DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/12/14 -- West Liberty Foods, a leading food manufacturer, will be presenting at this year's Process Safety Management Conference for the Food and Beverage Industry on July 16-17 in Denver. As the Corporate Director of Safety and Health with the organization, David Schaller is a leader in the safety management field. During his session, David will discuss developing an efficient and time sensitive post incident repost. Before the conference takes place, David gives insight by answering a few key industry questions:
As the Corporate Director of Safety and Healthy for West Liberty Foods, what strategies have you implemented to deliver information within your ranks and your legal team?
We provide a weekly safety letter which identifies at work safety items and home safety items we present it in Spanish and English. Additionally we conduct a safety academy which is a program that brings regular employees off the line for three days of safety training and then returns them to the line. In this training they are not just taught about safety, workers comp, medical issues, and more but how to find it and be able to show others.
What best practices do you suggest for preserving and securing the incident site?
The first and most important is to have some training for those who will be performing investigations. Have a set format, ensure that statements are taken as soon as possible to the event and before everyone begins talking to each other. While everyone wants to help it is important to preserve the area as soon as possible in the event of injured employees everyone wants to help but this will destroy the scene and actually hampers rescue and first aid. Get pictures as soon as possible they may be the only way to preserve evidence.
What do you feel is the most important aspect in investigating incidents that occur in facilities?
Fortunately, I have only had one fatality on my watch but have, as a consultant and expert witness investigated many. Time is critical. While internal investigators can do the job in the case of a fatality it is better to have an attorney who has investigators perform the investigation. This can provide some protection of information that is not available from internal investigators and typically involves professional investigators. That is an important issue in fatal accidents.
In terms of safety, what do you feel is the most important step towards preventing incidents?
Actually I feel it is management support. Without that aspect safety will never be the important issue it needs to be. Communication, safety and employee involvement are critical in promoting a safety culture.
What is the key takeaway you feel delegates will have from attending this conference?
I can't speak for others but I would hope that they will leave with ideas that will make their programs better.
David Schaller Bio
David Schaller has been involved in the food and beverage business for fourteen years. As a Safety Director he has developed PSM programs, conducted audits, and investigations on various sizes of ammonia systems. He served as a member of a number of ANSI standards updates. He has written a book called "This Thing Called Safety". Taught and directed operations for the number one OSHA Training Center in the US and is a member of a number of organizations including the Board of Environmental, Health & Safety Auditor Certifications (BEAC)of which he holds the Certified Process Systems Auditor certification.
Dr. Schaller is active in behavior safety and has spoken for events such as ASSE, National Safety Council, United Mine workers and now here.
Key topics from David Schaller's session:
- Preserving and securing the incident site and evidence
- Delivering information within your ranks and to your legal team
- Identifying underlying causes and implementation steps for prevention
- Developing in-house capabilities to investigate incidents that occur in facilities
Registration Information
For information on attending this event contact Michelle Thomas by email or the number below.
Michelle Thomas
PR Coordinator
T:312-894-6313
E: michellet@marcusevansch.com
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Michelle Thomas
PR Coordinator
T:312-894-6313
E: michellet@marcusevansch.com
