AIHce Expo 2023

How to Build and Maintain an Effective IH Program

Date and Time: Monday, May 22, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Presenters: Dave Risi, Principal Solutions Strategist and Kristi Hames, Senior Solutions Strategist, VelocityEHS

Description: The goal of this session is to breakdown the IH black box into a simple process that any EHS professional can use. The IH Program Cycle was developed to simplify and streamline the development and management of an IH program. Using software to effectively implement the 7-step process will be discussed, along with real-world examples of how it can be applied and maintained in industry. We will incorporate the live polls to get audience feedback and provide additional value to attendees.

 

Learning Pavilion: Using Artificial Intelligence to Assess Risk and Solve Problems in Manufacturing

Date and Time: Monday, May 22, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Presenters: Rick Barker, Principal Solutions Strategist and Blake McGowan, Director of Research, VelocityEHS

Description: Advanced technologies are increasing in manufacturing to address tasks that pose high-risk of injuries to workers. When an operator is exposed to an extreme risk factor, the most effective way to reduce this risk is to eliminate it. Today, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is allowing health and safety professionals to assess risk and implement controls easily, quickly, and precisely. The ways AI can assist health and safety professionals:

• Monitor normal patterns of activity and identify outages

• Identify, prioritize, and categorize risk exposures

• Promote optimal controls

• Embed best practices and lessons learned

This session will explore the current state and short-term horizon for AI applications.

 

How to Build an Effective Ergonomics Process

Date and Time: Monday, May 22, 3:15 – 4:15 p.m.

Presenter: Kristi Hames, Senior Solutions Strategist, VelocityEHS

Description: The goal of this session is to provide ergonomics process owners with methods to establish their process roadmap and continually monitor its progress and successes. The methodologies presented are based on ISO 45001 and the Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle of continuous improvement. This session will cover: 1) the key elements of a written ergonomics plan, 2) considerations for establishing an ergonomics team, 3) activities that process owners can perform to enhance stakeholder alignment, and 4) how to select metrics that are aligned with your company’s process maturity and stakeholder objectives.

 

Learning Pavilion: How to Collect and Present Performance Metrics for Your Health and Safety Programs

Date and Time: Tuesday, May 23, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Presenters: Dave Risi, Principal Solutions Strategist and Kristi Hames, Senior Solutions Strategist, VelocityEHS

Description: In today’s increasingly competitive business environment responsible decisions are founded on solid data and that includes managing health and safety. When it comes to these programs, the lives of your workers and the fate of your business can literally depend on the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of the performance data you collect—as well as your ability to effectively communicate that data.
Being able to clearly see performance trends, quickly predict and manage risks, and accurately evaluate the effectiveness of your safety or industrial hygiene programs not only helps you better safeguard your employees, but it can also unlock new levels of efficiency and productivity for your business.

 

The Current and Future Economic Burden of Climate Change on Worker Health Impacts

Date and Time: Tuesday, May 23, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Presenter: Blake McGowan, Director of Research, VelocityEHS

Description: The impacts of climate change (e.g., rising global temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions), pose severe risks to the future of our society and the ecosystem. Yet, the risks of climate change on worker health and economic burden are often overlooked and underappreciated. Workers exposed to hot environments may be at risk of heat stress, resulting in heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes. Heat stress can also increase injury risk in workers due to sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses or dizziness. The economic burden associated with lost work time from altered work/rest schedules due to occupational heat exposure is estimated to about U.S. $218 billion annually, or 0.5% of global GDP. As hot days are projected to increase in duration, frequency and intensity, the economic burden is expected to rise to an estimate at U.S. $2.5 trillion by 2030 or 1.2% of global GDP. Rising global temperatures, left unchecked, will reduce the global GDP 2.84% to 3.94% (similar to the economic burden of the COVID-19 pandemic). For every 1°C increase in global temperature, the global GDP will drop by 0.63% to 0.94%.

 

Physical Demands Analysis and Return to Work Aspects of Your Health and Safety Programs

Date and Time: Wednesday, May 24, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Presenter: Rick Barker, Principal Solutions Strategist, VelocityEHS

Description: With the cost of musculoskeletal disorders rising, measures that focus on mitigating these costs are more important than ever. In controlling indirect and direct costs, metrics that provide high value for employers include: a) numbers and types of injuries, b) time away from work, c) lost productivity, and d) time to recovery from an injury. Tools and programs such as Physical Demands Analyses (PDAs) and Return to Work (RtW) allows employers: 1) to better track such metrics, 2) improve worker health and safety programs, and 3) achieve huge cost savings. This presentation will focus on defining both PDAs and RtW as well as providing examples and case studies for each. Highlights will be placed on explaining their importance along with common ways they are used and applied.

 

How AI, ML and Big Data Can Apply to the Profession

Date and Time: Wednesday, May 24, 2:15 – 3:15 p.m.

Presenter: Dave Risi, Principal Solutions Strategist, VelocityEHS

Description: Big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are all the craze these days. The benefits of these new technologies have been widely demonstrated, and they’re being implemented in a variety of industries and professions around the world. This session will focus on understanding these technologies by providing examples of how these technologies are being developed and utilized. During this session, participants will learn: 1) the important role they play in implementing these technologies, 2) the current limitations of these tools, 3) processes to follow to ensure success, and 4) effective methods to communicate project goals, activities, and the value to the organization as a whole.

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