Ladies Who Lead in Shaping Our Safety Culture
Four women who take their role in shaping our Safety culture seriously.
Safety First. Always. And, it starts with me. That sums up how we think about Safety. This month, during National Safety Month, we are proud to feature four women who take Safety seriously and are leaders in Shaping Our Safety Culture.
Lea Hamilton, Office Manager/Safety Coordinator, McCullough Industries, Kenton, OH
Three years ago, Lea began working for McCullough Industries as a Sales Associate. One year later, when Olympic Steel acquired McCullough, she accepted the role of Safety Coordinator and Office Manager. She is the first person to assume a dedicated Safety position at the division, and that has posed some challenges. With the help of the Safety Team, across the Company and locally at McCullough Industries, Lea has learned a lot and made great strides in improving the division’s Safety culture.
“I love that I get to make a difference every day,” Lea says. “I enjoy coming into work and seeing the positive effects of our improvement efforts.”
Safety team members accomplish a lot throughout the year to reduce the risks to employees. One of the projects Lea’s most proud of is the creation and implementation of Job Safety Analyses (or JSAs). “We didn’t have any JSAs at McCullough, so I created them,” she explains. “I’m proud to be part of developing our Safety culture from the very beginning. To watch it grow and improve is the best feeling!”
Lea credits Olympic Steel’s Safety team for always lending a helping hand and providing support when she needs it. “I have learned so much in this field just by asking questions and addressing challenges as they arise,” she says. “I am proud to be part of Olympic Steel’s Safety team and a leader for Safety at McCullough Industries.”
Tracy DeLathouwer, Safety and Training Manager, Bettendorf, IA
Eleven years ago, Tracy started her Olympic Steel career as a Master Scheduler. Soon after she started, she was promoted to Scheduling and Service Supervisor, then General Foreman, then Safety Manager. She also filled-in as Operations Manager before moving into her current role as Safety and Training Manager.
“My role as Safety Manager is to coach and mentor employees regarding Safety and to keep all employees safe, while teaching them to always remain focused on Safety,” explains Tracy. “I love that my job allows me to interact with each and every person in the plant every day.”
There are always opportunities to improve and to establish Safety protocols that can make a difference. Each new day can present a new challenge. “Safety is a work in progress,” Tracy says. “My favorite part is knowing that my job can have a positive impact on everyone in the facility.”
It’s that hands-on approach that gets Tracy excited about her job and her ability to minimize risks to employees. One project she’s especially proud of is implementing Bettendorf’s hand magnet inspection program. With help from Mark Dawson, Estimating Supervisor, and Nancy Tompkins, Operations Support Associate, they researched an issue, assessed the data and created an annual inspection process that identifies potential risks before they cause problems.
“When it comes to Safety, I have the best team here in Iowa,” says Tracy. “Maintenance rights the wrongs. Employees play a big role in Safety by sharing improvement ideas and reporting near misses. The support from management is phenomenal, and the help from the Safety team is – hands down – the best!”
Tracy believes, when it comes to developing a Safety culture, you must keep an open mind and communicate clearly. “Investigate, use your resources and make sure to involve your team,” she explains. “When you involve your team, you’re allowing them to participate in the process of acknowledging the importance of Safety and their role in developing the Safety culture at the Company.”
Amanda Beschle, Safety Specialist, Milford, CT
With five years of Safety experience, Amanda began her career with Olympic Steel in January 2020. Her first 18 months of employment have not been without challenges, but Amanda is quick to recognize the lessons learned while pushing to succeed.
“I love working with the employees and getting to know them all,” Amanda says. “I enjoy watching them learn about Safety and get excited about having a part in our Safety culture. When employees want to be involved, it shows me that our team is getting stronger and becoming more engaged.”
Getting employees involved in Safety can be a challenge, if they don’t understand what we’re trying to accomplish and why. Amanda realized this first-hand when she created a Safety Committee for the division and began recruiting her team. “It was hard to get employees to join,” she says, “but after talking to them and explaining the benefits to the employee and the division, they accepted the invitation.”
Working through that challenge taught her that it’s important to stay focused on the desired result without letting bumps in the road derail your progress. When you have the desire to succeed – you will!
“When I started working for Olympic Steel, I never imagined that in a few short months the entire world would be turned upside-down with a global pandemic,” she explains. “On top of that, I was pregnant with my first child. Returning to work was a bigger challenge than I ever imagined it would be. I adjusted my mindset to succeed and I did!”
Amanda credits the support of the Safety professionals across the Company for helping her accomplish what she has in the past year and a half. “The Safety team is my go-to resource,” she says. “They consistently help me have a greater impact on developing Milford’s Safety culture.”
Dawn Baker-McTighe, Safety Manager, Cleveland, OH
Twenty-two years ago, Dawn began her career at Olympic Steel’s Cleveland division. Since then, she’s been a leader in Safety for Cleveland and Corporate, and supported and mentored other divisions across the Company.
Dawn is currently responsible for the entire Safety program for Cleveland and Dover – from program management to auditing and training and everything in between. When it comes to Safety, she’s the “go-to” person for employees at her divisions and for the entire Safety team. Dawn says, “If I don’t know something, I will find the answer or point the person in the right direction.”
When asked what she loves most about her job, she said, “I love working with all the employees and having an influence on their safety. I want to make sure they make it home the same way they arrived for work – every day.”
Watching our Safety culture evolve is her favorite part of the job. “There has been a shift in our culture,” says Dawn. “I am very excited to see all levels of the organization focused on how their function impacts Safety.”
She’s proud to have an impact on the organization’s Safety culture. She’s especially proud of achieving the OSHA Sharp award for the Cleveland division in 2010 and working with John Mooney (Managing Director – Commercial), Jeremy Thiessen (General Manager, Mount Sterling) and Rich Dubulis (Operations Manager, Mount Sterling) for the Dover, OH acquisition and Mount Sterling, KY start-up.
“In my 22 years at Olympic Steel, I received guidance and support from so many people,” Dawn recalls. “From seven managers, all now in leadership positions ranging from General Manager to CEO, to the Olympic Steel Safety team. We work extremely well together, offering advice and support to help us all succeed.”
As a Safety Manager, Dawn is often faced with challenges. To help her work through them, she maintains this approach:
- Always be firm, fair, consistent and respectful.
- If you are overwhelmed, ask for help.
- Don’t be afraid to admit your mistakes. Then, learn from them.
Lea, Tracy, Amanda and Dawn are four women with different experiences who are all working toward the same goal – keeping employees educated about and engaged in Safety.
The Leading Ladies feature kicked-off in December 2020 with Ladies Who Lead in Our Industry. That month, and each month since, we’ve featured employees who local leaders have identified as positive examples of the talented women building strong careers at Olympic Steel. In a male-dominated industry, it’s important to share stories that inspire other women to keep pushing toward their goals and bringing fresh perspective to their teams.
Know a leading lady who has an inspiring story to tell? Send your referral to CompanyCommunications@olysteel.com.
