Director of Safety Services Message ASCCSAFE Fall 2023
November was a busy month and brought forth a lot of excitement as safety professionals, owners and executives gathered for the third annual Safety Summit, which surpassed all expectations! The anticipation leading up to the summit was everywhere, resonating through numerous emails, safety roundtables and direct calls from the ASSC team. If you weren't there you truly missed out on something extraordinary!
The summit was a huge success! This year, ASCC took the program up several notches by bringing in two additional speakers and adding layers of value to the experience. Kicking off the day and keeping in tradition was our esteemed keynote speaker, T.J. Goboloski (ASCC’s Owner/Executive Safety Award Winner) who took center stage with a presentation that left an indelible mark. TJ went beyond the standard keynote format, orchestrating a panel discussion that featured his own personal, lifelong experiences. Joining him were Martin Wetzler, Kim Stewart, Susan Baier, and Heather Keogh, each contributing unique insights into their safety culture at Belfast Contractors. Their heartfelt narratives painted a vivid picture of their collective commitment to safety making their session more than just an informative but a genuine journey through the core values of our safety community.
The second speaker of the day as Dr. John S. Gaal, who captivated the audience with his presentation on “Mental Health in the Construction Industry.” As the Director for the Missouri Works Initiative’s Worker Wellness Program, Dr. Gaal brought a wealth of knowledge on mental health and suicide awareness within the construction industry. His intense and passionate delivery shared sobering statistics, shedding light on the opioid crisis and its impact on construction sites nationwide. Dr. Gaal’s Insights were a rallying call for the industry to address not only the physical but also the mental well-being of our workforce.
Following a delicious lunch, we transitioned to the highly anticipated roundtable format, featuring six engaging round table discussions. This format allowed participants to delve deep into specific topics. The facilitators, who are well-versed in their discussion domains, reported the highlights and key takeaways of their respective topics, which transformed the roundtables into a dynamic exchange of ideas. The roundtables were “the meat and potatoes of the event” and provided a great opportunity to connect with peers and gain fresh perspectives on challenges faced across the concrete construction landscape.
The final presenter, Kelly Lynch Feldkamp, founder of ProVention Plus, took the stage with a dynamic presentation, “The Realities of The Job Site Athlete: Staying in The Game.” Beyond merely talking, she engaged the audience with not one, but two three-minute wakeups incorporated into the agenda throughout the early morning. This not only got everyone on their feet and blood flowing but also got the audience hooked, especially considering she had the last presentation of the day. Kelly's message transcended the audience, it was a clarion call to treat our craft workers as professional athletes, emphasizing a different approach to their overall well-being. She focused on health, proper rest, and body posture, emphasizing that our craft workers truly are professional athletes by definition (someone paid to deliver maximum performance and physical output in service of the organization).
To add icing to the cake, Joe Garza, national EHS leader with DPR Construction, shared his glowing testimonial speaking highly of Kelly and the work of ProVention Plus. He couldn't emphasize enough how impactful their contribution has been for DPR across all their regions.
What truly set the summit apart were the VitalCog pre-conference workshops on suicide prevention and construction instructed by ASCC Director of Safety Services, Joseph Whiteman and SRMC Director, Heather Baines. This groundbreaking training conducted in collaboration with the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus attracted an impressive fifteen participants for the first class and twelve in the second. The large participation in the workshop underscores the significance of this topic within our safety community and for ASCC.
A special thanks to Erica Stone, ASCC Manager of Meetings & Events, whose efforts were instrumental in making the summit a resounding success. To all attendees: “Each of you played a crucial role in making this Safety Summit exceptional. Your enthusiasm has set the bar high, and we're fully committed to enhancing and making each subsequent summit even more impactful for you!” Thank you for being an integral part of this remarkable journey. Should you have any questions or suggestions for our next safety summit please feel free to reach out to me at jwhiteman@ascconline.org.