Allison Montgomery is the Global Senior Director of Environmental, Health and Safety for L3Harris Technologies. She is based at L3Harris’ Corporate Headquarters in Melbourne, FL and is responsible for developing strategies to improve the company’s overall Environmental, Health and Safety performance. Before joining L3Harris, Allison worked at Pentair as the Global Director of EHS and Quality and held varying EHS Management roles with Alcoa, Inc. Allison served four years in the United States Marine Corps. She holds a BS degree in Biology from The Ohio State University and a MS degree in Environmental Management from The University of Maryland.
Interviewer: “As an expert in the health and safety sector, what do you feel businesses continue to get wrong when it comes to their Health and Safety strategy?”
Allison: “Differentiating between tactical and strategical safety and then resourcing that accordingly. Businesses should spend time prioritizing EHS efforts based on impact and risk and then dedicate resources appropriately. EHS resources tend to be lean at most organizations, which is usually why EHS needs a strong operational partner. Utilization of resources effectively will ensure that both tactical safety (focused on by operations) and strategic safety (focused on by EHS) are both accounted for. Knowing what to impact and focusing on strategy and system-based safety will bring the most value to an organization that they can sustain. It doesn’t mean that tactical EHS doesn’t happen, it just means that responsibility for tactical EHS is shared by EVERYONE and it continually evolves based on strategy. By focusing on setting up your employees to be successful and safe from their first day at work, you see benefits down the road with a safe and proactive culture.”
Interviewer: “Where do you see the industry headed within the next one to five years and what do you feel will be the biggest game changers?”
Allison: “In the next several years, the integration of technology into everyday EHS will continue to grow and evolve. Leaders will expect instant data that is trended and available for them to make decisions that will guide their daily activities. As EHS professionals, we will need to ensure integration and cohesiveness of systems is a priority.”
Interviewer: “What advice would you give to someone trying to excel in the health & safety industry?”
Allison: “As you progress in your career, your softer skills like; political savviness, team building, managing conflict and concise communication will outweigh the importance of technical skills. Knowing this, your focus on developing and honing these softer skills will require your time and attention. Keep up with your technical training, but don’t forget the softer skill set, it will take you further in the long run.”
Interviewer: “What is one key takeaway you hope our OHS audience leaves with after hearing your presentation on-site?”
Allison: “A key takeaway I would like to leave everyone with is that related and overlapping functions, like medical and workers compensation, can be seamlessly integrated into EHS. This integration allows for a strong team approach to managing EHS and also ensuring that you have the full picture of an employee’s health from initial injury to return to work.”
About LT3 Harris Technologies
L3Harris is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs. We provide advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. They bring speed, innovation and flawless execution together with our commitment to make the world safer and more secure.
