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! 

The Spring meeting of the Region 1 Operating Committee (ROC) kicked off in style on Sunday night at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach, California. Approximately 35 ASSP leaders from the twenty chapters in Region 1 came together for a reception in the beautiful Seaview Rotunda. Long Beach Chapter President and Region 1 Deputy Regional Vice President, Chris Rainwater, greeted delegates to the meeting and provided each with a welcome “swag bag” of goodies. ASSP President and CEO Jennifer M. McNelly joined the ROC in Long Beach.

At its monthly Education and Networking Session on March 21st, the Long Beach Chapter presented checks to the winning grants and scholarships applicants for the 23-24 term. Chapter President Chris Rainwater presented checks to:

• Allyson Clark – $1,000 – ASSP National Event Grant
• Calvin Pierre – $1,000 – Undergraduate Scholarship
• Anthony Campos – $750 – CSUDH Continuing Education

A fourth winner, Veronica Kimble, was unable to join the check presentation ceremony; however, she has been awarded a $750 grant for continuing safety education.

Congratulations to all the winners! 

Missed your opportunity to apply this year? No worries! The Chapter’s Grants and Scholarships program will continue strong in the 24-25 term.

The February Education & Networking Event held on 15 February at CSUDH was an eye-opening session about Suspension Trauma Syndrome. Chapter President and Region 1 DRVP, Chris Rainwater presented on this fascinating topic to members who attended both in-person and virtually. As always, members who attended in person received a complimentary lunch. All attendees will receive a link through which they may claim CEUs for this event. 

The next Education & Networking Event will be held on 21 March 2024 (always the third Thursday of the month) from Noon – 1:30 at CSUDH. Members are encouraged to arrive at noon for lunch and networking, and the presentation will begin at 12:30. Check here for more information.

Participation was strong for the January 2024 Education & Networking event! 54 members registered for the event which featured Chapter President and Region 1 DRVP Chris Rainwater presenting on the OSHA recordkeeping regulations and the OSHA 300.

Instructions on how to claim your CEU credits will be sent to all attendees. Congratulations to Steven Vanderlaske for winning a $50 Amazon gift card for bringing a guest to the event! Who will bring the most guests to the February 15th Education and Networking Event and win the next gift card? There’s only one way to find out – see you there!

The Holiday gathering at La Traviata on Friday, December 15, was a HUGE success! 40 or so members and their “plus ones” enjoyed an amazing Italian dinner, lots of appetizers and assorted desserts. The mood was very festive, and everyone had a wonderful time! Six lucky elves won door prizes! Long Beach Chapter members also really came through for the kids as dozens of gifts and more than $400 were donated to the Long Beach Fire Department’s annual toy drive! Way to go ASSP Long Beach!

Now, with only a week to go until Christmas Day, we wish you all the peace and joy of the season. We pray for the ever-present hope of Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men!