June is National Safety Month in the U.S., and Cameron B., a Sr. Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Specialist at CONMED, plays an active role in planning and executing some of our environmental and safety objectives at our Utica, NY site. Check out our conversation with Cameron!

What do you like most about your career in CONMED?

I love the ability to interact with people. In EHS, you are always interacting, coaching, and teaching. Every day is different and has its own challenges. I love being out on the production floor and working with the different teams in the manufacturing areas.

In your opinion, how does EHS add value to an organization?

EHS adds value by helping to foster a culture at the workplace. By promoting safety, it shows our commitment to take care of our employees. A good safety specialist can also look at our manufacturing lines and suggest improvements, which can have huge benefits for production safety from an ergonomic standpoint.

Why do you believe is it important for organizations to have environmental goals?

Organizations need to understand that they are having an impact on the environment, both positive and negative. Organizations are a big part of our community and local economies, and they set a huge example for the future. When organizations lead, especially through environmental initiatives, it shows them in a positive light. I think organizations need to look at the environment as a partner. A partner in which we have a responsibility to take care of and sustain for the future.

What are some EHS projects you are working on to support CONMED's environmental initiatives?

At the beginning of the year, our site set our environmental management system objectives for 2021. We’re aiming to reduce our electrical usage, water usage, and solid waste volume. Our biggest project is bringing awareness to the employees at the site. We want our people to be environmentally friendly at work and, just as importantly, outside of work as well.

Some ways we’re raising awareness include utilizing the TV monitors throughout our building that informs employees on the importance of going green, as well as monthly safety topics. In the main hall outside our cafeteria, we have our EHS board that is continuously updated to provide insight on recycling best practices and workplace safety.

What would you recommend to someone starting a career in EHS?

Work on your communication skills. EHS is about communicating safety to various teams in a way that they can understand it. It is also important to work on your public speaking. A lot of times you will have to do trainings to large groups on safety topics. However, you do not need to be the most outgoing or have the biggest personality to be an effective EHS specialist.

The most important thing is to have passion and a drive to improve the culture. Having a basic understanding of finance is also important as well. It is important to be able to pitch the benefits of investing in safety, but also knowing how to understand and read a budget. Every manufacturing site and company has its own unique safety culture. If you get discouraged always know that you are truly impacting lives for the better!

Employee safety and well-being is our top priority at CONMED. Thank you, Cameron, for making a difference in our safety culture and for contributing to our environmental goals!

For more information on CONMED initiatives, culture and careers, visit our CAREER SITE