1st Edition

A Practical Guide to the Safety Profession The Relentless Pursuit

By Jason A. Maldonado Copyright 2020

    A Practical Guide to the Safety Profession: The Relentless Pursuit will help reshape the way we talk about safety, prompt action, and engage workers from all levels of an organization. The book includes real-life experiences and characters that are relatable to anyone who has worked in the safety and health field for any amount of time. It will provide answers for every safety professional who has ever asked: "Is this actually making people safer?" It shines a light on ineffective practices that drive a wedge between the safety professional and the people they support and then provides meaningful alternative practices.

    Features

    • Provides a streamlined process for eliminating high impact hazards
    • Emphasizes concepts that are immediately actionable with little to no investment costs
    • Includes real-life studies and examples

     

    PART I FORGET THE TRIVIAL: AN UNCONVENTIONAL INTRODUCTION TO

    OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

    1 F… orget OSHA

    2 Hey Safety Guys! You Missed a Hazard!

    3 Backstabbers with … "Passion" for Safety

    4 Risk in Real Time

    5 Inspector Bob

    PART II FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS

    6 Padzilla

    7 Aim at the Wrong Target, Get the Wrong Score

    8 Quit Saying "Shall," You’re Not Shakespeare

    9 Add Value, Not Words

    10 Choose Your Enemies Wisely

    11 The One Wire Difference

    12 Read Between the Lines

    13 Build a Foundation, Not a Rulebook

    14 Never Trust the President

    15 The Pilot’s Perspective

    16 The Gecko

    PART III DO WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

    17 We Should Do Something!

    18 "Safety Assessment Stick" Beatings

    19 The Ice Method

    Epilogue: One Night at a Hometown Diner

    Works Cited

    Biography

    Jason Maldonado has spent the past 15 years working in Safety and Health roles throughout a variety of industries. Beginning as an explosive safety technician while serving in the United States Air Force, Jason developed a passion for teaching the importance of working safely and helping others figure out how to accomplish that mission. After transitioning from the military, he spent time in heavy civil construction, chemical weapon demilitarization, electrical transmission and distribution, and food manufacturing. All of these experiences have helped shape his unique perspective of the state of the modern Safety Professional and ignited a passion to help his peers truly make the workplace safer. He holds the credentials of Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Safety Management Specialist (SMS), Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist (COHC), and Certified Reliability Leader (CRL). Jason lives in Roswell, New Mexico with his wife Jennifer and their two children Anthony and Emily.

    "The title says it all. Mr. Maldonado has captured, through his many personal experiences, that the implementation of a good safety program need not be complicated. The use of statistics of past events does not lead to a safety program that will protect people. Leading metrics are significantly more important than lagging indicators. Compliance with regulations is just the start of a robust safety program. Mr. Maldonado refers to many instances where the need to go beyond regulations is required in order to keep people safe from injury. He emphasizes the need to focus on what matters and not waste effort on the trivial. You need a culture that focuses on identifying root causes of incidents and addresses those findings.
    For example, you can fix a broken tool, but why was that tool allowed to remain in service. His final words, "Identify, Correct, Engage the people" ring true. Should Jason write another book, I look forward to reading it."
    Robert Rosen, Process Safety Progress, February Issue 2020

    "This book is short, sweet, and high-impact for those who need a quick introduction to the life of an occupational health and safety manager. The author’s decades of experience provide a clear, compelling, and conversational look at what motivates and engages this group of people, and how they interact with each other and workers on the front lines."
    Quality Management Journal, 2020

    "One of the most poignant, realistic and helpful books I have read about the challenges faced by safety practitioners. Through irresistible storytelling, the author shares his field experiences with unparalleled authenticity that displays both the compassion all great safety leaders need, along with cutting humor and a hint of rebellion that falls out of the all too prevalent nonsense associated with the safety profession. Jason Maldonado also provides thoughtful and practical solutions to common challenges faced by safety leaders and practitioners."
    Clive Lloyd, Director of GYST Consulting & Developer of the acclaimed Care Factor Program, Australia

    "When it comes to safety, this is the book that needed to be written. A provocative and fresh approach to providing safety tools for businesses to truly take better care of their people. If followed, the principles laid out within its pages will redefine what safety means to the future of your company. A must read for any professional wanting to ensure a safe workplace."
    D. W. King, USAF Retired

    "Mr. Maldonado’s book is a must-read for any safety professional or production manager. It is an artful collection of opinions, musings and real-world experience, often told with humorous prose. Jason is an excellent storyteller and his book provides insightful examples of how safety programs succeed and fail, and his Toolbox Tips offer a great collection of, well, tools that can be used in any workplace. Even though he is a relative youngster, he has experience and wisdom well beyond his years. It will definitely be the most engaging safety tome you will ever read."
    Michael Rogers, Colleague, Utilities Executive