The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday during the first day of the Safety 2024 Professional Development Conference and Exposition at the Colorado Convention Center.

The 10-year agreement defines shared principles and aims to improve employee safety training, advance occupational health practices and expand the use of safety and health management systems.

“We share a strong commitment to workplace safety and health, so sharing our knowledge and expertise makes good sense,” said ASSP President Pam Walaski, CSP, FASSP. “This collaboration will leverage strengths, elevate the voice of our profession, and improve safety standards to reduce illnesses, injuries and fatalities.”

The Executive Committee of the Long Beach Chapter of the ASSP is extremely excited to announce that, for the first time in the chapter’s history, it has been recognized as a “Platinum” chapter – the highest level awarded by ASSP. The designation as a Platinum chapter reflects the tremendous work of the chapter during the 23-24 term which concluded on 1 July 2024.

The Long Beach Chapter leadership has worked very hard to ensure that this chapter is the ASSP chapter of choice for safety professionals in SoCal. No other chapter has offered more education and networking opportunities, grants and scholarships, awards and recognition, and more. As past-president Chris Rainwater noted, it is the mission of the chapter to serve as a resource for safety professionals and to make sure that each member gets “more than their money’s worth” from membership in the ASSP.

Past-President and current Region 1 DRVP Chris Rainwater has accepted an appointment to the ASSP’s prestigious Editorial Review Board (ERB). His appointment begins 19 July 2024 and runs for three years.

As a member of the ERB, Mr. Rainwater will play a crucial role in maintaining the high standards of the society’s publications. His responsibilities include rigorously reviewing submitted manuscripts for relevance, originality, and technical accuracy. He will help ensure that the content aligns with ASSP’s objectives of advancing the safety profession and promoting the dissemination of critical knowledge. ERB members provide constructive feedback to authors, suggesting improvements to enhance clarity, depth, and applicability of the research or insights presented. Additionally, they uphold ethical standards in publishing, safeguarding against plagiarism and conflicts of interest. Their expertise and dedication help sustain the credibility and impact of ASSP’s professional resources, such as the “Professional Safety” journal, ensuring it remains a valuable asset to safety professionals worldwide.

The Long Beach Chapter of the ASSP recently held its annual Awards Gala at La Traviata Italian Restaurant. More than 40 members and guests attended the wonderful event to honor this year’s award winners. Chapter President Dr. Chris Rainwater presided over the evening’s events as guests enjoyed a five-course meal and drinks.

This year’s award winners were:

• The Safety Professional of the Year – Dr. Chris Rainwater
• The Founders’ Award – Marianne Thomas
• The Tom Butler Award for Excellence in Safety – Rosa Carrillo
• ASSP Achievement Award – Mayra Ramirez
• ASSP Achievement Award – Luis Ortiz
• ASSP Achievement Award – Cecy Ordonez

A special “Lifetime Achievement Award” was also presented to Tom Butler.

Thank you to all of you who took time to cast your vote for the elected officers of the Long Beach Chapter of the ASSP for the 24-25 Term! Thanks also to those who placed their names on the ballot to volunteer in these positions. Your elected officers for the 24-25 Term are:

We also have members volunteering for the non-elected positions on the Executive Committee, and we are sincerely appreciative of their willingness to serve. If you’d like to volunteer for any of the following positions, please email Luis Ortiz directly. All non-elected (appointed) positions are made by the President for his/her term.

Positions (some may already be filled):

• WISE Chair
• Professional Development Chair
• Membership Chair
• Awards and Honors Chair
• Social Media Chair
• Government Affairs Chair (volunteer recently identified)
• Newsletter Editor
• Grants and Scholarships Chair

For more information about these roles, visit Files – ASSP Long Beach Chapter

Congratulations again to our 24-25 Term officers!