Ever wished you had a collection of subject matter experts to consult for various business concerns related to safety, legal issues, lawn care regulations or government affairs?
As an NALP member, you have access to our specialty advisors, free of charge.
“NALP advisors are an invaluable resource and members’ benefit,” says Sam Steel, NALP’s safety advisor. “We have ‘been there and done that’ and can speak from a first-hand perspective on many important facets of the management and operation of green industry businesses.”
Meet Your Safety Advisor
Steel has a background in turfgrass research. He has a master’s degree in education with a minor in horticulture from Cornell University, where he developed a training manual for growers on the container production of nursery stock. He earned a doctorate from Penn State, where he researched pesticide safety and health education of Latino workers who harvest mushrooms.
He has worked for the USDA, the University of Maryland as an extension agent, Alfred Agricultural and Technical College as an assistant instructor and Iowa State University as a county extension director.
Steel has also been part-owner of a commercial lawn maintenance company that grew into a firm that also contracted work in the landscape construction sector. He retired from Penn State in 2014 after nearly a decade of safety training resource development for multiple growing enterprises in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Some of the safety-related topics you can contact Steel for guidance on include:
- Standards and regulations impacting our industry
- How to conduct and document workplace hazards and risks
- How to select and utilize training resources for your workers
- How to involve employees in the safety and health training
- How to complete and maintain incident reports
- How to change unsafe work behaviors and habits
- How to develop guidelines for equipment and machinery maintenance
- How to provide recognition awards and benefits for safe work habits
- How to utilize NALP’s safety resources
- How to handle and deal with an expected or pending OSHA inspection
- How to adopt an effective hazard assessment program
- How to develop a written safety and health management program
“We are all available in a quick response mode to those business issues and concerns that our members are seeking assistance with,” Steel says. “My goal has, and will continue to be, getting back to my NALP audience within a short period of time. And, to give my professional time to our members in an understandable response based on current standards, regulations, and practices.”
Meet Your Legal and Human Resources Advisor
Richard Lehr, Esq., with Lehr, Middlebrooks and Vreeland, is NALP’s HR and legal advisor.
Lehr represents employers throughout the U.S. and in virtually all business sectors regarding labor, employment and HR-related matters. He has worked in the industry for close to 40 years. His overlaying industry knowledge with subject matter expertise enhances the support he can provide to NALP members.
He encourages members to contact him about any workplace issue. This includes topics regarding pay, harassment, discrimination or policy development. If concerns arise regarding employees, workplace compliance and best practices, contact Lehr.
“I like to think that members receive top-level support that is included as a benefit — no ‘a la carte’ extra charges,” Lehr says. “Sometimes employers are hesitant to seek legal or other advice because of cost concerns. NALP eliminates that as a factor, which means that an early discussion with an advisor may help prevent the matter from becoming something significant and costly.”
Meet Your Lawn Care and Technical & Regulatory Advisor
Bob Mann is the senior director of regulatory and technical affairs for NALP. He has 30+ years of experience in the professional lawn care industry. He graduated from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture with a degree in turf management and from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a degree in agricultural economics.
“I’ve done everything at least once,” Mann says. “The stuff I wasn’t very good at I left to the people that were and I finally settled on professional lawn care. Along the way, I became an expert on mistakes – my own (lots of them) and those of others. I share the lessons I’ve learned in the hope that I can prevent others from repeating them.”
Mann engages with policy makers at the federal, state and local levels on lawn and landscape issues including equipment, fertilizers and pesticides. He is happy to serve as an industry liaison to legislators and regulators.
He encourages members to reach out with their questions because sometimes you just need to talk something through without worrying about competitors.
Meet Your Government Affairs Advisor
Andrew Bray, Esq., is NALP’s senior vice president of government relations and membership. Bray earned his law degree from the Unviersity of the District of Columbia David A. Clark School of Law in and has over 15 years of legislative, regulatory, campaign and legal experience.
He is an expert in association government relations and regulatory issues. He can offer advice and counsel on legislative and regulatory issues involving immigration, H-2B visas, and environmental areas.
Bray regularly engages congressional offices on Capitol Hill, regulatory agencies and industry coalitions to craft policy initiatives that protect the interests and needs of the landscape industry.
