Five Join Growing Roster of Local OSHA Outreach Trainers
Raef Ritter (Local 4), Brian Greenspan (Local 311), Stephen Smith (Local 484), Mike Murphy (Local 369), and Patrick Landers (Local USA829) are the newest OSHA Outreach Trainers whose local unions are licensed to use the OSHA 10/General Entertainment Safety curriculum. Our Develop a Local OSHA Trainer program provided financial support to Locals 4, 311, 484, and USA829 enabling them to develop their own in-house trainer for the OSHA 10-hr General Industry Safety and Health training. These five new trainers join a growing roster of 50 OSHA Trainers in 41 local unions actively teaching OSHA 10/GES classes throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
“OSHA 10/GES training is a tool for us to take action in preventing an injury. We do not have total control over every hazard, but these hazards don’t have total control over us either, there is always something we can do to bring it to light or get it corrected.”
Raef Ritter has over 16 years’ experience in New York events creating polices and safe work plans for venues and broadcasts. He was the Senior Director of Event Services at the Barclays Center and prior to that, Events Manager of Grand Central Terminal. It was at GCT he became an OSHA Outreach Trainer for construction. Upon joining IATSE Local 4, primarily as an electrician, he learned about the TTF program encouraging locals to develop trainers for General Industry and its General Entertainment Safety curriculum.
“After teaching MEWP & PIT classes the past couple of years for Local 311, the TTF Train the Trainer: Teaching and Presentation Techniques class seemed like the next step to help improve my skills. With help from Local 311 and the TTF giving me the opportunity to become an OSHA 10/GES trainer, I can now educate the membership on safety awareness, hazards, and worker rights and relate it to our craft.”
Brian Greenspan has been a member Local 311 for 13 years. He’s currently the head of Local 311's Safety and Education Committee and is a member of Local 21 and Local 353. He has worked in many venues all across the tri-state area doing theater, rock, corporate, events, festivals, shops, live television, and film.
“We can never take safety for granted. As a Production Manager, my craft and passion is safety, and I look forward to sharing that passion with others that work in our industry under a CBA. We all are responsible for our own and each other’s safety at work. Using the tools provided by Local 484 and the Train the Trainer program and OSHA 10/GES training provided by the TTF, I am excited about training others and spreading my passion for all of us to have a safe workplace.”
Stephen Smith has been a member of Local 127 for more than 30 years, is a charter member of Local 484, has been a member of Local 126 for almost a year, and is currently a Trustee for Local 127. He has a BFA in Theatre Arts Production from The University of Texas at Arlington. Stephen is an ETCP Certified Arena Rigger and works as a Production Manager for Large General Sessions. He thoroughly enjoys stage work and cannot imagine doing anything else for a living.
“Having grown up in a period when safety and health issues were given secondary consideration (at best), I am fortunate that industry professionals have persevered in building a culture of safety as our primary concern. I’m privileged that my brothers and sisters in Local 369 have given me an opportunity to give back to the profession what was freely given to me.”
Mike Murphy first became an OSHA General Industry and Construction Trainer at West Virginia University OSHA Training Institute in 2014. He renewed his General Industry training last year at NC State University Southeastern OTI in Columbia, SC. He is a proud rank and file member of Local 369 centered in Huntington, WV servicing Ashland, KY and Ironton, OH within its jurisdiction. He has served as Technical Director for Marshall University for 30+ years after performing similar duties in TN, FL, and GA. Mike received his MFA in Technical Production from Florida State University and his BA in Theatre from the University of West Florida. He is grateful that his brothers and sisters of Local 369 have given him an opportunity to advance a culture of safety within the profession.
“I have witnessed the positive effects of heightened safety awareness while on the job and want to share and encourage that with fellow workers. We work in a creative and unique industry, and that requires a solid foundation of workplace safety knowledge so that we can apply it appropriately.”
Patrick Landers serves as an Associate Business Representative with Local USA829 overseeing Health and Safety, Scene Shops, and more and serves as a Delegate to the New York City Central Labor Council. He worked for 12 years at the Guthrie Theater as a Scene Shop Carpenter and Rigger and served in several elected positions of IATSE Local 13. Pat earned a BFA in Technical Theatre-Scenic Design from the University of MN-Duluth and has been a proud IATSE Member since 2003.
