March 2024 brought on some exciting changes! For the first time, Maritime Safety Day and Construction Safety Day were held on back-to-back days, March 26-27 at the Washington State Fair and Events Center. It was a big change to coordinate two safety conferences into a paired event.
Highlights of our first ever combined industry event:
- 335 attendees joined us and were eligible for contact hours towards their professional development through the Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety Continuing Education Program at the University of Washington.
- Two keynotes and 29 sessions on workplace safety and health, for the maritime and construction industries.
- 47 exhibitors were on hand to share their latest and greatest. The exhibit hall was a hub of activity.
- 7 sponsors supported our event and over 40 volunteers were on hand to help us bring a truly exciting Maritime and Construction workplace safety and health event.
Reviews are in…a success! Many people enjoyed the benefits of attending both days and gave positive feedback.
Maritime Safety Day
Maritime Safety Day kicked off the event on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Keynote Dave Baker shared valuable lessons learned during his impressive career at OSHA and other work experience in the maritime industry. Sessions were held throughout the day covering a variety of topics. There was a featured presentation on Sailor Overboard, and the session for Safety at Sea included a demonstration with a USCG Damage Control trailer.
From the logistical challenges of bringing back an event since 2018 arose the idea to pair it with Construction Safety Day. Reviews of the date, location, and sessions offered at Maritime Safety Day were positive. Even our lunch, Taco Tuesday, was a hit!
Construction Safety Day
The 16th Annual Construction Safety Day was held Wednesday, March 27, 2024. We welcomed back some of our Tuesday attendees, who chose to attend both Maritime and Construction. Keynote Karen Forner shared her knowledge on Generations in the Workplace and how that impacts safety culture. It was a very compelling keynote.
There was a wide variety of sessions for attendees to choose from. There are so many in-demand speakers and important subjects that made choosing sessions difficult! The event was complimented with heavy machinery displayed in the equipment showroom and another day exciting day in the exhibit hall.
Our Board President, Justin Molocznik, recognized the 2024 Construction Safety Day Scholarship recipients during lunch. Congratulations to Antonio Meza and Robin Cariveau who each received $1,250 scholarships to further their education. You can find out more about our scholarship winners here.
Thank you to our Sponsors
We were fortunate to have generous sponsors for Maritime and Construction Safety Days. Sponsors made our event possible and decreased some of the challenges of having our first ever combined event.
Pacific Pile & Marine sponsored both Maritime Safety Day and Construction Safety Day. They helped resurrect Maritime Safety Day from 2018 and kept our event affordable. The Puget Sound Shipbuilder’s Association graciously donated to sponsor maritime students at a 100 percent discount.
Everybody was able to start their day with the famous fair scones, snacks, and plenty of coffee courtesy of our breakfast sponsors AGC of Washington and Parker, Smith & Feek.
JTM Construction, Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust, and Papé Material Handling also made this event possible. They regularly support our events through donations, exhibits, and volunteers. Construction Safety Day would not be the same without their generosity.
As we look back on March, we also look forward to our next event in September and the excitement it brings. We hope you consider joining us in Tacoma!
