How to Become the BEST Safety Manager You Can Be!

How to Become the BEST Safety
Manager You Can Be!
Gary W. Olmstead PhD, CIH, CSP
Olmstead HSE Services
Gary@OlmsteadHSE.com
Presentation’s Goal:
• Overview of observations and
recommendations for starting, developing,
and maximizing a safety career
Despite differences in workplace,
age, years of experience, interest in
leadership roles or educational
background – there are many
similarities regarding general career
management.
Short Biography
• Education
– B.A. – Biology and Psychology
– PhD – Environmental Health
• Work Experiences
– Short time – P & G, GE and IBM
– Director, Global HSE - General Mills
• Teaching
– University of Minnesota, School of Public Health
• Foundations
– AIHF
General Mills Product Lines
Former US Companies/Brand Names of GMI
• Red Lobster
• Eddie Bauer
• Olive Garden
• Lee Wards
• 8th Continent
• Talbot’s
• Lloyd’s BBQ
• Foot-Joy
• Tom’s Snack Foods
• Ship ‘n Shore
• Pennsylvania House
• Monet
• Lionel Model Trains
• Kenner Toys
• Lark Luggage
• Parker Brothers
• O-Cel-O
• Saluto Pizza
• H.E. Harris Stamps
• Gorton’s
• Donruss
• GoodMark
General Mills Injury History 1975 to Date
14.00
N. A. - Total Injury Rate
N. A. - Lost Time Injury Rate
Global Total Injury Rate
12.00
Global Lost Time Injury Rate
Injury Rate (Injuries per 100 Employees)
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
HSE Role at General Mills:
• Workplace Safety
• Fleet Safety
• Industrial Hygiene
• Environmental Protection
• Employee Wellness
• Casualty and Property Insurance
• Sustainability
“Enjoy what you do and
you will never ‘work’ a
day in your life.”
Education, Training, Work Experience
• Formal
• Internships
• On-the-job
• Continuing Education
– Seminars
– Conferences
Plan on lifelong learning!
Get Certified!
• CIH
• CSP
• CPE
• CHMM
• CPEA
• QEP
Find Your Niche
• Industry
• Government
• Academia
• Insurance
• Consulting
2006 Company Meeting
10/31/2013
Slide # 13
Prioritize Your Responsibilities
• Prevent safety incidents
• Protect organization’s reputation
• Comply with governmental regulations
• Support your group’s initiatives
Your career should
not be a game of
“Whack-a-Mole”
You need to be BOTH
Strategic and
Tactical!
Many opportunities exist
for both a “Specialist”
and also for the
“Generalist”
Remember What is Most Important
• Share successes and failures – teach others
• Learn from incidents
• Have both a short and long term perspective
• Lead by example
• Take responsibility
Be Prepared
• The “Elevator Speech”
• Emergency response
• Learn to do more with less
• Look for opportunities
• Be proactive not just reactive
Look for ways to add value to the
organization’s initiatives – align
your activities to support the
group’s goals.
Metrics
• What gets measured – gets done!
• Lagging indicators
• Leading indicators
It is absolutely critical to “sell”
your programs and yourself!
Don’t stake your career on just
compliance issues – do what is
right to protect employees,
customers, your organization and
the environment.
Develop Relationships:
• Mentors
• Sounding boards
• Career coaches
• Life coaches
• Subject matter experts
• People with complimentary skills and
knowledge
When in a leadership role,
surround yourself with good,
skilled, knowledgeable people.
You don’t want ‘yes’ people.
Manage Risk
• Identify and quantify concerns
• Estimate potential cost impacts
• Leverage opportunities
Be part of:
• Organizational leadership
• Acquisition and divestiture activities
• Insurance coverage decisions
• Wellness
• Sustainability
• Enterprise risk management
• CSR reporting
Learn to balance
“Quality” and “Acceptance”
Realize that many decisions have to
be based on less than perfect data.
This is where knowledge and
experience guide in making the best
decision at the time.
Benchmark your programs
and your career.
Perception vs. Reality
• Employees
• Management
• Regulators
• Peers
It’s a Changing World
• Must think worldwide
• “Think Global but Act Local”
• Developed countries are
losing manufacturing jobs
• Increasing number of service
occupations
• Understand cultural
differences – not everyone
thinks the way you do!
It’s a Changing Profession
• Number of practitioners
• Aging workforce
• Consulting
Supporting the Profession
• Trade groups
• Associations
• Foundations
• Certification Groups
Top Ten Career Success Factors
1. Know yourself – strengths and weaknesses
2. Lead by example
3. Actively manage your career
4. Develop a support group
5. Identify value drivers for your organization
Top Ten Career Success Factors
6. Link safety activities to value drivers
7. Measure performance
8. Communicate results – recognize
accomplishments
9. Follow-up (under-promise and over-deliver)
10.Take responsibility
So, what does your career crystal ball tell you?
Questions?