In celebration of National Safety Month, we're featuring Safety Specialist Eric Hartley in this issue's Q&A. Whether traveling to Westfield or Worthington for Citizens or building wells in Nicaragua, Hartley has a passion for safety and helping others. After working as a service provider for Citizens for about four years, he joined the Health, Safety, and Security team in September 2021.
1. What did you do before working for Citizens?
In my mid-twenties, I started a construction company that opened a door to start building log cabins in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I also previously was the facility director at the state fairgrounds, worked for the City of Indianapolis, and served as a safety inspector for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security in the state fire marshal’s office. After that, I held the position of Corporate Safety Trainer with RMS Safety. In this role, I was a service provider for Citizens, conducting training sessions and developing training courses for employees.
2. What led you to safety as a career?
In 2005, a construction project I was working on was shut down because proper permits were not obtained. The inspector told me the city was hiring additional inspectors, so I applied. The irony is that if I had not been working on a project that was out of compliance, I would have missed a conversation that led to a career in safety and compliance for the past 17 years.
3. What is a typical day like for you?
I perform site audits, provide training, approve project plans, and meet with contractors as needed. I also work on safety orientation for Citizens’ contractors and safety training for all employees.
4. What do you enjoy most about your job?
I genuinely enjoy working with people. I have worked with several big organizations over the years, and Citizens is by far the best. Our employees’ dedication to providing excellence to our customers is incredible. Over the years, I have worked with every division from Westfield to Worthington. I have enjoyed seeing firsthand how the work we do in various business units is as vast as the distance between our work sites, and how it takes a talented team to deliver natural gas, water, steam, and chilled water and to collect and process wastewater.
5. What are some ways we each can do our part to create a safer workplace?
It is important to plan our activities in advance. I have seen injuries that could have been avoided if the individual or team leader had taken time at the start of the day to evaluate the needed tools, safety equipment, and potential hazards associated with the job. We also should stop and reevaluate if we feel unsafe completing a task. Small injuries can have a lasting impact on someone’s quality of life. When we are younger, we are more apt to take risks, but we can pay for those risks later in life.
6. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I serve as a part-time small groups pastor at Thrive Church in the Mooresville area. I also enjoy playing guitar, exploring national parks, and fly fishing.
7. What is your favorite place to travel?
Recently I went on a mission trip to Nicaragua to help women who have lost their husbands to kidney disease from pesticides used in the sugar cane fields. The organization I went with provided materials for teachers, made home repairs, and constructed freshwater wells for the local community. Clean water has made a dramatic difference there, and the organization’s work made me appreciate what we do at Citizens even more. Because of my construction background, I worked on the widows’ homes, which are about the size of a large yard barn. I look forward to going back. It was so fulfilling to see so much improvement after being there just 10 days.
