SAFETY CORNER
Lessons Learned in Safety: Hensel Phelps Safety Professional Shares Safety Experience
J
erry Shupe, corporate director of safety and health at Hensel Phelps, has learned plenty of lessons about
construction safety since he started with the company 17 years ago as a safety intern. He has been involved with the AGC-CA Safety and Health Council for more than 10 years, serving as president in 2009. Continuing its Q&A series with
past and present AGC of California safety leaders, the AGC-CA Safety & Health Council asked Jerry to share his journey, a few of his top lessons learned and some of the ways he applies them to continuously improve safety at his company.
What was your personal journey like to become a safety leader, and what experiences or lessons brought you to where you are now? I started my career as a safety
intern without any practical experience in safety or construction. At that point, I understood safety to mean the enforcement of rules and regula-
AGC CLC Service Project Continued from page 16
members and others who are interested in participating. Like most projects of this kind,
planning and executing the LABGC project requires substantial volunteer time and effort – but Devoto said it is highly rewarding to be involved with such an important and worthwhile endeavor.
www.AGC-CA.org
tions. As I’ve grown in my career, my understanding of the role of safety profes- sionals has completely changed. I’ve seen how accidents can affect people and their families, and it has confirmed my belief that safety profes- sionals must remember that we are in the business of helping people. We influence the future. Company policy and regulatory requirements are important, but we must look beyond these traditional approaches to safety management and work towards estab- lishing a strong culture that truly cares about the people working on their projects.
Why is safety a core value at your organization? Everyone wants to work for a
safe company, and we all want to be the best at what we do. Where many companies fail is in the imple- mentation and sustainability of their safety program. Our safety culture
Character Building Opportunity
“It is a great character-building
opportunity for everybody that is involved,” he commented. “For me personally, I think the value of helping people is priceless, especially people and organizations who are helping others. Also, with the construction indus- trywide labor shortage, there are a lot of opportunities here to get kids interested in construction and for them to become
Jerry Shupe
starts with the top of our organization – their beliefs put into action. Safety is incorporated into everything we do, and all stakeholders play a valuable role in creating a culture that values safety.
What is the biggest obstacle to safety at your organization, and how do you work to overcome it? Te dynamics of the construction
industry create a variety of challenges including complex projects, budget and schedule issues. Te current economy has made it very difficult to find experienced people to work on our projects. I believe these issues, combined with the integration of trade partners into our safety culture, create our biggest obstacle – influencing people to make good choices. To create a positive and sustainable
safety culture, we need to have safety champions on each project that build relationships with our people and partners. We need to send a clear and
more aware of our industry.”’ Want to help? Donate through the
AGC CEF at
https://www.agc-ca.org/ Foundation/, to the “Go Fund Me” account set up by the Boys and Girls Club (
https://www.gofundme.com, then search “Fix-It Fund LA Boys & Girls Club”), or call AGC Workforce Development Manager Jordan Powell for more information at (916) 371-2422.
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