​ 
 Safety. It is a word that is very broad in its connotation. It can be used in many ways. Because of this, we have to be clear as what we mean when we are talking about safety.
 
Those who are working in the safety career field, promoting safety in the workforce, generally have an easier time expressing what they mean when they talk about safety. As an example, they don’t tell an employee to “just be safe while driving your forklift.” Rather, they inform the forklift driver of the safety rules of operation, teach how to operate, and evaluate understanding and application of the training. They tell the driver to wear a seatbelt, use driver gloves while operating, balance the loads carried, understand the safety triangle as it relates to load stability and maximum weight the forklift can handle, etc.
 
I believe that safety professionals do this because they understand that “be safe” does not cover all the risks which can be found in a single job such as driving a forklift. Often this understanding is based on the safety professionals’ inherent heart for safety—for the work safety professionals do. They understand that they need to get to the detail which makes safety actually understood by the person they are trying to have an effect on. 
 
Am I saying that safety professionals who get this are different from others? To some degree I am. I have met safety pros who just want people to not have accidents and injuries. But the majority I have met understand that there are actions that make people safe and these actions are more than the words “be safe!”
 
Take the time to evaluate how you see safety. If safety is in your heart, you will find yourself giving more helpful guidance and training to your teams. If you are not there yet, spend some time networking with other safety professionals. Get plugged in to the safety community such as the local chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. The more heart you put into your safety career field, the more success you will have. By visiting with other safety professionals in your area, you can see more of what such safety looks like and how to make it happen.
 

 Chris Lawrence
Chapter President

​Plan, train, and be aware.
 
The National Lightning Safety Council reports that 11 people were killed by lightning last year.
Three of the deaths reported in 2021 occurred on the job: a 60-year-old construction employee in Wisconsin, a 19-year-old roofer in Florida and a 19-year-old lifeguard in New Jersey.
Although fatalities are rare, the danger is that lightning can strike with little or no warning. That’s why it can’t be ignored or taken lightly by employers or workers—particularly those who spend time outdoors.
                                         
“The last time you want to think about doing something about lightning is when it’s actually happening,” said Kevin Beauregard, director of the occupational safety and health division of the North Carolina Department of Labor.
Outdoor workers should practice extra caution during spring and summer. “We want to raise that awareness as we get into the months where these weather events are more prevalent,” said Kevin Cannon, senior director of safety and health services at the Associated General Contractors of America. “It’s about what you need to do to protect yourself.”
​
Risks and challenges
Occupations that have the highest risk of lightning strikes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include construction and building maintenance, farming and field labor, heavy equipment operation, logging, pipefitting or plumbing, telecommunications or power utility field repair, and explosives handling/storage.
A direct strike isn’t the only risk to workers. If lightning strikes metal objects, such as pipes used for plumbing and reinforcements for concrete floors and walls, electricity can travel through them. An average strike, according to NWS, is around 300 million volts and about 30,000 amps. A household current is 120 volts and 15 amps.
“It’s something you can significantly decrease your chances of if you take shelter,” Beauregard said. NWS’s lightning safety awareness campaign urges people to go indoors “when thunder roars.”

However, a significant challenge in the construction industry is the numerous settings workers may be in when severe weather strikes. “You have to look at it from the different perspectives of those who are performing work primarily outside, such as civil contractors versus those who are building contractors,” Cannon said. “You may be, at times, working in a fully enclosed building, sometimes partially enclosed, sometimes just framed.”
Many outdoor scenarios include working at height, not only in construction but also telecommunications, utilities, and other industries.
“Say you’re up in a raised position—on a water tower, on top of a tower crane or scaffolding, or on a wind turbine,” Beauregard said. “It’s going to take you time to get down.”
That’s especially important because lightning can strike up to 10 miles from any rainfall, OSHA warns.
​
Prepare to act
OSHA’s standard on employee emergency action plans (1926.35)—which covers escape procedures and routes, evacuation, and training of workers—applies to lightning.
“An employer can’t control if there’s going to be a lightning strike or not,” Beauregard said. “But what they can control is making sure their employees are properly trained and they know what they should do in the event of an approaching storm or if they find themselves in a storm.” On a jobsite, educating workers about where to go when the threat of lightning rises is imperative.
“That preparation starts with identifying these types of events in your emergency plan, training to it, and then looking at your specific operations—outdoor vs. indoor,” Cannon said.
Oregon OSHA, which operates as a State Plan, says employers can find resources with their state program’s consultation services to help with minimizing, controlling, or eliminating hazards such as lightning strikes.
Among the key steps to stay safe, according to federal OSHA, is checking weather reports. “Prior to starting the work, know what the weather is going to be like that day so you can plan,” Beauregard said
Employers and workers can use cellphone apps—such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather app—to track weather conditions. In addition, employees should prepare by “understanding what the policies and procedures entail and put that into action,” Cannon said.

​ 
It seems that there are all kinds of new safety rules coming out these days. In the last couple of years, we have seen new rules covering COVID-19, Heat Illness Prevention, Wildfire Smoke, Silica Exposure, Manganese in Welding, OSHA Penalties, and others. And guess what! There are more coming.
 
Federal OSHA is in the final rules stage in Hazard Communication updates and Tracking of Workplace Injuries. They also have proposed rule updates for Cranes in construction, Lock Out, Tree Care, PPE in construction, Walking and Working Surfaces, Forklifts, and others. It is likely these will eventually begin to show up in the OR-OSHA rules as well.
 
You can read the rules. You can ask questions to OSHA about their intent and application. You can attend classes at conferences to learn more. But did you know that your safety peers in the community may also be sources of information for rule changes and how those changes will be implemented? In fact, because of the networking afforded by our monthly meetings (generally the first Tuesday of each month), you can meet with peers and either ask them how they are responding to the changes, or maybe you have it all figured out, and you can share what you are doing with these new challenges. 
 
In the local safety community, networking is highly important. We re-energize and support each other. Quite often we learn from each other. Besides the professional lasting relationships we develop, these attributes of networking are what it’s all about. All you have to do is choose to be plugged in and participate. 
 
If you are already attending and participating, help to bring others along in our safety community. If you are not attending, think of how much you are missing out on. Despite so many of us being very busy these days, most will tell you that the time spent in the American Society of Safety Professional’s Southern Oregon Chapter gatherings are of great value. The networking and the training are worth the time. As noted above, with all the changes coming to safety rules, it will be difficult for one person to know and do it all, but together we can decipher the changes and find best practices for implementation.
 
Remember, our monthly meetings are the first Tuesday of each month (holidays may cause the date to move out a week on occasion) at Black Bear Diner starting usually at noon. Safety community members begin showing up at 11:30 though to ensure the networking time. I hope to see you there.
 
Chris Lawrence
Chapter President
 

​ 
Working, Specializing and Getting Certified as a Safety Professional: Where to Start?
March 17, 2023

Being a safety professional is a rewarding and respectable career choice, allowing for flexibility, variety, growth, opportunities for leadership and long-term stability.
“This is not a boring job,” says Colin Brown, Ph.D., CSP, CIH, CIT, director of business advancement with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP). “The sky’s the limit. You can do anything you want to in this profession. . . . It’s dynamic and it’s always changing, and that means that we have to be well-prepared with the skills and knowledge to respond to that kind of environment.”
To keep up, safety professionals are constantly investing in ongoing professional development, often in the form of obtaining certificates and certifications that demonstrate their growing knowledge base.
These credentials are worth more than just bragging rights. This is underscored by the median salary of full-time safety professionals who have one certification, which is $98,000, according to BCSP’s salary survey. That salary grows as these professionals add more designations, such as associate safety professional (ASP), certified safety professional (CSP), safety management specialist (SMS), construction health and safety technician (CHST), and occupational hygiene and safety technician (OHST).
For example, the CSP certification adds approximately $27,700 to the salary of a practitioner, according to the survey.
“As safety professionals, you have an opportunity to really take charge of your own professional development and to build those skills that are going to make and keep you in high demand,” Brown says.
For emerging professionals who want to invest in their careers through certification, Brown and Jessica Richardson, M.S., CSP, CIT, CHST, STSC, senior manager of professional and organizational advancement with BCSP, explain how safety professionals can move through the credentialing process efficiently.

Specializations Within the Safety Profession
One of the first things many safety professionals consider is how they might want to specialize within the safety field. Because of the broad need for safety across many different types of industries and the many niches available within the field, safety professionals have an unprecedented opportunity to determine their own paths.
“Many safety professionals are generalists and that’s excellent because that’s what many companies need. But if you also find a particular passion or specialization, there’s a lot of opportunity for you as well,” Brown says.
Specialization can make you more valuable, Richardson adds. “Think about things like transportation safety. Right now, modular construction is on the rise. They’re building things off-site and transporting them to the actual job site. Now we’re transferring the risk from the construction job site to the transportation professionals. So follows the risk, so follows the safety professional. . . . Our jobs are going to change and you can be at the cutting edge of that.”
She suggests that emerging professionals “do as much as they can as early and often as they can to find out what they like and what they're good at and become great at it. Get as much exposure as you can to the overall profession and really hone in on what excites you.”
Certification can also support specialization. As you realize the path you want to follow, gaining specialized certifications, such as the certified professional ergonomist or (CPE) or certified instructional trainer (CIT), can demonstrate your special knowledge and skills in that area.

Safety Certification: What It Is and What It Isn’t
Certification carries specific defining features and is different than similar credentials like a certificate or license. In its most detailed definition, a certification is a:

• Professional credential
• Competence assessment
• Third-party validation of the four Es: education, experience, examination and ethics
• Voluntary process
• Evaluation of individuals against a standard
• Requirement of continuing education, professional development, and recertification

The continuing education requirement is an important distinction between certification and a certificate. Whereas a certificate is like a snapshot of learning in particular moment, a certification shows the development of a professional throughout their career.
Because of the requirements for recertification, professionals who are certified attend conferences, take webinars, read and write books and articles, join industry communities, network, and generally stay at the forefront of what’s happening in the profession and making the profession stronger, Richardson says. “Your ASSP membership is a very important part of your recertification process,” she adds. “You get recertification points for not only being an ASSP member but also for participating in ASSP, so be a leader.”

Why Earn a Safety Certification?
Certification comes with numerous benefits for safety professionals. Richardson and Brown outline a few:

• Opportunities for career advancement
• Personal satisfaction
• Recognition by peers
• Potential increase in salary
• Required by employer or government

They also stress the importance of choosing an accredited certification that is recognized by an accreditation body such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This ensures the certification maintains specific requirements, which protects the validity and integrity behind the process of achieving it, Richardson says.

Which Safety Certification Is Right For Me?
Determining which credential is right for you depends on many factors, but primarily depends on your education, work experience, and career aspirations. Talking to other credentialed professionals in the safety field can give you an idea of which direction to pursue. “The longest-running credential is the CSP. For many, this is a career aspiration and a certification widely recognized by employers,” Brown says.

The Safety Certification Process
Regardless of which certification you choose to pursue, the process for BCSP certifications is the same. Here is an overview:

1. Choose which credential is right for you and apply online.
2. Meet the education requirement. This varies depending on the certification.
3. Meet the experience requirement. This also varies.
4. Apply. You will be notified when your application is approved.
5. Purchase an exam. Candidates have one year to schedule and sit for the exam.
6. Sit for the exam. Exams for BCSP certifications are scheduled through Pearson VUE testing centers and delivered via computer. As soon as candidates submit their exam, results are available.
7. Maintain certification. There is an annual renewal fee and recertification is required every five years.

How to Prepare For a Safety Certification Exam
To prepare for your certification exam, Richardson and Brown recommend asking other credential-holders you know how to prepare. They offer several other suggestions as well.

• Assess your strengths and weaknesses: Each exam has a “blueprint” that outlines the exam’s content. The blueprint is broken down into different domains that cover various topics. Brown recommends looking through those domains and giving yourself a score based on how well you know each topic so you see where you need to focus. His rule of thumb: If you can create your own questions on the topics, these are likely strong areas. If you struggle to do this, these are your likely weak areas.
• Have an examination preparation plan: Build a road map to work on your strengths and weaknesses that focuses on consistency. Brown recommends setting a time and a space to study every day, even if you just start with five minutes at a time. “Being consistent builds up small wins and will help you study for longer and maintain it,” he says.
• Develop a test-taking strategy: Think ahead to the techniques that will help you perform best on test day. Brown recommends reading items carefully and thinking about the context of each question, as well as having a strategy for ensuring you get as many questions answered as possible during each timed section. Above all, he advises, get a good night’s sleep.
• Learn how the questions are asked: The way the questions are written can trip up test-takers who aren’t prepared, Richardson says.

One of most comprehensive ways to prepare for the exams is with our exam preparation courses for the ASP, CSP, SMS, CHST and OHST certifications. You can take these courses three different ways: in-person at a specific location, in a live virtual classroom, or in a self-paced online format. Course participants receive study outlines, workbooks, practice problems, suggested resources, and study aids, as well as guidance in areas where they need additional preparation.
Regardless of when or how you become certified, it is important to know there is a certification available for every stage of your career journey. It’s never too late to add credentials to your career.
 
Understand and Master the Steps to Safety Certification
Our certification exam preparation courses are led by knowledgeable industry leaders who will coach you to success. Each course includes a thorough overview of the exam, giving you the opportunity to assess your current understanding of the content and create a study plan that works for you.
 
 
 

​Learning safety can be a funny thing. The average person in the workforce does not sit down at the workstation and say, “I wonder what the national safety awareness topic is for the month of (pick a month).” However, most safety professionals will do this more than once in their career. By doing so, we find there is an amazing amount of information to be gained. There is a copious amount of awareness topics for each month, but there are always a few that fit right with our needs. 
 
Recently, I did this Google search: “Safety awareness topic for the month of March.” Did you know that ladder safety is a March national focus? That’s right. Many topics showed up, but for me ladder safety was the standout. This was timely because I was recently having a ladder safety discussion with a colleague, and of course, there are the usual things I have to say about ladder safety, which is probably similar to what most safety folks would discuss. However, are there other things to consider? Is there more I can dive into regarding ladders? Why not see what the ladder gurus have to say! 
 
This is the beauty of these national safety focus monthly programs and how we can learn from them. Whatever the national monthly safety topic is, you can find some very refined and valuable information to advance your safety efforts. Using the ladder safety month as an example, I found this paragraph in an on-line article from Teddy Durgin: “National Ladder Safety Month is all about educating the public on the steps one must take when climbing a ladder, whether at home or at work. But any industry professional worth his or her salt will tell you – safety begins even before that. It begins with picking the right ladder. And when choosing the right ladder, there are several things that must be taken into account.”  Teddy went on to share comments from Chad Lingerfelt, National Safety Training Manager for Illinois-based WernerCo, who suggested that the first step to ladder safety is choosing the right ladder for the right job.
 
What’s interesting here is that Teddy’s article is from the laddersafetymonth.com website, which is presented by the American Ladder Institute, and Chad works for one of the world’s premier ladder manufacturers. Just think of the ladder safety knowledge encapsulated in this National Ladder Safety Month website! I am certain I can find more than enough information from this website to teach a crew on how to choose the right ladder – and much more! My point in this article is not ladder safety per se. Rather it is more about ways to learn and develop as safety professionals. A simple search for a national monthly safety topic can lead to a wealth of knowledge that comes from subject matter experts. These tools are readily available and are often filled with free, yet valuable, information to help us become better at what we do. 
 
Want to improve your working knowledge in safety? Do this search: “Safety awareness topic for the month of March (or other month).” It can be very enlightening. It can build your knowledge and give you tools for your safety program.
 
Chris Lawrence
​Chapter President

​James Moulsdale is the new Government Affairs Coordinator for the Southern Oregon ASSP Executive Committee, and we are super excited to welcome him aboard!
 
 
 
Hi, James! Can you share a few tidbits about yourself or maybe a favorite hobby?
 
James: I spent most of my career on the East Coast, doing industrial hygiene and EHS consulting in the Baltimore/Washington region. In 2018, my family and I moved to Oregon, and I began work with Erickson, Inc. in their safety department, where I focused on environmental compliance, hazardous waste management, and general safety programs. In 2022, I joined SAIF as a Senior Safety Management Consultant and work with businesses primarily in the Klamath Falls region. My wife (Lisa) and I have two girls, Natalie-4 and Nora-15-months. We enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities like camping, hiking, boating, etc., and I’ve been a dedicated hunter and fisherman since I was a kid.
 
How long have you been a member of the ASSP?
 
James: I joined ASSP in 2022 when I started with SAIF. I joined the executive committee in February 2023 as Government Affairs Coordinator. I appreciate the opportunity to serve on the executive committee and look forward to a productive year for our chapter.
 
What do you think is the biggest benefit to membership?
 
James: I think the greatest benefit to membership is the chance to network and get to know all the great folks we have in our safety community here in Southern Oregon!
 
Can you share an item on your bucket list?
 
James: Being from the East Coast, I’ve had the opportunity to do lots of deer hunting but very little elk hunting. Taking a bull elk with archery gear is one of my long-term goals/bucket list items.
 
What is something you wish more people understood about occupational safety?
 
James: 100% compliance will only solve 20% of your safety problems.
 
This one is for fun. ☺
If you had a personal “warning label,” what would it say?
 
James: HAZARDOUS TO WILDLIFE.
Kidding aside, I’m a conservationist and care deeply about the health of our fish and wildlife populations and their proper management.

Occupational safety and health have made great strides over the past five decades. Since the signing of the OSH Act in 1970, standards and regulations have been put in place to improve conditions for workers across all industries. However, there is always more work to do to ensure everyone goes home in the same condition as when they arrived.

In 2020, 4,764 fatal occupational injuries occurred in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Furthermore, OSHA’s top 10 most cited violations relate to many of the same standards year after year. With all of this in mind, what more can safety professionals do — and what can we as a Society do — to improve workplace conditions?
We recently spoke with President Christine Sullivan, President-Elect Jim Thornton and Senior Vice President Pam Walaski for their perspective on the current state of occupational safety and health, the challenges facing safety professionals, what they’d like to see from OSHA, and how we can continue working together for a safer, stronger future in the coming year.

The Current State of Occupational Safety and Health

ASSP: What are your thoughts on the current state of occupational safety and health?

Sullivan: Since March 2020, workplace safety and awareness of workplace safety has changed significantly. Although workers still need to be kept safe from traditional hazards, COVID-19 has introduced significant new exposures.
In the past, safety professionals were primarily asked to prevent injuries and illnesses in their organizations, but now responsibilities are expanding to nontraditional items like wellness, mental health, and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG). Currently, safety is at the forefront for many company executives, but we need to continue to push to be in the C-suite.

Thornton: Safety professionals have helped to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatality rates over the years. However, despite their dedicated efforts, injury, illness, and fatality rates have recently held steady. The COVID-19 recovery has created even more challenges: the loss of experienced workers, hiring of new workers, transition to remote work, changing of work schedules, and more.

Novel approaches to OSH management are warranted to further reduce injuries and illnesses. We must emphasize and research the human side of safety, including mental health and workplace stress. In my view, this is the new frontier for OSH programs and represents a monumental opportunity to make a difference.

Walaski: Hardly anyone would disagree that the pandemic created significant changes in the way organizations operate. From telecommuting to worker shortages to supply chain disruptions, these changes required and continue to require organizations to pivot quickly. This is especially true regarding how OSH needs are addressed.

However, I believe that a significant evolution of OSH practices has been going on for much longer and has provided a foundation for managing current changes. In the past five to seven years, we have seen an increased awareness of emerging approaches that focus on the role of the organization’s systems to effect change. More people have begun to appreciate how those systems create capacity and resilience to operate effectively under varying conditions.

Approaches like human and organizational performance (HOP) and Safety Differently focus on understanding human behavior in the context of the system, rather than the other way around. Aligning with these systems-based approaches are those which focus on the role of the OSH leader to create an environment that fosters creative problem-solving and a willingness to speak up without fear of reprisal or shame. 

The Challenges Facing Safety Professionals

ASSP: What are the greatest challenges facing safety professionals today?

Sullivan: Many safety professionals lack business skills such as effective communication, calculating the return on investment of safety, and demonstrating the impact they have on their organizations. Wellness, mental health, and ESG are emerging issues where safety professionals can have an impact. 

Thornton: I have had conversations with safety professionals who say they are having challenges adapting their OSH programs to adjust to new employees entering the workforce as well as senior workers leaving.
But the primary challenge for OSH professionals is to find time for continuing education while keeping their workplaces safe. As we enter our new normal following COVID, OSH professionals will be met with increasing responsibilities and challenges. We must recognize these challenges and find ways to help our members.

Walaski: One is the need to recruit more people to enter the profession. We know that the number of OSH professionals nearing retirement age is high and the number of those entering the profession doesn’t match. Recruitment can take place at the high school level, but finding ways to attract people already in the workforce will be a big part of any targeted endeavor.  
We also know that evolving workplaces require new and different approaches to OSH. For example, “blame the worker” approaches are being replaced in organizations that recognize incidents are opportunities to learn. These organizations understand that workers are acting and reacting as part of a system that needs to be understood for real change and improvement to occur.

How Our Community Can Help

ASSP: How can our Society help safety professionals address these challenges?

Sullivan: We need to be quicker and more nimble. For example, Total Worker Health® has been a topic for many years, but we are not there yet. How do we do this faster so we are not overshadowed by other organizations? Many safety professionals don’t understand ESG and how it ties to human capital and the impact they can have in their role. Education is key, but again we need to be nimble.

Thornton: We must use our Advisory Group to identify emerging trends in the workplace so we can develop solid educational programs to help our members. We must deliver these programs in an efficient and effective manner.
We should also teach safety professionals how to implement specific training programs that are tailored to employee experience levels and cultural differences. Customized, targeted training could be a real gamechanger.

Walaski: OSH professionals join this profession by following a variety of paths. We know from our research than more than half of members enter our profession from other disciplines or with degrees other than those with occupational safety and health in their names.
The formation of the ASSP Foundation’s Educational Framework Task Force is a critical step in meeting professionals where they are, when they are ready.
 
Looking to the Future

ASSP: How do you see work changing, and how can safety professionals adapt to those changes? 

Sullivan: Artificial intelligence and data collection will play key roles. COVID pushed us into a remote work environment, and while currently this is focused on office workers, I see more robotics and AI allowing even those in manufacturing to work remotely.
Continuous learning and change will become important. I think you are going to see a need for people who are more like coaches and teachers as work changes, so those are skills safety professionals will need to learn.

Thornton: The workplace is constantly changing and always will. It is critical that OSH professionals stay ahead of trends in this dynamic environment and participate in networking and educational programs that help them effectively manage their programs and better protect workers.
With technological changes moving at the speed of light and the global economy in flux, the future of work is highly unpredictable. It is critical that the Society remain fully committed to monitoring the evolution of work and adapting our strategic plan.

Walaski: Professions and professionals are always evolving, changing, and adapting — and OSH is no different. I am confident that we will continue to learn and be open to new and different ways of leading our organizations. We have become so much more aware of our role as a partner and trusted advisor rather than a “doer.”
Our role as a safety cop or safety officer should be considered outdated, and our role as an engager who helps workers share their knowledge and expertise should be the norm. We should all acknowledge the dignity of work.
 
What OSHA Can Do

ASSP: What would you like to see from OSHA to help improve conditions for workers?

Sullivan: OSHA needs to reexamine the way it does standards. While standards are important for many organizations, the standards have no impact on where employee injuries are occurring. OSHA needs to use the data they are collecting from companies and do a better job using predictive analytics to focus their efforts on areas where they can make an impact.

Thornton: I think OSHA should require the recognition of qualified safety and health professionals for future regulations. Safety professionals will ensure requirements are properly followed and will be able to provide different control options for regulatory compliance. As a result, many more workers would have a safety professional looking out for their interests.
In addition, I think OSHA ought to consider more frequent use of the “negotiated rulemaking” method of developing OSH standards. Although the moniker carries a negative connotation, the concept is that the agency has the authority to bring affected stakeholders and technical experts together and develop “reasonable-yet-protective” OSH standards.

Walaski: Addressing emerging and changing hazards requires a process that is nimble, so relying on OSHA to promulgate regulations is unreasonable given that its process is part of the OSH Act and unlikely to be modified. However, the approaches and voluntary consensus standards that OSH professionals rely on are based on a model that includes all stakeholders and is revisited on a prescribed basis to be revised or reaffirmed.

I would like to see OSHA find a way to incorporate the required use of OSH professionals who use these standards into some of their activities. Perhaps local area directors who are negotiating with employers for the reduction of fines could require consultation as part of negotiations. In a way, this would expand the use of the consultation programs already in place.
 
 
 
 

Hi, Chris! We already know you are our chapter president, but can you please tell us a little about who you are?
 
Chris: I grew up in Oregon and graduated from Crater High School. I joined the Air Force after a short stint in logging. In 1982, I started my Air Force career in Security Forces protecting nuclear weapons and eventually took on a collateral duty roll in safety in 1993. I loved safety so much that I was able to formally cross train into the profession and graduated from safety school in 1996. 
 
I retired from the Air Force safety program in 2006 with my final assignment as the Occupational Safety Manager for Schriever AFB where we placed space payloads in orbit and operated space-based assets such as the GPS system, communications, reconnaissance, etc. After retiring, I was able to return to Southern Oregon as the regional safety manager for Knife River Corporation. I eventually moved to be the corporate safety manager for Swanson group and eventually landed where I am now as the regional safety manager for Boise Cascade Company.   
 
I enjoyed my Air Force safety career because of the variety of opportunities; I was able to be involved in occupational safety, weapons systems safety, flight safety, space operations safety, and systems safety. Nevertheless, I love being a safety manager here in Southern Oregon, and the safety community peers I get to associate with.
 
How long have you been a member of the ASSP?
 
I have participated in ASSP since 1996 in the Alaska Chapter, I but started my first membership in 2001 in what was then called the international chapter since I had moved overseas. 
 
What do you think is the biggest benefit to membership?
 
Being tied to a community of people in all levels of the safety profession. I firmly believe that my maturity in the safety career field is because of being a member and getting to associate with my peers. I have been mentored by them, and I have mentored some of them. They keep me going! 
 
Do you have any upcoming travel plans?
 
We will do our annual camping trip to Oregon’s Wallowa Lake in July, and then my youngest daughter’s graduation trip to Maui in September.
 
Can you share an item on your bucket list?
 
Since I have traveled to so many places around the world, I want to do something simple and quiet like build a cabin in Ketchikan, Alaska.
 
Is there anything you wish more people understood about your role in safety or safety in general?
 
I wish more people understood that safety is not something you buy in a program. It takes work & effort. A safety person needs to be well rounded. They have to learn laws to comply with, but then work to build a culture that is beyond compliance. It is an art and science to make safety happen. The effort includes being an advocate for the employee and the company at the same time; it requires sales capabilities to convinces ideas and programs; it takes planting seeds and allowing others to take credit for the growth in the safety effort.
 
This one is for fun J:
What would your personal warning label say?
 
Warning: This person loves his family and freedom and knows how to defend them both! Oh, and coffee builds relationships with this person.
 
Thank you, Chris!
 
Check back next month for our continued Member Spotlight series!
​

Help Share Awareness for Preventing Scald Injuries During National Burn Awareness Week
 
National Burn Awareness Week is February 5-11, 2023.
 
 
National Burn Awareness Week is a window of opportunity for organizations to mobilize burn, fire, and life safety educators to unite in sharing a common burn awareness and prevention message in our communities. (American Burn Association, 2023)
OSH Professionals can participate in this national awareness campaign in various ways:

• Review your fire prevention plan
• Evaluate burn hazards at your establishments
• Hold a safety toolbox talk regarding burn hazards in your workplace
• Have a first-aid refresher class for treating burns
• Invite an educator to your facility or host a class
• Share your participation on social media

 
Visit: https://ameriburn.org/advocacy-and-prevention/burn-awareness-week/ to find ways you can participate and share graphics on your social media.
Remember: “Hot Liquids Burn Like Fire!”
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In January’s Southern Oregon Chapter of the ASSP monthly meeting at Black Bear Diner, we were blessed to hear a presentation from David Hanson, a Senior Safety Consultant with SAIF Corporation. He presented on how to retrain our brain to make conscious decisions that influence safety, time, money, and resources in our organizations. There was a crowd of local safety professionals on hand to participate in this great opportunity to learn and network.
  
Seeing the group made me reflect on past meetings. Prior to COVID-19, we were having excellent meetings routinely, and there were many long-time attendees whose presence assured valuable networking among the local safety community. It was that small town feel where everyone knew each other, and all were willing to ask questions and share ideas. In the meetings since returning from the pandemic, we are again having excellent learning opportunities and starting to see familiar faces. We are seeing relationships build again. This is so important for our safety community. Each person brings a perspective, brings a level of knowledge, and even brings a level of desired learning. We are a group of people who can share experiences and learn from each other. But, what’s more, we are able to continue to build professional relationships and long-term friendships.
 
As I have said before, if you are not regularly attending these monthly meetings at the Black Bear Diner on the first Tuesday of the month, you are really missing out on an opportunity to share what you bring to the table and to learn from what others bring. These meetings give us a chance to meet people who have different perspectives and a variety of experiences. You are missing an opportunity build friendships with outstanding members of our safety community.
 
In all my years of being in safety, becoming an active member of this group is one of the things I cherish most. When I retire down the road, these relationships will be what I will hold onto. I think all routine attendees will convey a similar perspective. We are a community. I hope to see you there in future meetings—I can’t wait to hear your perspective at improving and sustaining safety! It just feels like it’s a place where safety people belong.
 
Chris Lawrence