Registration is now open for the 2009 Oregon Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health (GOSH) Conference, to be held March 9-12 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, according to a news release from Oregon OSHA. The largest conference of its kind in the Northwest will feature more than 30 full-day workshops and 115 single-topic classes. It is designed to educate managers and workers about safety and health issues.

One of the highlights of the conference will be a moderated panel discussion on Wednesday, March 11, with four Northwest business leaders. Senior management from GE Security, Skanska USA, Boeing Portland, and Intel will share their perspectives on the importance of safety and health within their organizations and their expectations in leadership, management, and the bottom line.

“This is a rare opportunity to hear from top business leaders on how they are managing safety and health in these uncertain economic times,” said Sharell Lien, coordinator of the GOSH Conference. “I expect the conversation to be candid and insightful.”

Some general conference topics include:

• Safety Committees: Beyond the Basics
• Safety Training and Your Multicultural Workforce
• Motor Vehicle Safety
• Conducting an Accident Investigation

Conference specialties such as health care, ergonomics, construction, emergency preparedness and response, industrial hygiene and workplace wellness are some of the other session tracks.

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA), a division of the Department of Consumer & Business Services, is partnering with the Columbia-Willamette Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers to sponsor the conference.

Registration for single-day attendance is available. More information about conference speakers, classes, and registration is on the GOSH Web site, www.oregongosh.com.