As part of OCWA’s monthly series highlighting some of our dedicated employees and the important jobs they perform, this month we’re featuring Kelly C. from our Administration Department. Each month we’re asking a different employee a series of ten questions about his/her background, what he/she does at OCWA and some of the employee’s most interesting work experiences.
1. What is your current position at OCWA?
I am the OCWA Safety Director.
2. What other jobs have you held, both OCWA and non-OCWA positions?
This has been my only OCWA job, but previously I was an occupational safety and health specialist for a pharmaceutical company.
3. When did you join OCWA, and what brought you here?
I started in 2009. I had stayed home raising my family and was getting back into the work force.
4. What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I manage, develop and implement OCWA’s comprehensive safety and health program, provide new employee and safety training to employees, inspect and evaluate OCWA properties and facilities to identify risks associated with potential vulnerabilities and security threats, maintain and implement OCWA’s emergency response plan, investigate and process property damage reports, perform facility and jobsite safety inspections, and investigate accidents to determine cause and preventative measures.
5. What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Working with the employees and ensuring that they go home safely at the end of the workday.
6. What has been your favorite type of project at OCWA?
Implementation of tracking vulnerability assessments of OCWA facilities in our assessment management system.
7. Before working at OCWA, what was the most interesting/unusual job you’ve ever had?
Working on hazardous waste site remediation projects.
8. What three words best describe you?
Dedicated, hardworking and conscientious.
9. What is your educational background?
I have a master’s degree from Syracuse University.
10. Why did you select the career you are in?
After I worked as a summer intern for an environmental health and safety department at a local hospital, I realized that health and safety was a field I wanted to pursue. The tasks within the job changed day-today and included dealing with different challenges and a variety of people.