The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) will offer three key-topic seminars free of charge to all attendees at the upcoming July AWFS Fair in Las Vegas. The free sessions are scheduled to run “one-a-day” on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, July 24-26.

Wednesday’s topic, “Strategies for Reducing Citations in the Woodworking Industry,” will be delivered by Don Evans, a Safety & Health Trainer with the Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS), Nevada. SCATS offers on-site consultation services that align with OSHA and are designed to help employers recognize and control potential safety and health hazards in their workplaces. The presentation focuses on the top citations issued in the woodworking industry and key methods for preventing them. The program also contains a segment on injury and illness prevention (dubbed I2P2). All those who attend will receive a workplace safety guide.

On Thursday, a panel addresses “Regulations and Certifications Impacting the Woodworking Industry,” and includes Sharene Rekow of the Green Building Initiative who will discuss the increasingly popular green building rating system called Green Globes. Gary Heroux of Composite Panel Association will present information on CPA’s Eco-Certified Composite (ECC) Program which provides manufacturers the opportunity to communicate the environmental advantages of composite panel products. Gene Valcke with Hanes Industries will provide updates on pending and recent legislation in California including from Cal OSHA and the Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation.

Friday’s offering is “Benefiting from Industry-Education Partnerships,” which takes a look at the growing opportunities for joint business and education endeavors. The target audience is both industry professionals and educators. Speakers will discuss how to build partnerships, the payback to industry for involvement with Skills USA and the merits of the new Woodwork Career Alliance (WCA) skill standards for both industry and teachers as well as how to become a skill evaluator for the standards. Speakers include John Dunn, CA Dept. of Education; Eric Gearhart, Skills USA; Kent Gilchrist, Fremont Interiors; Patrick Molzahn, Madison Area Technical College; and Scott Nelson, Woodwork Career Alliance.

“We wanted to make the information in these important sessions accessible to all attendees as a service to the industry,“ says Angelo Gangone, Executive Vice President of AWFS. “Safety, knowledge of regulations and partnering with education are critical issues that affect all the businesses in our industry.”

While the sessions are free, attendees do need to sign up for the classes when registering to ensure adequate seating. To register, or to view the full 2013 CWWK schedule, go to www.AWFSfair.org. For additional information, contact AWFS at 800-946-2937 or e-mail [email protected].

Source: AWFS