Coaching is Key When it Comes to Safety at H&P
Douglas “Ricky” Lowery has been affectionally known as “Ricky Bobby” to his colleagues for the better part of the last decade — a nickname that he recognizes as a sign of the brotherhood and camaraderie that he loves about his job with H&P.
“It’s a big family out here. I end up spending more time with the guys on these crews than with my family back home,” he said. “That’s one of the many reasons why I take my job and the personal safety of every one of these guys very seriously. I want everybody to go home to their families the exact same way that they left them.”
Ricky joined the H&P team as a safety medic in 2011 following careers in fire service, the medical field and law enforcement; experiences that he admits reflect his passion for helping individuals around him stay safe even in situations that could be potentially dangerous.
Ricky combines his experience of saving lives with his commitment to safety along with the lessons he’s learned from previous H&P supervisors. They taught him the value of mitigating the potential for incidents through intentional coaching conversations with team members.
“H&P has really changed the way we look at and talk about safety. It’s about focusing on preventing incidents from happening,” he explained. “One of the ways we prevent incidents is by having coaching discussions with team members and helping them first identify and understand the risk at hand, then develop better and safer alternatives to get the job done. Another way is to focus on H&P’s Lifebelts.”
Ricky’s careful attention to safety protocol has helped his teams avoid potential incidents. Most recently, he has been recognized with a Presidential R&R which is given to employees who proactively control and remove exposures that could cause a serious injury. Ricky’s quick and careful actions, throughout his time at H&P, have made sure incidents on his watch are limited and controlled — but to him, it's all in a day’s work.
“I’m the type of person that is just doing their job,” Ricky said when asked about the recognition. “It makes me feel good because everyone appreciates a pat on the back, but I don’t do it for the recognition. I come out and try to do my best every day.”