It’s pretty impressive to see a crowd of well over 200 folks gather in Central Oregon in the heart of winter to talk about construction safety. The Central Oregon Safety and Health Association (COSHA) should be pleased at the success of this week’s Mid-Oregon Construction Safety Summit. And of course, it couldn’t have happened without  all of the generous and dedicated sponsors and presenters, and Oregon OSHA.

I have to admit that I tend to be a bit of a skeptic regarding motivational speakers. I often feel that, while important, I have heard the message before. Let me tell you that the keynote presentation provided by Eric Giguere – The Buried Truth Uncovered – kept me and the rest of the audience spellbound. Eric does a first-rate job of sharing his horrific story in his own words and his own way, emphasizing the real risks of taking safety shortcuts.

Perhaps what most touched me in his story was his reflection on the impact of this event not just on him, and his family, but his co-workers and rescuers. Thanks, Eric, for joining us in Oregon. We look forward to a return trip!

At our exhibit we appreciated the feedback from many about the value of toolbox talks created through our Oregon FACE grant. Thanks for helping us continue to learn about what we can do to partner and support workplace safety in Oregon.

Resources:
Oregon FACE Publications
CROETweb Topic: Safety Toolbox Talks
CROETweb Industry Topic: Construction