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Annual Spring Thaw Conferences Underscore Safety Priority

Annual Spring Thaw Conferences Underscore Safety Priority 
For years, CalCIMA has hosted annual training conferences called the Spring Thaw. The conferences provide an opportunity for laborers, plant managers, supervisors, safety personnel, company owners, vendors, suppliers and equipment manufacturers to get together to discuss updates in regulation, policy and procedure as well as new training ideas.


This year's Spring Thaw Training Conferences were held February 27 in Ontario and March 13 in Sacramento.

In Ontario, over 125 operators heard Eric Wittman, Western Region President of Cemex, present details about his company's Zero4Life safety program.  Attendees were also motivated by a poem and moment of silence in tribute to 2017's fallen miners.  Practical safety advice was provided by operator talks on equipment exams, confined space rescue, vehicle traffic control, and an operator panel on safety engineering innovations.  In between, operators heard detailed updates about rules for workplace exams, confined space, silica, and health, as well as inspection legal advice and a Q&A session with MSHA and CalOSHA officials.

Safety is job one,” said Gary Hambly, CalCIMA President/CEO. “We are pleased to bring these top notch training opportunities to our members.” Sacramento's Conference featured a keynote address from Teichert Material's Director of Safety, Robert Luchessi who spoke about Operational Excellence, from one of the industry's top health and safety attorney, Willa Perlmutter with Stoel Rives as well as an engaging session on interactive safety training techniques.

Presenters at both sessions included:
Zohra Ali, CalOSHA; Ronald Aruejo, CalOSHA; Buzz Biles, Granite Construction; Patrick Corcoran, CalOSHA; Terrell Cypert, CalPortland; Kevin Daly, CalPortland; Greg Evans, Cemex; Daniel Flynn, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP; Jennifer Garcia, MSHA; John Green, Lhoist North America; Jim Henze, CalOSHA Mining & Tunneling Unit; Michael Herges, Graniterock; Araceli Inda, Central Concrete Supply Co., Inc.; Jocelyn Jackson, Lhoist North America; Bradley Johnson, Harrison Temblador Hungerford & Johnson; Robert Lucchesi, Teichert Materials; Meghan Neal, 3M; Shaun Nielson, Cemex; Earl Ochs, Vulcan Materials Western Division; John Pereza, MSHA; Willa Perlmutter, Stoel Rives LLP; Nick Prizant, Specialty Minerals Inc.; Josh Schultz, Law Office of Adele L. Abrams PC; Jason Solis, Vulcan Materials Western Division; Terry Tyson, Lehigh Hanson Region West; Troy Van Wey, MSHA; and Eric Wittmann, Cemex.

Presentations and photo gallery available at www.calcima.org/thaw.
 

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