Expanded Safety Fest set for September

Making Tennesseans safer at work

Submitted

Virtually any company will tell you that worker safety is job one.

In Oak Ridge, there’s an event every year to help make sure the words get turned into action. For the third consecutive year, the Oak Ridge Business Safety Partnership, partnering with a number of organizations, will host Safety Fest TN, a week of safety classes, safety seminars, a Safety Expo, and a community Safety Forum—all free of charge to anyone who registers. The event is scheduled for September 8-12 and is based at the New Hope Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

“We appreciate Consolidated Nuclear Security working with us to accommodate Safety Fest TN and for sponsoring the community brunch on September 8,” said Jenny Freeman, chair of the ORBSP planning committee, which is responsible for organizing the event.

Classes will also be held at five other locations, including Centro Hispano in Knoxville, where courses will be offered in Spanish. The addition of Spanish language classes is a new and important outreach.

“This year’s Safety Fest TN is popping at the seams with classes, events, seminars, a Safety Expo, and even a community brunch,” Freeman said. “We’ve got something for everyone.”

One of the main events is a community Safety Forum with Bruce Wilkinson, a leadership/communication specialist, who motivates through humor, passion, enthusiasm, and authenticity. His mission is to help organizations translate their culture into a workplace climate that inspires leadership, service, and accountability.

Over 40 free safety classes will be offered during Safety Fest TN, ranging from the OSHA series to chainsaw safety and hearing conservation.

Want to communicate safety more effectively? Safety Fest TN will offer a seminar on that topic, taught by senior managers.

Safety Fest TN also hosts a seminar called World Class Safety, which features representatives from commercial manufacturers who share information about their safety programs. This year’s participants represent Denso, John Deere, DTR, and Hendrickson.

“This seminar is ideal for learning new ideas from safety practices implemented at the facilities of some of the region’s most successful companies,” said J.J. Rochelle, seminar coordinator.

Rochelle also organizes Safety Expo, a two-day trade show with booth space for up to 35 sponsors.

Safety Fest TN kicks off at 9 a.m. on September 8 with the community Safety Forum.

“We appreciate the companies—Stoller, ORAU, and WAI—sponsoring Mr. Wilkinson’s visit to Oak Ridge,” Freeman said, “and we’re actively soliciting additional sponsors, whose donations make it possible for Safety Fest TN to remain free of charge to anyone who registers.”

A complete schedule can be found at www.safetyfesttn.org. Registration is open, and sponsorships are available.

For more information, contact Jenny Freeman about sponsorships at [email protected], Hannah Short for registration at [email protected], and J.J. Rochelle about the Safety Expo at [email protected].