BY TOBY GOOLEY, SENIOR EDITOR
THE DC VELOCITY Q&A
thoughtleaders
WHEN J. SCOTT BICKSLER WAS IN THE U.S. ARMY,
his job was to teach others how to deal with disaster. As a
nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) warfare specialist, he helped soldiers understand how to survive an NBC
attack and how to operate equipment that would detect
and respond to such attacks. He also oversaw inventory
tracking and disposal for hazardous materials generated by
his unit—a responsibility that led him to dig deeply into
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.
Since retiring from the military, Bicksler has continued to
help keep people safe, but now he does so in the private sec-
tor, as lead safety manager for Aerotek Inc., a global recruit-
ing and staffing agency. The Hanover, Md.-based company
places over 300,000 people annually in almost every indus-
try you can think of. Bicksler has undergone OSHA training
and earned certifications in a variety of human resources
(HR) areas, including labor relations, insurance and risk
management, and human resources law. He has also given
presentations to numerous organizations, including the
Industrial Truck Association and, most recently, the 21st
World Congress on Health and Safety in Singapore.
Warehouses and distribution centers often turn to staffing companies when they need seasonal or other temporary
help. In this interview, Bicksler, whose team helps more
than 1,850 warehousing and distribution clients safely
onboard some 13,000 temporary employees each year,
talks with DC VELOCITY Senior Editor Toby Gooley about
employers’ and staffing agencies’ responsibilities when it
comes to warehouse safety.
Q What are your current responsibilities?
AAs lead safety manager, I have overall responsibility for health and safety in Aerotek’s Strategic Sales and
Operations (SS&O) organization, and I mentor 10 regional
28 DC VELOCITY FEBRUARY 2018 www.dcvelocity.com
INTERVIEW WITH J. SCOTT BICKSLER
Keeping people safe has been the focus of Scott Bicksler’s career, first in the
U.S. Army and now with a national temporary staffing agency.
Safety first
