My Mercer | ORC Networks

For over 35 years, ORC's Occupational Safety and Health Group has been a unique, ongoing network of key health and safety leaders from major, multinational corporations in a wide variety of industries. Members face the same challenge: to provide safe and healthful working conditions in their organizations, and to influence others—including managers, employees, government agencies, and local communities—to work constructively toward a common safety and health objectives. The Occupational Safety and Health Group offers an array of services to assist companies operating in the United States achieve the highest levels of excellence in occupational health and safety performance.

Quarterly Meetings

At quarterly meetings, members share information and benchmark best practices with each other, and connect with representatives of federal and state regulatory agencies, and invited experts from the occupational safety and health and related fields. Quarterly meetings give company representatives an opportunity to hear presentations from experts and from their peers on diverse topics such as:

• Innovative S&H management methods;
• Best practices for establishing state of the art S&H management systems
• Effective program evaluation methods and tools
• Emerging issues that may impact your employees
• Proposed S&H regulations and legislation

The professional relationships forged at these meetings are maintained and strengthened between meetings through unlimited telephone consulting with ORC experts, and through ORC's website and interactive bulletin board.

Professional Certification Maintenance Points

The quarterly meetings provide CSP’s, CIH’s and CHMM's with four opportunities a year to obtain certification maintenance points.

News and Updates

News and Updates are provided to the members via announcements on the ORC website as well as regular emails. They cover a wide variety of subjects, including:

• Government initiatives, standards and interpretations, and enforcement;
• Emerging issues within various industries;
• Global developments;
• Relevant government policies, programs and personnel, occupational health and safety topics, legal developments, legislation, scientific studies and developments;

Advocacy

ORC furthers members' interests with ongoing contacts at all levels of the regulatory agencies, effective advocacy of responsible industry positions on regulatory and policy issues, and linkages with voluntary standards organizations, safety and health professional groups, and major associations. ORC prides itself on advocating responsible positions on behalf of industry. Please contact ORC if you have a specific issue that you would like to have us address on your behalf. If a number of companies have similar concerns, ORC will likely host a teleconference or webcast, or even form a task force, to help determine the direction to go.

Benchmarking Opportunities

ORC meetings provide a tremendous opportunity for benchmarking with your peers across industries. ORC also provides a forum for member companies to survey other ORC companies on issues of great interest in a timely fashion. In addition, ORC conducts regular data collections on topics such as:

• Annual member company global safety and health performance;
• Management Systems;
• Perception Surveys; and
• Safety and Health Organizational Structure

Networking Opportunities

The quarterly meetings provide many chances to network with your peers. With four meetings a year regularly attended by over 100 safety and health professionals, you will have a chance to learn about many other industries and the challenges, as well as successes they have had. Over 20 industry sectors are represented by ORC member companies.

Task Forces

Task Forces – issue-driven groups of ORC consultants, interested member companies, and occasionally outside specialists, formed to address key issues that require a collaborative action in either gathering information, formulating action, or offering proposals various regulative bodies;

Consulting

One annual on-site consultant visit; Unlimited telephone and electronic access to ORC consultants on any occupational health and safety-related issue.

Global competitive pressures coupled with increasing social responsibility are creating significant challenges to the way corporations achieve their EH&S objectives. The consulting resources provided by ORC Worldwide (ORC) are uniquely positioned to provide the latest concepts in cost-effective approaches to meeting these challenges.

ORC’s consulting resources combine the knowledge, skills, and leadership of our full-time staff consultants with the expertise of individuals with recognized career experience in key Safety and Health areas. These experts understand clients’ needs, and are well prepared to provide the most current knowledge to assist in meeting your injury and illness prevention objectives efficiently and effectively.

We are especially capable in assessing difficult issues facing your organization and providing solutions that have been tried and proven, In summary, we focus on shortening an organization’s earning curve on challenging safety and health issues.

Examples of recently completed or ongoing projects:

• Culture change management
• S&H Management Systems
• OSHA Recordkeeping
  • Audits
  • Training
  • Process Assessments

• Integrated Health and Wellness
• Workers’ Compensation Process Assessment
• Medical Services process assessment
• Ergonomics process development
• Contractor Safety
• Executive Leadership Training
• Safety and health metrics
  • Training
  • Development

• Return on Safety Health and Environment (ROHSEI) Training
• Benchmarking service

The Return on Health, Safety and Environmental Investments (ROHSEI) product is a process and supporting software tool set developed for use by occupational health, safety and environmental professionals and others to provide a comprehensive look at investment decisions and to answer important questions, such as:

• What health and safety or environmental investments should we make?
• When should we make a particular investment?
• Which health and safety or environmental investments create the greatest value to the organization?
• How do we compare an operational investment decision to and HS&E decision?
• How do we know we are doing the “right things” in the “right way”?
• To which projects should we allocate our human resources?
• How can we demonstrate the business value of our investment decisions?

The ROHSEI process facilitates and encourages a team approach and calculates financial metrics in a common language. It also facilitates an understanding of how change in one part of a business has an effect on the overall business. It is of great value to the HS&E professional when assessing capital and expense investment decisions such as material selections, capacity expansion, program development investment, resource allocation, training approaches and risk management strategies.

Access to ROHSEI software and training in the methodology is a service separate from the services provided with membership in ORC’s Occupational Safety, Health and Environment networks.

How to Get Access to ROHSEI

The software is available for sale as individual licensed software. Corporate –wide licensing is also available. Association with any of ORC’s networks or services is not required (although discounts are given to ORC members and companies or organizations purchasing multiple copies of the software.

To ensure business success, modern high-performing global companies must know and understand their obligations under the laws and regulations in the countries in which hey do business. Finding accurate, up-to-date, and accessible (accurately translated) information, however, can be extremely difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.

To help companies address the need to understand the environmental and occupational health and safety (EHS) laws and regulations of countries outside the U.S., ORC has developed its ORC Country Profiles™ Library.  ORC Country Profiles™ answer multinational companies’ needs for a means of identifying EHS legislation, and resulting regulatory and enforcement policies in individual countries and in the provinces of larger countries such as China, Australia, and Canada.

Each of ORC’s latest Country Profiles™ contains a detailed self-assessment checklist that can assist in auditing compliance with regulatory requirements. 

ORC Country Profiles™ currently cover more than 50 countries and provinces. They can be purchased individually (one-time download; unlimited on-line viewing for one year) or as an annual subscription to the entire library.

ORC Worldwide’s Asia-Pacific Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Service helps companies located in the Asia-Pacific (AP) region respond to the rapid expansion of their businesses by supporting their growing need for HSE services there. The goal of the ORC Asia-Pacific HSE Service is to provide businesses with a superior source of knowledge, tools, advice, and hands-on assistance to help them to achieve and maintain HSE excellence in their Asia-Pacific operations. Member companies can draw on the business and technical expertise of the ORC Asia-Pacific Service to meet their specific needs as they develop, maintain, and enhance their HSE capabilities.

The service features a network of in-country HSE experts and resources who can be called on as necessary to assist its members directly, to provide consulting service recommendations, and to broker services. Members can:

• Learn from government officials, experts and other ORC members about recent regional developments,
• Share information, experiences and best practices among world-class companies,
• Discuss emerging issues and benchmarking strategies and solutions

The service also provides a liaison between members and regional/country government agenices and technical and professional committees.

BENEFITS

Membership in the Asia-Pacific HSE Service provides:

• Three meetings per year, in addition to conference calls and Web casts as needed, that focus on areas of interest, featuring government and expert speakers and opportunities to conduct candid, confidential discussions of important HSE issues such as:
  • Best practices for HSE program implementation and management for non-US facilities
  • Effective program evaluation methods and tools
  • Emerging global and regional HSE issues that may impact your employees
  • Key legislation and proposed regulations in the region and its nations
  • Liaison between regional/country governments, technical and professionalcommittees and ORC AP HSE Service members.

Meetings are also an opportunity for members to participate in roundtable discussions of HSE issues that are of particular concern to them, as well as cultural, economic and political issues that impact the management of HSE in the AP region

In addition, members are provided with take-home meeting materials that span the Asia-Pacific, European Union, and Americas global regions.

Benchmarking opportunities

Annual global occupational safety and health performance benchmarking on injury and illness data as well as management systems implementation and perceptions of safety culture. The thrice-yearly meetings provide many chances to network with other safety and health professionals in the AP region. You will be able to learn about many other industries and the challenges, as well as successes they have had.

The ORC HS&E Executive Business Issues Forum is designed for senior level corporate officials with lead HS&E responsibilities. It provides opportunities to:

• Engage in candid and confidential discussions of critical business issues with other corporate thought leaders
• Engage in formal and informal benchmarking to assist in developing business strategies and solutions for effective HS&E management
• Plan and develop actions to address selected issues of interest to members

Forum meetings focus primarily on strategic leadership and management issues and opportunities; promote joint problem solving among forum members; and facilitate sharing best practice information on issues of critical importance to EH&S leaders.

The EU Health, Safety, and Environmental Forum (EUHSEF) is a cross-industry Forum that addresses informational, networking, and best practice needs of corporate directors and managers of health, safety, and environmental (HSE) programs from multinational companies with operations in Europe. The Forum promotes effective safety, health, and environmental programs and practices in member companies' European operations.

EU Health, Safety, and Environmental Forum Services:

Semi-annual European Union HSE Forum Meetings, involving a growing number of large multi-national corporations (both European and U.S.-based with EU operations) and offers:

• Presentations by key European Union officials and other noted experts about pending regulatory issues that affect the members’ operations in the EU
• Updates on legislative and regulatory developments in the EU countries that could be of particular interest to the Forum members
• Exchange of HSE best practices among members with facilities in the European Union
• Opportunities to examine first-hand the operation of key EU HSE-related agencies
• Numerous opportunities for informal benchmarking among member companies
• Discussions about emerging issues in safety, health, and environment in the EU
• Each meeting attendee receives a CD with all of the meeting information, including presentations, included

Semi-Anual Meetings:

The Forum’s semi-annual meetings are held in March and September. Members receive an invitation to the meetings (4-6 weeks prior to the actual meeting date), enabling them to participate in, and take advantage of, the benefits listed above.

ORC Country Profiles are an in-depth, on-line information about EH&S regulatory requirements and practices in more than 30 countries and provinces around the world. The Country Profiles offer:

• information on HSE policies, regulations, and standards
• identification of responsible governmental agencies and contacts
• reviews of existing and proposed legislation
• other vital information for understanding of country-specific HSE requirements

Since its inception, the Forum has forged partnerships with a growing number of key European Commission agencies—the European Agency for Safety & Health at Work (in Bilbao, Spain) and Health, Safety and Hygiene at Work (Luxembourg). Additionally, the Forum also has partnered with several key independent HSE operations across EU—the Central Institute for Labour Protection (Warsaw) and the Keil Center (Edinburgh). These contacts and interactions are developed during the course of the Forum’s September meetings, and are available to members who attend the semi-annual meetings. ORC has developed a series of networking tools such as an Interactive Bulletin Board and a members-only portion of the ORC website. As part of the membership, you will receive a username and a password, enabling access the various on-line networking tools provided through the ORC website.

News and Updates:

Regular emails that detail recent legislative and regulatory developments, as well as other HSE issues of potential importance to the Forum member-companies

Consulting:

Member companies may request at no charge a one-day annual on-site consultant visit, have unlimited telephone and electronic access to ORC consultants on any EHS issue, and our Consultants can make contact with key regulatory agency staff regarding specific occupational safety and health issues or concerns

The rapid integration of economies, societies, and technology around the world is creating a growing demand for companies to expand globally. This expansion presents new opportunities and challenges that require a higher level of performance in every aspect of business, including occupational safety and health. In response to this need, ORC created its  International Safety and Health Forum (ISHF) as a unique focal point for the collection and exchange of information about safety and health matters, and related environmental concerns, in the global arena.

The ISHF provides managers and directors of Occupational Health, Safety and Environment programs for companies with multi-national operations with an unparalleled opportunity to learn from each other through the exchange of experiences and ideas about effective practices in HS&E program management on a global scale as well as in specific regions and countries.

The Forum already has attracted the interest and participation of more than 50 multinational corporations. Its membership is steadily growing, reflecting the increasing value of health, safety and related environmental issues to global business. All of these features and other services provided by first-class consultants make the Global Safety and Health Forum an unmatched source for international safety, health, and related environmental information.

The ORC Occupational Safety and Health Lawyers Group is network of corporate in-house counsels who are responsible for managing the legal issues pertinent to occupational safety and health for their companies. The members, representing a diverse list of multinational Fortune 500 companies, attend meetings twice a year, in November and May.The Lawyers Group focuses on broad-based issues such as occupational safety and health legal trends to more specific topics such as recent developments in legislation, litigation, regulation and enforcement. Actions by Congress, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Chemical Safety Board, the Department of Justice and the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission that impact occupational safety and health are routinely reported and discussed.

The Lawyers Group offers a unique opportunity to occupational safety and health counsels who work on similar issues and confront similar problems to discuss effective approaches and common solutions with their corporate peers.

Lawyers Group’s services:

1. Speakers from Congress, OSHA and other government agencies that impact occupational safety and health;
2. Legal experts from national law firms who address current trends and legal developments in occupational safety and health law;
3. The “Roundtable Discussion,” often cited as the most valuable portion of the meetings, where members informally discuss and problem-solve issues and concerns currently confronting them in their practices;
4. Continuing legal education credits may be earned by members who practice in states that have mandatory programs if requested by attendees.

Member benefits also include:

1. Access to and involvement with surveys on issues important to the Lawyers Group;
2. Participation in topical webcasts;
3. Regular updates on the latest developments in the issue area through email notices and postings on the ORC website;
4. A “members only” bulletin board where you can post requests for information, experiences with specific programs or policies and emerging issues of concern;
5. Consultation on regulatory and policy issues with ORC’s experienced consulting staff.

The Mercer ORC Corporate Health Directors Network serves corporate leaders in the field of occupational health and medicine, drawing members from the most innovative multinational companies. This forum provides outstanding networking opportunities in a confidential environment. The professional relationships forged at member meetings provide the basis for ongoing benchmarking opportunities, assisting members in identifying and implementing best practices in the management of corporate occupational health programs.

Corporate medical directors and senior managers of occupational health programs attend meetings twice each year, in February and August. Continuing medical education credits (AMA PRA Category 1) are available for meeting attendees.

In addition to attending the group’s meetings, members are entitled to other important benefits and services including:

• Regular updates on key issues through e–mail notices and postings to the ORC web site that keep members up to date on the latest workplace health and regulatory developments;
• Numerous benchmarking surveys and data reports;
• Access to a “members only” bulletin boards and interactive web opportunities for members to share information and collaborate with peers;
• Consultation on regulatory and policy issues with ORC’s experienced consulting staff.

The ORC Corporate Environmental Forum (CEF) is an independent forum for the in-depth examination of environmental issues and regulations that play an important role in the implementation of member companies’ environmental management programs. CEF addresses the mutual concerns of industry, government agencies and the public sector. An exchange of views with high-ranking EPA officials is a regular feature of the meetings, as are discussions among member companies and experts on best practices in environmental management and compliance. Emerging issues, such as nanotechnology, REACH and Sarbanes-Oxley legislation and their implications for corporate EHS programs are considered by the CEF.

WHAT DOES ORC CEF MEMBERSHIP OFFER?

• Four meetings per year that provide presentations by environmental-issues experts from the public and private sectors, as well as a forum for an exchange of information and joint problem solving with other professionals in the environmental field
• Personal contacts with senior government officials and subject experts
• Participation in rule-making and enforcement programs through task forces (which draw on the collective skills and experience of ORC member companies)
• Individual consultations by telephone
• Periodic mailings on current environmental concerns of the public and private sectors and alerts on fast-breaking issues
• A monthly newsletter summarizing critical activities in the environmental field
• Peer-to-peer networking

For over 20 years, ORC’s Western Occupational Safety and Health Group has brought together senior-level managers responsible for health, safety, and/or environmental programs at companies based or operating in the western United States. The cross-industry group of companies offers members the opportunity to network and communicate with their professional peers, experts and government officials on critical issues, sharing information and practical expertise in order to learn and stay abreast of recent developments and best practices.  The group focuses on strategies, tools, and initiatives that improve EHS excellence in safety and health performance as well as regulatory and legislative issues in California and the western states.

Membership Benefits:

Membership in the Western Occupational Safety and Health Group brings website access and e-mail distribution of occupational safety and health issues, regulatory and legislative developments in California and other western states, announcements, and queries to member companies.  Throughout the year, members maintain contact and continue their exchange with each other on the members-only website, where an online bulletin board allows for immediate input and dialogue on “hot” issues.  Members also receive frequent e-mail updates and analyses, and interact with other members through conference calls, mini-surveys, and one-on-one discussions.

Quarterly Meetings:

At quarterly meetings located in western states, members share information on current and emerging EHS topics, with a focus on high-level discussion, networking, sharing best practices, informal benchmarking, and exchanging critical information.  These meetings give company representatives the opportunity to hear speakers from government, industry, and academia.  Recent meeting topics include:

• How California Responds to Disaster/Pandemics…And What Businesses Need to Know to Improve Their Preparedness
• Alternative Safety and Health Performance Metrics
• Developing EHS “Champions” in Senior Leadership
• The Value of EHS in a Nanotechnology Processing Operation
• Achieving a Competitive Edge Through Workplace Wellness
• Sustainability: Developing a Competitive Strategy

Professional Certification and Maintenance Points:

The quarterly meetings provide an opportunity four times yearly to obtain Continuing Education Credits for Certified Industrial Hygienists and Safety Professionals.

Collaborative Activities:

• Subject specific, issue-driven groups of ORC consultants, interested member companies, and occasionally outside specialists, are formed to address emerging issues with leading edge information about subjects such as sustainability, integrated health and wellness, and nanotechnology
• Facilitate public/private sector partnerships in areas such as disaster preparedness, and pandemic planning.
   

Consultation:

• Unlimited telephone consultation with ORC specialists on EHS issues, including state and federal requirements and perspectives;
• One day, onsite consultation per year (member company covers expenses only);
   

Benchmarking Opportunities:

• ORC provides opportunity for informal benchmarking on issues of interest with other ORC member companies;
   

Influencing Agencies/Regulators:

• Conveying business perspective to local, state and federal agencies in California and other western states on current and emerging OSH issues;
• Opportunity for members to participate in task forces to develop credible, responsible comments to those agencies, or to receive information.
   

The Western Occupational Safety and Health Group is led by Judith Freyman, Vice President, in ORC Worldwide’s Sacramento area office, with assistance from Amanda Loew, Nicole Mack and Ham Fairburn.  For more information, please contact ORC at 916-626-6820 or via email:

Judi Freyman    judi.freyman@orcww.com
Amanda Loew    amanda.loew@orcww.com
Nicole Mack    nicole.mack@orcww.com
Ham Fairburn    ham.fairburn@orcww.com