Safety & Health Committee Activities

The SHTC met 10–11 September 2024, Seattle, Wash., USA

The SHTC’s fall 2024 meeting began with a review of the latest Steel Industry Fatalities statistics report. Next the committee went over their sessions for AISTech 2025 and their 2025 Technology Committee awards. They also discussed plans for a future international Study Tour.
The group heard presentations focused on leveraging modern technology in safety, shifting from reactive to proactive safety hazard resolution, modernizing safety programs with digital transformation, and paths to reducing serious and fatal incidents in production.
As part of their two-day meeting, the group had the opportunity to tour Nucor Steel Seattle Inc. and learn about the mill’s safety and health standards in rebar steel production. Committee members in turn provided their observations and feedback to the facility on ways to further improve safety and health.

Safety & Health Technology Committee (SHTC), Galvanizing Technology Committee (GTC) and Digitalization Applications Technology Committee (DATC) joint meeting - 13–14 September 2023, Memphis, Tenn., USA

The joint meeting centered around two themes: safety enhancements in and around galvanizing lines and the transformative applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in operations, quality control, and product disposition, as well as preventive maintenance for galvanizing lines.
During the meeting, attendees were treated to presentations which provided a rich exchange of insights and knowledge, as experts delved into the intricacies of ensuring safety within galvanizing processes while exploring the possibilities of AI and ML.
On the second day of the meeting, participants had the opportunity to tour the galvanizing line at Nucor Steel–Arkansas.

The SHTC met 10 May 2023, Detroit, MI, USA.

The following officers were elected:

• Chair: Nathan Berry - Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works LLC

• Vice Chair: Kyle Toth - Purdue University Northwest

• Papers Chair: Jane MacPherso - MacPherson & Company

• Education Co-Chairs: Brad Bray - California Steel Industries, and Malcom Dunbar - MDSC LLC

Joint meeting with the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) Safety Committee, 14–16 September 2022, Minneapolis, Minn., USA.

The group met for a welcome reception on the evening of 14 September, giving attendees from both AIST and SMA a chance to meet each other from the two groups. The following day everyone participated in an off-the-record roundtable discussion about safety topics and what’s new in their facility. Following the roundtable, the group discussed overhead crane and mobile equipment safety. That afternoon the group went to the 3M campus for a tour of their facility, including demonstrations related to fall protection, hearing protection and communications, respirator fit testing, and effective hearing protection fit testing.
The final day was a half-day featuring two presentations: the first from DEKRA on serious injuries and fatalities and potential serious injuries and fatalities, and the second from Purdue University Northwest on augmented reality/virtual reality for workforce development and training.
The group wrapped up discussion with lessons learned: incidents, good catches and near misses, as well as a discussion on the fatality data that the Safety & Health Technology Committee collects.

The SHTC Held a joint meeting with the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) Safety Committee, 14–16 September 2022, Minneapolis, Minn., USA.

The group met for a welcome reception on the evening of 14 September, giving attendees from both AIST and SMA a chance to meet each other from the two groups. The following day everyone participated in an off-the-record roundtable discussion about safety topics and what’s new in their facility. Following the roundtable, the group discussed overhead crane and mobile equipment safety. That afternoon the group went to the 3M campus for a tour of their facility, including demonstrations related to fall protection, hearing protection and communications, respirator fit testing, and effective hearing protection fit testing.
The final day was a half-day featuring two presentations: the first from DEKRA on serious injuries and fatalities and potential serious injuries and fatalities, and the second from Purdue University Northwest on augmented reality/virtual reality for workforce development and training.
The group wrapped up discussion with lessons learned: incidents, good catches and near misses, as well as a discussion on the fatality data that the Safety & Health Technology Committee collects.

The SHTC met 17 May 2022, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

The following officers were elected:

• Chair: Paul Thurber  /  Everguard.ai

• Vice Chair: Nathan Berry  /  Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works LLC

• Papers Chair: Kyle Toth  /  Purdue University Northwest

• Education Co-Chairs: Brad Bray  /  California Steel Industries Inc., and Malcom Dunbar  /  Edw. C. Levy Co.

• Young Professional Chair: Alyssa Zezza  /  SMS group Inc.

Paul Thurber (right) presented Justin Hoover (left) with he SHTC service plaque.

The SHTC met 8–9 February 2022, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA

The SHTC met in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, for their winter meeting. On 8 February, the attendees joined members of the Cranes Technology Committee for a tour of the new 3-million-tons-per-year flat coil facility owned by Steel Dynam-ics Inc. (SDI) in Sinton, Texas (see the Cranes Technology Committee meeting highlights on page 178).
On 9 February, the SHTC conducted their business meeting and technical exchange. Following introductions and an overview of membership and AIST activities, the members reviewed and finalized the Safety & Health sessions for AISTech 2022. It was noted that the session chairs were responsible for contacting their session’s presenters to ensure the presenters provided the necessary information to present at AISTech. Deadlines for paper submission and registration were also noted. Nominations were then taken for the 2022–2023 SHTC officers. A discussion regarding the activities for the particular officers was held and individuals were nominated. Final elections for the officers will occur during the SHTC’s meeting at AISTech 2022.
The technical discussion began with a presentation by 2021 Don B. Daily Safety Grant awardee Ibukun Awolusi from the University of Texas at San Antonio, on his work “Wearable Internet of Things for Worker Safety and Health Man-agement in the Steel Manufacturing Industry.” He presented his research on evaluating the variety of wearable devices available and how those devices could be used to protect workers in industry. 
Charlie Droessler, LJB Inc., presented “Mapping Your Digital Transformation — Collecting, Integrating and Using Safety Program Data.” Using the example of fall protection, Droessler showed how, by leveraging digital technology to collect and integrate data on the environments where fall protection is necessary, the user can integrate the data into a safety management hub for fall hazard evaluation and management. 
Kyle Toth, Purdue University Northwest Center for Innovation Through Visualization and Simulation (CIVS) senior research engineer, presented “Development of ARMSS: Augmented Reality Maintenance and Safety System.” CIVS has conducted extensive research in tools and technology to improve safety in industrial facilities. By understanding the differences between virtual reality and augmented reality, the technologies can be applied to safety training and hazard recognition to provide workers tools to recognize and understand workplace hazards such as lockout/tagout, con-fined spaces, safety zones, and understanding safety requirements when entering different sections of the facility. 
The last presentation was delivered by Sundeep Ahlumalia and Carl Wheeler, Everguard.ai. They presented on work they have conducted on wearable safety devices. They discussed the benefits of wearing FitBit™-type watches and how those devices can monitor an employee’s heart rate, dehydration levels and other indicators to help an employee recognize if their body requires rest, cooling or hydration before the individual is even aware that they are compromised. Additionally, wearable sensors can help employees be aware of environmental hazards in their area beyond being simple smoke detectors. Wearable sensors also help recognize repetitive stresses or improper lifting techniques so workers can adjust how they work to prevent injuries.

The SHTC and MHTC met 3 November 2021, Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

The group had their business meeting in the morning followed by a tour in the afternoon and a reception with The Making, Shaping, and Treating of Steel: 101 conferece attendees.
During their business meeting, the committee chairs Justin Hoover of Steel Dynamics Inc. (SHTC) and Jesse DeSpain of Nucor Steel–Texas (MHTC) welcomed the group to their first in-person meeting since early 2020. The group had a lengthy safety discussion that covered steel industry fatalities, NASCAR lighting examples, tactical parking, as well as a focus on hand-related injuries and incident management programs.
The group also reviewed each committee’s AISTech session development, awards and upcoming Technology Training Conferences, including the Congress on Safety in Engineering and Industry 2022 on 15–17 August 2022 and the planning of an AIST Safety & Health Conference for fall 2023.

The SHTC met 30 June 2021, Nashville, TN USA.

The following officers were elected:

• Chair: Justin Hoover, Steel Dynamics Inc.

• Vice Chair: Paul Thurber, Everguard.ai

• Papers Chair: Matthew Gilbert, Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc.

• Education Co-Chairs: Brad Bray, California Steel Industries Inc., and Malcom Dunbar, Edw. C. Levy Co.

The SHTC held a virtual meeting 7 April 2021

 Justin Hoover led a review of the steel industry fatalities reported so far for 2021. A discussion ensued regarding safety and material handling. Several recent fatalities included handling product when loading vehicles for final product shipment.
Due to international travel restrictions, the SHTC will sponsor only one session during AISTech, which will be held on Tuesday, 29 June 2021. Both the Safety and Health Innovative and Don B. Daily Awards will be presented during the SHTC meeting during AISTech.
Malcom Dunbar reported that the Congress on Safety in Engineering and Industry scheduled for 1–3 November 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, will contain 24 sessions covering risk assessment, leadership, drones, safety management, engineering and various other topics. He also reported that the Material Handling & Safety Technology Training seminar will be moved to the fall of 2022.
The SHTC reviewed Iron & Steel Technology’s Safety First article schedule for openings and encouraged all committee members to write an article for upcoming issues. It is a great way to advance the knowledge of the industry.
Justin Hoover gave a presentation on best practices in use by his organization. The committee joined in the discussion regarding their practices, which are consistent across the companies represented.

The SHTC held a virtual meeting 22 October 2020

SHTC chair Justin Hoover started out the meeting with an introduction to new members and encouraged their participation in the open discussion of safety topics.
The committee then reviewed the latest Steel Industry Fatalities statistics report and members provided input on the data-gathering process.
The SHTC then went over their sessions for AISTech 2021. Volunteers for session chairs were solicited.
The group also discussed their 2021 awards, including the Safety & Health Innovation Awards and the Don B. Daily Safety Award, as well as nominations for Board of Directors–level awards such as the AIST Distinguished Member and Fellow Award.
Next, Brad Bray and Malcom Dunbar reviewed the current status of the Congress on Safety in Engineering and Industry conference, which will take place 1–3 November 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
The committee reviewed the Safety First article schedule for Iron & Steel Technology and volunteers for authoring articles were brought to the table.
Finally, the meeting turned over to a larger discussion focusing on incident and near-miss trends during these unprecedented times, as well as a continued dialogue about ongoing pandemic-related risks, tracking, and implementation of best practices and procedures across facilities.

The SHTC held a virtual meeting 21 May 2020

The SHTC began their meeting by discussing the potential dates for rescheduling the Congress on Safety in Engineering and Industry 2020 conference, a joint effort between AIST, TMS and numerous other organizations.
Next the SHTC reviewed the Safety First article schedule for Iron & Steel Technology and was able to solicit additional authors for the coming year.
The committee held an election for their 2020–2021 officers. The new officers are:

• Chair: Justin Hoover, Steel Dynamics Inc.

• Vice chair: Paul Thurber, Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc.

• Papers chair: Elizabeth Moore, SunCoke Energy.

• Education co-chairs: Brad Bray, California Steel Industries Inc., and Malcom Dunbar, Edw. C. Levy Co.

The committee discussed the possibility of a joint meeting with the Steel Manufacturers Association in September. The meeting might not be possible this year due to travel restrictions, but the committee would like to plan another joint meeting in the future.
The SHTC also discussed the possibility of another webinar focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on the topics of procedures for returning to work and how telecommuting policies have changed as a result of the pandemic.

The SHTC met 15–16 January 2020, Huntsville, Ala., USA. 

The SHTC started off its meeting with a review of the 2019 Steel Industry Fatalities report, followed by a discussion of steel industry statistics.
The committee then went over its planned sessions for AISTech 2020 and discussed possible topics that may be of interest in the future. The committee currently has a joint session with the Material Handling, Transportation & Logistics and Cranes Technology Committees on Wednesday morning, as well as two full sessions on Tuesday morning and afternoon.
SHTC officer nominations for the 2020–2021 term were taken and the committee reviewed the roles of each of the officers. The committee also nominated a Young Professional chair, Elizabeth Moore, to help in encouraging Young Professional participation at committee functions.
The Congress on Safety in Engineering and Industry 2020 will be held on 21–24 June 2020 in Philadelphia, Pa., USA, and is a joint conference amongst the other societies within AIME. Brad Bray and Malcom Dunbar have been the champions from the SHTC for this conference.
The committee reviewed the current Safety First article schedule for Iron & Steel Technology magazine and volunteers to write articles were solicited.
The main focus of the SHTC’s meeting was behavioral-based safety and the systems that different companies use to help track and encourage employees to participate. Paul Thurber of Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc. discussed his facility’s homegrown system that has been successful in making and recording observations both inside and outside of their mill. Chris Brogli of Ross Controls showcased a few systems from around the globe that demonstrated the need to keep these systems easy to use.
The group concluded their meeting the next day with a tour of Nucor Steel–Decatur LLC, touring both their hot mill and the galvanizing line.