FORTUNA/SAN FRANCISCO -- State Compensation Insurance Fund will sponsor a comprehensive safety seminar in Fortuna June 20. The seminar, which is free to State Fund policyholders, is designed to help employers educate their employees about Cal/OSHA citations and consultation; how to develop an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP); and how to prevent back injuries before they occur.

Featured speakers at the seminar include State Fund Loss Control Consultants Sharon Tucker and Enoch Ibarra; Doug Baker, State Fund Senior Loss Control Consultant specializing in ergonomics and back injury prevention and Paul Hurd of Cal/OSHA Enforcement.

During the first part of the seminar, “Cal/OSHA and Targeted Enforcement,” Mr. Hurd will explain to employers how to avoid the pitfalls of Cal/OSHA’s Targeted Industry Enforcement Program. He will explain the Cal/OSHA inspection process, the rights of employers during this process, and the required documentation employers should be keeping. Hurd also plans to discuss the most commonly cited safety violations and citations related to required employer programs, such as those for the Injury and Illness Prevention Program – #1 most commonly cited area for violations. He will explain how to comply with the standards required for such programs and provide attendees with ideas for instituting cost-effective compliance solutions.

In the second part of the seminar, State Fund’s Sharon Tucker and Enoch Ibarra will show attendees steps that can be taken to develop an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). Injury and Illness Prevention programs are required for all companies in California to help assure the safety and health of employees while on the job, regardless of number of employees at a company or business. Tucker and Ibarra will explain the importance and necessity of each of the required eight elements of an Injury and Illness Prevention Program.

The final section of the seminar, “State Fund's Back Connection™,” is designed with the idea that preventing a back injury is much easier than repairing one. Since healthy backs are critically important to productivity, it is essential to take care of them properly. State Fund’s Doug Baker will show attendees how to evaluate their operations, identify unsafe acts, compare alternatives for reducing the chance of injury, and how to implement or monitor injury loss prevention methods. In his presentation, Mr. Baker will utilize “State Fund's Back Connection™,” a multi-faceted risk management tool on DVD. Policyholders will receive this interactive DVD free of charge, as well as a complete overview of its features.

The seminar will be held from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Fortuna River Lodge Conference Center, 1800 Riverwalk Drive in Fortuna. Free parking is available.

The Fortuna 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.

Register now for this or other available seminars.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Established by the California Legislature in 1914, San Francisco-based State Compensation Insurance Fund is a self-supporting, nonprofit, fairly competitive public enterprise that provides workers’ compensation insurance coverage at cost to California employers.