7:30 am – 8:00 am ET

Registration / Continental Breakfast / Networking

8:00 am – 8:15 am ET

Opening Remarks

8:15 am – 9:15 am ET

MSHA Silica Rulemaking / Deregulatory, and Agency Update

In 2024, MSHA published a final rule on respirable crystalline silica, completing an effort that has been on and off again for more than a decade at the agency. That final rule was intended to be enforced in Coal and Metal/Nonmetal mines by April of 2026, but legal challenges and the administration change have put the status of that rule in doubt, and MSHA has publicly confirmed that it will not enforce the rule until finally adjudicated and is in the process of preparing new notice of proposed rulemaking. This panel will review the rulemaking history of MSHA’s silica rulemaking efforts, provide the latest update on the status of new rulemaking efforts, and review the agency’s other regulatory and deregulatory priorities.

9:15 am – 10:15 am ET

MSHA Enforcement Trends and Initiatives

Thus far during the second stint of the Trump Administration, we have seen MSHA maintain its historic focuses concerning enforcement. Shortly before the close of 2025, MSHA’s confirmed Assistant Secretary, Wayne Palmer, was confirmed and had a chance to start leading the agency. This panel will review MSHA enforcement trends during the first 18 months of the Trump Administration, and look forward to examine how the agency’s focus may change on over the next several years and what that will mean for country’s mining operations in the Southeast and beyond.

10:15 am – 10:30 am ET

Break

10:30 am – 12:00 pm ET

OSHA Enforcement and Rulemaking / Deregulatory Updates featuring Former OSHA Counsel for the Atlanta Region, Rachel L. Graeber

Despite a smaller workforce following staffing reductions and a reduced congressional budget, OSHA has continued to pursue high-dollar enforcement actions and publicized citations. Fewer inspectors have not eliminated enforcement risk, making it critical for employers to understand where the Agency is focusing its resources. This panel will highlight shifts in enforcement priorities and policies during the Trump/Vance Administration, touching on the latest rulemaking updates as well as the latest enforcement data and trends. A particular focus will be given to the enforcement priorities most likely to impact employers in the Southeast, with a critical examination of regional and national emphasis programs.

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm ET

Break

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm ET

Lunch and Panel Discussion on State OSH Plans throughout the Southeast Region

This panel will examine the current and emerging workplace safety issues shaping Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida. Panelists will identify regional regulatory shifts, enforcement trends, and practical compliance strategies for multi-state employers and practitioners operating in the Southeast. Bonus updates from the West Coast for companies with a bi-coastal presence.

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm ET

Labor & Employment Update

Even as the priorities of the second Trump Administration have come into focus, workplace labor and employment law continues to shift.  For example, in April former Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned from her post, leaving the biggest chair at the Department empty, and employers will need to consider how this kind of leadership turnover impacts DOL activity.  Roles and responsibilities at the EEOC and NLRB also continue to shift.  During this panel presentation, CMC’s L&E experts will discuss recent developments and the ongoing evolution of workplace law.

Among other issues, participants will gain insights into:

• The Trump Administration’s regulatory and enforcement priorities;
• Developments at the NLRB, particularly concerning collective rights, and organized labor; and
• Shifts in the EEOC’s strategic enforcement activities

2:30 pm – 2:45 pm ET

Break

2:45 pm – 3:30 pm ET

Intersection of Wage & Hour Law and Workplace Safety & Health

The Department of Labor is home to numerous enforcement agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Wage and Hour Division.  While each has its own area of focus, their interests sometimes overlap.  CMC’s attorney roster includes several individuals who worked in government enforcement, including personnel who represented OSHA as counsel and/or worked within the WHD.  Informed by those experiences, this panel will discuss touchpoints between OSHA and WHD, including:

• Memoranda of understanding governing the agencies’ referral processes;
• The ins and outs of child labor enforcement; and
• Responsibilities over field sanitation mandates.

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm ET

Lockout / Tagout (LOTO) and the Top 5 Most Expensive General Industry Violations

Year in and year out, Lockout/Tagout, Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, Powered Industry Trucks, and Machine Guarding tend to be cited more often than any other standards. Failing to comply with these standards not only poses a risk of costly fines, but higher rates of serious injuries and illnesses.  In other words, avoiding the mistakes made most often regarding these standards will result in safer and healthier workplaces, not to mention more favorable outcomes when OSHA shows up. During this session, our speakers will discuss the most common errors employers make attempting to comply with these standards and provide practical tips and suggestions for how employers can improve health and safety outcomes in these areas, while also reducing regulatory risk.

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm ET

Q&A and Closing Remarks

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm ET

Post-Event Reception