Gaylord Texan
The Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association's biggest conference of the year will be in Grapevine, Texas, at the Gaylord Texan, a palatial hotel and convention facility within sight of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. VPPPA's 31st Annual National Safety & Health Conference takes place there Aug. 24-27, with pre-conference workshops on Aug. 23 and the expo set for Aug. 24-26.
One of the pre-conference workshops is a free, four-hour "Leadership for Today's Problems" presentation by SafeStart's Larry Wilson and Gary Higbee. A VPP application workshop and another workshop on inspection techniques and hazard recognition also are on the agenda. On Monday, Aug. 24, all attendees have the opportunity to attend a private screening of Keynote Speaker Jim Davidson's story of survival that was featured on an episode of Animal Planet's "I Shouldn't Be Alive."
The Closing General Session's speaker is Daryl "Moose" Johnston, a three-time Super Bowl winner with the Dallas Cowboys and a current "NFL on Fox" analyst.
The educational agenda offers sessions on topics that range from behavior-based safety and ergonomics to GHS, OSHA enforcement, slip and fall prevention, confined space rescue, the use of temporary workers and OSHA's current focus on temp worker safety, flash fires, electrical safety, lockout/tagout, fall protection, flame-resistant apparel selection, OSHA's Special Government Employee program, and how to prepare for a VPP audit.
An opening reception is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 24, from 3-5 p.m. Lunches will be served in the exhibit hall on Aug. 25 (11:45-12:45 a.m.) and Aug. 26 (12:15-1:30 p.m.). Expo hours are:
- Monday, 3-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, 8 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
- Wednesday, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.