They say communication is the key to a good relationship, and according to Tony Foster, it’s also essential for workplace safety.
Based in Nashville, Foster is an EHS director at Skanska, one of the largest construction and development companies in the U.S. He’s been working full-time in the EHS industry since 2009. Before that, he ran a consulting business on the side while serving as a firefighter—a role he held for 21 years. His overall experience in the safety field dates back to 1997, giving him a solid foundation and diverse background in both fire service and safety management. He has been with Skanska for five years and holds a construction health and safety technician (CHST) certification.
To learn more about Foster and his take on industry issues, please read the Faces of EHS interview below:
Q: How did you get your start in the field?
From a young age, I was recognized for my ability to communicate effectively and inspire others. This natural talent led me to pursue a career in instructional safety, where I dedicated myself to teaching others how to stay safe. Over time, this passion evolved into managing various projects and teams. My extensive experience in instructional safety eventually paved the way for my current role with Skanska.
Q: Who has been your biggest influence in the industry?
My wife. She is also in the safety business, serving as the medical center safety director at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. We often discuss our work together, which allows us to influence and support each other on this important topic. This dynamic has been incredibly beneficial for our relationship. Whether facing daily challenges or pursuing big goals, I can always seek her guidance and gain an outside perspective. Having this mutual mentorship has been invaluable.
Q: What’s your best mistake, and what did you learn from it?
The necessity of setting people up for success from the very beginning. Early in my career, I sometimes didn’t ensure that everyone had a thorough understanding of the basics and potential hazards involved in their tasks. This experience taught me the importance of proactively identifying and mitigating risks, either through engineering controls or comprehensive training with proper PPE.
By establishing these safety protocols from the beginning and influencing trade partner leaders to do the same with their crews, we’ve achieved significant success, especially in Nashville. Creating an Injury-Free Environment (IFE) has become a priority for me because it’s essential to set people up for success to prevent struggles and potential accidents.
Q: What are some of the biggest EHS issues at your organization?
One of the opportunities for growth is ensuring effective communication flow, which I believe is common throughout the industry as a whole. We continually strive to deliver important messages clearly and consistently, using repetition without letting it become monotonous. Additionally, onboarding new trade partners is essential to get right. With so many new workers beginning on projects each day, it’s important to make sure they have everything they need from the start.
Q: What’s your favorite and least favorite part about working in the industry? Would you change anything?
What I love most about the industry is that every day brings something different. The dynamic nature of construction means there are always unique challenges to tackle, which keeps my work engaging and stimulating. Each project presents its own set of obstacles, pushing me to think creatively and stay on my toes.
My least favorite part is when incidents occur. I take each incident personally because it forces me to reflect on where we might have failed in terms of safety or communication. However, these moments also provide valuable learning opportunities. They drive us to analyze what went wrong and implement measures to ensure such incidents don’t happen again.
While the industry has made great strides in safety, there’s always room for improvement. Strengthening our communication and continually updating our safety protocols will help ensure a safer environment for everyone involved. The future is so bright for safety.
Q: What are your thoughts on safety culture? How can company leaders make safety a value within their organization?
Safety culture is incredibly important because it reflects the collective mindset and behaviors regarding safety. A strong culture ensures all team members are aware of potential hazards and how to protect themselves.
Company leaders, especially field leaders and EHS professionals, play a vital role in fostering this culture by promoting awareness, encouraging open communication, and empowering individuals to take necessary precautions. Leaders should actively promote awareness and encourage open communication.
It’s essential for trade partners to feel confident in asking questions and stopping work if needed. By embedding safety as a core value, we create an environment where everyone feels safe and supported, making safety an inherent part of our work ethic.
Q: What safety concerns or issues do you think need more prioritization in EHS programs?
In our EHS programs, certain safety concerns and issues need more prioritization. For instance, at Skanska we implemented Care for Life 5 (CFL5), a comprehensive framework designed to enhance safety by focusing on five key areas that account for 93% of serious incidents. It is crucial to bring these incidents to the forefront and prioritize addressing them.
One specific area that needs attention is “struck by” incidents. These often result from a hurried mentality, such as rushing to unload a truck or quickly fetching an item. To mitigate this risk, this topic is addressed in our construction work plans as part of CFL5 for daily loading and unloading activities. This plan is developed in collaboration with Skanska and trade partners to ensure safe procedures are followed.
Key measures include scheduling appointments for unloading, designating specific locations for these activities, and adhering to established rules within our EHS program. By making these safety protocols a priority and reinforcing them through repetition, we can significantly enhance safety outcomes.
Q: What will be the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles on the EHS industry?
The implementation of ESG principles will certainly influence the EHS industry by reinforcing standards and policies to ensure employee safety in these areas. We are committed to prioritizing long-term community and environmental well-being. By collaborating with suppliers through our pre-construction teams, we aim to procure sustainable solutions as we move forward. Our focus is on upholding social governance while continuously considering environmental impacts.
Q: How will new safety technologies influence the work being done by EHS professionals?
New safety technologies are set to alter the way EHS professionals operate. In our projects at Skanska, we utilize a tool called PlanIt, an intuitive PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) project and task-specific planning software, which allows us to break down construction work plans into individual tasks. Think about a brick mason company working on one of our projects—they have to load and unload materials, stack bricks onto different scaffolds, erect structures, and ensure everything looks perfect at the end. There are countless tasks involved, each with its own hazards.
This helps us identify and address these specific hazards daily. Information is available in both Spanish and English for trade leaders who relay it during daily hazard analyses. Supervisors review these assessments to ensure all hazards are managed, enabling safe work conditions.
By utilizing technology, we also can receive and analyze valuable analytics. This data helps us understand trends and improve our safety practices continually.
Q: What are you most proud of?
I’m proud to witness the remarkable evolution of our local project teams and their effective use of our programs, which exemplifies our core value of Care for Life. The growth in our Nashville region is inspiring—our field workers communicate efficiently with trade partners, resulting in fewer injuries. By learning from near misses and good catches, we continuously improve our safety practices. I’m grateful for the leadership support that ensures our safety success and proud of our teams’ growth.
I’m also extremely proud of being able to work with our local leadership and with Skanska to bring Mental Health First Aid training and certifications to our teams in the U.S. At Skanska, we call it the Green Sticker Program, and it allows employees to receive training and become certified with the skills to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges and how to appropriately refer individuals for support. The program aims to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, identify trained colleagues, and prioritize mental health on jobsites. And the good news is, it’s working, which brings me great joy.
A recent notable success story from Nashville involves a craftworker who sought help after learning about the program. This individual ultimately received the necessary support and expressed heartfelt gratitude for the life-changing assistance provided by their trained colleagues.
Q: Do you have any advice for people entering the EHS profession?
Don’t take the little things for granted. It’s important to set your team up for success from the very beginning. Ensure that team leaders have all the resources they need and feel comfortable coming to you with questions. If you don’t know the answer, be honest about it and lean on your peers for support. As an EHS professional, your influence on others is incredibly important—never underestimate its significance.
Are you or a colleague an EHS professional interested in being profiled for the Faces of EHS series? Please contact Joe Bebon at JBebon@BLR.com.