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Region X Boise, Idaho, Area Office Co-Sponsors Safety Fest of the Great Northwest |
OSHA’s Region X Boise, Idaho, Area Office joined with local construction-related businesses and
trade and professional associations to provide more than 400 people with safety and health training
and information at the 1st Safety Fest of the Great Northwest. This event, November 29—December 2,
2005, was free of charge. A key organizer of Safety Fest was OSHA’s Alliance Program
participant Washington Group International
(now known as Washington Division of URS Corporation). In addition, the Associated General Contractors of
Idaho and the Idaho Division of Professional Technical Education helped support the event. During
the event at Washington Group's offices in Boise, Idaho, presentations and training courses were given on a
number of occupational health and safety issues related to youth initiatives, fall protection,
highway work zones, accident investigation, cranes, and hearing conservation.
Keynote speaker, Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne told the attendees how important the Safety Fest was
to the construction industry in the Northwest and commended the sponsors for making such an
extensive construction-oriented safety training program possible. Safety Fest’s attendees
represented a broad range of local businesses from the public and private sectors in Idaho, Nevada,
Oregon, Utah, and Washington State.
During the event, more than 165 attendees completed the OSHA 10-Hour General Industry or
Construction Outreach Training Programs and earned the 10-Hour OSHA Training Card.
Thirty six of these participants attended the two OSHA 10-Hour Construction Outreach Training Programs
conducted in Spanish. Bill Bankhead, Compliance Assistance Specialist, from OSHA’s Region X Boise,
Idaho, Area Office presented the OSHA portion of the Programs.
Fall protection issues were addressed by instructors from the
American Society of Safety Engineers
(ASSE), an Alliance Program participant, and safety equipment companies. "Falls account for most of
the deaths in construction. Anytime you can teach on that subject, you have the potential to save
lives," said Dick Terrill, OSHA Region X Administrator. He emphasized that Idaho’s safety
professionals are addressing this critical element of construction work, and as a result, "It’s
significant in Idaho that construction activity has grown dramatically and the number of injuries
and fatalities has been reduced."
Safety Fest also provided an opportunity for attendees to meet with representatives from
professional safety organizations such as ASSE and the Council on the Certification of Health,
Environmental and Safety Technologists, another Alliance Program participant, and various safety
equipment companies. These organizations were available in Safety Fest’s vendor area to discuss
improvements in safety equipment and best practices. In addition, representatives from the Boise
State University OSHA On-site Consultation Program talked with the attendees about its free services,
available to Idaho’s small business owners.
2009 Safety Fests
Since the 1st Annual Safety Fest was held in 2005, three more Safety
Fests of the Great Northwest have been held in Boise, Idaho. The events, which continue to be free,
have attracted a growing audience.
The 4th Annual Safety Fest of the Great Northwest, held in Boise on January 27-30, 2009, attracted
718 attendees. This event offered 39 safety and health training classes on topics including accident
investigation, combustible dust, ergonomics in construction, fall protection, forklift operation, and
respiratory protection.
The classes also included the OSHA 10-Hour General Industry and Construction Outreach Training Program
courses in English and Spanish. Over 200 people attended these courses and earned their OSHA 10-Hour
Cards, including 18 people who took the OSHA 10-Hour Construction course in Spanish.
Building on the success of the events in Boise, a Northern Idaho Safety Fest of the Great Northwest was
held for the first time on February 24-27, 2009 in Post Falls, Idaho. This event was organized to bring
free safety and health training to front-line employees, supervisors, and managers in the northern part
of Idaho and surrounding states. Over 400 people attended this event, which featured 26 classes. The
event was sponsored by several businesses, including Ansley Inc., the Washington Division of URS
Corporation, ACI Northwest Inc., Merritt Brothers Lumber Company, and the Idaho Forest Group. Other sponsors
included OSHA, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Pacific Northwest OSHA Education Center, the
Associated General Contractors of Idaho, and the Associated Builders and Contractors – Inland Pacific Chapter.
Richard Terrill, Regional Administrator for OSHA Region X, gave the keynote presentation at both of the 2009 Safety
Fests. Both events also featured a presentation during the opening session on homeland security issues for businesses
given by Major Fred Long, the Commander of the 101st Civil Support Team from the Idaho National Guard.
For additional information about this Regional Showcase Story, please contact
Jerry Hockett, Area
Director of the Region X Boise, Idaho, Area Office.
Dirk Kempthorne, Governor of Idaho (third from left) with participants of the 1st Safety Fest of the
Great Northwest event in Boise, ID that addressed construction safety issues. (from left) Michael
Gifford, Idaho AGC Executive Director; Rich Callor, Washington Group Environmental Safety, Health an
Security; Richard Terril, OSHA's Region X Administrator; and Jerry Hockett, OSHA Boise Area Office
Director. |
As of July 2006 (updated March 2009).
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