NLCSA Conference Agenda

Jane Eustace, CIH  Manager of Prevention Services, WorkplaceNL

Silica is the name for a group of naturally occurring minerals that include quartz. Silica is the second most common mineral on earth and is found in virtually all types of rock, sand, soil, and stone. It is also found in construction materials, such as asphalt, brick, cement, concrete, drywall, grout, mortar, plaster, refractory, stucco, tile, etc. Silica dust is one of the most significant causes of occupational disease in NL. Join Jane as she discusses the hazards of silica and ways to eliminate or reduce overexposure.

Dave Carroll, Singer Songwriter

Dave Carroll is an award-winning songwriter and social media innovator from Halifax, NS. He became familiar to hundreds of millions when his YouTube music video about a customer service issue with an airline, United Breaks Guitars , became a worldwide media sensation.

United Breaks Guitars has been called “a unique expression of a universal truth” because it resonates with the members of virtually any business or organization and Dave’s relaxed, authentic and often funny delivery of the events make for a compelling and entertaining lesson.  The importance of storytelling and becoming a more effective storyteller has never been more apparent for all organizations.  With every one of us being a storyteller, learning how to craft and share a compelling story is skill Dave will share during his time with you. The audience will leave with a better understanding that we are all inherently connected,  and that if you can energize a network with genuine caring everyone, from shareholders to employees to consumers,  will benefit from the fact that any one person can offer amazing contributions for the benefit of others.

Michael DeVenney, CFA, ICD.D

The freedom paradox. It’s the tension point of so many entrepreneur’s lives. You start a business, in part, to create freedom and then you work in ways that makes freedom impossible. It’s an agonizing irony.  The key to breaking free from this paradox is mental health; it informs everything. Healthy decisions – the kind that create freedom – cannot be made in an unhealthy environment. Join Michael as he discusses the factors affecting workplace mental health, and tangible actions that can support a more psychologically safe working experience for employees.

Karen Hann, Threads of Life Speakers Bureau

Karen Hann worked the food service industry for 19 years, and has been working in the electrical industry since 2008. She lives in Conception Bay South with her husband Bob, where she loves spending time with her granddaughter Drew most of all. In her spare time she and Bob enjoy going to their summer home in Little Harbour East, Placentia Bay, appreciating the peace and fresh air.  In 2013, her family experienced a traumatic workplace tragedy. Karen joins us as a volunteer of Threads of Life – the Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support – and its Speakers Bureau.

Dr. Chris McLeod, Co-Director, Partnership for Work, Health and Safety, University of British Columbia

Drawing on a decade of research on the effectiveness of occupational health and management certification, this session will provide an overview of the evidence on the effectiveness of how Certificate of Recognition Certification improves health and safety in construction. It will also discuss key challenges for small construction firms in developing responsive occupational health and safety management systems.