Registration on for 2nd annual NMASH confab

The Northern Marianas Alliance for Safety and Health said that registration is now open for its 2nd Annual Governor’s Health and Safety Conference, to be held August 17-20, 2004.

Last year’s initial conference drew over 200 participants from the community’s private and public sector groups, and NMASH expects a larger audience with its greater focus on certification for the sessions’ attendees.

NMASH, with trainers and presenters from OSHA Region IX in San Francisco, the OSHA Institute in Illinois and local CNMI Government, will conduct simultaneous construction industry and general industry tracks over a three-day period aimed at awarding OSHA training certification to the conference participants.

The conference will include its opening ceremonies by Alliance co-chairs Richard A. Pierce and Al Johnson, and remarks by Gov. Juan N. Babauta and OSHA Region IX Administrator Frank Strasheim.

The general sessions and breakout sessions will have topics that include fire prevention, suppression and evacuation, respirator training, hazardous materials handling, long shoring, public safety for workers, sanitation in food procurement, ergonomics, nursing homes, safe drinking water, hospitals, blood-borne pathogens, First Aid & CPR training in English, Mandarin and Tagalog, and domestic violence in the workplace.

The CNMI OSHA Consultation will be introduced for CNMI employers and DEQ will discuss its upcoming partnership with the Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association.

NMASH Alliance Members include the OSHA Region IX Offices in San Francisco, the OSHA Region IX Education Center in San Diego, the Northern Marianas College, the

SGMA, the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Saipan Contractors Association, the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, and the departments of Public Safety, Labor, Environmental Quality and Public Works.

NMASH alliance member companies and government offices are encouraged to reserve entry through their respective groups and association headquarters. Conference fees will be announced with the hotel venue site after a NMASH Alliance meeting on July 14, 2004.

Please contact NMC’s David Attao at 234-5498, SGMA’s Emy Taitano at 235-7699 and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce Office at 233-7150 for registration information.