HAMILTON, ON (October 7, 2009) - The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)released the program for the upcoming Forum III, Leading Workplace Change, to be held March 8 and 9, 2010, in Gatineau, Quebec.

This two-day national event provides a platform for perspectives from Canadian, provincial and territorial governments, employers, labour organizations and subject experts to be represented, and to bring together their collective experience around effective leadership and the role it plays in creating healthy workplaces.

In addition to a number of plenary sessions, Forum III features an opening keynote presentation by best selling author and international improvement leader Jim Clemmer. Clemmer’s presentation, Leading at the Speed of Change will address the importance of having strong leadership flowing effectively throughout an organization to improve health, safety and overall performance.

The program includes researchers, policy-makers, organizational strategists, generational specialists, and other experts who will share their knowledge of leadership issues impacting the health and safety of today's workplaces, including violence prevention, participatory ergonomics, training and knowledge transfer, and the internal responsibility system.

The program includes the following topics and speakers:

• Leadership & Responsibility: Dr. Julian Barling, Professor of Organizational Behavior and Psychology in the Queen's School of Business.
• Employer and Labour Perspectives on Leadership and Responsibility: Cathy Walker, Former National Health and Safety Director of the Canadian Auto Workers Union and Frank Saunders, Vice President Nuclear Oversight and Regulatory Affairs, Bruce Power.
• Implementing Successful Participatory Ergonomic Programs: Opportunities and Challenges: Dr. Nancy Theberge, Professor in the Departments of Kinesiology and Sociology at the University of Waterloo.
• Towards a National Prevention Strategy for Workplace Violence in Canada: Glenn, French, President of the Canadian Initiative on Workplace Violence and Anthony Pizzino, National Director of Research, Job Evaluation and Health and Safety for the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
• Four Generations – Four Approaches to Work: Enhancing Training & Coaching for All: Giselle Kovary, Managing partner and co-founder of n-gen People Performance Inc.

Interactive workshops will involve participants in identifying new strategies and solutions to promote leadership and affect workplace change. Forum III will also feature case studies, panel and group discussions and an innovation best practices showcase to help Canadians better understand how leadership in the workplace can impact the health and safety needs of workers.

More information about the program and registration including, early registration, group and student discounts is available at www.ccohs.ca/events/forumiii.