April Chapter Meeting – International Leadership Lecture: Worker Dignity, Health, and Safety @ East Carolina University

Topic: Keynote Message for Worker’s Memorial Day

Today 14 US workers will die because of job injuries – women and men who go to work, never to return home to their families and loved ones. These do not include those workers who die from occupational diseases, estimated to be 50,000–60,000 each year. A renowned worker rights advocate and our keynote speaker, Dr. Gerard Ayers, OHS & E Manager, C & G Division CFMEU Victorian Branch from the Australia’s largest construction union visits ECU. He will engage us in a discussion around awareness and action of these issues in preparation for International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD), which takes place annually around the world on April 28. IWMD is a day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.

After attending this presentation you will:

• Learn about Australia’s experience with new silica regulations and compare that to the recent silica regulations in the US
• Identify silica dust control measures
• Understand Australia’s introduction of controversial industrial manslaughter laws

Speaker: Gerry Ayers, Ph.D. 

Gerard has worked in the construction industry for over twenty-five years.  He started work as a builder’s labourer, and is now the OHS&E Manager of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (Construction and General Division – Victorian/Tasmanian Branch).  Gerard has also worked in the NSW Branch of the CFMEU.  He has a PhD and a Master’s Degree in OHS, and Graduate Diploma in Occupational Hazard Management.  He sits on a numerous committees and boards that address all manner of issues to do with OHS, has written numerous articles and has presented many papers (both locally and internationally) on a vast range of OHS issues.  He is also a guest lecturer at Melbourne University, RMIT and Federation University, and is a strong advocate of the right of workers to be involved in workplace OHS decision making.

Click here for more information on the presentation.

Time: 

2:30PM – 3:30PM Executive Committee Meeting (All members are welcome to attend)

4:00PM – 5:15PM Keynote Message for Worker’s Memorial Day

5:30PM – 7:00PM Technical Meeting & Dinner (ECU Campus)

Location: College of Engineering and Technology, Science and Technology Complex Suite 100, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4353

This is event is being hosted by the ECU Student Section of the American Society of Safety Professionals, the Master of Science Program in Occupational Safety, and the Department of Technology Systems. Our partners include the ECU Student Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the Construction Management Student Association.

Parking: The large parking lot on College Hill Dr. will have free non-ticketed parking available from 2:00PM the day of the event. It is labeled as “College Hill Lot” on Google maps.