In November of 2023, Evergreen Safety Council received a handwritten letter in the mail. Penned in neat, sloping handwriting on notebook paper, the letter was from Derek Wilson, who was serving time at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in Connell, WA, which is in Eastern Washington between Moses Lake and the Tri-Cities.

“I hope this letter reaches you in the very best of heart, mind, body, and spirit,” he wrote. Wilson explained that he was working on earning an Automotive Maintenance degree from Walla Walla Community College, but he was also looking for further chances to learn and develop his skills. “We currently do not have any sort of flagger certification course being offered,” his letter continued, “but I am optimistic. With this in mind I’m trying to inspire many and create opportunities for people to change inside a place like this. If this is something the Evergreen Safety Council would like to offer us men at CRCC, we would love to have you.”

Evergreen’s Executive Director Michelle Kind was excited about the idea of providing education to incarcerated individuals. “Our mission is to empower people to achieve their potential," she said. "Getting training to people who otherwise don’t have access to it is a great match to that mission and we’re thrilled to be able to partner in this way.” With the help of ESC Sales Specialist Leigh Wright and Coyote Ridge's Correctional Program Manager Kristen Williams, we were able to schedule two free classes for men at the facility. So in March of 2024, Master Trainer Tina Bacon traveled across the mountains to help them earn their flagging certifications.

“The guys I trained were all so appreciative. I heard so many thank you's,” said Bacon. “It made me feel good to provide a service that could help them have a head start when they get out into the real world again, and it’s something that can be applied pretty quickly. It felt really nice knowing that I had a part in possibly helping someone take the next step in their life.” Wilson was also thankful that an outside agency listened to his request. “I made him feel like he had a voice and that he made a difference,” Bacon explained. “He thought of it, he pursued it, and people heard him.”

Wilson’s thoughtfulness and dedication in pursuing education for himself and his peers led Evergreen Safety Council to select him as the winner of the 2024 Governor John D. Spellman Safety Award. The award honors businesses or individuals who have made a positive contribution to safety culture in their workplace. The Board of Directors was excited to be able to recognize an individual who went out of their way to promote safety while also providing a path forward for people to pursue financial and personal stability.

For Bacon, who has been with the Council for 29 years, it was a highlight of her career as a safety educator:  “I’ve taught hundreds of people, and with these classes, I felt we were really meeting our objective of empowering people to achieve their potential.”

Evergreen Safety Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Chason Coelho, Ph.D., CSP, CFI to its Board of Directors.

A cognitive neuroscientist by training and consultant by profession, Dr. Coelho has applied his background to address mental and physical behavior in safety-related areas such as human error prevention, decision making, human reliability, safety in design, human-machine interfacing, warnings and labels, and ergonomics. He works in a variety of industries, including construction, oil and gas, chemical and petrochemical, marine, mining, manufacturing, and utilities.

Dr. Coelho did his doctoral research at Pennsylvania State University after completing an internship at the University of Chicago and an undergraduate program in learning, memory, and cognition at UCLA. He holds a Certified Safety Professional designation from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, a Certified Fire Investigator designation from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, and a Safety Practice Certificate from Texas A&M University for advanced training in industrial hygiene, fire risk management, and other similar topics. He is also a volunteer firefighter, emergency medical technician, technical and confined space rescuer, vehicle extrication technician, and licensed motorcycle safety instructor.

Dr. Coelho’s appointment fills a vacancy left by the retirement of longtime Board members Rick Gleason and Todd Williams. Welcome, Dr. Coelho!

Sure, it’s easy to bash online training.

After all, just look at the criticisms: The quality is lower. It’s not engaging. It’s too easy to cheat. There’s no interaction with other students. It’s too difficult to learn the technology.

You might be tempted to buy into these popular misconceptions about online learning. It’s true that, just as with in-person learning, online learning can have its drawbacks. But when done correctly, online learning provides many of the same benefits as–and can even be superior to–in-person instruction.

While providing many of the same benefits as in-person instruction, online learning is also:

Less expensive: Online courses eliminate travel time and long commutes for students and instructors, and can reduce materials costs and other expenses on the provider’s end.

More equitable: Students in outlying or underserved areas have access to the same quality of instruction.

More flexible: Students can access their course from wherever they have a working internet connection, including home, school, and places like their local public library. In addition, content can be broken up into more easily consumable pieces, allowing for shorter sessions and/or breaks when needed.

More effective: Live, instructor-led online classes can support varied learning styles by providing multiple ways of accessing information; encouraging active learning through videos, games, and group discussions; and promoting creative problem solving.

Easier to monitor: Online learning platforms allow data from exams and certifications to be easily stored and managed. With a few clicks, students, regulatory agencies, and service providers are able to access student data and easily share it with others.

Training that doesn’t put you to sleep

If your only experience with online training has been flipping through PowerPoint slides or reading a required text before taking a test, you may be surprised by the breadth and depth of current online learning.

Evergreen Safety Council is a leader in providing high quality, state- and regulatory agency-compliant online education programs. Our programs increase access to in-demand certifications and renewals for people who can’t attend classes in person. Like our in-person classes, all of our online offerings have been developed by our top-notch curriculum designers, with the input of industry professionals.

Cutting class or cutting edge?

The Covid-19 crisis left schools and training programs scrambling to deliver content online overnight, with mixed results. Many offerings served as a quick fix to comply with existing requirements, but lacked structure and ease of access. The result: frustrated instructors, frustrated students, and subpar learning experiences.

Unlike many schools and training programs that have had to quickly adapt their in-person curriculum to accommodate new distance learning needs, Evergreen Safety Council’s online classes have been designed as stand-alone courses, maintaining the best parts of our popular in-person curriculum while incorporating characteristics specific to the online delivery method.

Courses built with online delivery in mind

This is an essential part of making an online course engaging, insightful, and organized. At Evergreen Safety Council, we teach with three optimized delivery methods of online training: Live streaming, self-guided and blended learning.

Live Streaming Delivery:

Our instructor-led online courses utilize video platforms to deliver an authentic and customizable learning experience to students, wherever they may be.

Our expert instructors encourage active learning with slides, short videos, and group activities, and they can listen and respond to students’ questions at any time. Advanced exam platforms and video proctoring systems ensure test-takers’ identities, monitor behavior, and prevent cheating.

Self-Guided Delivery:

Our self-guided online courses are no less rigorous, with lessons designed to meet current industry standards that students can access on their own time and complete at their own pace.

Blended Learning Delivery:

We also offer “blended” classes, featuring a hybrid model of online and in-person coursework.
In these classes, students typically progress through the online training portion at their own pace and meet in a classroom for practical, hands-on instruction and testing.

The Covid-19 crisis may have put a temporary hold on in-person gatherings, but it hasn’t diminished interest in obtaining professional certification in areas such as forklift operation, pilot car operation, and defensive driving skills. In fact, demand for these offerings in an online delivery format has only increased.

Becoming job-ready is just a click away

You can learn more about all of our cutting-edge online training courses below. To stay up to date on our latest online program offerings, consider subscribing to our mailing list, and select “online training” as your interest. We are available via chat, email, or phone and are happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

The National Pilot Car Association (NPCA) welcomed Evergreen Safety Council President, Jeffrey Vaughan to address their membership in their July 2019 conference call. Mr. Vaughan was interviewed by NPCA Vice President, Michael Morgan on the work being done by ESC and national trends in autonomous transportation, innovating workforce training, empowering the millennial workforce, and the impact of recreational drug use and distracted driving on roadway safety.

Allen Taylor wants everybody to know that he doesn’t normally take meetings while driving his car. "I’m a safety guy," he says, laughing. "This is just a background."

It seems relevant that he takes the time to make this clear: even when setting up a digital background for an online meeting, he’s a safety guy, through and through.

An Air Force and Army veteran, Taylor already had a background in safety from his time in the service when he began working at Seattle Public Utilities. Now a senior Safety and Health officer, he credits Evergreen Safety Council with giving him the knowledge and necessary certifications to advance in his career.

His first job with the utility was in one of the material controls divisions, he says, but his passion was for safety. Some in the Safety Office took notice of his knowledge and began consulting with him, frequently hiring him on a temporary basis to complete short-term projects. But every time he applied for a full-time opening in the division, he says, he was told he didn’t meet the position’s minimum qualifications—he didn’t have specialized job-related training that would qualify him to be hired by the department.

Enter Evergreen Safety Council. At the time, the organization offered a 9-month training program for safety and health specialists.

There were other options. Some universities and junior colleges have programs that would have given Taylor the credentials he needed to qualify for that promotion. "But," he says, "if you want to fast track and get a certificate designed specifically for the sort of work you do, Evergreen Safety Council is one of the best companies to prepare you for that job. When I read the description of the courses that they offered, I knew right away that the courses that I would attend were in direct relation to the type of work I would be doing when I completed the certification."

Two months after completing Evergreen Safety Council’s Safety and Health Specialist training program, Taylor says, he was hired for a full-time position in Seattle Public Utilities’ Safety Office.

He’s returned to Evergreen Safety Council several times over the course of his career, for a technical specialist certification, as well as to become a certified first aid and CPR instructor. "Each time I went back," he says, " it would enhance my position at my job to make me more valuable, and it helped my personal growth as well."

Beyond providing certification requirements that set him on the path of career advancement, the training has given Taylor the practical knowledge to perform his job as an expert in his field.

"When one of our crews was doing a big compliance based job," he recalls, "I knew how to review and inspect the job they were doing to make sure they were in compliance with state regulations. I was able to make sure they were using the proper equipment and PPE to do the job. I knew how to inspect their traffic control setup to ensure the public was safe, and that the work zone that they were working in was safe."

The benefits have carried over to his personal life as well.

"It changed my life … I can say morally, emotionally, financially. I have more confidence because of the skillset that Evergreen Safety Council provided.

My financial improvement has given me an opportunity to see parts of the world that I would never have been able to experience without the education ... all as a result of going to Evergreen Safety Council to enhance my career."

As he nears retirement, Taylor has begun to mentor others in his field. "Part of my mentoring is for them to understand the importance of getting certification," he says. "I have let them know that Evergreen Safety Council is one of the best places in Washington to get a certification. I believe in passing the torch forward."

It starts with specialized workplace training programs and with people like Allen Taylor—but the ripples are felt throughout our community.

"I’m one of the safety officers who absolutely loves what he does," Taylor says. "Because of Evergreen Safety Council I’m able to provide a service to make sure people go home to their parents and their children. To me that's what’s important, that I can make a difference."

Gleason, who joined the Board in 2006 after many years as an ESC occupational safety instructor, frequently advised the Council on issues pertaining to occupational safety and health risks within the industry.Williams joined the Board of Directors in 2015. His legal expertise became an invaluable asset to ESC and its board during his tenure.Evergreen Safety Council appreciates Gleason and Williams’ commitment to furthering safety education, and the contributions they have made to our industry and organization. We join our Board of Directors in wishing them the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Evergreen Safety Council’s new online safety training for Powered Industrial Truck (forklift) operators makes compliance quick and easy. Our program lets you learn at your own pace on your computer or mobile device from the comfort of your home, office, or virtually anywhere with an internet connection.

What’s covered?

Based on OSHA and ANSI regulations and standards, our course provides operators with the basic knowledge needed to operate a Class 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 Powered Industrial Truck. A supplemental training covers Class 7 PITs for operators who need to learn about rough terrain forklifts.

How does it work?

Over the course of 7 engaging lessons, you’ll learn about common PIT features and operation, capacity and stability, inspection and maintenance, workplace operation, and common hazards. We’ve created beautiful illustrations, and animations to make the learning experience seamless and fun, and if you prefer to learn by hearing rather than reading, we’ve provided detailed narration for every single lesson. Learners can start or pause the course anytime, so you can learn on a schedule that works for you. When you’re finished, you’ll take a short exam to earn your certificate of completed training.

Why choose Evergreen’s online program?

Our online training is easy to use, and it’s packed with valuable knowledge and skills that will help you be safe, effective, and OSHA compliant. With over 80 years of experience in safety, you can trust Evergreen Safety Council to provide the very best training in the industry.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/j2LBwotf5JI

Want to see more?

View our demo course and welcome video to get a hands-on look at our new online Powered Industrial Truck Operator Safety Training.

Evergreen Safety Council is now approved to offer the Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operator (PEVO) training program online. Previously this course was only available via in-person training with an authorized instructor at a limited number of locations. Our new live online training program allows students the convenience of taking the certification training via computer at home, work, or virtually anywhere with an internet connection.

This new online program, approved by the Washington Department of Transportation, teaches students how to perform work as a pilot/escort vehicle operator and upon successful completion gives them the certification necessary to operate in the state. Training classes will be held regularly beginning in January 2020 via live online training sessions.

ESC’s team of industry experts and curriculum designers have created a program that gives students the knowledge and skills they need to operate safely and comply with state and federal standards. The instructor-led live online course utilizes expert instruction, video presentations, and interactive group activities that provide learners with a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.

As of now, 14 U.S. states require training for pilot car operators. In many states such as Colorado, you must be officially certified in order to work as a PEVO. Certification ensures that you have been given the skills and knowledge necessary to comply with the law, guide an oversize load safely along its route, and deal effectively with any emergency situations.

Evergreen Safety Council has been a leader in pilot car operator training for over 20 years. If you would like to learn more about Evergreen Safety Council’s Pilot Car Program, please visit our Pilot Car Program Page.

Evergreen Safety Council is proud to recognize DKB, Inc. as the 2018 recipient of the John D. Spellman Safety Award. The award will be presented to DKB, Inc. at their location this summer.

The annual John D. Spellman Safety Award was created in 2006 to recognize ESC member organizations and individuals that have demonstrated outstanding safety achievements or have shown they are actively pursuing and reinforcing a positive safety culture in their workplace.

The award also recognizes one of Washington’s great public servants, the late Governor John D. Spellman.

King County’s first elected County Executive and Washington’s 18th Governor, Spellman was a member of ESC’s Board of Directors for more than 36 years.

He last served as Chairman Emeritus, and prior to that he served as President/Executive Director during ESC’s critical restructuring in 1989 and as Chairman of the Board from 1998 to 2016.

DKB, Inc. offers mechanical insulation and construction services to the industrial and commercial industries throughout the United States with an emphasis on the western states.

Their services include Mechanical Insulation, Acoustical Services, Firestopping, Energy Auditing and Construction Support Services to all size and types of projects.

They utilize the latest Construction Management tools and practices including computerized estimation, scheduling, procurement and job tracking to provide a superior result to all of their clients.

DKB, Inc. was chosen to receive this competitive award due to significant improvements in their safety program. They have increased their safety training and policies and have implemented a year long curriculum on regular day-to-day safety concerns. They have added on-site instructors to bring their company-wide training to full compliance.With this award, Evergreen Safety Council is proud to recognize DKB, Inc’s. leadership in workplace safety.

The Monty C. Lish & Stanley O. McNaughton Scholarship for Safety and Health Careers was developed to encourage more college students to consider safety and health professions as viable and worthwhile careers.

Applicants must be employees of an ESC member, or their family, and meet the specific eligibility requirements.

The $1,000 scholarship awards are funded with a percentage of membership fees.

Danielle Ross (Westport, WA) plans to attend Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, where she will pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Business.

During high school she has been earning her Associates in Business through the Running Start program.

Danielle would like to be in a managerial position where she can reinforce safety training and policies.

Dakota Ross (Westport, WA) is planning to attend the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.

She has received the Award of Excellence from Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders and is a graduate of the Western Aerospace Scholars.

Dakota would like to work for NASA designing and constructing spacecraft.