City of Perrysburg

Alerts alert icon

Safety First

The City of Perrysburg has been working hard at making sure that employees are safe while on the job. Over the past several months, workers have been undergoing several different training sessions with the City’s new Occupational Health and Safety Coordinator, David Moore. Moore was hired in June after the City saw a need for this position.  

“Previously, we had a consultant or an outside company hold trainings,” said Human Resources Manager, Kelly Chalfant. “It wasn’t on a consistent basis and our employees deserved better than that so we decided to hire someone full-time.” 

Moore has worked in the safety field for 23 years where he held similar positions at The Andersons and Tireman. He is a Certified Occupational Safety Specialist and holds a COSM (Certified Occupational Safety Manager) which is a certification of excellence.   

“The biggest thing that drives me is safety,” Moore said. “The concern is what accidents can cause in an employee’s life, so getting ahead of them through these trainings and awareness can prevent them from happening.” 

The trainings that he has been conducting include proper lifting, CPR, confined space, chemicals, EPA approved classes, proper use of PPE and much more.   

A typical day for Moore is to drive around the perimeter of the City to make sure workers who are out in the field are using proper safety measures. It makes him feel good when he doesn’t have to stop because they’re doing things the right way. 

“I look to make sure that they are wearing things such as reflective vests or hard hats,” he said. “I will often send a text to their supervisor to let him know that they’re doing their jobs safely.” 

While Moore has set some high standards for the City, he genuinely cares for employees and their safety and never wants to see an accident happen.  

“The satisfaction isn’t the paycheck. It’s the employees who are following the procedures that we set for them and not taking risks,” he said.  

Along with safety training, Moore also conducts inspections such as HVAC, first aid, automotive, service equipment, forklifts, or fall protection. All of his training was done through the Northwest Ohio Safety Council.