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MAY 26 & 27 2021

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VIRTUALLY

Prevention through Design Workshop 2021

Keynote Speakers:

Anette Balestrand

Assistant Project Manager

Erland Construction

Brian Bennett

Project Management Advisor

ExxonMobil Global Projects

Chris Trahan Cain, CIH

Executive Director

CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training

Qian Chu

Sr. Project Manager

TuSimple

Deborah E. Dickerson, Ph.D. CIH CSP

Associate Professor

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Helen Lingard, Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor

RMIT University

Payam Pirzadeh, Ph.D.

Research Fellow

RMIT University

Jason Timmerman, CSP

Vice President of Environmental and Workplace Safety

Allegheny County Airport Authority and Pittsburgh International Airport

Chris Golden, CSP, PMP

Project Manager

Skanska USA Civil

Kate McGee, CSP

Director of Health and Safety

Pennoni Associates Inc.

Introduction to the Workshop by TJ Lyons

Prevention through Design as we move into the post-COVID Era

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world, specifically the response to the disease by industries such as construction. COVID-19 has changed the way industries approach protecting workers’ safety and PtD holds the promise to reduce workers’ exposure to health hazards. The second virtual, interactive PtD workshop, on May 26 and 27, 2021, focused on what we have learned in the past year that can be translated to the future improvement of PtD moving into the post-COVID era. Lessons learned from online collaboration, regulatory guidance, modularization, artificial intelligence, work site ventilation, future building design and prevention through design processes were explored providing a baseline for improvement. The 2021 workshop created an excellent opportunity for architects, engineers, contractors, construction companies, project owners, insurers, and academia to exchange and leverage their experiences and expertise on PtD practices by meeting professionals worldwide.

NIOSH-award #1 R13OH011707-01-00

Agenda

May 26
8:00-8:15	Welcome and Introduction
	Dr. David Grau and Dr. Edd Gibson (Arizona State University)
8:15-8:45	*Prevention Through Design – The Australian Construction Industry Experience*
	Dr. Helen Lingard and Dr. Payam Pirzadeh (RMIT University)
8:45-9:00	Q&A (Moderator: Dr. David Grau)

9:00-9:15	Networking Break

9:15-9:35	*Lessons Learned during COVID for Airport Design – A Case Study*
	Jason Timmerman (Allegheny County Airport Authority and Pittsburgh International Airport)
9:35-9:40	PtD Considerations for Managing Design on Large Projects
	Chris Golden (Skanska USA Civil)
9:40-9:45	Potential Applications of Safety by Design in Civil Engineering
	Kate McGee (Pennoni Associates Inc.)
9:45-10:20	Panel (Moderator: Dr. John Gambatese; Panelists: Jason Timmerman; Chris Golden; Kate McGee)

10:20-10:35	Networking Break

10:35-11:00	*Achieving New* *Heights in Safety during the COVID Era*
	Anette Balestrand (Erland Construction)
11:00-11:45	Panel (Moderator: Mark Grushka; Panelists: Anette Balestrand; Jeff Hyman; Peter Hanson, Keith Switzer; Duanne Shanks; Carmine Cimetti)
11:45-11:55	Summary and wrapup (Dr. David Grau and Dr. Edd Gibson)

11:55-12:05	Networking Break

12:05-13:00	Virtual Speaker Rooms with moderators


May 27
8:00-8:15	Welcome and Introduction
	Dr. David Grau and Dr. Edd Gibson (Arizona State University)
8:15-8:45	*Autonomous Trucks: The Pursuit of Safer, More Efficient Logistics with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning*
	Qian Chu (TuSimple)
8:45-9:00	Q&A (Moderator: Dr. Edd Gibson)

9:00-9:15	Networking Break

9:15-9:40	*Modularization in Safety*
	Brian Bennett (ExxonMobil)
9:40-10:25	Panel (Moderator: Mike Flowers; Panelists: Brian Bennett, Jack Toellner, Mike Walker, Chet Zabik and Jim Steele)

10:25-10:40	Networking Break

10:40-11:00	*CPWR COVID-19 Resources and Reducing Risk Through Ventilation*
	Chris Trahan Cain (CPWR)
11:00-11:20	*Prevention through Design Solutions for Occupational Health Risks*
	Dr. Deborah Dickerson (Virginia Tech)
11:20-11:45	Q&A (Moderator: Dr. Babak Memarian; Speakers: Chris Trahan Cain and Dr. Deborah Dickerson)
11:45-11:55	Day 2 Summary and wrapup (Dr. David Grau and Dr. Edd Gibson)

11:55-12:10	Networking Break

12:10-13:00	Virtual Speaker Rooms with moderators

Summary Report

Keynote Presentations

Dr. Helen Lingard, Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor

RMIT University

Dr. Payam Pirzadeh, Ph.D., MIEAust

Research Fellow, School of Property, Construction and Project Management

RMIT University

Prevention Through Design – The Australian Construction Industry Experience

Prevention through Design forms a key component of Australian policy and legislation. The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-22 (the Strategy) establishes the elimination/minimisation of hazards by design as a priority action area and identifies construction as an industry warranting particular attention. The Strategy frames PtD broadly, referencing the design of structures, plant, substances, work, work processes and systems of work as falling within the scope of this priority action area. The principal occupational health and safety (OHS) Act in each Australian State and Territory also establishes requirements for PtD. Notwithstanding the established and widely accepted importance of PtD in the Australian construction industry, practical challenges to its effective implementation remain. Design work, particularly in construction, is heterogeneous and ascribing decision-making responsibility to the occupant of an abstract socio-technical role, i.e. ‘the designer’ is problematic. In practice, design decision-making is socially and technically complex, involves multiple stakeholders whose interests may not always be aligned and decisions that reflect trade-offs between different interests and priorities. The optimisation of OHS in this context can be challenging. Drawing on findings from over 10 years of research into PtD in the Australian construction industry, the presenters use case studies to illustrate some of the structural and cultural challenges experienced and provide examples of successful PtD implementation. In particular, the importance of communication, collaboration and end user participation in decision-making are highlighted as critical success factors for PtD in the construction industry.

Short Bio Dr. Helen Lingard

Helen Lingard is Distinguished Professor at RMIT University. Helen started her career working for a contracting organisation in the civil engineering/construction sector in Hong Kong. Since moving to Australia, Helen has worked as a consultant to organisations in the mining, construction and telecommunications industries. Helen has undertaken extensive applied in the areas of workplace safety, workers’ health and wellbeing and work-family interaction in the construction industry. Her work has been funded by private and public sector construction organisations. Recent projects include an examination of client initiatives in driving work health and safety improvements in the planning, design and construction of major transport infrastructure construction projects, and an analysis of the cultural, organisational and job design factors that impact construction workers’ physical and mental health. Helen is currently working with government and industry leaders in a Construction Industry Culture Taskforce focused on improving work hours, gender diversity and health in the Australian construction industry.

Short Bio Dr. Payam Pirzadeh

Payam Pirzadeh is a researcher at RMIT University, Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering followed by 4 years of experience in planning and control of industrial and infrastructure construction projects. He is a member of the Institute of Engineers Australia. He also holds a Master Degree in Project Management and a PhD in Construction Management from RMIT University. His doctoral research on design decision-making and its impact on construction workers’ health and safety has led to him receiving two prestigious research awards in 2019, the RMIT Prize for Research Excellence (HDR-Design) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Research Award.

Jason Timmerman, CSP

Vice President of Environmental and Workplace Safety

Allegheny County Airport Authority and Pittsburgh International Airport

Lessons Learned during COVID for Airport Design – A Case Study

Making public health a top priority during the COVID19 Pandemic, the Pittsburgh Airport implemented cutting-edge construction Prevention through Design (PtD) concepts to design the 1.3 billion dollar Allegheny County Airport Authority Terminal Modernization Project for the post pandemic world. Lessons learned were captured and will be shared on how, in the middle of the pandemic, architects, designers, owners and contractors worked together to use PtD concepts / activities to “Design Out” risks and hazards across all stages of a project’s lifecycle, and keep workers safe from jobsite hazards.

Short Bio

Jason Timmerman is Vice President of Environmental and Workplace Safety at Allegheny County Airport Authority. Jason is responsible for strategy, leadership, and execution of the environmental and safety programs at both the Pittsburgh International and Allegheny County Airports, as well acting as directing Environmental, Health and Safety for the future 1.2 billion dollar Pittsburgh International Airport Terminal Modernization Program, which will break ground in 2021. Jason has worked in the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) space for 25 years. He has worked in the construction industry serving as the EHS Director of several large general contractors and commercial developers. Jason is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and has a BS in Education and an MS in Safety and Environmental Management from West Virginia University.

Chris Golden, CSP, PMP

Project Manager

Skanska USA Civil

PtD Considerations for Managing Design on Large Projects

Chris will share lessons learned and considerations for implementing a prevention through design initiative on a large design-build project. The presentation will address the importance of establishing clear objectives early in concept design. Key considerations for ensuring that safety in design interventions are carried out through the execution of the project will be discussed.

Short Bio

Chris Golden is a Project Manager with Skanska USA Civil in Los Angeles, California. Most recently, Chris spent 6 years on Skanska USA’s $4 billion public-private partnership to replace LaGuardia Airport’s Central Terminal Building in key safety and operational roles. Chris is a Certified Safety Professional and Project Management Professional. Chris has degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University.

Kate McGee, CSP

Director of Health and Safety

Pennoni Associates Inc.

Potential Applications of Safety by Design in Civil Engineering

This presentation will discuss the role of health and safety professionals during Prevention through Design. Specifically, the opportunities and challenges of health and safety experts to introduce and guide a safety prevention aspect in the engineering design process will be detailed. Lessons learned captured during COVID will be shared.

Short Bio

Kate McGee is a Certified Safety Professional with 14+ years of experience in occupational health and safety program management and environmental consulting. Ms. McGee is the Director of Health and Safety for Pennoni, a professional engineering services firm with more than 1200 employees throughout the eastern United States, specializing in civil, municipal, structural, transportation, and environmental engineering. Prior to her role at Pennoni, she was an environmental consultant specializing in due diligence and industrial hygiene. Ms. McGee currently serves as the President-elect of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), a member of executive committee for the Mid-Atlantic Construction Safety Council (MACSC), and a member to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – Safety Committee.

Anette Balestrand, M.Arch

Assistant Project Manager

Erland Construction

Achieving New Heights in Safety during the COVID Era

The keynote presentation emphasizes the relationship between building design and the potential for occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, and discusses how a collaborative Prevention through Design process was attained during the pandemic. “Designing out” hazards and risks is one of the most effective ways to protect the subcontractors who build the building, the end-users who work in the building, and the operations team who maintain the building. “Designing out” these hazards, for example increasing the height of the parapets to provide fall protection for future roof maintenance, protects the owner from risk for the life of the structure. This presentation will introduce the EMD Serono New Heights Project as a case study on how this was achieved and what made it successful while adapting to a changing climate for collaboration during the COVID era. The presenter will be sharing many examples of incident prevention by design intervention identified and implemented by the team in this collaborative process. The presentation will be followed by a panel consisting of representatives from the owner, design teams, subcontractor, and an industry safety professional who were all involved in the process and contributed to the successful implementation of PtD in construction.

Short Bio

Anette Balestrand is an Assistant Project Manager at Erland Construction, Inc. She currently serves as a PtD Coordinator on a new 149K SF mixed-use office and lab pharmaceutical building. Since the project kickoff in 2019, she has assisted with forming 100+ prevention considerations being implemented into the building’s design and construction. Ms. Balestrand holds a Master’s in Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology. She is an active member of the National Association of Women in Construction and recently served as the Correspondence Secretary for the Boston Chapter. Ms. Balestrand also sits on the NIOSH-funded PtD Steering Committee.

Qian Chu

Algorithm Project Manager Lead

TuSimple

The Pursuit of Safer, More Efficient Logistics with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

In this presentation, Qian will provide an overview of TuSimple’s operations and autonomous systems development for heavy duty trucks used in long haul freight distribution. She will outline autonomous technologies used for Level 4 (L4) driver-less, heavy-duty truck operations to ensure safe autonomous virtual operations deployment. She will discuss the challenges of autonomous heavy truck operations and demonstrate operational scenarios for L4 operations. She will then discuss the use of sensor networks, data fusion, machine learning and artificial intelligence applied to Prevention through Design (PtD) for roadway operations. Finally, Qian will discuss future developments at TuSimple.

Short Bio

Qian Chu is an Algorithm Project Manager lead at TuSimple where she oversees the program management of the autonomous driving systems. In her role, she leads the TuSimple team dedicated to the project management of technology development, testing and integration. As one of TuSimple’s earliest employees, Qian has played a major role in identifying and resolving technical and procedural hurdles, enabling the sophisticated development of TuSimple’s technology.

Brian Bennett

Project Management Advisor

ExxonMobil Global Projects

Modularization in Safety

The keynote presentation emphasizes the potential for reduction of safety risk during construction operations through modular design. A brief overview of pre-assembly and modularization application to heavy industrial projects will precede a case study of large-scale modularization and associated logistics. Key activities that can be potentially shifted from the ultimate construction site to a purpose-built fabrication yard will be discussed, along with the potential benefits from a safety perspective. Potential for overall efficiency and the safety-related benefits of completing the project with less overall work hours will be highlighted with practices and examples.

Short Bio

Brian D. Bennett is a Principal Engineer of Project Engineering Management with the ExxonMobil Global Projects Company. He has 23 years of experience in oil and gas project management, spanning project team leadership, project execution planning and technical advisory roles. Brian’s current role is in the Project Engineering Management Center of Excellence, which provides tools and innovation, project support, and people and skill development to the ExxonMobil project management community. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Florida State University.

Chris Trahan Cain, CIH

Executive Director

CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training

CPWR COVID-19 Resources and Reducing Risk Through Ventilation

Resources and information CPWR’s efforts to help the construction industry protect workers against COVID-19 will be shared with the audience. Also, practices towards ventilating spaces without operational HVAC systems that were implemented and advanced during COVID-19 in order to protect the worker health and mitigate the spread of the virus will be discussed. Examples of ventilating solutions will be illustrated and detailed.

Short Bio

Chris Trahan Cain is CPWR’s Executive Director and leads its construction research, training, and service programs funded by federal agreements, grants, and contracts. She partners with CPWR’s external partners in the government, construction and non-construction unions, and the larger construction safety and health community. She leads CPWR staff in finding synergies among functional areas in order to capitalize on programs funded by different federal grants. She also serves as the director of safety and health for North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), the umbrella organization also known as the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO. NABTU is comprised of 14 national and international unions collectively representing over three million workers.

Dr. Deborah E. Dickerson, Ph.D., CIH, CSP, CHMM

Associate Professor

Virginia Tech Industrial and Systems Engineering

Prevention through Design Solutions for Occupational Health Risks

The optimal method of preventing occupational illnesses, injuries, and fatalities is to design out the hazards and risks, thereby eliminating the need to control them during work operations. In 2007, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health launched a national Prevention through Design (PtD) initiative calling on all major industrial sectors to emphasize hazard mitigation at the design stage. PtD applies to the design of all tools, equipment, materials, and work processes that are employed during the construction process. This keynote presentation introduces the findings of a study to improve the use of PtD solutions for the control of occupational health hazards in several construction trades: asphalt roofing, concrete, masonry, and welding. PtD solutions such as tanker systems, insulated hot luggers, mechanical asphalt spreaders, fume-suppressing asphalt, and local exhaust ventilation systems are discussed in terms of effectiveness and availability. An intervention strategy to improve industry adoption and use is described and preliminary results of an experiment to test the effectiveness of the intervention are presented.

Short Bio

Deborah E. Dickerson is an Associate Professor of Human Factors and Safety Engineering in the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. She is the Director of the Health Work Design Lab, which researches ways to improve the health of workers through design of work, management systems, and the physical and psychosocial work environment. As a faculty member, she has established an integrated research, instructional, and service program emphasizing innovative design solutions to occupational risks; and, intervention strategies to improve stakeholder willingness to adopt those innovations. Certified as a Safety Professional and Industrial Hygienist, Deborah entered her current academic career with over ten years of professional experience conducting health hazard exposure assessment and designing control strategies to reduce worker exposure to occupational health hazards. These prior experiences directly inform her current scholarly pursuits; in that the importance of eliminating hazards at the design-stage of equipment and materials, rather than attempting to control exposures during work operations, became quite evident.

Moderators

Michael Flowers, PE, LMASCE

National Academy of Construction, Retired President and CEO, American Bridge Company

Short Bio

Michael D. Flowers is the retired President and CEO of American Bridge Company. He received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from West Virginia University and his Master of Science Degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Flowers has worked over 44 years in the engineering and construction of high-rise buildings and complex bridges. He oversaw several notable bridge projects in his career, including the rehabilitation of the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City, the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver, the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge in West Virginia, the retrofit of the Tagus River Bridge in Lisbon, Portugal, and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Alexandria, VA. Mike is the recipient of multiple awards, including the prestigious Golden Beaver Award for his work on the new Bay Bridge, and ASCE’s Roebling Award for outstanding leadership in construction of the most challenging bridge projects ever attempted in the modern era. Mike is an active member of the National Academy of Construction, ASCE, the West Virginia Academy of Civil Engineers, serves with an advisory capacity at both West Virginia University and the University of Pittsburgh, and is a trustee at Berea College in Kentucky.

Dr. John Gambatese, Ph.D., PE

Professor

School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State University

Short Bio

John Gambatese is a Professor at Oregon State University. His educational background includes Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, and a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington. He has worked in industry for six years as a structural engineer in San Francisco and for one year as a project engineer for a construction management firm in Seattle. Dr. Gambatese’s expertise is in the broad areas of construction engineering and management, and structural engineering. He has performed research and published numerous articles on construction worker safety, work zone design and safety, prevention through design, risk management, sustainability, constructability, innovation, and construction contracting. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). He is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in California.

Dr. George Edward Gibson, Jr., Ph.D., PE, NAC, Dist.M.ASCE

Professor and Sunstate Chair of Construction Management and Engineering

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University

Short Bio

George Edward Gibson is currently a Professor and holds the Sunstate Chair in Construction Management and Engineering in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE) at Arizona State University. From 2010 to 2018, he served as SSEBE School Director, overseeing significant growth in its programs and rankings. In addition to ASU, he served on the faculty of North Carolina State, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa and Auburn University. His educational background includes a B.S. and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Auburn University and an M.B.A. from the University of Dallas. Dr. Gibson has been PI or co-PI on over $10.8 million worth of funded research in his career with research and teaching interests that include front end planning, safety leadership and systems, prevention through design, organizational change, asset management, alternative dispute resolution, knowledge management, earned value management systems, and risk management among others. Dr. Gibson has several years of industry experience, served as an Army officer, and is a licensed professional engineer in Texas. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Construction (NAC) in 2005 and a Distinguished Member of ASCE in 2020. He was awarded the 2016 ASCE R. L. Peurifoy Award for outstanding research and the 2020 Richard L. Tucker Service Award from NAC; he served as a Visiting Academic Fellow at Cambridge University in spring 2019.

Dr. David Grau, Ph.D., PE

Associate Professor

School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University

Short Bio

David Grau is an assistant professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University. Grau graduated with both a Master’s degree and doctorate in civil, architectural, and environmental engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and with an industrial engineering degree from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain. Previous to his affiliation with ASU, he taught at the University of Alabama as an assistant professor for four years. During his academic career, Grau has received numerous teaching and research awards, including the Distinguished Professor Award by the Construction Industry Institute and the Celebration of Engineering & Technology Innovation (CETI) award by FIATECH. Complementing his academic career, he has worked in the private industry for more than 10 years inclusive of positions such as program manager for heavy industrial projects and director of a large engineering design department. He has led large interdisciplinary and multicultural teams to deliver numerous capital projects in South America, Africa and Europe. Grau is a member of ASCE and ASEE professional societies and holds a professional license as an Industrial Engineer in Spain.

Mark J. Grushka, M.S., CSP

Principal Consultant and Owner

MJGrushka Consulting

Short Bio

Mark J. Grushka is the Principal Consultant and Owner of MJGrushka Consulting in Tucson, Arizona. He has been assisting organizations achieve high levels of measurable safety, health and environmental performance for over 30 years. He has held a number of technical and managerial positions in both the private and public sectors, including the University of Arizona, BHP Copper, the Biosphere 2 Project and Tucson Medical Center. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Safety Management from Northern Illinois University and is a Board-Certified Safety Professional. In addition, he holds a postgraduate certification in environmental management from Arizona State University.

Dr. Babak Memarian, Ph.D., CSP, CHST

Director, Exposure Control Technologies Research

CPWR – The Center for Construction Research & Training

Short Bio

Babak Memarian is the Director of Exposure Control Technologies Research at CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training and the co-chair of the NIOSH/CPWR Engineering Controls Workgroup. He currently leads a NIOSH-funded project titled “Prevention through Augmented Pre-Task Planning.” He holds a Ph.D. in Construction Management from Arizona State University and a M.S. in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Construction Engineering & Project Management from Oklahoma State University. His research interest involves development of high reliability production systems with a focus on safety & health, production improvement, and error management. He is an active member of the American Society of Safety Professionals. Dr. Memarian is also a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST).

Panelists

Carmine Cimetti, CSP, CRIS

Vice President – Construction Risk Solutions

HUB International, New England

Short Bio

Carmine Cimetti is Vice President at HUB International, New England. Carmine brings over twenty-five years of experience in construction risk management, operations, planning and project logistics to HUB International New England. His collaborative approach to construction health and safety has been associated with some of the largest regionally recognized projects in the heavy infrastructure, transportation, education and healthcare/life sciences sectors. He presently holds CSP (Certified Safety Professional) and CRIS (Construction Risk Insurance Specialist) credentials and he is an OSHA 500 Certified Construction Outreach Instructor. Carmine has a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Wentworth Institute of Technology, plus an Associate of Science in Building Construction.

Peter Hanson

Architecture and Associate Director

PM Group

Short Bio

Peter Hanson is a subject matter expert in process architecture and an Associate Director at the PM Group. He has worked in the bio pharmaceutical industry for over 25 years. He has led design teams on numerous major pharmaceutical projects across the globe; his work in the industry has spanned from China to the USA to Europe and Australia. He has completed front-end and concept designs together with site master planning on some of the world’s largest projects for companies including Pfizer, Thermo Fisher, Teva, and EMD Serono. Peter is the project sponsor for the EMD Serono New Heights project and has been a key resource on the project from inception all the way through construction. Making safety a priority throughout his career, he has been an advocate for Erland’s PtD initiative.

Jeff Hyman

Owner

EMD Serono

Short Bio

Jeff Hyman is an environmental health & safety professional with more than 35 years of practical experience in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations in support of Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical operations, facilities operations, and construction projects. Jeff manages a diverse team of occupational health, laboratory operations, and logistics professionals supporting a combined base of 1,400 R&D, Commercial, and Clinical Development employees with locations in Massachusetts, Washington, DC, and Miami, Florida. Jeff has significant experience with environmental compliance and has built a robust culture of leadership in sustainable operations, achieving and maintaining ISO 14001 certification, multiple Platinum and Gold LEED certifications, and WELL Gold certification from the International WELL Building Institute. Jeff maintains zero-poison pest control and monitoring programs, zero campus irrigation protocols, and recently received Gold Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) certification for its “Pollinator Friendly Campus” in Massachusetts.

Duanne Shanks, CSC, NCSO

Safety Manager NB/PEI Devision

OSCO Construction Group

Short Bio

Duanne Shanks is Safety Manager of the NB/PEI Division at OSCO Construction Group. He joined the OSCO Construction Group in 2008 starting as the corporate trainer. He has 12 years’ experience in the construction sector as a Safety Professional. In 2016 he took on the role as a Safety Manager for various sections of the company, including electrical, precast concrete fabrication, rebar services, steel fabrication, steel erection and concrete ready mix. He has received his National Construction Safety Officer Designation and has also completed a Certification in Occupational Health and Safety from University of New Brunswick.

Jim Steele

Construction Advisor

ExxonMobil Global Projects

Short Bio

Jim Steele is a Construction Advisor with the ExxonMobil Global Projects Company, providing project support. He has 20 years of experience in oil & gas offshore construction site management and project engineer roles primarily on FLNG, LNG Carrier and FPSO projects in Asia, Europe and Africa. Prior to joining ExxonMobil, Jim served 24 years in the U.S. Navy, serving on six ships and retiring as a Commander. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and Master of Science degrees from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and the University of Madras, India.

Keith Switzer

President/CEO

INTEC Group

Short Bio

Keith Switzer is the President/CEO of INTEC Group, Inc., a full-service firm offering architecture, interior design and furniture procurement services with offices in Fairfax, VA, Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC. As both a registered architect (RA) and certified designer by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), Keith leads his team with a wellrounded, diverse background and more than 20+ years of commercial design experience. He is motivated by his firm’s corporate vision, “to enhance the human condition,” along with their mission—“to create an inspiring experience through the built environment that uniquely enhances the lives of our clients, our employees and our community.” Keith believes PtD practices are a natural complement to his team’s project approach and delivery; he is passionate about sharing this knowledge and having the opportunity to further elevate the well-being of his clients to a level that remains unrivaled by competitors in the industry.

Jack Toellner, PE, CSP, MPH

Professional Engineer

Toellner Consulting LLC

Short Bio

Jack Toellner is a professional engineer at Toellner Consulting LLC. He is a recognized expert in safety management planning/execution and public speaking. He has worked in 30+ countries with 100+ clients, including multiple government agencies. Jack is a Graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Civil Engineering. He also holds a graduate degree from Tulane University in Occupational and Safety Management. He has diversified experience in construction, engineering, SH&E, and management; and is a retired executive with ExxonMobil with 38+ years of service. He is Registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) with the State of Texas and Certified Safety Professional (CSP). He was the recipient of the American Society of Safety Engineers Charles V. Culbertson Outstanding Volunteer Service Award.

Michael J. Walker

Principal Construction Engineer

ExxonMobil Global Projects

Short Bio

Michael J. Walker, Principal Construction Engineer, provides construction advisement and support for the ExxonMobil Global Projects Company. With 27 years of oil and gas experience, Mike has performed project management, engineering management, and construction management in upstream production (onshore and offshore) and downstream refining. Mike graduated in 1994 from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Chet Zabik

Module Center of Excellence Lead

ExxonMobil Global Projects

Short Bio

Chet Zabik is the Module Center of Excellence Lead within the ExxonMobil Global Projects Company. Chet has 16 years of experience in oil & gas construction for primarily international onshore and offshore projects in the execution phase. His current role is targeted at early strategy development for projects to evaluate stick-built construction vs. the degree of modularization, as well as fabrication strategies. Prior to joining ExxonMobil, Chet worked along the U.S. Gulf Coast in the industrial construction market with a focus on project management of civil repair and strengthening projects. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida.

Contact

David Grau, Ph.D., PE [email protected]

G. Edward Gibson Jr, Ph.D., PE [email protected]