05/23/2024

NECA Safety Professionals Conference - May 20 - 22, 2024

Program was held at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, CO.

NECA Safety Professionals Conference
May 20 - 22, 2024

The NECA Safety Professionals Conference was held May 20 – 22, 2024 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colorado.  This conference had the largest number of registrants – over 400 - in it’s history.  This year also included a first-time visit to an Outside Line Training Center.  Program highlights include:  the announcement of the awardees of the NECA Safety Achievement Awards and the Zero Injury Awards, 25 breakout sessions, four General Sessions, Trade Show. 

The categories of the breakout sessions were:  Leadership, Outside Electrical Contractors, Safety Management:  Risk, Safety Management:  Regulations, and NFPA 70E and Electrical Safety. 

The General Sessions consisted of: 
Opening General Session:  "Lessons from the Miracle on the Hudson" - Jeff Skiles, Co-Pilot of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 - successful outcome due to crisis management training, intense preparation throughout career, trust in the team, intense focus, internal calm.

First Day Closing General Session:  "Project Give a Hand.”  After a compelling keynote from David Meade, Lightbulb Teams, self-build prosthetic hand kits were distributed and the participants assembled 45 prosthetic hands from scratch that will be later fitted to a recipient, either child or adult, in a developing country that has lost a limb.   

Second Day General Session Part 1: Douglas Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) - presentation highlights include:  OSHA to focus on safety in residential / subdivision construction, trench and excavation, Walk-Around Rule expansion / clarification concerning on-site inspections, distracted driving (firms need clear policies in place), mental health issues.

Second Day General Session Part 2: John Howard, Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) - presentation highlights include:  Robotic devices: Disruptive Technovation Model: Methods - sensing, thinking, acting; AI processes: deep learning, neural network, growth - increase of storage capacity, accumulation of "big data" and computer power; Operational Algorithm risks concerning input, algorithm design, output risk, complexity, lack of transparency, concept drift, lack of standards; Generative AI Societal questions: misinformation, energy costs, copyright infringement, doomerism; Construction Scenario Planning is crucial for outlining overall safety issues; Robotic Automation affects safety on the jobsite - knowledge of product, cybersecurity risks, engineering controls, administrative controls, as well as PPE standards / utilization must be reviewed and understood.

Closing Conference General Session:  A Roundtable Discussion:  Customers and Contractors Working Together for Safety.

CLICK HERE for list of overall NECA Safety Excellence Award Winners.

CLICK HERE for list of overall NECA Zero Injury Award Winners.

We thank all that were able to participate with this year’s Conference!

Pictured above is Jerry McGlynn, ECA Safety Committee Chair / NECA Safety Task Force, McWilliams Electric Company, Inc., as he led the "Pledge of Allegiance" to open the Conference.

Pictured above is Wes Wheeler, NECA Executive Director Safety,
as he led the "National Anthem" on his saxophone.

Pictured above from left to right are members of the Chicago & Cook County Chapter, NECA:
Marie Sage & Tony Sage, ECA Safety Committee member, Taylor Electric Company,
Luis Hernandez, Gurtz Electric Co.,
Jerry McGlynn, ECA Safety Committee Chair / NECA Safety Task Force, McWilliams Electric Company, Inc., 
Bill Pineda, ECA Safety Committee member, Kelso-Burnett Co., and
Terry Carr, ECA Safety Committee member, Connelly Electric.

Pictured above are the attendees of the Conference.

Pictured above is the start of the Trade Show.

Pictured above is the Chicago contingent on completion of their hands.

Pictured above is Douglas Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA),
as he began his presentation.

Pictured above is John Howard, Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 
as he began his presentation.