Safety conference draws international interest

The Chicagoland Safety, Health and Environmental Conference recently held its 29th annual 4-day conference at the Naperville campus of Northern Illinois University. The conference provides timely, relevant and expert training for business owners, trade organizations, manufacturing associations, chambers of commerce and those who have HR, safety, health and environmental management responsibilities.

This year's conference drew almost 400 speakers, vendors and attendees from 16 states, 85 Illinois communities, Canada and Australia.

The conference offered 77 training topics related to OSHA and EPA compliance, general safety, industrial hygiene, professional development and environmental management. Sessions provided basic, intermediate or advanced level training. Sessions provided basic, intermediate or advanced level training in 1.5 hour, half day or daylong workshops. Session attendance was more than 1,200 people. Presenters were specialized industry experts including OSHA compliance assistance specialists, lawyers, college professionals, trainers, business owners, government officials and others with extensive knowledge and skills.

A business expo was also held one day where companies from across the U.S. showcased their latest products and services followed by an evening networking event.

During a luncheon, Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico introduced keynote speaker Robert Sams who traveled from Australia to attend the conference and present a daylong workshop on social sensemaking. The concept of social sensemaking evolves around making sense of risk and understanding decisions and judgment about risk and how our social arrangements play in this process. In his book, Social Sensemaking, Sams provides a reflective narrative on his own 20+ year 'learning adventure' to better understand people and risk.

The conference week concluded with the annual Chicagoland EHS Golf Outing at the Village Greens of Woodridge golf course. Everyone in the sellout crowd received a prize and a coupon for a future free round of golf along with a free continental breakfast and lunch. Next year's outing will be on Friday Sept. 21, 2018.

The conference was supported and promoted by 17 state and local business/trade organizations, manufacturing associations and chambers of commerce. Media partners were the Daily Herald Business Ledger and Industrial Hygiene News.

The Chicagoland Safety Health and Environmental Conference is organized by volunteers from three local chapters of the American Society of Safety Engineers (Chicago, Northern Illinois and Three Rivers), the Chicago Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the Chicago chapter of the Alliance of Hazardous Material Professionals and is planned in association with OSHA, the National Safety Education Center and the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology. Details about this and next year's conference can be found at the conference website www.chisafetyconf.org

Planning is already underway for next year's conference which will be held at the same place at the Sept. 17-20. The conference is looking to work with state and local organizations and industry professionals to identify topics for the 2018 conference. If you have a topic you would like to present, want to offer a suggestion or be added to our mailing list, send your information to Ken Orms at k.orms@att.net, Sheri Lesak at lesaks@naperville.il.us or Anita Worden at wordenanita@gmail.com.