OSHA Instructors

1. OSHA Instructors bill abney and associates, abney associates

2. Bill Abney is a retired Assistant Professor in the Fire and Safety Engineering Technology Program at Eastern Kentucky University. He has a B.S. in Industrial Technology and an M.S. in Industrial Technology, both from Eastern Kentucky University. With over 30 years in safety education, Mr. Abney specializes in safety management and research; fire, arson, and explosives investigation; OSHA compliance; ergonomics; and hazardous materials.

3. Jim Beck has thirty-six years of experience in the industrial and residential construction industry, with primary emphasis on safety and training. Mr. Beck has been teaching adult safety education since 1983. During his career, he has been employed by various companies with duties ranging from laborer to project superintendent. Mr. Beck has developed and presented adult education program with heavy emphasis on safety training for the construction industry as well as contract training for representatives of DOD, DOE and the EPA. As the Director of Safety and Health for a group of construction companies, Mr. Beck was responsible for OSHA, DOT and EPA compliance.

4. Gary Brown is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health at Eastern Kentucky University. He has a B.A. in Liberal Science from the State University of New York, an M.S. in Environmental and Occupational Health from Hunter College, and a Dr.P.H. in Occupational Safety and Health from the University of Alabama. Dr. Brown is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and has many professional affiliations, including being past president of the Association of environmental health Academic Programs (AEHAP) and current Undergraduate Mentor for AEHAP. He has over 20 years consulting experience in the environmental, industrial hygiene, and safety arenas.

5. Tom Edwards has over thirty-two years safety and health experience and is the owner of Edwards & Associates, LLC, a safety and industrial hygiene consulting and training firm, which he started in 2003. Prior to that, Mr. Edwards practiced industrial hygiene for the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Program for over 26 years, serving as an Industrial Hygiene Compliance Officer, a Safety and Health Specialist, and ultimately as the Industrial Hygiene Program Manager for the Division of Education and Training. He previously served as a part-time Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Science at Eastern Kentucky University teaching industrial toxicology and industrial hygiene. Mr. Edwards holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from Eastern Kentucky University and a M.S. degree in industrial hygiene from the University of Central Missouri. He is certified in Comprehensive Practice by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene.

6. Gary Foltz is a Senior Manager with the Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company responsible for Corporate Safety and Industrial Hygiene. Gary graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Environmental Health with a MS in Environmental Health/Industrial Hygiene. He also has a BA in Biology and a MBA from Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Ky. He is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and a Certified Utility Safety Administrator and has worked in the medical, chemical, nuclear, and telecommunications industries. He is a member of the KY-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team responding to disasters nationwide. In addition, Gary has over 35 years of volunteer fire and emergency service experience and is currently an EMT and Assistant Fire Chief with the Crescent Springs/Villa Hills Fire & EMS Department.

7. Mike Gibson has directed Electrical, Construction, and Contractor - Safety and Training for the Energy Delivery business unit, representing the world’s largest energy service provider. As a result of Mike’s influence, companies have won countless national and international awards. Gibson graduated from Webster University with an M.B.A., and from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science Degree (with distinction) in Occupational Safety Management. He holds technical degrees in the Electrical and Building Trades and has completed numerous hours of research and postgraduate work in the field of human and industrial relations. Along with his technical expertise, he is a sought after speaker in the areas of organizational, behavioral and cultural changes in work force safety.

8. Beverly Hart is a Professor in the Department of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing at Eastern Kentucky University. She has a B.S. in Nursing from Eastern Kentucky University, an M.S. in Nursing from Bellarmine University, and a Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Hart has seventeen years’ experience in nursing education, as well as many years of emergency department nursing experience and legal consulting experience.

9. Carolyn Harvey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health at Eastern Kentucky University. She has a B.S. in Microbiology from East Tennessee State University, an M.S. in Environmental Management from the University of Houston, and a Ph.D. in Occupational/Environmental Health from the University of Texas. Dr. Harvey is a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager as well as a Certified Industrial Hygienist. She has many professional affiliations, including being past president of the Association of Environmental Health Academic Programs.

10. William Hicks is an Associate Professor for the Department of Safety, Security, and Emergency Management at Eastern Kentucky University. He has a B.S. in Fire and Safety Engineering Technology and an M.S. in Loss Prevention and Safety, both from Eastern Kentucky University. Mr. Hicks is a consultant to industry in several technical areas including fire protection detection and suppression systems, emergency response, emergency management and preparedness. He is an NAFI and IAAI Certified Fire, Arson and Explosive Investigator, and an NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist.

11. Ron Hopkins is a retired Associate Professor in the Fire and Safety Engineering Technology Program at Eastern Kentucky University. He has a B.S. in Industrial Education and an M.S. in vocational and Technical Education from Murray State University. Mr. Hopkins is a consultant to industry in a number of technical areas including fire protection and OSHA-related areas of hazardous material, confined space, respiratory protection, industrial emergency response and all levels of safety management.

12. Michael Shane LaCount is a certified Fire, Arson and Explosive Investigator as well as Investigation Instructor. He currently serves as online faculty for the Eastern Kentucky University College of Justice and Safety and is Assistant Fire Chief in charge of training and safety for the City of Mooresville, North Carolina.

13. Bryan Makinen is the Director of Environmental Health Safety at Eastern Kentucky University He has a B.S. in Fire and Safety Engineering Technology and an M.P.H. from Eastern Kentucky University. MrMakinen’s work has been focused in industrial safety, environmental, security, and occupational medicine.

14. Bob Peebles is the President of Peebles Safety Consulting, LLC working with employers to protect their most valuable resource, their employees. While working with Peebles Safety Consulting, LLC, Mr. Peebles has partnered with clients to provide continuing education training courses approved by the state of Kentucky for Plumbing, HVAC and Electrical contractors; worked with the United States Marine Corps by conducting a risk assessment of equipment for machine guarding hazards; and worked with Governmental Contractors, Construction Contractors and Manufacturers by providing OSHA 10 & 30 Hour training courses, compliance audits, developing safety manuals, policy development and other required training. Mr. Peebles graduated from Murray State University with a B.S. in Occupational Safety and Health and is currently working towards his Master Degree in Occupational Safety and Health. Mr. Peebles is a Veteran of the United States Army who was proudly stationed at Ft. Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. Mr. Peebles is married with two beautiful little girls, ages 7 and 4 years old.

15. Jonathan Pennington is President of Health and Safety Sciences, LLC. He has a B.S. in Occupational Safety and Health and an M.B.A. in Public Administration from Columbia Southern University. Mr. Pennington’s areas of expertise include lock out/tag out, respiratory protection, confined space, hazardous materials response, and industrial emergency response, among others. He is a Certified Safety Professional, Registered Professional Industrial Hygienist, and Chief Fire Officer Designate.

16. James Pharr is an Assistant Professor in the Fire and Safety Engineering Technology Program at Eastern Kentucky University. He has a B.S. in Fire and Safety Engineering Technology from the University of Cincinnati and an M.S. in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Mr. Pharr is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators (Kentucky and North Carolina Chapters) and the International Society of Fire Service Instructors.

17. Randy Shaw has over 35 years of safety expertise and has been employed by various companies in the areas of General Industry and Construction, Refining, Mining, and Maritime Industries. He has experience as an adjunct faculty instructor, lockout/tagout, confined space entry, OSHA compliance and regulatory standards, and incident investigations, among others. Mr. Shaw holds professional certifications as a Certified Safety Professional and a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager at the senior level. Mr. Shaw is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, and the American Waterways Organization. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Security and Safety from Eastern Kentucky University and an M.S. in Safety Management from Marshall University.

18. David H. Stumbo is the Safety Program Manager within the Labor Cabinet’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health Education and Training. Over his thirteen years of service for the Labor Cabinet, he has held the positions of Compliance Officer, Industrial Hygiene Consultant, and Health Standards Specialist. He has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Murray State University, Master of Public Administration from Kentucky State University, and Master of Safety, Security and Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University. He is a Kentucky Safety and Health Network Board member, and Certified Occupational Safety and Health Technologist (OHST).

19. Stephen C. Tussey has thirty years of experience in the correctional field and is retired from the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. He has worked closely with numerous federal, state, and local agencies developing interagency agreements and emergency response plans for bio-chemical, fire, and natural disasters. He developed the first training agreement with OSHA, allowing the entire Bureau of Prisons’ safety staff to become certified OSHA instructors. Mr. Tussey continues to work in the correctional field as a Senior Safety Consultant with Creative Corrections, performing quality assurance reviews of correctional facilities throughout the United States.

20. Philip R. Williamshas worked in the safety, environmental and risk management profession for over 12 years. He is a Certified Safety Professional with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, has a Bachelor of Science in Assets Protection Investigations, a Master of Science in Safety, Security and Emergency Management specializing in Occupational Safety, and is a State Certified Fire Prevention Inspector. Mr. Williams has worked in the public and private sectors as a safety and risk management professional and has served in a managerial capacity in both the construction and general industries. He specializes in regulatory compliance, loss control, emergency planning and workers compensation management. He currently works for a municipality as a Safety and Risk Management Director and is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Engineers.

21. Gary Yurt has 27 years of experience in the fire protection and emergency response service field as well as in safety and health within the private industry sector in manufacturing, chemical and power generation. Gary has extensive experience in all phases of safety management and is known for enhancing safety by management and employee involvement in the overall safety culture. Additionally, he has expertise in regulatory compliance, corporate EHS auditing, behavior-based safety, and business continuity planning. Mr. Yurt holds a M.S. Degree in Loss Prevention and Safety Administration from Eastern Kentucky University and is a member of the National Fire Protection Association and American Society of Safety Engineers.