Safety and training will be two topics on the agenda for the Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association's (CSDA) 2005 annual convention Feb. 14-19 at The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, Calif.

Bruce Swanson, director of the OSHA Directorate of Construction in the U.S. Department of Labor, will make the opening day presentation, "Managing Worker Safety in Construction: OSHA's Perspective on What Constitutes an Effective Safety Program."

Patrick O'Brien, executive director of CSDA, said every CSDA contractor member knows how critical it has become to work within the guidelines of OSHA.

"To be able to have Mr. Swanson address our attendees is further demonstration of CSDA's commitment to working with government and industry to advance worker safety in the concrete cutting industry."
Swanson will be followed by Karl Smith and Tom Pyle from the California Department of Transportation, who will make presentations on slab replacement, joint repair and slurry disposal. Then Cristine Fargo from the International Safety Equipment Association will address the latest on personal protective equipment (PPE) in the construction industry.

Additional presentations focused on concrete sawing and drilling will be made, including the following topics: "Preventative Maintenance for Core Drilling," "Applying Diamond Tool Cutting Theory to Real World Situations," "Ring Saw Operation and Maintenance," "Flat Saw Maintenance" and "Limitations and Possibilities of Diamond Chain Technology." Other topics will be "Wage and Hour Compliance," "Building Quality Accounts Receivable" and "Insurance Claim Management."

A second roundtable, "Safe Work Practices for Contractors," will be moderated by CSDA Vice President Susan Hollingsworth of Holes Inc.

Each of these sessions will be conducted by professionals who have tailored their presentations to educate concrete cutting contractors so they can return from the convention with information to improve their businesses.

With the success of last year's presentation by a major specifier of concrete cutting services, the 2005 convention will feature a roundtable on specifiers (i.e., architects, engineers, general contractors and government officials) moderated by George Bush from Penhall Co. and Smith from the California DOT. Discussion will focus on how governmental agencies specify concrete cutting services and how CSDA contractors can make their services more attractive to specifiers.

Before the official start of the convention, CSDA will offer its two-day Estimating training course on Feb. 14-15, also at The Fairmont San Francisco. Estimating, one of the newer CSDA courses, focuses on the practice of estimating jobs in the concrete sawing and drilling industry.

The CSDA Tech Fair will be from 1-5 p.m. Feb 18, an opportunity for concrete cutting contractors to meet with manufacturers' key technical representatives to learn about the latest developments in equipment and tool applications.

CSDA President Ted Johnston said this mini-show will provide the 300 expected attendees a one-on-one setting that is not possible at large trade shows. The Tech Fair is open to convention attendees and local contractors.