Diversity and Inclusion

Thaddeus has been in the Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) field with Industrial Project Innovation (IPI) for over two years. Thaddeus has performed the EH&S function on two of IPI Construction Project Sites. He has provided EH&S support to SK Battery America project in Commerce, Georgia and Navistar Truck Assembly Plant project in San Antonio, Texas. Thaddeus also serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, EH&S Committee and has participated in EH&S Lunch and Learns.

Background:

Thaddeus has over forty years of Construction EH&S experience. Thaddeus first got exposed to construction work during the summer months while in high school, and while attending Clemson University on a full football scholarship. He performed various construction duties as a laborer, small equipment operator, tying reinforcing rods together and placing and finishing concrete. Thaddeus was a four year letterman on the Clemson University Football Team. Upon graduating from Clemson University with a Business Degree in an Administrative Management in 1979, he joined Fluor Corporation in their EH&S Department.

Thaddeus worked in various industries while performing EH&S duties. Industries such as Food and Beverage, Highways and Bridges (over land and over water), Railroad Construction, Pharmaceuticals Facilities, Metal Processing, Automotive, Coal /Oil / Gas Refineries, Pulp and Paper, Nuclear Power Plant Construction and Shut Down / Turnarounds.

Thaddeus has managed EH&S personnel at the project and the corporate level. He has worked in Union and Non-Union work environments, domestically and internationally. Thaddeus’ experiences include EH&S program management and development, performing EH&S compliance audits, assessments, and evaluation of EH&S programs for corporate, client, and governmental compliance.

He has also provided company representation on issues with the United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). He has conducted accident and incident investigations using root cause analysis (TapRooT®) and conducting safety leadership and development training for project management, supervision, and employees.

 

Summary:

Thaddeus asserts, “as a black man, I realized that I needed and wanted to be professional, respectful, and have integrity with all the people that I came in contact with regardless of who they were. I have worked and /or traveled in the EH&S field to twenty-two of the fifty United States including Alaska and the United States territory of Puerto Rico. Also, I have worked and/or traveled to Canada, Trinidad West Indies, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Paris France, Dominican Republic, Santiago Chile, South Korea, Guinea Africa, and Atyrau Kazakhstan. I found that workers wanted to work to support families with their need for food, shelter, and education etc. It was my job to help assist, inform, and educate, companies and individuals to perform their work in a safe and productive manner in accordance with the laws of the United States, Safety Laws of that countries and with the Company’s EH&S Corporate Policies.  Also, I learned to:

  • Treat all people the way that you would want to be treated in a respectful and professional manner.
  • Never stop learning even went you think that you know it all. There is always some modern technology, information, and better ways of doing things.
  • Share your knowledge with others. Someone helped you in your career. Pay it forward!

Overall, being a EH&S professional is a fulfilling career for me. I am very thankful and appreciative of IPI for giving me an opportunity to continue to do what I enjoy doing.

IPI’s management appreciates the knowledge, experience and problem solving ability that experience employees bring to the organization especially when mentoring / working with younger employees. We all learn from each other, and it makes us all successful.”