NEWS
ACT
NOVEMBER 2013
48
The 2013 SC&RA Crane
and Rigging Workshop
attendance broke new
ground.
Mike Chalmers
reviews the workshop.
T
he 2013 Crane & Rigging
Workshop brought summer to a
close in impressive fashion. And
what better place to host than Orlando,
Florida – a place where summer only
partially steps aside for a month or two.
The beautiful Hilton at Lake Buena Vista
was the site for September’s annual event,
and attendance was merely one collection
of noteworthy numbers to remember this
year.
Industry professionals from around the
world joined the assembly of SC&RA
members for a variety of educational
sessions, committee meetings and
networking events. This year’s agenda
was geared towards enhancing the
understanding of vital industry issues,
including safety and risk management,
optimal use of equipment, employee
recruitment and retention, marketing and
promotion, the regulatory environment,
construction contracts and more. Some
of the industry’s top experts provided
insights on key issues that affect SC&RA
members on a day-to-day basis, from the
Another huge
INSPIRING PRESENTERS
Among an inspiring assortment of
presenters throughout the week, keynote
speaker,
JOSH WILLIAMS
, Senior Project
Manager for Safety Performance Solution,
Inc. (SPS) started things off in style on
day one with his memorable presentation:
Increasing Self-Responsibility for Safety.
Williams has worked for SPS for 15
years, and is the author of
Keeping People
Safe: The Human Dynamics of Injury
Prevention
. He’s also the co-editor of
Keys
to Behavior-Based Safety
with Dr. E. Scott
Geller, his partner at SPS. Williams has
more than 20 publications in leading safety
journals, and received the Cambridge
Center National First Prize for his research
on behavioral feedback.
One of the key questions he addressed
during his presentation was: “What is
an ideal safety culture and why is one
necessary?” He emphasized throughout
the session that achieving a company-
wide safety culture requires companies to
identify any barriers preventing employees
and leaders from performing their best.
Williams identified three aspects of safety:
person, behavior and environment.
“It’s a numbers game, almost like
‘Vegas,” he highlighted. “You minimize
risky behaviors on the front end, and you
dramatically reduce the potential risks –
the likelihoods – of bad things happening
down the line.” Williams also stressed the
importance of “active caring” – a culture of
looking out for other people. “You want to
get involved to the extent that it feels good
to help out other people. Most of us have a
natural inclination for wanting to belong to
something bigger than ourselves.” Williams
outlined the importance for leaders to take
ownership of fostering responsibility and
good behavior practices in the workplace.
REMINDER
Don’t forget, the January board meetings are just around the corner. Canyons Resort,
in Park City, Utah, is this year’s destination, from January 5th – 8th, 2014. By bringing
leaders together, SC&RA is adding value to its membership, and strength to the industry
overall. The January board meetings set the tone for the year to come, and serve as a
first step for many in getting involved with the Association. Attendees have the exclusive
chance to participate in discussions concerning policies and procedures that will affect the
day-to-day operations for thousands of SC&RA members around the world.
Keynote speaker, Josh Williams, Senior
Project Manager for Safety Performance
Solution, Inc. had the audience captivated
on day one with his enduring presentation:
Increasing Self-Responsibility for Safety.
The September Workshop brought together
professionals from many different areas
of the industry, allowing for valuable face
time and a chance to explore the benefits of
quality networking.
