Registration is open for the nation’s largest conference for occupational safety and health professionals. The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) expects to draw more than 5,000 attendees from 40 countries to its Safety 2020 Professional Development Conference and Exposition. The event takes place June 23-25 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

Although sales of artificial trees have risen from 11.9 million in 2012 to 23.6 in 2018, sales of real trees have remained stable. Approximately 32.8 million real trees were sold in the U.S. last year. Lovers of real Christmas trees appreciate their scent and authenticity. However, without a simple maintenance measure, a real Christmas tree can pose a significant fire danger in a home.

Dollar Tree gets hit with a new set of the same old violations, Exxon loses a legal bid to keep refinery blast info from the CSB and nominations open for National Safety Council awards for safety professionals. These were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

Air pollution is known to be a serious health risk –a cause of asthma, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and a factor, according to the World Health Organization, in an estimated seven million deaths worldwide every year. A growing body of research suggests air pollution may also be harming our brains. In recent years, new areas of study have opened up into how air pollution might affect our minds and the way we think and feel.

The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) is holding a one-day virtual symposium on Wednesday, Jan. 15, that will focus on occupational health and safety management systems and how they can reduce injuries, illnesses and fatalities in any organization. The symposium will include four webinars and provide registrants with two standards for free.

Although the CDC recommends that people get vaccinated for the flu early in the fall, getting vaccinated now can still be beneficial in protecting you from the flu virus. Furthermore, vaccination should continue to be offered throughout the flu season, even into January or later.

A Congressional agreement reached with bipartisan support would hold patients and individuals harmless from surprise medical bills, which can have a devastating financial impact on patients and which go hand-in-hand with the health care industry’s lack of pricing transparency. The agreement is also bicameral.

BCSP looks forward to the leadership of its 2020 Board officers. Mario A. Varela, CSP, ASP will serve as Board President. Joaquin M. Diaz, CSP, CHST, OHST has been elected as Vice President; C. Christopher Patton, CSP, SMS, ASP will once more serve as Past President; and V. Raymond Ferrara, CFP, will serve as Treasurer.

An initiative underway in Denver, Colorado may provide a blueprint for other U.S. cities who want to improve safety on their roadways for “vulnerable” road users - bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. Denver Vision Zero is a five-year plan crafted by city agencies and State and community partners that includes improved street design, safe speeds, a culture of safety, and improved data.

The National Safety Council (NSC) is accepting nominations for five of its prestigious safety awards and designations: the Distinguished Service to Safety Award, the Marion Martin Award, the Community Advancement Award, the Teen Safety Award and Rising Stars of Safety. Winners will have advanced safety in the workplace, in the community or on the road, and will have demonstrated improvement and the effectiveness of their actions, as well as the impact their actions have had to reduce injuries and deaths.