A Great Year Gets Even Better: Simplot 安全 Professional Receives Surprise Award 从 Peers

当他拿起一双新牛仔靴的时候 2023矿山安全 & 卫生会议, Simplot 矿业 安全 Manager Robert “Whompa” 罗伯茨 knew he’d be well-shod for the annual event in Reno, 内华达. 他 没有 know was that he would be walking on stage in those boots to receive the 年度杰出安全专业人员 award!

The award was a well-deserved and well-kept surprise for 罗伯茨; neither his team nor his wife breathed a word until the night before. “They kept it very well hidden 从 me ‘til last minute … everybody was really good at keeping the secret,他说, 他补充说，当他们告诉他这个消息时，他非常兴奋.

The 年度杰出安全专业人员 award is open to those who have given 10 years or more in the safety field and who have contributed to creating, 加强, 提高整体的安全文化. 罗伯茨 was selected for the prestigious honor by a panel of judges whose criteria was:

• 对安全文化的承诺和奉献
• 沟通安全并鼓励员工
• 工作环境以外的安全影响
• Creativity in safety; training; best management practices; workplace practices and innovations
• 安全领导

罗伯茨 remembers seeing folks win the award over the years; he has attended the MSHA conference since the very beginning. 我想, what a neat way to really look at people and their outstanding performance … to do it in front of your peers and other industries. And not only that, but you have a lot of folks 从 the MSHA world t在这里 as well. 我想，要是有一天能拿这个奖该多好啊?”

在提名罗伯茨的申请中 年度杰出安全专业人员, Director of 矿业 Chad Gentry summed up 罗伯茨’ wide and lasting impact. “作为一名安全专家, 他确实是最好的球员之一, 不仅仅是因为他的技术知识, 但主要是因为他对人的热情,绅特里说。. “All three of our mines’ safety cultures have grown and developed over time, 这是谁的领导的结果. 

“汉帕的故事在很多方面都令人印象深刻, not least because he has both overcome tragedy and found great success. He has been an inspiration to so many people both within our company and in his local community.”

罗伯茨在1998年的一次雪地摩托事故中失去了右臂. After, it was hard to find an employer willing to take a chance on him, he said. 事故发生后的一年里，他一直在找工作, 申请了星谷的许多职位, 怀俄明地区，他和家人在那里生活了几十年.

“我能接受失去手臂的想法. It was the thought of not having a job to support my family was probably the thing that scared me more than anything,他回忆道.

罗伯茨 says he remembers the day Simplot called with a job offer like it was yesterday. 那是11月. 1, 1999. He had friends who worked at Smoky and were confident he could handle the job. 但那些不认识他的人对此持怀疑态度.

罗伯茨决心在新职位上证明自己. “我当时就下了决心. If they're going to give me a chance, I'm gonna work twice as hard as anyone else would have to.”

在接下来的几年里, 罗伯茨证明了他的支持者是对的, 在公司里换过不同的职位, 从 大卡车司机，钻机，爆破. 后来有一天，一个测量员的职位空缺引起了他的兴趣. And though 罗伯茨 had never opened a computer in his life, he decided to go for it.

He enrolled at the local community college and learned AutoCAD while also learning computer skills. He passed the class and was offered the surveyor job, which he held for several years.

这份工作引起了罗伯茨更大的兴趣. “这让我在办公室呆得更多了, and I started really getting involved in safety committee stuff, 急救和一些培训. 那时候我真的在想，你知道吗? 安全方面的工作可能会吸引我.”

1月. 25, 2007, Simplot hired 罗伯茨 as the safety specialist for Smoky Canyon. 他于2015年被提升为安全经理, and last year accepted a role as the 矿业 安全 Manager for Simplot, 提供支持和 监督辛普洛特的三个地面地雷. The incident rate for Smoky Canyon in 2007 when 罗伯茨 started in safety was 3.0，目前的比率是0!    

根据罗伯茨的说法, the most important part of building a safety culture lies with people and how you treat them.

“你知道, years ago I heard the saying – and I've lived up to that saying – ‘人 really don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.’”他回忆道. “I think the real key to being a good safety person is that people know that you care. Speaking 从 the heart is key, so people know that,他说.

Simplot Senior Director of 安全 Alicia Duke confirms that in addition to having experience and multiple professional certifications, 罗伯茨的心使他与众不同. “他对影响人们行为的热情是好的, 让他们觉得自己被重视，是团队的一员, 都是无价的品质,”她说。. 他说:“员工很愿意来谁的公司工作, and he will discuss safety concerns in a way that makes them part of the solution.

罗伯茨 is quick and emphatic with his gratitude for the 公司 and his co-workers, 特别提到了Gentry的支持. “我重视他的领导能力，喜欢与他合作. 我很喜欢为他工作.” The feeling is mutual, as Gentry pointed out in the application nominating 罗伯茨 for the award. “At times in safety, we tend to focus on the negative and unsafe behaviors. 然而, Whompa has a gift for recognizing the good and turning a not-so-positive event into a learning experience that can be shared and used as a teachable moment for all.” 

Though he says he’s slowing down, it sure sounds like 罗伯茨 is still going full steam ahead.

In addition to his safety work at Simplot, 罗伯茨 has served on the Star Valley 搜索 & Rescue for 25 years and on the Afton, Wyoming Volunteer Fire Department for 10. Only recently he’s transitioned to an honorary role with the agencies due to work travel.

And under 罗伯茨’ safety leadership, the Smoky Canyon team was also recently recognized with 全国矿业协会 荣获2022年安全哨兵奖. 你可以了解更多关于这一享有盛誉的荣誉 在这里.

“Yeah, it’s been a great year,” 罗伯茨 said with a big smile.

了解更多

听一段当地电台的采访 我和罗伯茨聊了聊获奖的事.

找出十大赌博靠谱信誉的平台地雷 我们在那里做的工作.