SACRAMENTO/SAN FRANCISCO – The State Compensation Insurance Fund will hold a comprehensive safety seminar entitled, “Safety Compliance and You,’ on October 16 in Sacramento. The free seminar is open to the public and is designed to help employers educate their employees about ergonomics, Cal/OSHA safety compliance and safety basics in the workplace.

Featured speakers include R.J. Banks, State Fund Senior Ergonomist; Michael Alvarez, Cal/OSHA Consultation Service Regional Manager; and Mark Aniello, President and CEO of Environmental Compliance and Remediation, Inc.

During the first part of the half-day seminar, ‘Ergonomics: Common Sense? Nonsense? Business Cents?,’ Ms. Banks will dispel common myths associated with ergonomics such as being too costly to implement, not supported by science, and that results do not justify the expense. Banks whose ergonomics expertise earned her the 2005 “Employee Safety Award” from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will use case studies and simple solutions to why developing an ergonomics program works. The session will prove to be interactive with valuable take-home materials for attendees.

In the second part of the seminar, Mr. Alvarez will focus on helping employers become self-sufficient in complying with the state’s occupational health and safety requirements. Some of the topics he will highlight include: avoiding fines and costly accidents, avoiding pitfalls that put employers at risk, and learning what Cal/OSHA has identified and cited as the 20 most hazardous conditions.

Finally, Mr. Aniello will share his insight in the benefits of implementing safety management systems. These are systems organized and structured to ensure a business is capable of achieving and maintaining a high standard of safety performance. He will discuss several safety management systems currently recognized, including OHSAS 18001, National Safety Council and American National Standard Institute (ANSI).

The seminar is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Radisson Hotel Sacramento, 500 Leisure Lane, Sacramento. Registration and complimentary continental breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. To register, please call Angel Martinez at (916) 924-6812 or send a fax to (916) 567-4800. To register by email, please email: amartinez1@scif.com or sign up online.

The Sacramento 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.