November Technical Meeting

Topic: Pillars of Safety

This presentation will discuss and provide a broad overview and updates on the current issues of the California workers’ compensation system, including workers’ compensation fraud (15-30 minutes).  The importance of the organizational culture on improving safety conditions by building a safety culture will be highlighted.  The four elements of the pillars of safety provide a framework to empower your team members to control their own safety and that of their coworkers. These four pillars were utilized at one location resulting in a reduction of injuries from 112 a year to just 3 and lost workdays of 4735 to 3 at one location. These elements are quick, easy and will help drive accountability and culture.  

With Stewart’s experience with the legal issues from recent cases, you will better understand the current issues that may impact your current and future workers’ compensation cases. With Jiles’ 30 years of experience with risk management and workers’ compensation, he will present ways to improve safety conditions by building a safety culture and provide expertise on navigating the workers’ compensation system for workers’ compensation claims managers, risk managers, safety managers, thought leaders and anyone wanting to improve safety at their organization.  

Some key take always will include:

1. Understand the current workers’ compensation climate
2. Describe how to build a safety culture by driving accountability and setting clear expectations
3. Identify the 4 pillars of safety and how to effectively communicate them to your team members
4. Specific discussions on how to get buy-in from leadership, colleagues and team members

About the Presenters:

Jiles Smith II – MBA in progress, WCCP, CPDM, EP – CEO of JS Risk Consulting, provides risk and safety consultation for telecommunication, attorney, city, transit, risk management, and insurance organizations; speaks at conferences; and teaches risk management and conflict resolution courses at a local university.

Jiles Smith is a renowned Risk Manager with a background of working in many capacities in claims from claims adjuster to director of risk management. During which he has managed a full spectrum of risk management and safety operations and served in executive positions.  Jiles served two Governor Administrations as a member of the State of California Workers’ Compensation and Fraud Assessment Commission and served as Chairman of the San Bernardino Equal Opportunity Commission for 5 years.  He is a strong advocate for education having hosted workers’ compensation seminars, and speaking at risk management seminars, as well as teaching Risk Management, Diversity and Inclusion, and Conflict Resolution at UCR.  Jiles has a passion for helping others navigate complicated risk management, safety, and workers’ compensation issues. 

Jiles has a MBA with an emphasis in Risk Management in progress from Concordia University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Stanislaus. 

Stewart Marx – Esq. Managing Partner of Workers’ Compensation Defense – Homan and Stone.

Mr. Marx graduated from the University Of San Fernando Valley College Of Law where he earned his Juris Doctorate in August 1976 and acquired advanced education in CA Workers’ Compensation Law which he received from the University of Southern California Law Center. Stewart brings to the firm over 41 years of legal experience in civil and workers’ compensation litigation. Stewart has represented insurance entities, self-insured employers, third party administrators and uninsured employers in all aspects of workers’ compensation litigation including standard defense litigation, 132a discrimination allegations and serious and willful misconduct claims. He is also well-versed in the depositions of injured workers, physicians, and witnesses.

Prior to joining Homan & Stone, Stewart was a shareholder with Grancell, Lebovitz, Stander, Marx & Barnes (WC Defense firm). Stewart is a former WC Administrative Law Judge Pro Tem and has been a Certified California Workers’ Compensation Specialist since 1983.

Stewart also has extensive public entity experience, providing general and specialized counsel to government entities including counties, special districts and statutory towns and cities. He also has experience assisting public entities in litigating allegations of employee discrimination in Workers’ Compensation Appeals Boards throughout California. Stewart understands defenses and legal immunities that are unique to governmental and quasi-governmental entities and their public employees.

Schedule:

7:00 am – Social Networking and Continental Breakfast

7:45 am – Announcements and Introductions

8:00 am – Presentation9:00 am – BCSP 0.1 Contact Hour and ABIH 1 Contact Hour

Venue: American Red Cross – Santa Ana 600 Park Center Drive, Rm 208 Santa Ana CA 92705