SafetyFestMT 4 Days of Free Safety Trainings and Workshops

							SafetyFestMT: 4 Days of Free Safety Trainings and
Workshops

Montana has long been a dangerous place to work. For miners, nurses, loggers, warehouse workers, ranch
hands, commercial drivers and office employees. Montana actually has the second highest work-injury rate in the
country. Of the professional categories tracked, Montana’s work injury rate is approximately 50 percent higher
than the national average.

Tuesday, March 30, through Friday, April 2, at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel in Helena, SafetyFestMT will — with
concrete use-immediately tools and ideas, and certification coursework — work to make Montana workers safer
every day they’re at the job.

The WorkSafeMT Foundation Safety Committee is hosting SafetyFestMT and it is free. Based in Helena,
WorkSafeMT is a nonprofit partnership created in 2008 that includes state and federal agencies, private
business, labor unions, organizations and Montana citizens. Through proactive training, education, utilization of
available resources and shared accountability, WorkSafeMT seeks to eliminate occupational injury, illness and
fatality statewide. This free, learning-oriented four-day conference is one part of that effort.

“No matter your job title, job description, industry or level of ‘safety awareness,’ you will benefit from this
conference,” said George Kochman, WorkSafeMT executive director. “The sessions cover the gamut from OSHA
regulations to defensive driving to preventing painful slips, trips and falls. Our speaker-teachers are experts and
serious about helping their conference students make Montana a safer place to work.”

“No matter what you do for work,” she continued, “if you are safe on the job the rest of your life outside of work is
better.”

Over four days in Helena, SafetyFestMT will offer nearly 60 classes that will be immediately useful for all — from
front-line employees to senior managers and company owners, from the manager with an existing safety
program to the business owner wanting to start one.

A sampling of course topics:




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   • OSHA 10-hour Construction
   • SafetyFestMT will offer classes on each of OSHA’s top 10 most frequently cited violations in Montana for
     both construction and general industry
   • Asbestos and Lead
   • DEQ Most Cited
   • Effective Safety Systems at Work
   • Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls (Montana’s most frequent work injuries)
   • Ergonomics and Back Health
   • Defensive Driving (driving is high on the list of ways to be killed at work in Montana)
   • Hazardous Waste Operations
   • Is your employee high or just happy to be at work?

All class attendees will receive certificates of participation that can be noted in employee files and on
professional resumes. In addition, certification cards, or refresher status, will be awarded for the successful
completion of OSHA 10-hour Construction, OSHA 10-hour General Industry, Medic 8-Hour, HazWoper 8-hour
Refresher for hazardous waste operators, and AHERA standards/asbestos training for maintenance and
custodial staff.

And, Ms. Kochman noted, for those employers who are just getting their safety pr


Suzanne Elfstrom
Partners Creative
406.541.2263
Helena, MT,
Website: www.safetyfestmt.com




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