Do you have what it takes to win a Saxcie™? Based on the conversations and email exchanges we’ve had with you over the years, Glenn and I are pretty sure you do. Or maybe you have a colleague or mentor whose innovation and dedication inspires you. Whether you’re the one due for the kudos or there’s someone you’d like acknowledged, take a few minutes to complete the online nomination form. All that’s required is some contact information and a brief essay outlining the nominee’s accomplishments or highlights.

Here’s a look at why Steven L. Pollock of Stacy & Witbeck, Inc. (working with Herzog Contracting on joint venture project: Salt Lake City Commuter Rail Constructors) was the first recipient of the Safety Trainer of the Year Saxcie™ in 2006.

Criteria: The Safety Trainer of the Year Saxcie™ is awarded to a safety professional who exhibits individual success and leadership in the field of safety training.

Profile: Safety Trainers face a tough challenge. Not only must they convince management of the value of their training programs, but also persuade the trainees that what they have to say is worth listening to. To accomplish this, Safety Trainers must think creatively, speak clearly, understand complex and abstract material, translate that material into plain language, have a good sense of humor and, above all, be trustworthy. An effective trainer, in other words, must be like Steve Pollock.

After leaving high school, Steve took a job as a clerk with a railroad in South Bend, Indiana. He became involved in Operation Lifesaver, a nation-wide organization dedicated to educating the public about railroad safety. He then rolled his railroad experience and his passion for safety into a career in the construction industry, teaching roadway safety to California construction workers. His training techniques caught the eye of some important people. Steve didn’t need to persuade management of the value of his training. They came to him. Soon the railroads were insisting that project workers go through Steve’s training.

Steve has since tailored his training program to numerous railroads, uniting rules from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) with each railroad’s own set of rules. He uses flip charts, DVDs, overhead projectors and movies that demonstrate the speed and destructive nature of passenger trains. On completion of training, workers receive a special sticker for their helmet. No sticker on your helmet = No access to the work site. Those who don’t pass the course receive one-on-one training with Steve until they do. In 14 months, Steve issued more than 2,000 stickers.

Every morning, Steve meets with the railroad personnel for special instructions and to establish the type of protection needed for the day. He then goes to the office, to a special map he’s made of his current 44-mile long project. The map is on a 4’x 8’ white board, adorned with 5 colors of striping tape and dozens of small magnetic writing boards. On those small magnetic boards, Steve writes daily safety information required by the FRA and places them on the appropriate spot on the map. It’s an essential information tool that many workers rely on every day.

But it’s not just Steve’s ingenuity or thoroughness that mark him as a great trainer. According to the nominator’s essay, Steve “uses his experience, personal connections, understanding of railroad culture and often a hearty laugh to make this a safer, more enjoyable job for all who work here.”

It’s a trust thing. Companies trust Steve’s programs and employees trust Steve. And it’s his success in this tough balance that makes Steven Pollock Safety Trainer of the Year.

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