PROFILE
Center for Public Health Workforce Development
TRAINEE PROFILE: DEBRA SALTERS
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Keeping Others Safe, On and Off the Construction Site
I love the interaction with the different people I met [in the course], all coming from different industries. The peer-to-peer interaction and all the different life experiences in the room. We literally come from all walks of life and the instructor, Tony Valente, was able to guide the class so well. I soaked up things like a sponge.”
5,427 Debra shared that one of the best parts about coming to the Center for an in-person course is the chance to meet and connect with her fellow students. “I love the interaction with the different people I met, coming from different industries. The peer-to-peer interaction and all the different life experiences in the room. We literally come from all walks of life and the instructor, Tony Valente, was able to guide the class so well. I soaked up things like a sponge.” 83 Debra Salters has worked in the construction industry her whole life. Her uncle had his own construction company, and she loved to work alongside him. Her dad was a mechanic and he put great emphasis on teaching her to be independent and able to rely on herself. Thanks to all her uncle and dad taught her, Debra says she feels proud to hold her own and thrive in a male-dominated industry. Today Debra has her own business, Saving Lives Vigorously. She teaches safety: CPR, First Aid, AED, and she wants to expand into teaching construction safety. She calls herself a “natural teacher” and cares deeply about helping people. “Not enough people care… I’m in a position where I can save a life.” Passing Skills and Knowledge On to Others Indeed, Debra’s skills are often urgently needed. She shared a story about a recent experience when she was driving and saw a woman passed out on the street surrounded by a crowd of people. She pulled over and asked if anyone had performed CPR. A couple of people said that wanted to, but they didn’t know how. For Debra, helping people is second nature. “This is what I do. Even my card says, ‘people are my passion.’” Adding construction safety to Debra’s skill set is a logical next step. “Now I can train construction workers as well as anyone in the industry in OSHA 10 or OSHA 30, which is required to work on a construction site. It allows me to train, which is what I do on a daily basis.” An Unbeatable Classroom Experience
- Debra Salters, OSHA Outreach Trainer
139 New OSHA Outreach Trainers
Interesting Statistic #1 Construction Safety, Occupational Health and Occupational Safety Courses
Construction Safety, Occupational Health and Occupational Safety Trainees
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