The Beginning

Hi, my name is Andrea.  This is my first post and attempt at a blog, so I will share a little about myself so we can be acquainted!  First and foremost I am a mom to two amazing kids :)  They truly are the best thing I have ever done!  I have a wonderful and supportive husband and extended family who have constantly encouraged me to be my best and reach beyond what I ever thought was possible.  I have been involved in the world of safety for 9 years as of today.  I have been blessed with the chance to work for a program and organization that I believe in and know is making a difference Nationwide.  I am the Director of Outreach for the CareerSafe Online Federal OSHA Training Program, I am also the Authorized OSHA Trainer and a CSHO (Certified Safety and Health Official).  When I first started working with the CareerSafe program, I dove head first, I treated it like it was my baby and 6 years I lived and breathed OSHA training and trying to save teens lives in the workplace. Then I had my son and everything changed, I knew what I was doing had an important impact and made a difference, but now as a mother I was able to see everything in a new light.  The thought of anything ever happening to my children keeps me up at night, causes nightmares, and makes me insanely overprotective.  I started wondering will this constant fear of the unknown ever go away?  I thought surely when they get older it will diminish some and maybe I can go back to normal sleeping patterns and not cringe every second of the day.  Then I realized it actually gets worse, they will be teenagers, driving cars, going to public schools, and getting part-time jobs..... That is when it hit me, that in 12 years my son or daughter could end up being one of the statistics that I am trying to prevent.  So late last night as I lay awake yet again, I wondered what do other parents do?  Parents who haven't spent countless hours in safety training, ones who don't know the laws, and don't know how to help there kids be safe? How can I help them, help their children come home every night, the same way they left that morning? So in essence that is what this Blog is all about, its my way to give back, beyond what we are doing in High Schools and Colleges Nationwide, because really everything should start at home!