place at McCormick Place, West Building, 2301 S Indiana Ave from June 27-29.

Chicago Attractions

While you’re visiting Chicago, there are many attractions to choose from. Choose Chicago recommends first-time visitors check out Millennium Park, where the Crown Fountain and Cloud Gate are located. The Crown Fountain is a quick way to cool down. The shallow pool is fed by two massive towers of people’s faces (turns out, they’re locals!). Cloud Gate, better known as “The Bean,” “is one of the world’s largest permanent outdoor art installations” and has been on display since 2004, according to Choose Chicago.

Another option is to visit the Navy Pier. There’s outdoor music, boat rides, gardens and “the largest rooftop bar in the country.” For just $18, you can take a ride on the Centennial Wheel, an almost 200-foot Ferris wheel with gondolas.

If you want to see the city from above, you have the option between two observation decks. Skydeck at Willis Tower is 1,300 feet above the ground. TILT at 360 Chicago is a little lower at 1,000 feet above the ground but “tips you out and over” the city, a unique view for many.

If you’re hoping for something else to do, there are endless options, like visiting Wrigley Field, taking a trip to the botanic garden, touring a local museum (there are many), or trying a Chicago famous food.

Pack for warmer weather. Accuweather estimates that the weather for June 25 to 29 will be around 80 Fahrenheit, with a few days being cloudy.

Event Highlights and Keynotes

This year’s Conference and Expo will feature over 200 session options for 10 concurrent sessions with multiple tracks. Attendees can listen to sessions on business and leadership skills, safety management systems, fall protection and much more.

Concurrent sessions fall on each day of the conference, five on the first day, three on the second and two on the last. On June 27, concurrent sessions will be held at 9:15am, 10:30am, 1:45pm, 3pm and 4:15pm. Each session will last 1 to 1.5 hours, with time in between for expo time or breaks. On June 28, concurrent sessions kick off the day at 8am and continue at 10:30am and 4pm, with a panel session at 1:45pm. The sessions on June 29 are at 8am and 12:30pm.

Events will also be held during the conference and expo, including ASSP marketplace and ASSP foundation booth, live-printing t-shirt station, women’s apparel and PPE fashion show, headshot lounge and flash educational sessions. Please check the ASSP Safety 2022 website for specific dates and times.

The keynote speakers this year will be Kevin Brown and Devon Harris. Brown will speak at 7:30am for the opening general session on June 27. His talk is called “The Truth About Heroes: Being Your Best When It Matters Most.” “Kevin’s unconventional path to business and personal success has taught him that winning in business and in life requires anything but conventional thinking. He grew up in Muskegon, Michigan where his blue-collar roots instilled the value of hard work and determination. With a streetwise aptitude and a never-quit attitude, he worked his way from the front lines in business to the executive boardroom,” according to ASSP’s website.

Harris and a small portion of his story may seem familiar to a few. If you’ve watched the movie “Cool Runnings,” chances are, you know the story about the Jamaican bobsled team. Harris was a founding member of the team, and is a three-time Olympian. His speech will cover the topic of continuing on and persistence. Listen to Harris speak at the closing general session at 1:45pm on June 29.

Both of the sessions from the keynote speakers will be live-streamed.

There will also be a special session with Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. To learn more about the OSHA update Parker will talk about, check out our recent article.

Attendees are encouraged to pick up their badges Sunday from 10 AM to 7 PM at McCormick Place - West Building, Lobby Level 3.

Virtual Conference

Those who cannot make the in-person conference can access the value resources from home! Virtual attendees have 12 concurrent sessions in their schedule, available on ASSP’s website. These sessions differ from the in-person ones. ASSP has a scheduling tool on its website for selecting the sessions virtual attendees would like to attend.

Virtual attendees should have devices that meet requirements in order to best view the conference. ASSP recommends that when using a desktop computer, the operating system should be Windows 7 or greater or  Apple MacOS X 10.10 or greater. On Windows, Microsoft Edge, Firefox or Chrome are recommended. For Apple computers, Firefox, Safari or Chrome are recommended.

Android mobile and tablet devices should have an operating system of Android 6.x or greater. Apple mobile and tablet devices are recommended to have Apple iOS 13 or greater. ASSP recommends for Android to use Firefox or Chrome, and for Apple to use Safari.

Expo Hours

The expo will be open from 11:15am – 4:30pm on Monday, June 27, 8:45am – 4:15pm on Tuesday, June 28, and 8:45am – 12:30pm on Wednesday, June 29. Sessions will occur before and after expo hours.

COVID-19 Safety Requirements

Proof of vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test is required to attend in person. A test must be taken or administered 48 hours before arrival. Attendees are required to use the CrowdPass app and upload their vaccine or test status to the app. A waiver and screening questions are also included in the app. Once all information is in the app, attendees will be sent their status and a QR code for entry. (ASSP says that if attendees are not approved, they must try again with additional information.)

Attendees can also bring their vaccination card or a negative test report, paper copy or digital, to the conference. For more information on the COVID-19 safety requirements, visit ASSP’s website.

Photo Credit: shutterstock.com