Safety Champions 2020
December 2020
Mike Richard
Mike Richard, UVA FM Elevator Programs Specialist, has been nominated and chosen as Facilities Management's December 2020 Safety Champion for his initiative and willingness to share his time and expertise to create a safer working environment for his colleagues. Throughout the year, the FM Fire & Life Safety Team and the Elevator crews on Grounds team up to perform necessary fire safety testing of UVA's elevators. Mike took this opportunity to train the fire crew on elevator and hoist safety so that the team could be aware of needed safety precautions and hazards that may be present. Forrest Johnson, UVA FM's Fire Protection Service/Install Supervisor said, “I was impressed at the level of dedication and the effort he made to put it together and schedule the training. He offered the training three different times so that all my employees could be in it. He is a great example of FM employees looking out for one another.”
November 2020
Hattie Agee
Hattie Agee is being recognized as the November 2020 UVA Facilities Safety Champion for her dedication to keeping FM a safe workplace for herself and her employees. She consistently displays positive, collaborative behavior with the OHS team. She leverages their knowledge to obtain proper procedures for disposal of waste, training for fit testing of and respirator use for her employees, reviewing incidents, and keeping her department's SDS resources up to date. Hattie is a good example for all of her employees and colleagues and we look forward to working with her to keep FM safe!
September 2020
Mark Roach
UVA Facilities Management would like to recognize Mark Roach from FM Energy & Utilities as Safety Champion. Even prior to our new working normal, Mark worked hard to ensure that his employees remained safe and healthy on the jobsite. His employees work on the many tunnels at UVA that connect buildings on Grounds to heat and water. These employees need to be aware of the possibilities of encountering heat and enclosed spaces and be prepared for any number of situations as they enter a tunnel to maintain or repair lines and equipment. Mark has provided his group with personal heat strain monitors based on a Safety Recommendation from FM Occupational Health & Safety, educated all E&U employees about heat exposure hazards, as well as implementing a work-rest schedule for employees in warm working environments. FM appreciates his commitment to workplace health and safety as an E&U leader.
May 2020
Nate Wilson & Mark Todd
Nate Wilson and Mark Todd were nominated and selected as Safety Champions for May 2020 due to their efforts to keep employees and contractors safe on their jobsites. These have been difficult times and they have taken the extra measures to not only keep employees and contractors safe from construction related incidents, as well as taking further steps to keep employees and contractors as safe as possible from COVID-19. A recently implemented directive specific to these jobs from FM Project Manager Nate ensures that regulatory guidelines are being followed in addition to masks being worn all the time while on the jobs. Mark is the FM site superintendent responsible for making sure that everyone on the job is following the directive and is doing a great job! These guidelines have made working more challenging, but Mark and Nate are committed to getting it done. Thank you for looking out for your jobsites!
April 2020
Tyler Kraft
UVA Facilities Management is proud to recognize Tyler Kraft as April 2020 Safety Champion. Tyler has been a part of FM Housing Facilities' leadership team for seven months, and in that time, he has fostered an improved culture of safety within his team and organization. He helped implement the safe handling of heavy equipment and ensures that all required PPE is in use. He works to provide a safe working environment for not only for his employees, but also the residents his group serves. He is dedicated to training and ensures his team doesn't miss an educational opportunity. He keeps working environments clean, organized, and free of hazards, including cleaning and reorganizing of the shops under his charge and the complete revitalization of the Housing carpentry workspace. His proactive focus on safety has elevated his group's ability to maintain a safe working environment embodies what a Safety Champion is.
March 2020
Jim Murphy
UVA Facilities Management's March 2020 Safety Champion is Landscape Supervisor Jim Murphy. Jim also serves on the Landscape and Recycling Safety Committee. Jim is passionate about his group's safety culture: He immediately reports any safety concerns he finds on grounds and has requested noise sampling on some of the landscaping tools and equipment to ensure he and his employees are not exposed to noises that will damage hearing. Jim is an advocate for safety and has proven this not only during the safety committee meetings but in his interactions with his employees, as well.
February 2020
Dennis Edwards
UVA Facilities Management is delighted to recognize Dennis Edwards as the February 2020 Safety Champion. Dennis is an historic mason supervisor with FM's Capital Construction and Renovations group who proactively identifies job hazards across grounds, keeping UVA and contractors safe at work. He maintains robust engagement with FM Occupational Health & Safety to address job hazards and safety concerns, to implement safeguards, and to develop safety standards among other shops' employees and contractors. He is proactive in making sure that his employees have taken required OHS trainings, as well as safety trainings that are not required but that have a positive impact on employees' performance, as additional training increases safety awareness. If his employees must work with chemicals, he reviews the related SDS and makes sure that his employees have a safe work environment and proper, up-to-date PPE. Dennis' positive and proactive attitude and commitment to health and safety at work prevents incidents, injuries, and chronic health issues. Dennis truly believes in safety — when he works on a project on grounds, you can be sure that UVA employees and contractors are working in a safe and healthy environment.