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Construction safety will be at the forefront of discussion in the metro area the third week in July, when the Associated General Contractors’ Oregon-Columbia chapter hosts a pair of events geared to improve awareness.

First, a free, one-day fall protection training session will take place July 15 at AGC‘s center in Wilsonville. It’s available to both members and nonmembers, though space is limited to 50 attendees. Employers, supervisors, project managers and others can benefit from participation, said Colette Evers, safety and education director for AGC in Wilsonville.

“Falls are one of the biggest claims that we have,” she said. “We really want to get our folks trained. When you fall, it’s usually either a fatality or a really serious claim.”

Second, AGC’s Oregon-Columbia chapter will host the national Safety and Health Committee meeting July 16-18 at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront. It will be the first time in several years that the national committee meets here, Evers said.

The three-day meeting will include a panel discussion on the U.S. Occupational Health & Safety Administration’s proposed silica standards as well as a presentation by Oregon State University engineering professor John Gambatese. Some participants will take a river trip looking at bridges and other projects.

The national organization also will seek to learn how the local chapter has built a staff of nine full-time employees dedicated to safety-related issues, Evers said.

“We have a very effective program,” she said. “Most chapters only have one (full-time safety employee), but through our successful relationship with our workers’ comp program, we’ve been able to grow for over 20 years. They want to see how we do this.”

Registration fees are $175 for AGC members and $325 for nonmembers. To register, visit .

For more information about the free training, contact Eliot Lapidus at 503-685-8325 or [email protected].