Allison Short began her career in environmental, health and safety (EHS) seven years ago in the utilities industry, supporting onsite power generation service and maintenance. She has experience in electrical safety, DOT regulations, fleet safety, and lone worker safety. She is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), a Certified Instructional Trainer (CIT), and an authorized OSHA Outreach Trainer for general industry. Allison believes that educating the workforce and empowering them to make safe, informed decisions is essential to keeping people safe at work.
She is currently a Safety and Health Specialist for Auburn University where she focuses on additive manufacturing, machine shops, ergonomics, and training. She says that serving as a safety advisor for students, faculty, and staff gives her the opportunity to see exciting research firsthand, and to experience multiple industries from an educational perspective.
For our latest Faces of EHS profile, we sat down with Allison to discuss her favorite parts of the field, industry trends, and advice for professionals entering EHS.
Q: How did you get your start in the field?
Like many in this field, I shifted to safety from a very different career: dance. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, with a K-12 teaching certificate. I planned to teach dance in the public school system, with lofty goals of changing the world of art education. However, after completing my student teaching and performing in one-off contemporary dance shows in Atlanta, I realized this was not the ultimate career for me. My first mentor in the safety field, Steve Ballew, was working as a safety manager and gave me the opportunity to begin a career in safety and encouraged me to seek CSP certification. We began working together at Power Pro-Tech Services (PPT, now PowerSecure, Inc.), and I have not looked back since. The crew at PPT took a chance on me, and I am forever grateful for the space I had to learn and grow there.
Q: What is your favorite and least favorite part about working in the industry? Would you change anything?
My favorite part of this industry is the people. I assume this is a common refrain but having the opportunity to build relationships with diverse groups of people is why I continue to do this work. The flip side of that is my least favorite of the industry: safety based on compliance alone. Safety professionals often walk the tight rope of injury data rates, regulations, company goals, internal and external emphasis on safety culture, building trust with workers, and identifying unsafe behaviors, all while constantly assessing risk. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this tension for our industry. We may be struggling to maintain the best parts of our work, because the risk assessment in our organizations and in our personal lives have been co-opted by the ever-mutating pandemic protocols.
In general, my goal is to be “on-site” as much as possible to learn and to build trust. If I am sending safety communications out, I want people to know the person behind the requests and requirements. This goes a long way in showing I am more than a “safety cop” and am invested in the work of realistically protecting our people.
Q: How can company leaders make safety a value within their organization?
I believe the answer is in the question—safety will not be a priority unless it is held as a core value of that organization. Safety professionals are often encouraged to learn the business and to “speak fluently” in financial terms for the C-suite. This is sound advice, but if we are only able to convince business leaders to support safety solely for financial gain, it will not translate to the front-line employees as intended. If safety professionals can truly educate the need for safety to company leaders, beyond the financial implications, then the road to valuing safety can happen. Invite your C-suite to safety conferences, or to applicable safety society meetings. Ask them to join you on a site visit or coordinate a meeting with members of various branches and levels of the company to talk about safety with the executive leaders in the organization. Our front-line workers and our technicians and support staff are the people fueling our industries. They are smart and capable. Clear communication, person-to-person, if possible, is the best way I have found to build trust in an organization around safety.
Q: Where do you see the industry heading in five years?
Perhaps spurred by the pandemic, I have noticed a lot of conversation about Total Worker Health. Again, the goal is to move beyond legal compliance and holistically support our workforce—or maybe more explicitly, give employees dynamic tools so they can support themselves. It would be amazing to see our industry shift toward creating workplaces that tangibly improve workers’ lives. Are we keeping people alive or are we transferring our knowledge to them in a way that will empower them to use safety inside and outside of work? Or both?
Subena Colligan, CIH, CSP recently shared insight on LinkedIn about millennials being “more loyal and engaged when professional development is prioritized.” As a millennial safety professional, I see professional development as part of my work wellbeing. I hope safety professionals are including ourselves in this five-year projection and making sure we are advocating for our wellbeing and safety in the workplace as well.
Q: What are you most proud of?
Earning my CSP certification. I can distinctly remember sitting in my small office at PPT, talking to my boss and my coworker about how I could not imagine earning my CSP. When I stepped out of the testing facility, holding that piece of paper from the BCSP, I was exhausted and triumphant. I have felt “behind” due to my non-technical education. The learning curve was initially steep, and continues to be difficult some days; however, I now view my dance background as one of my greatest assets. Artists are obviously creative, but we are also wildly passionate about anything we find interesting. My range of experience and diverse education mean I am adaptable and always ready to learn. Being a Certified Safety Professional reminds me that I am capable of growth and to continue to go after things I find interesting.
Q: Do you have any advice for people entering the profession?
Occupational health and safety is an industry with endless opportunities. The scope of our profession is broad, so much so that it can feel overwhelming at times. The best advice I received, and that I will share here is twofold.
Ask genuine questions. If you are unsure, or simply do not know something, ask questions of the people around you. You will earn respect much more quickly by being genuine, than by pretending you know what is happening—and you’ll learn a lot more quickly too!
Lean into your strengths. I continue to learn from Camille Oakes, a prior Faces of EHS entry, who often speaks about leaning into and utilizing our strengths. Her words have been a guiding light in shaping my leadership style. Yes, you can always build on your weaknesses, but lead with what you do well. What makes you stand out? What brings you the most joy in your work and your life? Make sure you are developing that too!