Abel Carranza’s journey to becoming a safety trainer is a testament to his dedication and passion for ensuring workplace safety. Prior to joining OSTS in July 2023, Abel worked as a foreman on the oil field side of an agricultural company. When the need for hazmat training arose, he seized the opportunity to become a train-the-trainer through HAZWOPER. This experience began his interest in safety training. Interestingly, it was OSTS that had trained him 20 years prior, a full-circle moment that underscored the significance of his evolving career path.

Abel’s commitment to safety has roots in his family history. His father worked in agriculture for nearly five decades, enduring harsh conditions without the benefits of modern safety protocols. Reflecting on his father’s experiences, Abel became deeply empathetic towards the importance of implementing safety measures.

Although his father now has health issues that have risen from working in harsh conditions, “this man is sixty years old and wakes up every day to go to work. I never hear him complain,” he said.

His father’s resilience and the hardships he faced have instilled in Abel a profound understanding of the critical need for safety in the workplace. Abel’s Mexican heritage and his father’s experiences have also influenced his approach to safety training. He recognizes that a significant portion of the labor force in California is Spanish speaking, yet many workers do not receive adequate training.

“Sometimes I go to these classes, and I see my dad,” Abel remarks, highlighting his dedication to making safety training accessible to all, regardless of language barriers.

He is committed to breaking down complex information and ensuring that every student, whether Spanish-speaking or not, understands what’s being taught.

Abel’s expertise in safety training goes beyond his professional life. He has become the go-to safety advisor for his family and friends, often receiving calls seeking advice on various safety concerns. He is now known at the “Safety Guy” at home.

His role as a safety instructor brings him immense satisfaction, knowing that his knowledge makes a difference both at work and in his community. His proactive approach and dedication to continuous learning make him an asset to OSTS.

Abel reminds workers to think about what they do, especially in hazmat scenarios because it can go from bad to worse ( i.e. losing your life). The goal as a safety instructor is to reduce the fatalities at work, and hopefully even in a worker’s personal life.

He says, unfortunately most people either must experience it to understand, and must even live through it.

“Most people are more reactive than proactive. And being reactive in the world we live in is not a good thing,” he said, “we want to be proactive and try to stay ahead of the game, right? But we’re human, it happens. But we’re there to remind people to think ahead.”

Abel’s understands that exposure to hazardous chemicals is a reality that many, including firefighters and city employees, face daily. Abel’s mission is to reduce fatalities and accidents both in the workplace and in everyday life by promoting proactive safety measures and engaging employees in safety practices.