The ten workshop topics are as follows, during registration you can specify your preferred topic.
Please note, we will be keeping the groups balanced and as such, you may not get your initial choices. You can only participate in one workshop and you will be notified before the event on your assigned group.
1. Exiting an elevated work platform
Facilitator: Scott Owyen - Training Manager, Genie
A controversial subject that happens every day no matter of opinion. How can we change it from a conversation topic to an action point?
2. Site risk assessment
Mark Hinkel - President, Institute For Aerial Lift Safety
How many times do we see situations that could have been prevented if someone took the effort to look out for hazardous elements on a job-site in advance rather than just showing up with the equipment to get the job done?
3. Introduction to platform load sensing (i.e. how will it affect your job)
Facilitator: Baldemar Guerrero - Director Environment Health and Safety, BlueLine Rental
You may love it, you may hate it, - it is here to stay. How will that affect how the jobs get done from construction sites, service work to building maintenance?
4. Recognizing and avoiding Electrocution
Facilitator: Matthew Eckstine - Director of Operations and Safety Consultant, Eckstine & Associates, Inc
We all know it is the # 1 killer animal in the aerial industry, yet, we have to live with the beast as it feeds the very energy to the projects we work on. How can we continue to take better measures as apparently, we haven’t learned yet how to stay clear of the killer beast’s path.
5. MEWP rescue plan
Facilitator: Jeff Stachowiak - Director of Safety Training, Sunbelt Rentals Inc
Yes, we all have a plan - but have we shared it and made sure everyone knows what it is? MEWP rescue plans are now mandatory, and how will that impact our industry and how we work.
6. Do we know what a safe work site is?
Facilitator: Ian McGregor - Director of Product Safety, Skyjack Inc
It is just not all about the operator, but is the work site environment safe, have we done what we can to make sure nobody gets hit by falling objects, have proper precautions been made and what makes a job site safe for the surrounding area and those occupying it?
7. Near misses
Facilitator: Forrest Hester - Chief Development Officer, Tutus, LLC
Unfortunately, it happens every day, but how do we communicate them? How do we develop and maintain a chain of communication where we both can learn from near misses and use these incidents in a pro-active way beyond just the person/s that experienced it?
8. Retraining
Facilitator: Teresa Kee - Corporate Director, Field Safety, United Rentals Inc
What’s the difference between 10 years’ experience and 1 year’s experience that is 10 years old? Because we have been trained once does it mean we have been trained forever? As technology changes the playing field every day, are we good enough to update our training and how to use equipment safely?
9. Safe MEWP travelling on site
Facilitator: Ebbe Christensen - President, ReachMaster Inc
Accidents involving MEWPs have thankfully been in decline thanks to better technology, yet when MEWP accidents happen, a great majority is not when they are in the air, but on the ground. During on/off loading, moved to the site or moved around on site. Why can’t we learn to get it right after all these years?
10. Qualified service technicians
Facilitator: Andrew Martinez - Product Training Specialist, JLG
Are we losing qualified technicians faster through retirement than new Technician are joining the industry? With rapid change in technology comes rapid demand for technicians that can maintain the equipment, but is the industry ready for it? How do we get the next generation interested in this field of work and how do we ensure that they are up to the task?