Safety Steward Perspective – Nilda Holguin

What does being a safety steward mean to me?

Being a safety steward means being proactive about safety in our workplace. We are peer-to-peer driven, not by management. It’s having the ability to speak with our union brothers and sisters about how to work safer, having a different approach with those who need some help and guidance with following safety procedures. It means having my union siblings’ back and safety in mind.

What have you learned during your time as a safety steward? (specifics, and/or broader life lessons)

I have learned to identify where our department lacks safety implementations and where we have room to improve. My peers have felt more comfortable coming to me in regard to safety hazards that need to be addressed after they’ve tried to resolve it themselves. I have learned how to escalate safety concerns up the chain of command which has helped move things along and forward.

Why did you decide to become a safety steward, and why do you think its important?

I decided to get involved and become a safety steward because as a woman in the field, I knew I coukd encourage more women to get involved and speak up about safety. I love talking to the new hires at the PG&E Winters training facility. It brings me so much joy to see so many women joining the workforce that’s mainly men. Promoting the safety culture, amplifying it, is key to us being successful in working safely. Encouraging others to work safely, by reminding them why we work so hard. We do it for our families, for the vacations, for the new stuff we get to buy, but at what expense? You can’t enjoy all of that if you cut corners, if you get complacent, if you don’t follow the proper procedures, you may not come home. Those are the real conversations we have to have with our members.

If you could pass along some words of safety wisdom to your fellow members, what would they be?

I always like to share our IBEW 1245 Safety Pledge at our Control the Pressure presentations:

Each day we demand safety accountability from ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and our employers, so everyone goes home safe. Today is the most important day to be safe.

And if you say that pledge daily, it resonates, and we start to take it very seriously.

With all this said, I am extremely thankful and blessed for the opportunities my union has given me. My passion for safety is why I’m so involved. And I work alongside some amazing individuals on the committee who have been instrumental with my growth as a safety steward, and of course, thank you Fred Aboud for being a great mentor.