GDC Summer Social & Volunteer Opportunities
Greater Detroit Chapter members,
We hope you are staying cool and enjoying your summer safely. Please see below for several important updates from our Chapter community.
Seeking Volunteers
The Greater Detroit Chapter is seeking volunteers for the Website Communications and Programs Committee. If you are interested in participating, please contact us directly at asspgreaterdetroit@gmail.com.
We run solely on volunteers – your help is needed to keep our Chapter going!
Save the Date: GDC Summer Social
Save the Date for the ASSP GDC Summer Social, a social and networking event geared toward safety professionals and their friends, family, and colleagues. The event will take place at Jackson Field on Sunday, August 23 beginning at 12 PM.
Members and their guests will enjoy a Lugnuts baseball game, lunch, and fan experiences. Full details can be found on the event page. Registration will be available soon.
Upcoming Event: Serious Injury and Fatality Prevention Mastermind Seminar
The Serious Injury and Fatality Prevention Mastermind Seminar will be held on July 10 at Oakland University. This mastermind seminar brings together leaders in safety, operations, fleet, risk, and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) devoted to the future of Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) prevention across field operations and fleet environments.
Visit the event page for details and registration.
Congratulations to GDC Vice President Karly St. Aubin, MS, GSP on being the recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Alumni Award from Oakland University!
The Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement and/or contributions to the community. Karly St. Aubin is an alumna of Oakland University’s two safety programs: BS in Environmental Health & Safety and MS in Safety Management. She is a volunteer for the ASSP, Michigan Safety Conference, and Oakland University Industry Advisory Board. She is a regional safety leader with Rivian, and a passionate professional.
The Greater Detroit Chapter is a proud partner of Oakland University, including their ASSP Student Section.
Take care & stay safe!
The ASSP Greater Detroit Chapter
Importance of Knowing Employees’ Names in Workplace Safety
OHS practitioners, lend me your ears!
Do you know that, as an OHS practitioner, your success lies not only in your technical expertise but also in your ability to build and nurture trusting relationships and strong workplace alliances with coworkers from other departments?
In today’s newsletter, let’s discover one simple yet powerful tip OHS practitioners can use to build and nurture trusting relationships and strong workplace alliances.
Establishing and nurturing trusting relationships and strong workplace alliances is essential for influencing shop floor employees and ultimately convincing them to embrace plantwide safety initiatives.
There are many ways this can be done. One simple way is to learn the names of as many employees as possible.
Read MoreMember Recognition – Dale Gray
Dale Gray has been a member of ASSP for over 50+ years and is a current member of Greater Detroit Chapter. Dale recently took the time to provide us with some words of wisdom he has gained over the years and tell us a little about himself.
Advice on being an effective safety professional
To be truly effective in safety management, securing management support and involvement is paramount. While support is important, true involvement means active participation. For instance, if you need the CEO’s support, they might delegate the task to someone else. Involvement, on the other hand, means they personally commit to the task.
For example, during my career, I requested the CEO’s involvement in creating a video for a large audience. He not only agreed but also declined my offer to draft his speech, insisting he knew what he wanted to say. This level of engagement is what distinguishes involvement from mere support.
Read MoreRestaurant Loss Prevention/Security Association (RLPSA) Conference
At the Restaurant Loss Prevention/Security Association (RLPSA) Annual Conference on March 26, Dr. Tara Diesburg, GDC member and Assistant Professor at Oakland University, presented on the ergonomics risk factors to watch for in the restaurant and food service industry, and ways that we might be able to mitigate them. Attendees also discussed how to implement a participatory ergonomics program in their facilities to have the best possible outcome with their ergonomics programs.
Another Great “Safety at the Zoo” Event!
Over 25 people attended the Greater Detroit Chapter (GDC) Safety at the Zoo event on December 19th, 2023. This was one of several activities we (the GDC) hold each year to provide an opportunities for our members to learn, network, and have some fun. We started off with a presentation by Lynn Cox, followed by dinner at Table 28 and a stroll around the zoo enjoying the light displays. The presentation reviewed the different requirements that help keep all those involved safe, from the staff and animals all the way to the 1 million+ guests that visit the Detroit Zoo each year. This was a great event. A big thanks to Lynn, and to everyone else who helped make this happen!
