Safety Stars

December 2024

Devante Dowell

UVA Facilities Management recognizes Devante Dowell, a Fleet Analyst Specialist with FM's Programs and Informatics, as the December 2024 Safety Champion for his quick and proactive response to a potential safety hazard. Two FM box trucks were parked in FM lot spots that not only impeded the visibility of incoming traffic, but also any pedestrians about to walk over the crosswalk. When this was brought to his attention, Devante acted quickly and moved the trucks to a safer location. His actions are a prime example of the motivated safety-mindset UVA FM-OHS encourages. We celebrate empowering our FM colleagues to take initiative in both small and big actions to make the workplace safer for not only themselves, but for all of FM-and in this case, the general public as well. Thank you Devante!

November 2024

Mark McGhee

The UVA Facilities Management Occupational Health & Safety team is pleased to announce that Mark McGhee, Mason Plasterer Supervisor Senior with UVA FM Construction & Renovation Services, is FM's Safety Champion for November 2024. Mark continues to demonstrate his commitment to safety and problem-solving in the workplace, contributing positively to the wellbeing of his team and colleagues.

Mark is an active supporter of workplace safety, supporting and promoting UVA FM's safety programs to his team of masons and plasterers, including the Respiratory Protection Program and the Hearing Conservation Program. He is proactive in checking the Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) of products used on his job sites to be sure that no hazardous or banned chemicals are used, protecting his team from potential exposure to harmful substances.

Mark also takes personal protective equipment (PPE) seriously. The FM C&RS plaster crew recently faced an issue with their hard hats: The crew was using stilts to be able to reach the ceiling and their hard hats were rubbing against the wet plaster as it was being applied. Hard hats were required on this job site, but this inconvenience was both frustrating to the employees and slowing the job down. Mark was able to source shorter stilts, which allowed the crew to continue to work safely in their hard hats.

Mark's collaborative and supportive attitude during incident reviews has also been commendable. He has always worked closely with the Occupational Health and Safety team to address any safety concerns that arise as a result of a safety concern or incident review.

Congratulations to Mark for promoting a safe and healthy work environment. As a supervisor, his proactive approach to safety sets the tone and expectation for his team in maintaining a safe workplace.

October 2024

Fred Gibson

Fred Gibson, Senior Electrician for UVA Facilities Management Automation Services, is recognized as UVA FM's October 2024 Safety Champion. Fred demonstrated his dedication to safety during a recent project at Olsson Hall: While working in the building's basement mechanical space, Fred identified a hazard that could have caused an injury from live energy. His expertise and knowledge allowed him to take quick action. By noticing and identifying the hazard, communicating clearly with those around him, neutralizing the hazard, and submitting a near miss report, Fred prevented a potential accident that could have resulted in significant injury if it was left unaddressed.

A “near miss” is defined by OSHA as “a potential hazard or incident in which no property was damaged and no personal injury was sustained, but where, given a slight shift in time or position, damage or injury easily could have occurred. Near misses also may be referred to as close calls, near accidents, or injury-free events.” Near miss reporting notifies the FM Occupational Health and Safety team and is considered a “leading indicator.” These can help identify future corrective actions and prevent accidents. Employees who notice any type of hazard are encouraged to communicate near misses or safety observations so that they can be identified and corrected.

In addition to his response to this near miss, Fred also takes steps to mitigate passive hazards on the worksite, like padding corners of exposed ductwork to prevent cuts and scrapes.

By normalizing the expectation that “safety is everybody's job” and by communicating near misses, Fred is contributing to the FM culture of safety that prioritizes proactive measures and continuous improvement. Thanks, Fred!

September 2024

Mathew Coe

UVA Facilities Management recognizes Matthew Coe, an electronic technician with FM's Automation Services team, as the September 2024 Safety Champion for his safety awareness and proactive approach in resolving a safety omission for his team: Matthew noticed that his team's low-speed, on-Grounds electric van lacked a reflective orange slow-moving vehicle triangle. Understanding the importance of alerting other drivers to the van's low speed, Matthew suggested the installation of this safety feature by UVA FM Fleet to reduce the risk of accidents and improve safety on the road.

Matthew's actions exemplify the motivated safety-mindset UVA FM-OHS encourages. We celebrate empowering our FM colleagues to make their workplace safer. Individual actions can have a great positive impact on our collective safety. Keep up the great work!

August 2024

Russell Nisly and Thomas Parmenter

UVA Facilities Management recognizes FM Recycling Workers Russell Nisly and Thomas Parmenter for their outstanding operation of the UVA FM Recycling packer truck: They were nominated by their supervisor William Barnes, FM Recycling Supervisor, and selected by the Occupational Health and Safety team as the August 2024 UVA Facilities Management Safety Champions. The packer truck, a model often generally called a “trash truck”, is a large truck used to collect and compact solid waste from across UVA Grounds and transport it to the waste treatment and sorting facility. Safe operation of this vehicle requires users and passengers to be alert and aware of their surroundings, have a knowledge of the vehicle and its maintenance history, and have an awareness of shifting traffic patterns and pedestrian presence.

Together, Thomas and Russell have been operating the packer truck on Grounds for more than a year — traveling over 7,500 miles without safety incident. UVA FM Fleet reports that their average safe driving score is 97.5 out of 100 points. This score uses the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system to assess safe driving metrics like acceleration, deceleration, harsh cornering, seatbelt usage, and speed violations. Together, the UVA FM Recycling department is celebrating achieving the highest driving scores across FM for July 2024.

Thank you to Thomas, Russell, their leadership, and the FM Recycling team for celebrating attentive, safe driving to protect themselves, their colleagues, and area residents.

July 2024

Steve Thompson

UVA Facilities Management would like to recognize Steve Thompson, Senior HVAC Mechanic at UVA's Chiller Plants, as the July 2024 Safety Champion. Steve joined Facilities Management in 2015, and his supervisor Justin Callihan shared his appreciation for Steven's focus on Safety:

“Steve has always been engaged in supporting the safety of not just himself, but his immediate teammates, the Energy & Utilities (E&U) organization, and the broader FM organization. As the chair of the E&U safety committee, Steve is working to lead the organization and drive positive changes throughout. Recently Facilities Management has been reviewing the NFPA requirements for arc flash safety and associated personal protective equipment (PPE), and Steve is supporting that effort at the organizational level while leading it for himself and the Chiller Plant team. Additionally, Steve has coordinated several vendor visits to provide an opportunity for individuals to understand the various options that exist and demonstrate how much more comfortable PPE is today versus just a few years ago. Finding comfortable safety equipment is one very important aspect of helping individuals use it and use it properly.”

In the photo, Steve can be seen leading by example while testing a piece of equipment. Having donned all the required PPE, Steve is verifying the piece of equipment is deenergized and safe for work.

June 2024

Matthew Browning

UVA Facilities Management recognizes Matthew Browning, carpenter with FM Construction & Renovation Services, as the June 2023 Safety Champion. Matthew joined the C&RS Safety Committee in 2022 and has been a strong ally for improving the safety culture within his team and department, as well as within FM as a whole.

In addition to his collaboration and active participation within the committee, Matthew has also taken the initiative to build upon the story of Bernie the Bee by creating a comic strip, complete with a new, but crafty villain: Dr. Decepto. Watch out, this villain's mission is to create a sense of complacency, belittling safe work practices! Matthew was also a helpful contributor during Safety Week 2024, staffing the the C&RS PPE tables and assisting in the preparation and clean up for the event. Matthew's commitment, dedication, and creative approach to safety is a great asset to UVA FM. Great job and thank you, Matthew!

May 2024

Doug Rush

Doug Rush, Zone 3 Manager for UVA Facilities Management Health System Physical Plant, has been nominated and selected by the FM Occupational Health & Safety team as the FM Safety Champion for May 2024 due to his proactive approach in addressing fall hazards on the roofs of the Clinical Department Wing and Suhling Research Lab of the UVA Hospital West Complex.

FM-OHS reached out to Doug regarding these areas in response to a safety concern about fall hazards they had received. After working with FM-OHS to identify the best fall protection solution for the situation — in this case, a ballasted guardrail — Doug worked with contractors to coordinate pricing and installation, as well as to provide OHS with crane lift plans for review before installation commenced. The entire process took several months to complete, and it was Doug's persistent efforts that got the project across the finish line and created safer working conditions for every UVA employee that must access these roofs.

In addition to addressing these hazards, Doug has collaborated with FM-OHS and other FM departments in post-incident reviews and has helped to identify positive and meaningful action items. Doug's safety leadership within HSPP highlights the value he places on his employees, creating an environment where everyone can go home safely every shift.

April 2024

John Nichols and Sébastien Rodriguez

UVA Facilities Management is recognizing John Nichols and Sébastien Rodriguez as our April 2024 Safety Champions. John and Sébastien both work in the FM Health System Physical Plant Zone 2, responsible for the maintenance of and care for the research and education buildings located on the southwest side of the main grounds of UVA Health.

John and Sébastien were each nominated by a colleague for improvements they made to their work areas that helped to keep employees safe while performing routine tasks:

• John built a step/platform to make it easier for the HVAC crew to access their unit, reducing the need to step over and around fixed obstacles.
• Sébastien painted a step leading into a tool cage, marking a trip hazard in a frequently accessed area.

Even improvements like these that seem simple can increase workplace safety by greatly reducing the risk of tripping, falling, and/or potential injury. These additions made by John and Sebastien serve as visual cues to take caution and pay attention, increasing overall awareness while at work.

Falls are a leading cause of workplace injury. By embracing a culture of safety and empowering their team to take action when a hazard is noted, the HSPP Zone 2 team can be more productive and minimize accidents and disruptions like near misses, which allows them to be more effective in accomplishing the organization's goals. Thank you, John & Sébastien for taking action and looking out for your colleagues!

March 2024

Brian Cole

UVA Facilities Management would like to recognize HSPP Zone 1 South HVAC Installation & Repair Technician Senior Brian Cole as the March 2024 Safety Champion. Brian was nominated by Mark Evans, the HSPP Safety Committee chair Marc Evans and selected by the FM Occupational Health & Safety team. Brian is a longtime member of the HSPP Safety Committee and someone Mark has come to rely on for support: “I can always count on him to fill in any gaps that need attention or take the lead on projects.”

Most recently, Brian took the initiative to check hard hats and suspensions for the HSPP teams, helping identify outdated and/or unsuitable personal protective equipment (PPE). Maintaining and wearing a hard hat or safety helmet on the jobsite significantly reduces the risk of head injuries from falling objects, impacts from equipment, or from slips, trips, and falls. Generally, hard hat shells should be replaced every two to five years and a new suspension system should be installed every 12 months. Contact the FM Sign Shop if you need to update your hard hat. Contact FM-OHS for tips on how to inspect your hard hat.

Brian's colleagues appreciate his attention to detail and determination when looking for safe solutions. Thank you, Brian, for being an asset to UVA Facilities Management and an advocate for safety!

February 2024

Chris Hoy

Chris Hoy, supervisory team leader with UVA Facilities Management Capital Construction & Renovations team, has been selected as the UVA FM February 2024 Safety Champion for his leadership in workplace safety and his passionate support for the normalization of mental health awareness and treatments.

Being safe is a priority on Chris' jobsites: Safety is a standing topic for all team meetings. In addition, he also takes part in the monthly Safety Roundtable hosted by FM Occupational Health & Safety for contractors working on UVA sites, as well as other FM safety events. Chris is an active collaborator with the OHS team in post-incident learning and often has meaningful contributions to suggested corrective actions.

In addition to physically safe worksites, Chris promotes emotional safe spaces at work: Teams on his jobsites are heard, acknowledged, and supported with resources they need to work effectively and safely. Chris successfully models effective promotion of a safe and healthy work environment by encouraging open communication and honest conversations, sharing his own experiences and challenges related to mental health.

Over the past two years, Chris has collaborated with FM-OHS, and UVA FEAP to facilitate educational sessions across UVA and Virginia, including “Mental Health Awareness, Resources, and Strategies within the Facilities Management Context”, presented at the 2023 Southeastern Region APPA Conference. The goal of this collaborative outreach is to raise awareness for the high rate of suicide in the trades industry, promote resources for mental health, and encourage those that need help to speak up to create a workplace where everyone can thrive.

January 2024

A.J. Hattaway

UVA Facilities Management would like to recognize Construction & Renovation Services' A.J. Hattaway as the January 2024 Safety Champion. A.J. is an electrician senior in the department and serves at the chair of the C&RS Safety Committee. He was nominated by the Facilities Management Occupational Health and Safety team, who commend his leadership and efforts to always keep the committee moving forward. He is an active participant in health and safety endeavors, including leading his team's toolbox talks using relatable, real-world examples and hands-on instructions. A.J. is safety-focused on the jobsite and is always looks out for his coworkers, especially new hires and apprentices that may be less familiar with UVA-specific worksites. A.J. sets the example for his colleagues and is a health and safety leader on his team. Thanks, A.J.!