Philadelphia Hosts Thousands For National Safety Council Annual Expo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More than 10,000 environmental, health, and safety professionals are in Philadelphia this week for group discussions and networking during a convention in center city.
The nonprofit National Safety Council, which works to prevent injuries and deaths at work, in homes, and on the road, is hosting the world's largest gathering of safety and health professionals.
In between keynote speakers there were what the NSC describes as "executive edge" track forums and workshops for safety-minded professionals. In one of them, Wil Harkins, the deputy chief of safety mission assurance for NASA, described NASA's journey of cultural transformation after the space shuttle Columbia disaster.
Harkins (far right in photo) talked about facing the "challenges of complacency avoidance" after the space agency fixed its safety standards.
"You want to make sure people don't become too complacent, get off track, and lose sight of keeping things safe," he said.
He drew a personal example from driving. Years ago, Harkins recalls, he got into an accident because he was driving too close to the vehicle in front of him. For a long time he was careful, but every once in a while, with the accident so far in his rearview mirror, he finds himself tailgating again.
Hear Steve Tawa's full interview with Wil Harkins in this CBS Philly podcast...
Podcast
Click to download podcast (runs 3m57s)
The expo floor inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center features safety solutions from more than 800 companies.
Reported by Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio 1060
