According to Alcoa, the two-day forum, scheduled to take place later this year, will focus on causes of workplace fatalities, identify best practices and solutions for preventing fatalities and determine areas of future safety research that would drive significant safety improvement in the workplace. The forum will be hosted by IUP's Safety Sciences Department.
"Zero work-related injuries and illnesses have been long-standing goals for Alcoa," Alcoa Corporate Safety Director Jeff Shockey said. "We believe world class-safety performance is attainable through dedicated effort. IUP has a strong safety sciences program that aligns with Alcoa's safety vision."
According to Alcoa, Dr. Lon Ferguson, chair of the IUP Safety Sciences Department, will work with representatives from industry, labor and government to develop the agenda for the forum.
Ferguson asserted that "the reliance on traditional approaches to fatality prevention has not always proven effective."
"This fact has been demonstrated by many companies, including some thought of as top performers in worker safety and health, as they continue to experience fatalities while at the same time achieving benchmark performance in reducing less-serious injuries and occupational illnesses," Ferguson said.