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Opening  Session

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

 

Foundational Leadership: The Science of High-Trust Teams

Keynote Speaker:

Chief Jason Hoevelmann

Fire Chief of the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District

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Session I

9:30 AM - 10:15 AM

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Coaching v Discipline: A Legal Perspective

Samra Cordic, Associate Litigation, Armstrong Teasdale

This session will address the tension between undocumented coaching, which many employers prefer, and formal disciplinary action, which OSHA expects, when the employer raises an employee misconduct defense. It will also go through best practices when developing disciplinary policies and audit programs.

 

Confined Space Awareness

Dennis Pivin, Senior Health, Safety and Environmental Technical Advisor, SAK Construction   

There are many occupations that require the safe performance of work when confined space is involved. Understanding these hidden dangers, and the critical importance of proper preparedness in confined spaces, are vital to a safe work site. This course will cover the five critical components of confined space awareness.

  

Drills, Training & Exercises: Why Are They Necessary as Part of Emergency Planning?

Mark Bagby, President Emergency Planning Solutions

Emergency planning is not only important but required by OSHA or the Dept of

Labor. In order for employees (or students) to know what to do in an emergency,

there must be drills, training or exercises to practice performance, roles and

expectations. They don't have to be standard and boring. Fun elements, games

and prizes can be incorporated into learning.

 

Learning AI Safely

TBD

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the workplace, and safety professionals have an opportunity to harness its potential while understanding its limitations. Discover practical ways AI can support hazard recognition, training, inspections, incident analysis, and decision-making while maintaining the critical role of human judgment.

The future of safety isn't just better equipment, it's better insights. Bring your questions, challenges, and curiosity as we explore how AI can become a safe, practical, and powerful partner in creating healthier, safer workplaces. Whether you're just beginning to explore AI or looking for new ways to apply it, you'll leave with ideas you can confidently put into practice.

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Legacy Leadership, who holds the Key to Unlocking Legacy?

Brandon Anderson, Vice President of Safety, AGC of Missouri

Discover how empathetic, people‑first leadership shapes a strong safety culture. Inspired by Brandon Anderson’s message, this session explores influencing through trust, supporting mental well‑being, communicating authentically, and fostering growth. Learn to lead with purpose, elevate your team, and build a lasting leadership legacy

 

DEMO

Engaging and Disengaging Energy

John Waite, Strategic Account Manager, ArcSafe

Working with energized electrical equipment requires careful planning, the right procedures, and a thorough understanding of the risks. Join John as he demonstrates best practices for safely engaging and disengaging energy in electrical power distribution systems. The session will cover charge-close and trip operations, remote switching techniques, and practical methods for reducing arc flash exposure while operating a variety of power distribution equipment. Whether you're involved in maintenance, operations, or safety management, you'll gain valuable insights into improving worker safety and minimizing risk when performing critical switching operations.

 

DEMO

Fire Extinguisher Training

John Mundwiller, President, Amazima Safety Consulting, LLC

Led by John, participants will practice extinguishing a simulated fire while reviewing the fundamentals of fire extinguisher safety, including selecting the correct extinguisher, understanding fire classifications, and technique. You'll also learn when it is appropriate to fight a fire—and, more importantly, when it is best to evacuate.

 

DEMO

Safe at Heights: Essential Fall Protection ABCs with Live Demo

Bo Solari

Falls are a leading cause of workplace injuries and fatalities, making fall protection a critical aspect of any safety program. This session will introduce the ABCs of fall protection, offering essential insights into Anchor points, Body support, and Connecting devices. Attendees will learn key principles for selecting, inspecting, and using fall protection equipment. The session includes a live drop-truck demonstration, providing a hands-on experience that shows workers what to expect and how to respond in fall scenarios.

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Session II

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM

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Creating Safe Workspaces: Confronting Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Harassment

Kasey G. Kaiser, Executive Director, Crime Victim Center

Mark Kurkowski, Owner Kurkowski Consulting and Training

Survivors lose nearly 8 million paid workdays per year due to DV, costing U.S. businesses approximately $1.8 billion annually in lost productivity. 94% of corporate and security directors at companies nationwide rank domestic violence as a high-security concern.  This session will help participants navigate the complexities of when domestic violence, stalking, and harassment enters the workplace, thus helping businesses create safer work environments.

 

Investigation Fails: What NOT To Do After A Work Accident

J. Bradley Young, Partner, Harris Young Kayser

Brad will examine what not to do after a work accident and provide tips on how to properly investigate a work injury.  Brad’s presentation will offer insight into how to ensure a quality investigation of a work accident.

 

Excavation Safety Fundamentals

AJ Gadjosik, Senior Loss Control Representative, Acuity Insurance
Excavation and trenching remain among the most hazardous construction activities. This introductory session reviews OSHA requirements, common hazards, soil classification basics, protective systems, and the responsibilities of employers and workers. Whether you're new to excavation safety or looking for a refresher, you'll leave with practical knowledge to help identify risks and prevent cave-ins before work begins.

 

Lockout/Tagout: Managing Hazardous Energy Safely

Mike Toledo, Safety, Guarantee Electrical

Lockout/tagout is a critical safeguard against injuries caused by hazardous energy. This session explores current best practices for controlling electrical and other hazardous energy sources, with an emphasis on planning, verification, and program effectiveness. Learn practical strategies for strengthening your LOTO program, addressing common compliance challenges, and protecting workers during maintenance and servicing activities.

 

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DEMO:

Engaging and Disengaging Energy

John Waite, Strategic Account Manager, ArcSafe

Working with energized electrical equipment requires careful planning, the right procedures, and a thorough understanding of the risks. Join John as he demonstrates best practices for safely engaging and disengaging energy in electrical power distribution systems. The session will cover charge-close and trip operations, remote switching techniques, and practical methods for reducing arc flash exposure while operating a variety of power distribution equipment. Whether you're involved in maintenance, operations, or safety management, you'll gain valuable insights into improving worker safety and minimizing risk when performing critical switching operations.

 

 

DEMO:

Confined Space Entry

Tony Coco, Owner, Archview Services

Dennis Pivin, Senior Health, Safety and Environmental Technical Advisor, SAK Construction   

Take confined space safety beyond the classroom with this interactive, hands-on training experience. Participants will have the opportunity to practice proper confined space entry procedures using a state-of-the-art confined space training trailer designed to simulate real-world conditions.This practical session reinforces essential skills, including hazard recognition, atmospheric monitoring, entry procedures, communication, and emergency preparedness in a safe, controlled environment.

 

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Session III

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM

 

OSHA Update: An emphasis on Current Trends

OSHA Representative

Stay informed on the latest OSHA initiatives, enforcement trends, and regulatory updates impacting employers in our region. This session will highlight recent inspection activity, common citations, emerging issues, and practical insights to help organizations remain compliant and proactive.

 

 

Lunch

12:15 AM - 1:15 PM

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(visit with exhibitors and see demos)

 

 

Session IV

1:15 AM - 2:00 PM 

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How to Grow a Safety Manager:  A Panel Discussion

Jen Horstmann, Director, Safety, Schnuck Markets, Inc.

Matt Turkovic, HSE Technician, Bayer

Ryan Wehrle, Corporate Safety Manager, Tarlton Corporation  

Joe Wickenhauser, Manager SHE, Wieland North America, Inc. 

There is no single path to becoming an effective safety leader. In this interactive panel discussion, industry professionals will share three distinct approaches to developing safety managers: mentoring individuals with traditional safety education, identifying and growing talent organically within the organization, and helping employees transition into safety leadership from other operational roles. Panelists will discuss how they recognize potential, develop critical skills, and create successful pathways that strengthen both their people and their safety culture.

 

Rethinking Safety Inspection: Lessons from the Playground

Brad Ziegler, Environmental Health & Safety Manager, St. Louis Community College

Playgrounds are among the most rigorously evaluated public environments when it comes to hazard recognition, user behavior, and injury prevention. Inspectors are trained to evaluate movement, fall zones, entrapment hazards, surfacing conditions, maintenance issues, and foreseeable misuse—all within dynamic, uncontrolled environments.

 

This session draws a direct parallel between playground safety inspections and workplace inspections across facilities, laboratories, manufacturing environments, and campuses. By applying the same observational techniques used in playground inspections, safety professionals can improve their ability to identify hazards that are often missed in traditional checklist-based inspections.

 

Attendees will gain a practical, field-ready framework for improving inspection effectiveness by focusing on movement, interaction, human behavior, and how conditions change over time. This session offers a fresh, highly visual approach that is immediately applicable across industries.

 

 

The Components of a Resilient Safety Culture: From Theory to Practice

Shae Birkey, Safety Leadership Adviser, Caterpillar, Inc.

Trey Patterson, Central Region Safety Director, McCarthy

Safety culture exists whether an organization proactively manages it or not.  Over the past 50 years, Caterpillar Safety Services has worked with hundreds of organizations striving to build the strongest safety culture possible to keep their people safe. What we’ve learned is that the key to success and sustainability is resilience. In this presentation you will learn about the four interdependent components that are necessary to achieve a resilient safety culture: a system with appropriate controls and clear expectations, a shared mindset that meets challenges with care and curiosity, consistent leadership behaviors that positively influence others, and a fully engaged organization focused on continuous improvement to build ownership.

 

Fleet Safety: A Panel Discussion

Moderator: AJ Gajdosik, Acuity  

Scott Honer, Senior Loss Representative, One Digital Insurance

David Callies, Safety & Technology Director, Kelpe Contracting, Inc.

Eric Thiessen, DOT and Compliance Manager, Emery, Sapp and Sons

Join a panel of industry professionals as they explore innovative technologies and proven strategies for improving fleet and driver safety. From telematics to training, discover how organizations are enhancing safety, reducing risk, and protecting their drivers on the road.

 

Workers' Compensation & Return-to-Work: From Injury to Recovery

Sheila Schmidt CSP, ARM , Safety and Risk Services Regional Manager, MEM
Navigating a workplace injury can be complex for both employers and employees. This session provides an overview of the workers' compensation process, from reporting an injury and managing claims to developing an effective return-to-work program. Learn best practices for supporting injured employees, reducing lost work time, and fostering a safe, successful transition back to the workplace.

 

DEMO:

Machine Guarding

Larry Berry, Principal, Dangergone

Machine Guarding is one of OSHA’s top 10 most frequently cited standards. Inadequate machine guarding exposes workers to crushing, severe cuts and amputations. Join Larry as he demonstrates proper and adequate machine guarding.  Larry will also discuss what machine guarding is OSHA compliant.

 

DEMO:

Confined Space Entry

Tony Coco, Owner, Archview Services

Dennis Pivin Senior Health, Safety and Environmental Technical Advisor, SAK Construction

Take confined space safety beyond the classroom with this interactive, hands-on training experience. Participants will have the opportunity to practice proper confined space entry procedures using a state-of-the-art confined space training trailer designed to simulate real-world conditions. This practical session reinforces essential skills, including hazard recognition, atmospheric monitoring, entry procedures, communication, and emergency preparedness in a safe, controlled environment.

 

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Closing Session

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

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Turning Up the Heat: Today's Hottest Safety Challenges

Insurance: Dan Bembower, Risk Control Consultant, USI Insurance Services

Legal: Chris Archer, Partner Archer & Lassa LLC

OSHA: An OSHA Representative

Safety:  Todd Cook,  Vice President of Risk & Safety, Guarantee Electrical Company

Today's safety professionals are navigating an ever-changing landscape of regulations, emerging risks, workforce challenges, and evolving technologies. This interactive panel brings together experienced safety leaders to tackle the industry's hottest topics, with discussion driven by questions submitted by attendees before the conference (a survey will be sent) and open discussion during the session. From compliance and culture to leadership and innovation, panelists will share practical insights, lessons learned, and real-world solutions you can take back to your organization.

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CEU Credits: A certificate of .60 CEU will be EMAILED TO YOU AFTER THE CONFERENCE​​​​​

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