Kevin Kilroy was recognized by the chapter as the 2021-22 Safety Professional of the Year (SPY). Kevin is a Senior Safety Management Consultant with SAIF corporation having come to SAIF. Prior to joining SAIF he spent almost 25 years at Oregon OSHA. He is a Certified safety Professional through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals’ (BCSP). He has one of the largest geographical territories within the company that stretches from here in central Oregon all the way to the Idaho border at Ontario. He serves a diverse group of businesses ranging from agriculture to construction to municipalities to hospitals and more.
Kevin serves on several internal committees within SAIF including a group focused on reducing injuries in the construction industry, one that focuses on ergonomics, and another that focuses on safety innovations. During the past couple of years Kevin has been instrumental as part of a small group working on program templates for employers. Those have included outward facing templates such as an energy control and confined space program templates.
The Chicago-born safety professional grew up in a construction family, working as a brick and masonry laborer during summer breaks in school. Following a lengthy career in construction safety management, Kevin brought his passion for safety to Bend as an Oregon OSHA compliance officer in 1995, then as a Sr. Occupational Safety Consultant with an emphasis on construction in 2001 where he introduced and mentored many companies into and through the Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program or SHARP that Oregon OSHA holds in high esteem.
Kevin was part of the founding of the Central Oregon Safety and Health Association (COSHA) in 1997 and has stayed involved with the association over the years. He was among a group of Bend-area safety professionals concerned that the construction industry in Central Oregon might need more resources for safety. In 2001, that led to the creation of the annual Mid-Oregon Construction Safety Summit, a collaborative effort between COSHA and Oregon OSHA held each January. He has also consistently been involved in the Central Oregon Occupational Safety & Health Conference which happens annually in the fall.
He has also volunteered his time at the COSHA conferences in the past (prior to the COVID pandemic) to display and promote BCSP and its various certifications. He has also been a consistent presenter at both the conferences. He has served on the planning committee for the Construction summit since 2002 and has been on the fall conference planning committee for a second stint since 2019 (having served prior from the founding to 2001).
Kevin was instrumental in working with both COSHA and the ASSP Broken Top Chapter to form a historic partnership agreement. This formal partnership cemented both organization’s commitment to each other in serving the safety profession and employees with outreach on occupational health and safety in central Oregon.
His volunteer efforts also contributed to our chapter receiving the 2020-21 Platinum Award in the chapter’s first year of existence. This is the highest honor that a chapter can receive from society. Kevin also supported the founding of the chapter in Central Oregon by coming to the kick-off event in 2018. Kevin is currently on the chapter’s executive committee as the secretary.
Kevin’s impact on our profession in central Oregon is undeniable. He is a consistent behind the scenes performer ensuring connection between groups and serving our profession in incredibly impactful ways. He has been part of the founding of both of our areas most successful conferences, COSHA, and the ASSP Broken Top Chapter. He is very deserving of this year’s Safety Professional of the Year.