** PLEASE NOTE ** March 20 registration deadline

BEMIDJI, Minn. — Registrations will be accepted through Friday, March 20, for the annual Northern Minnesota Safety Conference held from 7:45 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Bemidji.

Designed for safety coordinators looking improve and enhance their knowledge of today’s leading safety issues, the conference is sponsored by the Minnesota Safety Council, Northern Minnesota Safety Council and the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation.

Registration for the event is $75, but individuals choosing to attend only the morning or only the afternoon sessions can register for $40. Registration fees include refreshments and participant materials; the full-day fee also includes lunch. Continuing education units are also available. Registration must be completed by the Friday, March 20, deadline.

Carolyn Garcia, district sanitarian for the Bemidji Area Indian Health Service, will present the morning keynote address on leadership and the safety team, while Bemidji resident Vince Beyl will present the afternoon keynote on a personal story of distracted driving because of a cell phone resulted in a serious car accident.

The morning and afternoon sessions will each feature a number of breakout sessions.

The morning sessions include drug and alcohol testing, strategies for implementing a plan and training staff for emergency preparedness, accident and safety analysis, driving and back safety, development of a safety culture, office ergonomics and an update and overview of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The afternoon breakout sessions include tips on how to prevent and control worker’s compensation claims, developing plans to train employees and aerial lifts.

The conference also includes exhibition space for vendors and businesses to display safety equipment, materials or services.

To register for the conference, request a registration form from the Bemidji State University Center for Reseach and Innovation via e-mail at cri@bemidjistate.edu or by phone at (218) 755-4900, or toll-free at (888) 738-3224.

Groups helping support and organize the Northern Minnesota Safety Council and the Northern Minnesota Safety Conference include North Central Door Company, Tri-Valley, Shooting Star Casino, Polaris, Beltrami County and the City of Bemidji.  The council sponsors a monthly safety presentation that is open to the public.

For more information, or to be added to the mailing list for the Safety Council series, contact the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation at (218) 755-4900; (888) 738-3224; cri@bemidjistate.edu; or at http://www.cri-bsu.org.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR
March 31 – 7:45 a.m.-3 p.m. – Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation hosts Northern Minnesota Safety Council annual safety conference. Location: Evangelical Covenant Church; Bemidji, Minn. Registration: $75, includes lunch and materials; half-day registrations also available for $40; advance registration required by March 20. Information: (218) 755-4900; (888) 738-3224; cri@bemidjistate.edu; http://www.cri-bsu.org.