Forum on Catastrophe Preparedness
Partnering to Protect Workplaces
Sponsored and organized by the California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC)
Friday, April 7, 2006
The South San Francisco Conference Center
255 South Airport Boulevard
South San Francisco, CA 94080
One hundred years after the catastrophic earthquake of 1906, earthquake risk and the risk of other catastrophes including terrorism continue to loom large for Californians and the nation. And as we have learned from September 11, the risk of a catastrophe while people are at work, and the risks to the workers who respond, require the urgent attention of employers, workers and policymakers. This conference brought together leaders in homeland security, emergency response, and occupational safety and health to discuss individual, worker and employer preparedness for catastrophic risks.
The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
San Francisco City Hall after the 1906 Earthquake. |
A view of San Francisco after the earthquake and fire. |
(Photos from the Karl V. Steinbrugge Collection, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, U.C. Berkeley) |
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Presented in cooperation with the Labor & Workforce Development Agency, the California Department of Industrial Relations, RAND Corporation, the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California, Berkeley, Risk Management Solutions (RMS), Swiss Re, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Sponsored by the California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC), a labor-management Commission created by the 1993 workers’ compensation reform legislation. The Commission was established to oversee the health, safety and workers’ compensation systems in California and recommend administrative or legislative modifications to improve their operation. Recognizing that employers and workers should be prepared if a catastrophe strikes at the workplace, the Commission voted to host a public education program devoted to workplace safety in terrorism attacks and natural disasters. CHSWC developed this forum to provide an opportunity for the health, safety and workers’ compensation communities and the public to discuss and share ideas for safety in responding to terrorist attacks and natural disasters, learn lessons from others’ experiences, as well as consider areas where improvements need to be made.
Selected Presenters
- John Garamendi, Insurance Commissioner, California Department of Insurance
- Henry Renteria, Director, Governor's Office of Emergency Services
- Max Kiefer, Assistant Director for Emergency Preparedness, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
- Hemant Shah, President and CEO, Risk Management Solutions (RMS)
- Phyllis Cauley, Chief, Preparedness Branch, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES)
- Mary Lou Zoback, Senior Research Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey
- Lynn Davis, Senior Political Scientist, RAND
- Harvey Ryland, Former Deputy Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Frances Edwards, Former Director, City of San Jose Office of Emergency Services
- Vickie Wells, Director of Occupational Safety and Health, San Francisco Department of Public Health
- Richard McCarthy, Executive Director, California Seismic Safety Commission
- David Keeton, Risk Manager, Swiss Re America
Who should attend?
The forum covered topics on workplace safety issues in the event of terrorism attacks and natural disasters, and was intended to interest those in the health, safety and workers' compensation communities and the public.
Agenda
Selected agenda items included:
- Impact of a 1906 Earthquake Today
- Profile of Risk to California Workers from a variety of Catastrophe Scenarios
- Is California Prepared if a Disaster Strikes at Work
- Employer and Worker Preparedness for Natural Disasters and Terrorist Attack
- Workers Protecting the Workplace: The Safety and Health of Emergency Responders
- Roles of Federal, State and Local Agencies in Disaster Preparedness and Response
- Recommendations for the Future
CHSWC has provides additional information online about the conference, including final presentation PDFs and PowerPoint files.
CHSWC's Forum Information Page
Program Committee
Program Co-Chairs
Christine Baker, Executive Officer, CHSWC
Dr. Robert T. Reville, RAND Corporation
Conference Coordinators
Janice Yapdiangco, CHSWC
Amy R. Coombe, RAND Corporation
Inquiries about the conference should be directed to:
Janice Yapdiangco at (510) 622-3965 or jyapdiangco@dir.ca.gov
Amy R. Coombe at (310)393-0411 ext. 6008 or coombe@rand.org
Conference Mailing List
To sign up for the Catastrophe Preparedness Forum mailing list, please send an email to catprep@rand.org. The list will be used only for conference announcements.
The Forum on Catastrophe Preparedness: Partnering to Protect Workplaces is a member of the 1906 Centennial Alliance, which was formed to help coordinate and promote activities between organizations throughout Northern California that are commemorating the 1906 earthquake and that are discussing issues relevant to today. For more information about other educational resources and events in your community, please visit http://1906centennial.org/
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