Speaker Category: Safety Leadership
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Curtis Weber
On July 29th, 1999, Curtis was 17 years old and working as a Construction Labourer on the prairies in Saskatchewan, Canada. After a long day at work, he and his crew were attempting to transport a grain bin under an overhead power line with their picker truck. Prior to performing the task, they had assessed the risk of moving the bin under the line and after a brief discussion they said it “had the potential to kill somebody”. They decided to go ahead with the task anyways. As they worked against the elements, Curtis steadied the bin from the high winds while they approached the overhead line. Then the predictable happened and the preventable happened. As they approached the overhead line, the operator of the crane did not boom down far enough and backed directly into the power line. Curtis immediately became the ground point for the electricity as 14,400 volts of electricity surged through his body three separate times. He was surrounded by steel and as each cycle of 14,400 volts passed through his body, the electricity tried to eject him from the live zone and violently threw him from one end of the steel structure to another as the…
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Chad Hymas
At the age of 27, Chad Hymas’ life changed instantaneously when an accident left him a quadriplegic. Since that time Chad has been recognized by the state of Utah as the Superior Civilian of the Year. He is the president of his own communications company and an internet marketing company. At 37 years of age Chad is the youngest ever to receive the CPAE award and be inducted into the National Speaker Hall Of Fame. As a member of the National Speakers Association Chad spoke at over 220 events last year. He travels as many as 300,000 miles a year. Last year Chad spoke in 5 new countries on 4 continents, to hundreds of professional and civic organizations such as Wells Fargo, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AT&T, Rainbird, IHC, American Express, Prudential Life, Vast FX, Zion Securities, and others.