The March 11 to 12 American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) symposium titled “Delivering Safety Results in Changing Times” will provide attendees with tools they can use now on how to analyze and rise above today’s difficult economy at work by leveraging the changes taking place to increase safety excellence.

These have been tumultuous times for all and it looks like they will continue, according to the ASSE. Recent news reports ask “if the Federal Reserve and other regulators still have not explained why they failed to recognize the last bubble and the swift downturn in the economy, why should Congress, or anyone else, have faith that future Fed officials will recognize the next bubble?” The ASSE symposium’s keynote speaker Mary O’Hara-Devereaux, CEO of Global Foresight of San Francisco, noted that while the recent financial meltdown and fears of a global depression are now in the past, “expect a long, flat bottom through 2010 and anemic recovery through 2011.”

Devereaux, like many economists, expect a continued decline with housing prices flattened; foreclosures continuing to rise; a mid-2010 unemployment peak; a rise in the number of uninsured; and, credit conditions remaining challenging especially for small businesses.

Sessions at the two-day “Delivering Safety Results in Changing Times”, to be held in Scottsdale, Ariz., will discuss how SH&E professionals can leverage receding resources for safety success; change management techniques; and, demonstrate the value of safety during changing times.

Katherine Hart, ASSE member, of Alameda, Calif., and principal of ClearVision Consulting, will give a general session presentation on how SH&E professionals can thrive in the new economy.

To prepare for the road ahead, Devereaux suggests businesses take advantage of relevant aspects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; expect big shifts in how and what customers buy — learn about their new business models; retool your value proposition to match the new era; and, define global opportunities. She will provide more insight in her 8:30 a.m. March 11 keynote presentation.

Other session topics include building a change management plan; developing a sustainability roadmap with a path to safety; becoming the sustainability professional to take safety to the next level; looking at countermeasures to minimize the impact on SH&E in an economic downturn along with aligning with corporate social responsibility and greening activities. The symposium also will address the impact the new U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will have on the SH&E profession.

The symposium will be held at Chaparral Suites Resort Hotel in Scottsdale. Registration includes 1.4 CEUs/COCs and 2.0 Safety CM Points Approval. In addition, ASSE will be conducting Math Review, ASP Workshops and Corporate Safety Management Programs March 7 to 10 at the same location just prior to the “Delivering Safety Results in Changing Times” symposium.

For more information, call 847/699-2929 or visit www.asse.org.

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