National Safety Council News Release, 12/19/01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 2001 CONTACT: Joe Larkin 630-775-2303 Federal Executive to Help U.S. Prepare for 2005 World Safety Congress ITASCA, IL - A senior Federal executive from the Department of Labor has been loaned to the National Safety Council (NSC) to coordinate work for the 17th World Safety Congress, to be held in Orlando, Fla., in 2005. The NSC is serving as host for the World Congress, which will be held in the United States for the first time. Patricia W. Silvey, Deputy Administrator of Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and Health for the Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), has joined the NSC*s Washington, D.C. office on temporary assignment. Ms. Silvey joins Julius Jimeno, Director of the Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Marthe Kent, Director of Safety Standards for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), on assignment to NSC to help develop the event. The World Congress is a tripartite (government, industry, and labor) effort that is sponsored every three years by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the International Labor Organization (ILO), as well as several national governments. Ms. Silvey has served in her present position at MSHA since January 2000. She holds a B.S. degree from Tuskegee Institute, an M.A. degree from the University of Alabama, and a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She is a member of the District of Columbia bar. With nearly 20 years of senior executive experience in the Department of Labor, she brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for mine safety and health to the effort. As representative of MSHA in helping plan the 2005 Congress, her involvement will strengthen relations among her agency, the NSC, and other U.S. and international organizations and government entities involved in safety and health issues. NSC President Alan C. McMillan said, *Ms. Silvey*s participation will insure that our nation*s best mine safety and health practices are incorporated into the programs that will be developed for the 2005 World Safety Congress.*Assistant Secretary of Labor-MSHA Dave Lauriski, said, *Ms. Silvey*s knowledge, dedication and passion for mine health and safety will serve to benefit the mission of the NSC and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.* *The National Safety Council is extremely pleased that the Mine Safety and Health Administration has demonstrated its commitment to the World Safety Congress through this assignment,* McMillan said. *Ms. Silvey*s wealth of professional experience will be extremely valuable as we work with labor and management organizations and the World Congress* international organizers to conduct a variety of cutting-edge research, demonstration and information-sharing programs leading up to the 2005 World Congress. We will report on the results of those activities at the Congress, and take advantage of this important forum to build on the programs already in place and to identify needs for additional work.* The 17th World Safety Congress will be held in September 2005 in conjunction with the NSC*s annual Congress & Expo. The 16th World Congress will be May 26-31, 2002, in Vienna, Austria. The National Safety Council (NSC) is a not-for-profit, nongovernmental, international public service organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health. NSC*s 37,500-plus member locations include businesses, labor organizations, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. Founded in 1913, NSC's scope has expanded to include highway, community and recreational safety, as well as occupational and environmental health. The NSC estimates that 4.2 million lives have been saved through improved safety practices since the Council was established. More information on the ILO, ISSA, and the 2002 World Safety Congress can be found at http://www.safety2002.at # # #