Who We Are
Plexus safety consultants specialize in helping companies see the big picture with regards to safety. We help you understand that safety, or your safety program isn’t just a requirement of the OSH Act of 1970, it’s a culture of every successful business that intends to remain competitive in today’s workplace. Our safety specialists evaluate your safety and health processes and help you develop a Safety and Health Management System (S&HMS) recognizable by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) through OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs, OSHAs premier recognition program. We are a dedicated staff of former OSHA National Office, Regional or State VPP Program managers/coordinators and/or compliance officers with a combined total of 133 years of S&HMS experience. Our goal is to help you empower your employees to accept responsibility for their safety and health and the safety and health of everyone else entering your work place to ensure each one of them goes home to their loved ones in the same condition as they did when they came into work. We know improving safety and providing a safe work environment is the right thing to do and we’re here to assist you. To our unparalleled team of safety specialists believes it’s not just a job – it’s a passion and Who We Are.
W. “Gator” Czapla - (former OSHA National Office Federal Agency Cooperative Programs Lead)
Mr. Czapla has 36 years of experience in a variety of operational and technical positions. His expertise is in Navy ordnance/weapons and explosives safety, logistics management, program and data analysis, and evaluation/audit principles, methods, and techniques. He served in the U.S. Navy for 15 years as a Torpedoesman Mate and then 11 years as a Weapons Officer. After leaving the Navy he became the Federal Agency Program Coordinator for Partnerships and VPP at the OSHA National Office in Washington, D.C. During his tenure at OSHA he performed numerous Federal Agency and private industry OSHA VPP on-site evaluations. He developed the Army National Partnership and started Naval Sea Systems Command on its journey to achieve OSHA VPP Star recognition for all of its shipyards. Mr. Czapla was instrumental in the Defense Safety Oversight Councils selection of OSHA VPP as one of its tools to reduce injuries/illnesses and accidents in the Department of Defense (DoD) civilian workforce. He subsequently joined Plexus and is a plank owner on the DoD VPP Center of Excellence. He has nine years experience with VPP and has performed safety and health management system evaluations at 83 DoD sites (CONUS/OCONUS), prepared VPP gap analysis and action plans for each, helped developed a web based tracking system, develops and conducts training and Webinars, provided implementation, sustainment, and /or remote support to over 150 sites, and severs as the Project Manager for the VPP Center of Excellence.
Janet Nixon – (former South Carolina State VPP Manager)
Ms. Nixon has over 20 years experience in the Occupational Safety and Health Arena. Ms. Nixon served as the South Carolina State VPP Program Manager for 12 years during which time 30 Palmetto Star VPP sites were recognized. She has conducted numerous onsite VPP evaluations for various sectors of private industry and government organizations specializing in manufacturing and healthcare. As a Team Leader/Member for the DoD VPP Center of Excellence, Ms. Nixon has performed over 90 safety and health management system evaluations, and prepared gap analyses and action plans for each. In addition, she has provided implementation, sustainment and/or remote support to over 150 DoD sites. Ms. Nixon has in-depth knowledge of VPP principles, practices and processes. Ms. Nixon develops and conducts training for various organizations on OSHA regulations, OSHA recordkeeping and compliance, and other SOH topics. Her experience and expertise provides organizations with successful “cradle to cradle” implementation of VPP fundamentals and sustainability practices. Ms. Nixon’s experience provides detailed analytical insight of process improvement techniques to assist organizations develop or improve its safety and health management system. Ms. Nixon also has experience in the areas of Human Resources, Benefits Administration and Workers Compensation.
Susan Sikes - (former OSHA Region IV VPP Manager)
Ms. Sikes has 27 years of experience in the occupational safety and health field, of which 21 were as an OSHA Regional VPP Manager for the largest and most diverse OSHA Region in the nation, the eight states that encompass Region IV. During this time she assisted OSHA’s National Office in revisions to the VPP Federal Registers and the CSP (policies and procedures) manual. As a direct result of her reputation within the VPP community Ms. Sikes was selected by the OSHA Assistant Secretary to provide on site assessment training to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland when they adopted VPP as their SOH recognition program. During her time with OSHA, Ms. Sikes also served as a Safety and Health Program Management expert, Compliance Safety and Health Enforcement Officer, and Regional Training and Grants Officer. She currently assists the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army supporting the DoD Voluntary Protection Programs Center of Excellence to support the Secretary of Defense’s goal of reducing injury and illness rates. While with OSHA and the DoD VPP Center of Excellence Ms. Sikes has conducted over 600 onsite inspections and VPP assessments, reviewed safety and health management systems, developed and assisted sites implement action plans to reduce injuries and illness and achieve a “World Class Safety and Health Culture.”