TEXO recently hosted its 6th annual Construction Safety Professionals Day, which brought together TEXO members, safety professionals, and key decision-makers for two days of high-quality speakers, workshop sessions, and a vendor showcase. Furthermore, TEXO and its Safety Committee developed the Construction Safety Professionals Day to give industry peers in North Texas an opportunity to share best practices, collaborate with safety experts, and recognize the safety award winners who are committed to ensuring a safe workplace to all employees on a daily basis. CSPD has also become the perfect platform to award scholarships to some very deserving people.
TEXO’s mission is to unify, advocate, and advance our commercial construction industry, and the Construction Safety Professional’s Day is truly a reflection of this mission.
MAREK, who is ABC’s National Contractor of the Year, said they were grateful to sponsor this event. John Hinson, MAREK DFW President further explained, “This is a perfect example of our industry taking the right steps to eliminate incidents and accidents. Yes, I am one of those people that believe we can reach our goal of ZERO accidents by changing our behaviors.”
Hinson continued, “Thanks to TEXO’s staff (Lois, Todd, & Meloni) and all the sponsors and educators here to promote this safe culture and the safety of our industry for our workers and their families.”
This year, a workshop day was added to the agenda, which included sessions in:
- Excavation Safety (in English and Spanish)
- Fall Protection (in English and Spanish)
- Adaptable Communication
- CHST (Construction Health and Safety Technician) Study Group
The conference day included speakers that motivated, educated, and entertained the attendees. The speaker lineup and topics included:
Kevin Cannon, B.S., CSP, Senior Director, Safety and Health
The Associated General Contractors of America
Topic: AGC Safety Awards: Who, What, Where, When, How
Tricia Kagerer, CPCU, CSP, CRIS, Executive Director – Dallas Construction
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Topic: AGC Safety Awards: Who, What, Where, When, How
Scott Sears, PE, CSP, Director of Safety and Loss Control
Walker Engineering
Topic: AGC Safety Awards: Who, What, Where, When, How
Keyan Zandy, COO
Skiles Group
Topic: Beyond Compliance: Effective Emergency Action Planning
Brian Webster, Director of Safety
Skiles Group
Topic: Beyond Compliance: Effective Emergency Action Planning
Timothy A. Minor, Area Director
Fort Worth Area Office Department of Labor / Occupational Safety Health Administration, Region VI, Fort Worth Area Office, Fort Worth, Texas
Topic: OSHA State of the Union / Ask a Compliance Officer
Julie K. Schatz, Senior Vice President
Roberts & Crow, Inc.
Topic: Risk Management / EMR
Stephen M. Wiltshire, MS, Director of Safety
Associated Builders and Contractors
Topic: ABC Safety Awards: Who, What, Where, When, How
Melanie Laird, Chief Administrative Officer
FC Construction Service
Topic: ABC Safety Awards: Who, What, Where, When, How
Dr. Isabel Perry, President/CEO
21st Century Safety
Topic: 18 Leadership Skills: Lessons Learned on the Links
"All of this was possible by the support of exhibitors and sponsors committed to sharing the message of safety," said Todd Holtz, TEXO's VP of Operations. "Participation has grown from 100+ TEXO members attending and participating to, now, over 270 attendees comprised of TEXO members, other Texas trade associations, OSHA, the Southwest Chapter of ASSP and Southeastern Oklahoma State students, majoring in the study of Occupational Safety and Health. The program will continue to grow, serving to develop safety professionals and share the message of safety in the industry."
