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SLC 2017: Speaker Q&A: Achieving Safety Excellence in Small- to Mid-Sized Companies

June 16, 2017
Smaller companies present a different set of challenges when it comes to workplace safety. Speakers Bob Toohey and Paul English will tell 2017 Safety Leadership Conference attendees about what best practices they can use to achieve safety excellence.

EHS Today's 2017 Safety Leadership Conference will be held in Atlanta, Sept. 11-13.  Bob Toohey, CSP, Continental Mills will speak along with Paul English, safety director, CMC Steel Texas, in a session about using critical thinking and best practices to achieve overall safety excellence.

Register for the 2017 Safety Leadership Conference today so you you don't miss this presentation!

English's discussion is part of the Safety and Risk Management Track. Here is a preview about what to expect during the presentation.

EHS Today: What is the title of your presentation for EHS Today’s Safety Leadership Conference 2017?

Bob Toohey (BT): Achieving Safety Excellence in Small to Mid-Sized Companies

EHS Today: Can you offer us a description of your presentation and how it relates to safety leadership?

BT: Smaller operations have unique challenges to achieving safety excellence—mainly in the amount of EHS professional resources available. Yet, the responsibility to create a zero-loss environment still exists, and OSHA requirements for compliance are no less applicable.

EHS Today: Why is the topic of your presentation of interest to you and why is it important to SLC attendees?

BT: The purpose of this class is to share my experience in helping smaller multi-site organizations effectively manage risk and achieve safety excellence with limited professional EHS resources

EHS Today: Please share an example of a personal or professional experience you’ve had related to safety leadership or the topic of your presentation.

BT: I have led organizational change in how EHS is managed in a number of smaller companies, achieving regional safety awards in three companies with dramatic reduction in injury rates.

EHS Today: What are the takeaways you hope to leave with attendees? 

BT: 1. Getting small operations organized to achieve safety excellence.
      2. Establishing leadership responsibility and employee engagement for specific EHS programs
      3. Designing an EHS scorecard right for your site
      4. Continuous improvement through annual EHS audits/ coaching/ and action plans

EHS Today: What do you think are some of the most pressing EHS and risk management issues facing corporate leaders and safety professionals in 2017 and beyond?

BT:  1. Gaining all employee engagement in driving continuous improvements in EHS
       2. Through engagement, developing the overall skill levels of EHS in the organization

EHS Today: How will this session help attendees be a better resource for their employees and company?

BT: This session will help attendees think differently about who owns, manages, and drives safety in smaller organizations – leaving behind the old model of the “safety guy” is ultimately responsible for safety. By involving all leadership and employees in specific EHS responsibilities, the organization grows towards  a Zero-Harm culture.

(EHS Today's 2017 Safety Leadership Conference and America’s Safest Companies Award Program will take place Sept. 11-13 in Atlanta, GA at the Hilton Atlanta. This event is designed to share best leadership, risk management, compliance and safety practices with EHS professionals hoping to achieve world-class safety at their companies. The conference features 28 sessions across four performance tracks; Safety & Risk Management, Compliance, Construction Safety and Safety Technology.)

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