Some Words About SafetyGregory Newsome

Director of Safety & HR @ City ScrapAuthorized OSHA Trainer

NOISRI Safety Chair

The Event • I always get excited when I have the

opportunity to attend the biggest safety event held by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.

• Three days loaded with practical, usable ideas for safety professionals in the recycling field.

• It’s the pure essence of the event that attracts me.

The Event (cont)

• I can’t imagine a meeting that has more excitement, more spark or more spirit than this event.

• It combines the enthusiasm of people who truly care about what they do with the promise of learning and practical solutions, the passion of discovery and the pleasure of real camaraderie.

• That’s a lot to say about a meeting.

The Decision• I had decided some four years ago that I

needed to bring this enthusiasm back to my local ISRI chapter and in doing so I joined the Northern Ohio Chapter of ISRI as their Safety Chair.

• This was a newly created board position and I am now in my second and final three year term.

The Beginning• Our chapter has created the Northern Ohio

ISRI Safety Council (NOISC) and we have numerous member companies that attend meetings and participate in sharing of safety related accidents and incidents along with photos and descriptions of these events.

The Future• The idea is for all of us to use these at our

safety meetings to show that stuff really happens and that it could happen at any of our locations at any time.

• Sort of like open the kimono.

The Future (cont)

• I have recently had conversations with other ISRI Chapters wanting to do the same thing that we have done within our chapter.

• I would love to help anyone wanting to expand this initiative within their chapter.

• All the ISRI Chapters should have a safety professional on their board.

The Future (cont)

• Years ago (even today) safety professionals had to fight to get into their companies board meetings so they could preach safety from the top down.

• We need to do the same within our local ISRI chapters and this is why I am here today.

The Benefits• If a member has a safety, workers’

compensation or environmental question. They send me an e-mail and I forward to the rest of the group minus any personal info.

• I return the answer to the rest of the group minus any personal info.

• Almost everyone participates in one form or another.

The Benefits (cont)

• We hold a yearly meeting with guest speakers.

• New products that are on the market.

Words About Safety• Words are like seeds they are the beginning.• Words changes the way you think• The way you think changes the way you feel • The way you feel changes the decisions that you

make • The decisions that you make affects the actions

that you take • The actions that you take shapes your habits • Your habits shape your character • Your character shapes your destination.

The EndStay Safe