The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) has canceled its annual Ohio Safety Congress & Expo scheduled for Wednesday through Friday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center due to concerns surrounding the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 
 
An online component of the workplace health and safety event will go on as scheduled, however, providing the opportunity to secure continuing education credits for professionals in the health care, human resources, safety, and legal communities. The 8,600 who registered for the in-person event will be enrolled automatically for the online event.
 
“The health and safety of Ohioans remain our top concern, and we must take every precaution to protect our citizens,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud, following the direction of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and local and state health leaders and experts.
 
Safety congress’s kickoff session at 9:30 Wednesday morning is still scheduled, but for an online audience only. The in-person component will not be rescheduled this year due to the size and scope of the event. Attendees looking to attain continuing education credits are encouraged to review the sessions offered through the online option. For those who have yet to register, as well as details as they become available, visit Ohio Safety Congress & Expo.
 
More than 300 vendors had registered for the Expo Marketplace to showcase their latest workplace safety and health products. BWC will reimburse the vendors the fees for their booth space. 
 
Now in its 90th year, the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo is the largest free work-safety event in the United States. It offers workplace safety and health education, training and resources for Ohio workers, employers and safety professionals.
 
BWC encourages the public to stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 information by visiting the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) website coronavirus.ohio.gov and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ODH also has a call center open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. to answer questions regarding COVID-19. The call center can be reached at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).