Alabama Governor’s Safety and Health Pre-Conference Workshops

The 2025 Alabama Governor’s Safety and Health Conference will offer pre-conference workshops on August 22 and 23, 2025.

OSHA 7115 Lockout/Tagout (Controlling Hazardous Energy to Prevent Workplace Injury)

This course covers the role and responsibility of the employer to develop and implement an energy control program, or lock-out/tag-out (LOTO) for the protection of workers while performing servicing and maintenance activities on machinery and equipment. Course topics include types of hazardous energy, detecting hazardous conditions, implementing control measures as they relate to the control of hazardous energy, developing and implementing energy control programs including written isolation procedures, training of authorized and affected employees, and periodic inspection of energy control procedures using the OSHA Control of Hazardous Energy Standard. Upon course completion the student will have the ability to explain the importance of energy control programs, procedures, training, audits and methods of controlling hazardous energy.

For questions, contact uaosha@ua.edu or phone toll-free at 877-508-7246.

Cost $250

Location: Perdido Beach Resort

Instructor for Workshop: Scott Herndon

Date: Friday, August 22, 2025 8:00 am – 4:00 pm (lunch provided)

Sampling Workshop for Industrial Hygiene and Workplace Safety

This introductory sampling workshop is designed for technicians and EHS staff who want to learn the basics of workplace sampling for industrial hygiene and safety.

The course is primarily hands-on and provides an overview of key principles and practices for identifying workplace hazards and conducting sampling for air contaminants, noise, vibrations, radiation, mold, hazardous chemicals, and thermal stressors. Practice with commonly used sampling equipment and interactive exercises will help reinforce practical skills, making this course ideal for those new to workplace sampling.

Participants will also explore foundational topics such as developing sampling plans, adhering to QA/QC protocols, completing chains of custody (COCs), communicating with laboratories, and interpreting and reporting results.

Additionally, valuable resources will be provided that students can take with them for use on the job, including sampling templates, checklists, and guides to help apply the knowledge gained in the course to real-world situations.

Cost $250

Location: Perdido Beach Resort

Instructors for Workshop: Kalyn Tew, Claude Santiago, Kevin Covington

Date: Friday, August 22, 2025 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (lunch provided)

OSHA 7105 Evacuation and Emergency Planning

This course covers OSHA requirements for emergency action and fire protection plans. Course topics include purpose and requirements of emergency action and fire prevention plans, elements of emergency evacuation plans, and features of design and maintenance of emergency exit routes. Students will participate in workshops pertaining to the development of emergency action plans. Upon course completion students will have the ability to list the elements of an emergency action plan and emergency evacuation floor plans, recognize violations of OSHA exit route requirements, determine whether their organization requires an emergency action plan, and develop and implement workplace emergency action and fire protection plans.

For questions, contact uaosha@ua.edu or phone toll-free at 877-508-7246.

Cost: $250

Location: Perdido Beach Resort

Instructor for Workshop: Scott Herndon

Date: Saturday, August 23, 2025 8:00 am – noon.

Instruction Biographies

Instructor Bio: Scott Herndon is owner and principal consultant/trainer at Cornerstone Safety L.L.C. Since 1984, Scott has worked to train and provide working conditions that allowed workers to go home at the end of their workday better than when they arrived. Scott has held management positions in industries including valve manufacturing, steel, petroleum refining, textiles, and brick making, as well as serving as an instructor at the OSHA Training Institute Education Center at the University of Alabama. He led the process that resulted to having the first facility in the brick industry participate in the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program at the Star level.

Scott volunteers as a Firefighter/EMT/Trainer at Carroll’s Creek Fire Department in northern Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. He and Kay, his wife of 43 years, began Operation Backpack several years ago to provide backpacks and school supplies to elementary school students in the aftermath of hurricanes, tornados, and flooding events. To date, over 1,200 students have benefited from these efforts.

Instructor Bio: Kalyn Tew is the Environmental Services Manager for the University of Alabama, SafeState. She has experience in many aspects of environmental health and safety and consulting, including environmental sampling, environmental site inspections, creating and reviewing stormwater and SPCC plans, recommending risk mitigation strategies, and performing site cleanups. She also has project management, teaching, and training experience in geological, environmental, and health and safety fields. Ms. Tew has a Master’s of Science in Geology from the University of Alabama and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in geochemistry.

Instructor Bio: Claude Santiago is an Environmental Consultant for the University of Alabama, SafeState. He has seven years of field, lab, and regulatory experience in various disciplines of environmental, health, and safety, including environmental and biological sampling and result interpretation, industrial hygiene sampling, environmental compliance and ISO 14001 internal audits, and industrial pollution prevention (P2) assessments. He also has teaching/education and project management experience in the environmental, zoological, and health and safety fields. Mr. Santiago has a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Natural Resource and Environmental Management from the University of Alabama.

Instructor Bio: Kevin Covington has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Alabama. He has 5 years of experience in the environmental regulatory and consulting field. He designs sampling schemes and manages the field services team at UA SafeState as they provide environmental services across the southeast US. Additionally, he conducts third-party environmental compliance reviews for companies across Alabama to ensure they meet their environmental goals and obligations.