HazTek Safety Professional Trisha Gallagher started in the health and safety field as a firefighter / Emergency Medical Technician at the age of 18. She earned several different rescue certifications including Rope, High Angle, Aerial, Vehicle, and Confined Space as well as Hazmat and National Incident Management System (NIMS) certifications. She earned associate’s degrees in paramedicine and in nursing, then went on to attain her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a focus in emergency and trauma medicine, air and ground transport, and critical care.

Needing a career change after several years of working in the medical field, Trisha learned to weld from her father and began welding. In addition to her father being a welder, her grandfather, both of her brothers, and her fiancé are all welders. With more encouragement from her father, she obtained her OSHA 30 to give herself a leg up. The OSHA 30 class is where she fell in love with construction safety. She began working as a safety manager for a mechanical contracting company where, in addition to welding, she managed safety on several projects.

With a desire to work in safety as her full-time job, Trisha accepted a position with HazTek in 2019. Since starting with HazTek, she has continued her professional development and recently completed her OSHA 500 and can now conduct both 10- and 30-hour Construction Outreach classes. She has also earned her OSHA 510 and a HAZWOPER Supervisor certificate. In addition, she’s received her Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) certification from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

Trisha’s advice for women in the construction field: “Never stop learning! This is an ever-changing and improving field and there are growth opportunities for women in construction every day. Stay on top of the best practices in your field so that you can deliver the best to your clients.”

Thank you to Trisha for the enthusiasm and knowledge that she brings to our organization.

In honor of Women in Construction Week, HazTek is featuring several of our safety professionals who work out in the field.

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) created Women in Construction (WIC) Week to highlight women as a viable component of the construction industry and as an occasion for the thousands of NAWIC members across the country to help raise awareness of the growing role of women in the construction industry and the opportunities available to them.

HazTek Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive safety management services with a mission to enrich the health, safety, and well-being of our employees, our customers, and our communities.