SANTA ROSA/SAN FRANCISCO -- State Compensation Insurance Fund will sponsor a comprehensive safety seminar – “De-Mystify Safety Compliance” – in Santa Rosa August 29. The seminar – which is open to the public and free of charge - is designed to give employers insight into safety compliance by presenting them with a legal perspective, a Cal/OSHA perspective, and a safety perspective.

Featured speakers at the seminar include Lisa Prince, an attorney at the Walter Law Firm; Michael Donlon, Senior Safety Engineer with the Cal/OSHA Professional Development and Training Unit; Jeff Tiedeman, State Fund Ergonomics Consultant, and State Fund Loss Control Manager Rod Teeter.

In the first part of the seminar, “How Employers Can Address Serious Cal/OSHA Citations – A Legal Perspective,” Ms. Prince will explain to employers how they should respond to serious Cal/OSHA citations and penalties by focusing on:

• Evaluating the hidden costs and risks of a Cal/OSHA citation
• Preparing for a Cal/OSHA inspection
• How to successfully get through the inspection process
• How to navigate the Cal/OSHA appeals process

During the second section of the seminar, “Cal/OSHA's Ten Most Cited Violations - A Cal/OSHA Perspective,” Mr. Donlon will discuss the most commonly cited safety violations and citations related to required employer programs, such as those for the Injury and Illness Prevention Program – the most commonly cited area for violations. He will explain to employers how to comply with Cal/OSHA standards and provide attendees with ideas for instituting cost-effective compliance solutions. He will explain the Cal/OSHA inspection process, the rights of employers during this process, and the required written programs employers should have in place. Donlon also plans to discuss what industry groups are being placed on the High Hazard Targeted Inspection List for 2007. He will review the free services employers can use from Cal/OSHA Consultation.

The final part of the seminar, “Identifying Hazards and Applying Simple Solutions - A Safety Perspective,” is split into two separate topics – risk assessment and basic ergonomic principles.

State Fund’s Rod Teeter will identify common problems and hazards found in a typical work environment and then suggest practical solutions for correcting these problems. These solutions will be directly related to the most common citations written by Cal/OSHA.

The second part of this seminar section will highlight the basic ergonomics principles designed to prevent repetitive motion injuries. State Fund Ergonomics Consultant Jeff Tiedeman will show the attendees simple ways to develop effective ergonomics programs for their companies. Tiedeman will show employers how to identify situations leading to workplace musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and the successful ergonomic interventions that can be used to minimize the risk of employees developing these injuries. Attendees will also receive information and resources that can be used for employee training. 

“The goal of this seminar is to help employers better comply with safety requirements,” said State Fund’s Rod Teeter. “By taking control of workplace safety and understanding Cal/OSHA safety requirements, they will be less likely to receive citations and more likely to prevent injuries.”

The seminar is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek, 170 Railroad Street in Santa Rosa. Registration and complimentary continental breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m. To register, please call Donna Eccles at (707) 573-6358, or send a fax to her attention at (707) 573-6405. To register via email, please email deccles@scif.com.

The Santa Rosa seminar is part of a series of educational programs State Compensation Insurance Fund is holding throughout the state in order to help employers create safe workplaces. State Fund has the largest safety and health services program among California workers’ compensation insurance carriers.

Additional seminars in this series of educational programs are also available.