OSCAsafe Safety Trainer Spotlight: Bill Grove
Meet OSCAsafe instructor Bill Grove. Learn how his refinery experience brings practical knowledge and advice to workplace safety training.
July 30, 2024
This is the third blog in the OSCAsafe by Tang+Company Trainer Spotlight series, where you can meet the talented instructors who are the driving force behind our training programs.
In our previous conversations, we met Thomas Bjorman and Curtis G. Martin, our seasoned Assistant Training Managers at OSCAsafe.
In this edition, we’re excited to chat with Bill Grove, another one of our experienced OSCAsafe Instructors.
Q1: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at OSCAsafe.
Hi, everyone. My name is William Grove, but I go by Bill. I started working for OSCAsafe in September 2015 as a part-time instructor and became a full-time instructor in November 2021.
I teach all HHFT classes, Alkylation Safety, site-specific orientations for refineries, 1-day Safety Attendant Training, and Permit Issuer training.
Q2: What motivated you to choose OSCAsafe to pursue your training career?
Before joining OSCAsafe I worked at the Chevron Oil Refinery in El Segundo, CA, and later worked as a contractor for refineries. As a contractor, I participated in the OSCAsafe training program and saw the crucial role OSCAsafe played in promoting safety for high-hazard working environments.
I realized that my refinery experiences could provide first-hand knowledge and advice to help workers better understand and navigate safety concerns for high-hazard industries. So eventually, I joined OSCAsafe as an instructor.
I really enjoy sharing my experiences and helping workers create a safer work environment so they can go home safe and sound every day.
Q3: Can you share your industry experience and expertise that you bring to the classroom?
Before joining OSCAsafe, I had nearly 30 years of work experience in the oil industry.
I worked at Chevron, El Segundo Oil Refinery from 1981 to 2011 in the Operations side of the business. My experience included High-pressure Hydro-Treating and Hydro-Cracking units, Cogeneration Units, Crude Units, Coking, and Sulfur Units.
Later, I moved into management and leadership positions for all these operating areas and worked with an internal leadership group called the “Continuous Learning Group”. This contract group focused on developing newer leaders and supervisors to motivate and help employees perform at their highest levels. As I said above, I love the opportunity to share my experience and first-hand practical knowledge with OSCAsafe students.
Q4: What is a valuable lesson you learned during your career?
Being a safety professional is all about passing along lessons to others. I’ve learned a key aspect of doing this is treating everyone with respect. Building long-term relationships is all about treating others the way you want to be treated. This allows you to have more influence and create a better safety culture.
In our line of work, taking shortcuts can have severe consequences like a serious injury or even a fatality. Never compromise safety by cutting corners.
Q5: Who is your safety hero or the person who influenced your ideas on workplace safety the most?
There are a lot of people that I look up to, but the one that had the biggest impact on me was Gary Yesavage, a General Manager when I worked at Chevron El Segundo.
I model my behavior and approach on what I learned from Gary – to always treat people with dignity and respect. I know he impacted me, my family, and my career in a very positive way.
Q6: What do you find most rewarding about teaching safety?
For me, it is witnessing the positive impact our programs have on students. It is immensely rewarding when former students reach out to share their success stories and how OSCAsafe played an influential role in their personal growth.
Hearing first-hand accounts of how our classes and instructors have empowered students to overcome challenges is a testament to our organization’s mission. These narratives reinforce the importance of providing a quality environment for continued growth.
Q7: If you could give one workplace safety tip, what would it be?
I can’t limit this to one thing, so here are my top three.
Watch and learn from others you respect
There’s always time to do it safely
Don’t take shortcuts.
Q8: Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
I am a small aircraft pilot (Cessnas) and have been flying since 1986. There is no substitute for safety when you are 5,000 feet in the air in a single-engine airplane. Following your checklist and not skipping a step is important.
One of my favorite trips is flying from San Diego to Santa Barbara, California.
Q9: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would hop in my RV and travel around the United States.
The Florida Keys are a must-visit as well as observing the color change in the Northeast. And seeing the Northern Lights is on my bucket list.
Q10: Do you have a personal motto that you live by? If so, what is it?
“The true measure of a person’s character is what they do when no one is watching.”
It’s easy to put on a performance when you know others have their eyes on you, but the real test comes when you are by yourself with no external accountability. In the end, doing your best is about far more than external validation – it’s about self-respect. Looking at yourself in the mirror and knowing you gave it your all, regardless of who was watching.
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