During 2020, the Installation Safety Office (ISO) at Fort McCoy has seen some changes with new people becoming a part of the team.
Installation Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Justin Artman and Dale Marsolek have been on the job for months, and both say they are learning more about the Fort McCoy safety program and building their skills as a team.
“Both of these individuals bring a vast set of skills and knowledge of safety program fundamentals to our safety department,” said Safety Manager Randy Eddy with the ISO. “They are settling in well and are eager to learn more about Fort McCoy. I look forward to getting them introduced to the Fort McCoy community. They are already providing crucial safety advice and services to keep our workforce, Soldiers, and families safe and healthy.”
Artman began working at ISO in mid-March, when the post was ramping up efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. He comes to the position with plenty of experience.
“I already have 10-plus years of experience within the safety profession,” Artman said. “I was a battalion safety officer in the Marine Corps for three years before I retired in 2015. From the Marine Corps, I attended Illinois State University, where I received degrees in safety and environmental health. I also completed my masters in project management in 2020 with certificates in quality management and analytics and training and development. I was also awarded my Certified Safety Professional certification in 2019 — the highest certification in the safety profession.”
Artman said he enjoys his new position. He described what his job entails.
“The short answer is we support worker safety,” Artman said. “That is our mission in the safety office. We accomplish this through safety inspections, education, training, and program management. … I enjoy interacting with workers and making their jobs safer, which in turn allows them to go home to their families each day.”
And as he continues in the job, Artman said he hopes for continued success for all.
“I look forward to improving the overall quality of safety within the Army and at Fort McCoy,” Artman said. “The Army Safety Program is behind what is understood and implemented within private industry and needs to be refocused.”
Marsolek started working at ISO in mid-May. He is a retired law-enforcement professional of 25 years and has been working in the safety profession for six years.
“I have worked everything from corrections and dispatch to road patrol and investigations,” Marsolek said. “Even though I’ve seen a lot in terms of personalities, injuries, and accidents, I know I will learn something new every day. Embracing the want to always learn and become better is my personal goal in this position.”
At the ISO, Marsolek will work and manage the Explosive Safety Program, which includes issuing licenses for ammunition storage throughout post for training units and some garrison and tenant organization permanent arms storage facilities.
Marsolek also oversees the installation Respirator Protection Program, which includes fit testing Directorate of Emergency Services employees for N95 masks and self-contained breathing apparatus equipment as well as training in their use and wear.
He also supports the installation Safety and Occupational Health Advisory Council and Explosives Safety Council, which is mandated to meet at least twice a year but is done quarterly at Fort McCoy, and includes tracking of multiple issues related to occupational health and safety (OHS). He also trains personnel postwide in safety; edits the ISO’s monthly safety newsletter; investigates accidental injuries, illnesses, and property damage as reported for garrison Soldiers and civilians; conducts building inspections throughout post for OHS issues; and more.
“I especially enjoy the teaching aspect of the job,” Marsolek said. “No employee can possibly know about all aspects of all safety matters as they are too numerous and complex to cram into a single mind when they have traditional job responsibilities to remember also. However, when I can help by teaching a better safety technique or an ergonomically safer way to perform a task, especially when the employee wasn’t aware alternative options existed, I feel like I’ve accomplished my job.
“I take the safety of all employees very seriously and personally,” Marsolek said. “If anyone gets hurt, we have missed something, and I feel responsible. I also really enjoy meeting employees from all jobs on post and learning what their jobs entail so I can better provide tips and techniques to enhance what they do and help to ensure they all go home safely each day to their families.”
Marsolek described what it’s been like starting his new position during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I arrived here during the pandemic so I can’t speak as to exactly why the decisions were made before my arrival, but I do know that it is an issue that is taken very seriously by the command group and the ISO,” Marsolek said.
“It is evident that Fort McCoy handled it better than almost everyone else. It’s been a learning experience for everyone, but I am extremely happy that a concerted effort was made and input was requested from many throughout the fort and from various professions. … The Army has done a tremendous job of guiding Armywide responses; however, Fort McCoy has exceeded even these standards.”
Marsolek said he’s looking forward to what the future holds in his position.
“Because safety is integral and in the forefront of everything we do, I look forward to bringing my professional experience in both safety and working with people to this position in order to work towards a goal of zero accidents,” Marsolek said.
“People say this is an unachievable goal, and perhaps it is true. However, I’ve been involved in other organizations where significant safety improvements were made. It takes a personal dedication to do everything the safe way, every time, every day, and I look forward to helping create that atmosphere.”
To learn more about safety at Fort McCoy, contact ISO.
Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.”
The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
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