August 2026 Volume 8

SAFETY

FIA 2026 SAFETY CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON HIGH-CONSEQUENCE MANUFACTURING

Representatives from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and OSHA will provide guidance on confidential consultation services, industrial hygiene support, workplace inspections and serious injury and fatality prevention. Attendees will also hear strategies for improving workers’ compensation outcomes through proactive claims management and employee-centered practices. A panel featuring Ohio OSHA leadership will offer an opportunity for candid conversation about enforcement priorities, inspection best practices, lessons learned from the field and the conditions that contribute to catastrophic workplace events. The day will also include safety innovation spotlights, featuring brief educational presentations on emerging technologies and practices. Topics will include predictive analytics, common OSHA compliance gaps, noise monitoring and hearing conservation. Day two, “Preparedness, Response & Workforce Resilience,” will broaden the conversation beyond traditional compliance. Sessions will examine how depression, stress, substance misuse and personal crises can affect concentration, judgment and workplace safety. Police and fire officials will discuss critical incident planning, emergency communication and the importance of building relationships with first responders before an emergency occurs. Attendees will learn what responders need to know about industrial facilities and what manufacturers can do to improve coordination during fires, active threats and other serious events. Additional programming will explore human performance and the organizational conditions that can lead good employees to make unsafe decisions. A session on combustion safety will address another critical concern for facilities operating high-temperature processes. The conference will conclude with boxed lunches and a plant tour of Fives North American Combustion. FIA and the FIA Safety Committee remain committed to helping members share knowledge, apply proven best practices and stay informed about the issues shaping workplace safety and compliance. In high-consequence manufacturing, no priority is more important than protecting employees and ensuring every person returns home safely at the end of the day.

This two-day program will examine catastrophic-risk prevention, emergency preparedness and workforce resilience.

Safety professionals, operations leaders and manufacturing executives will gather September 15-16, 2026, for the Forging Industry Association (FIA) Safety Conference at the Tri-C Corporate College Conference Center in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. Built around the theme “Leading Safety in High-Consequence Manufacturing,” the conference will address the unique challenges of protecting employees and managing risk in forging and other heavy industrial environments. Through expert presentations, regulatory insights and peer discussions, attendees will explore practical strategies they can apply within their own facilities. The first day, titled “Preventing Catastrophic Risk: Leadership, Compliance & Innovation,” will focus on management responsibility, regulatory compliance and serious incident prevention. Theodore Schorn of Enkei America will open the conference with “A Quality Guy Approaches Safety,” examining how principles commonly used to improve manufacturing quality can also strengthen safety performance. Schorn will discuss management’s role in safety and identify improvement opportunities specific to forging operations.

Register Today! Date: September 15 – 16, 2026 Location: Tri-C (Warrensville Heights, OH) The FIA Safety Conference is designed for safety and EHS professionals, plant managers, operations leaders, human resources personnel, engineers and executives responsible for building safer, more resilient manufacturing organizations. Breakfasts, breaks and a Tuesday afternoon networking reception will give attendees opportunities to connect with industry peers, safety specialists and solution providers. View the complete program and register online at www.forging.org/events or call 216-781-6260.

26 FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2026