NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman to speak at California seminar

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Feb 04, 2013, 11:32 ET

Safety professionals will learn importance of employer corporate cell phone policies

ITASCA, Ill., Feb. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Safety Council is pleased to announce that National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman will speak at the Employer Cell Phone Policy Seminar on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego. More than 150 employers from a variety of industries across California are expected to attend the free seminar to learn how cell phone policies keep employees and the driving public safe and decrease employers' risk of liability.

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"NTSB has made curbing distracted driving one of its top priorities, and Chairman Hersman has led the charge," said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO at NSC. "Under her direction, NTSB has investigated several cell phone-related crashes, including some cases where employers were held liable. We are certain Chairman Hersman's insights will help employers understand the importance of cell phone policies, which are a best practice in workplace safety."

Hersman implemented a complete ban of cell phone use while driving – handheld and hands-free – for all NTSB employees upon being named Chairman in 2009. In December 2011, NTSB became the first government organization to issue a recommendation that all 50 states and D.C. ban the use of portable electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle. In its 2013 Most Wanted List, NTSB has called on companies to develop and enforce policies that prohibit employees from engaging in distracting behaviors, such as cell phone use, while operating any mode of transportation.

"Employers play a critical role in keeping their employees safe on the roads, and one of the best ways to help ensure their safety is through cell phone policies," Hersman said. "I am honored to speak with employers who are dedicated to that mission and to work with the National Safety Council to reduce crashes involving cell phone distracted drivers."

NSC called for a ban on using handheld and hands-free cell phones while driving in 2009 after reviewing more than 30 scientific studies. NSC released a white paper, Employer Liability and the Case for Comprehensive Cell Phone Policies and developed the NSC Cell Phone Policy Kit to help employers streamline implementation.

This free seminar is the first of two that NSC is hosting in partnership with the California Office of Traffic Safety and the Glendora Police Department. The second seminar will be held on Thursday, April 25 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA. Registration is required and available on a first come, first served basis. For more information and to register, visit nsc.org/cellphoneseminars.

About the National Safety Council
Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council (nsc.org) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities and on the roads through leadership, research, education and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, government agencies, elected officials and the public in areas where we can make the most impact – distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety and safety beyond the workplace.

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SOURCE National Safety Council