Skyler Perkins

“My crew and I were working one day when a guy walks up to us and stops the job. He points out several things that were wrong with the way we working – from PPE not being used to incorrect tie-offs.

Being the guy below everyone, I was the first to get called out. Well, our crew was temporarily suspended and when we returned, we were split up. 

My crew and I were working one day when a guy walks up to us and stops the job. He points out several things that were wrong with the way we working – from PPE not being used to incorrect tie-offs. Being the guy below everyone, I was the first to get called out.

Well, our crew was temporarily suspended and when we returned, we were split up.  It was this moment, along with becoming a father, when my mindset changed. Often we’re told to hurry up and get the job done. But it’s not about just getting the job done – it’s about getting it done safely. Why? Because there are people in our lives that are counting on us to come home.  

For me, it’s my family. My wife is my best friend. My boy needs someone to throw ball with him and to take him fishing. My daughter needs someone to walk her down the aisle.   

That’s why I wrote their names – Emerson, Taylor, and Everly – on my work gloves. When I’m at work and I look down at my gloves I’m reminded of what I’m doing and who I’m doing it for. They’re waiting for me to come home, pick them up, and hug them.  

After returning to work, I saw a guy walking on a pipe one story up with no harness. The technician I was walking with asked if I was going to say anything. Well, of course. I asked the guy to come down. Then I asked him if he has kids and he said “Yes sir, I do.” So, I told him “Go get a harness. Your kids will appreciate it. Just like mine do.”  

Yeah, there’s plenty of great moments in our lives that matter – but the people that love us, the people that are counting on us, the people that need us – that’s what matters the most.   

As I continue my career in safety, I want to make sure people understand that the goal is never to rush through a job so we can say it’s completed. One wrong move can change not only your life but also the lives of your loved ones. “