Environmental Health and Safety Manager, Pennex Aluminum
Mike is a results-driven leader with a passion for fostering proactive, sustainable cultures centered on safety, quality, and delivery. With EHS and operations experience spanning multiple industries, he has successfully collaborated with teams to reduce risk, enhance productivity, and drive world-class safety performance. Currently serving as the EHS Manager at Pennex Aluminum, Mike has worked with the leadership team to significantly improve workplace safety, reducing recordable injuries by 40% in the first year and is driving key improvement initiatives. Previously, he held leadership roles at Spirit AeroSystems, Kaiser Aluminum, and BNSF Railway, collaborating with those teams to transform safety programs and achieve dramatic reductions in incident rates.
Wed, Oct 29, 10:45 AM to 12:15 PM - Regency ABC Panel Discussion
Forward-thinking companies that implement SafeStart Now are looking beyond compliance to implement human factors elements into their existing safety management systems. But when it comes to sustaining a SafeStart Now implementation, there typically isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It can be helpful to hear what worked for others, and more importantly, what didn’t. SafeStart training allows you to rely less on luck and more on skill. But what if you could rely on work that trusted advisors have already done? Attending this panel will also allow you to skip to the good part and consider the methods other sites have tried and tested. The panelists will discuss the four powerful techniques in a successful SafeStart implementation and the benefits of a 24/7 mindset with representation from small and large sites.
Presented by
Alan Featherer, Syensqo
Mike Halperin, Pennex Aluminum
David Bianco, Safe and Sound Texas LLC
Jan Barnewall, Zekelman Industries
Wed, Oct 29, 1:30 PM to 2:45 PM - Regency G
Leaders must foster a culture of engagement in order to successfully implement SafeStart. They are already tasked with ensuring that their organization complies with all relevant health and safety regulations and standards and SafeStart is an extension of that; it’s designed to complement existing safety efforts. This session will supply practical strategies to secure leadership buy-in and promote active involvement. Participants will be fully immersed in qualitative and quantitative information collection and continuous polling throughout the session, providing real-time data. Explore effective communication techniques, key messaging approaches, and methods to align SafeStart with your organizational goals. Learn how to integrate SafeStart into organizational priorities and metrics. Through interactive discussions and real-world case studies, participants will gain the tools to help leaders champion SafeStart, model safe behaviors, and drive lasting cultural change. Address your challenges in leadership engagement and culture-building and take away actionable items you can apply once you’re back in your facility.
Presented by
Mike Halperin, Pennex Aluminum