Safety Hero Pamela Walaski, CSP, CHMM is Senior Program Director for Specialty Technical Consultants, Inc. (STC).
She’s an experienced health and safety professional with a diverse background in comprehensive management of health and safety needs. Her background and areas of specialty include program evaluation and development, program audits, risk and crisis communications, employee training, OSHA compliance, and emergency preparedness, just to name a few.
She’s also a nationally known speaker and published author in areas including safety management system development and auditing, risk management, OSHA compliance and emergency planning, and beyond.
STC is a specialized management consulting firm that works globally to enhance its clients’ environmental, health and safety performance.
They help clients manage complex worker safety and environmental challenges as business issues. As a result, STC’s clients are able to integrate EHS solutions directly into their core business operations. Through this process, STC uncovers opportunities for clients to increase program efficiency and gain competitive advantage. STC is also proud to be a Woman Owned Business Enterprise (WBE).
We sat down with Pam to learn more about how she found safety was a perfect fit for her—and how her superpower allows her to be both organized and productive each day.
How did you get into the field of safety?
I spent the first 15 years of my career as a Social Worker. But I decided it wasn’t the career for me and went back to school, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Protection Science.
I started working for a consulting firm that specialized in environmental remediation and they needed someone to manage their internal safety program as well as train staff who were working on various projects. I took it on and over the years decided that it was the perfect fit for me, eventually earning my CSP and opening my own safety consulting firm. And I’ve been at it for 25 years.
Have you ever had an experience, incident or situation shape your approach to safety?
In 2012 I was on the Planning Committee for the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Fatality prevention Forum. As an attendee I was astonished at the lack of progress at reducing fatalities and serious injuries.
The speakers provided incredible insight on a different approach to identifying the high risk hazards and reducing them to an acceptable level. The information they presented completely reframed my approach and I’ve been focused on risk management and fatality reduction ever since.
What is your superpower?
My superpower is my organizational skills. I’m probably on the verge of being a little anal about it, but I do believe I get more done in the average day than most people.
