American Society of Safety Engineers
Future Safety Leaders Conference Speech
November 7, 2008
ASSE Students – Are You Ready for
Tomorrow?
Warren K. Brown, CSP, ARM, CSHM
President
Welcome!
This morning I would like to talk briefly about:
 How this conference will help you
About ASSE and its Many Student Resources
Recent Student Survey Findings
Business of Safety
Networking, Professionalism &
The Business of Safety
• Welcome to this annual Future
Safety Leaders Conference–
We’re pleased to see more than
200 of you from around the
country
• By the end of this conference I
hope you will have gotten to
know each other well
• Safety professionals, ASSE
members -- subject experts and
staff are here to provide
invaluable information, tips you
can use now to enhance your
success in your career and in
your life
How And Why We Are Here
• Over the years ASSE’s growth in membership
and programs has increased as does interest and
hiring in the occupational safety, health and
environmental field – hence your ASSE leaders –
board members and committee members alike
believed that a conference such as this will help
provide the tools needed to navigate your career in
today’s world
• A 24/7 world with no global boundaries – we have
been there and can help you
•
A New Day
Today, we are faced with a worldwide financial crisis, a new administration which
means the appointment of new cabinet members/leaders such as Secretary of the
Department of Labor, a 24/7 news delivery environment which means what may
be big news one minute is shuffled off to the sidelines minutes later
• This combined with, to name a few, an aging
workforce and a shrinking number of young workers
while facing an increase in demand by
business for SH&E professionals – and we are
beginning to see this worldwide
• Businesses recognize the need to reach out to
students -• I’d like to recognize a couple of special people
here today who helped make this possible:
Brad Giles from the Washington Division of URS
Ron Schwartz of Liberty Mutual
Please stand. Both of these individuals and the ASSE members here have helped make
this event, Foundation scholarships, grants and research possible by donating
funds and their valuable time throughout the year to help students and their peers
Thank you!!!
Ever Wonder Where Your Career May Take You?
• A recent ASSE Foundation survey of 154 ASSE scholarship
recipients found the majority of the students are working in
the safety, health and environmental field in all industries
including manufacturing, technology, construction, energy,
health, insurance and for non-profits. They work for
companies such as ConocoPhillips, Disney, Menasha
Packaging Company, Chevron, Aon, BP, American Airlines,
Kraft, and many more
Some have continued their
SH&E education and most are
still in the SH&E field.
Or the Challenges You Will Face
Challenges noted by the
survey respondents
included:
• Gaining Buy-In
• Overcoming a learning
curve
• Training
• Management
• Overcoming the “new kid”
syndrome
• Continuing on-the-job
learning/education
The Rewards Of Being an ASSE Student
Member
• In the survey students said due to their ASSE affiliation
they received:
– Increased credibility with employers and peers
– An enhanced “positive reputation when applying to graduate
schools”
– Increased knowledge from ASSE members through mentoring
and networking providing them with greater first-hand expertise
– Gaining experience
– Getting a foot in the door and much, much more
So…Get Involved. Stay Involved… It is easy to do, the rewards are
invaluable and I urge you to do so
21 March 1911
146 female
garment workers
died
1914 the USCI name
changed to American
Society of Safety Engineers
(ASSE)
You are a member of the
American Society of Safety Engineers -the world’s oldest & largest safety society…
protecting people, property and the environment
since 1911 with 32,000 + members located worldwide
Here’s my story
• I’ve been involved in advising managers on
preventing workplace injuries and illnesses for
many years including…
• From GM to….
• And for years I’ve volunteered my time to
ASSE and mentoring others…
• Here’s how the structure works and how you
can become more involved and get even more
back from ASSE than you put in…I’m living
proof of that
Successful Students
STRUCTURED to DELIVER
MEMBERS
®
Sections
14 Practice
Specialties
and
Branches
CoC
Chapters
House
Of
Delegates
Areas
Regions
CoPS
CoMRA
CoPA
Board of Directors
CoPD
(volunteer leaders)
ASSE – By The Numbers
• 32,000 members- located in 75
countries
• 151 Chapters & 28 Sections
• 58 Student Sections
Challenges
•
Needless to say I have faced several
barriers in my jobs working to
implement safety systems such as
– Apathy by corporate
management
– A corporate culture that does not
embrace safety as a core value
– Employees sometimes unwilling
to utilize safety programs,
protection, etc…even when they
know it can save their lives
should an incident occur
– Multi-cultural work sites
– Multi-contractor work sites
– Lack of communications and
failing to listen
These are challenges that we all meet,
analyze and find solutions for – ASSE
and your fellow members can help
you along the way
Issues Confronting our Profession – A
Couple More
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Global Health and Pandemic Preparedness
The Economy/Stabilizing the U.S. Financial Infrastructure
Recruitment and retention of educated and skilled workers
Escalating SH&E Regulations/Adapting to World Regulations
Displaced workers and low morale
Increasing level of immigrant workers worldwide
Exporting of Manufacturing Jobs and Service Jobs
Ongoing – disasters such as Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Fires, etc.
Sustainability
Aging workforce
ASSE Foundation
www.asse.org/foundation
• For instance the Foundation notes that there is
nearly $135,000 in scholarships and professional
development grants for the upcoming year for
more than 30 students and for those continuing
their education
ASSE Scholarship Winners
Leadership
“ Making A
Difference”
The SH&E Professionals who are problem
solvers, have multiple skills and
demonstrate results woven into the
organization’s financial goals will be
viewed as valuable assets.1
Business of Safety– Some Facts
• In 2006 5,840 workers died from on-the-job
incidents in the U.S.
• Millions return home safely from work every day due, in
part, to the SH&E profession – to you
As for the SH&E impact on a businesses bottom line:
• Today businesses spend about $170 billion a year on
costs associated with workplace injuries & illnesses
• U.S. employers pay almost $1 billion every week to
injured employees and their medical providers
• Employers face a damaged reputation and brand when
employers are injured, especially if the incidents are
preventable
Business of Safety– Your Role
• Let people know about these facts and
how our profession contributes positively
to the bottom line – not only
monetarily but it reduces the intangible costs
to family, friends and co-workers when someone loses their life due to a workplace incident
• A recent Goldman Sachs study in
Australia showed valuation links between
workplace safety and health factors and
investment performance – it found that
companies who did not adequately manage workplace safety issues
underperformed those who did – that workplace safety and health factors have
potentially greater effectiveness at identifying underperforming stocks –
For a copy of this information go to www.asse.org/naosh08 and to our ASSE Business
of Safety Committee for this and more
Skills You Will Learn Through Member
Involvement
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Leadership skills
Management skills
Communication skills
Networking skills
Presentation skills
Time management skills
Team working skills
Meeting skills
Project skills and more!
ASSE Resources for You
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Go to www.asse.org to find information on
the value of the profession from the
Council on Professional Affairs, for
upcoming ASSE symposiums and webinars
from Professional Development, on key
standards from the Council on Practices
and Standards, on our global efforts from
ASSE Membership, on our public relations
and government affairs activities
Consider becoming a member of one (or
two/three) of our 14 practice specialty
groups – a great way to increase your
knowledge and network
ASSE has available the most topical
technical publications-The new two volume
“Safety Professionals Handbook”
We urge you to participate in any area of
ASSE and to help us get the word out at
your schools, in your community and at
home on how safety is good business….
Students at KY Governors Safety
Conference 5/08
…and now …
some advice for students as you
pursue your degree, a happy professional
career
and personal life….
To succeed it takes balance:
Maintain Balance
• Family/Friends
• School
• Hobbies/Fun
• Work
• A.S.S.E.
Thank You
• Thank you for your commitment to protecting people, property and the
environment
• For being here today and sharing your valuable insights and questions
• For your support of ASSE
• You make a major difference in the world and with ASSE – especially
during these turbulent times
• During the conference please ask me any questions that you may have -or how ASSE can help you – enjoy this conference
• Now I’ll turn it back to your host former ASSE Board of Directors member
and long-time active ASSE member Patricia Ennis
• THANK YOU!!!