As an aging workforce across many industries nears retirement age, many employers are facing the possibility of losing senior workers who are skilled at doing their jobs – safely.
In response to this expected employment shift, Greenville Technical College’s Economic Development and Corporate Training Division created a new Certificate in Safety Leadership continuing education series to help employers prepare a new wave of first-time team leaders for safety responsibilities.
Taught by David Lynn, president of Peak Safety Performance, LLC, participants will meet once a month January through May to develop a practical roadmap for maintaining a strong safety culture in the workforce.
The series kickoff event will include a keynote presentation by Ed Foulke, partner with Fisher & Phillips LLP. "As a former Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, I am well aware of the transformation that a company goes through by implementing the five principles” says Foulke. “By following the roadmap outlined by David Lynn, an employer can substantially reduce its workers comp and healthcare costs, thus resulting in the company being more profitable and competitive. This in turn keeps more jobs in the company and within the country.”
Employees from large and small organizations will benefit from the knowledge and experience Lynn has acquired over the course of his career working for the South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Duracell, Owens Corning and Greenville-based Fluor, which has been recognized twice by Occupational Hazards Magazine as one of America’s safest companies. Lynn, a Greenville native, successfully led Fluor’s corporate initiative to achieve Corporate VPP status with OSHA in 2008.
In his book Principle to Practice, Lynn describes specific techniques that can be used to implement each of these principles. His tried-and-true techniques form the basis for a deeper engagement in fostering a culture of safety. Participants in the series will have the opportunity to develop valuable skills in safety leadership as they combine classroom education with hands-on worksite projects, resulting in a workforce committed to peak safety performance.
The series will meet January 19-May 18, 2018, for five, one-day class sessions. The keynote session with Ed Foulke, Jr. is also available as a single session. To learn more and to register, visit gvltec.edu/EOHS or call (864) 250-8800.