Shiel Sexton Spotlight…

This month’s Shiel Sexton Spotlight features Ray Lake, our Safety Director. Ray has worked at Shiel Sexton for a little over 15 years, and in this interview he talked with us about his position and the role the safety department has in the construction industry. 

What do you like most about Shiel Sexton and your role within the company?  

In this role, I am given the chance to interact with nearly everyone within Shiel Sexton. Since I get the opportunity to work on each and every project in some capacity, I’ve been able to see the start and completion of a lot of our projects. That is probably one of my favorite things about my role; being exposed to everything that we do at Shiel Sexton.  

What are some of your favorite projects that you’ve worked on during your time with Shiel Sexton?   

One of my favorite projects that I was able to work on was the implosion of the RCA Dome in December 2008. It was a part of the Indiana Convention Center Phase V project where the demolition of the dome helped pave the way to create a new exhibit hall space. It was a very intricate project and I liked seeing its progress and how it benefitted the city of Indianapolis. 

What are your typical day-to-day responsibilities? 

Well, each day varies greatly as there is always something new to do, but typically I check that safety measures are in place for projects, ensure subcontractors are performing their jobs safely, plan and schedule safety trainings, etc. I like that there’s essentially no routine to the job as it always keeps me on my toes.  

What do you like most about working in the Construction industry? 

I find it very gratifying to drive through Central Indiana and pick out the buildings that we’ve worked on over the years. Not everyone at Shiel Sexton is able to see the start and completion of a project, and I think it’s a neat process seeing a building be built from the ground up. 

How does your role in the safety department affect the landscape of the Construction Industry? 

I think that the safety department affects construction in a positive way as we are able to ensure that projects stay on schedule while confirming that safety protocols are in place. By doing this, construction workers are able to perform their jobs in a safe manner and that’s one of our top priorities at Shiel Sexton. In safety, another big part of our role is to ensure that our project teams have the tools they need to complete each job and support them if they need help or have an issue. 

Thank you, Ray, for your hard work and continuous service at Shiel Sexton!