Instructor Profile: Joseph S. McFadden, BA, CHSP, MT
Rocky Mountain Education Center at RRCC

Have you ever wanted to meet someone who has taken many adventures and whose life’s journey took him through learning, working, creating, teaching, and helping others along the way?  The opportunity is here in this sketch of Joe McFadden’s on-going life adventure.

Joe was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  Because his father was in the Canadian Armed Forces, Joe had the opportunity to live in different base areas and to attend different schools.  His father was transferred to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado as part of an officer exchange program created to expand the horizons of the cadets.  While living in Colorado Springs and attending Air Academy High School, Joe expanded his own horizons when he met, interacted with, and observed many people from other cultures.

When Joe’s father was transferred back to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Joe completed high school in a college preparatory and accelerated program.  Joe returned to the United States to attend college at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado where he earned a BA in Medical Technology with minors in Chemistry and Biology.  Following that degree, he completed graduate courses and studies in Industrial Hygiene, Toxicology, and Occupational Health and Safety.  Other professional development includes these areas:

• State Vocational teaching credentials (post-secondary/adult) in environmental technology and chemistry
• Certification in AHERA, HAZWOPER, Environmental Assessment & Compliance Inspections, RCRA, Healthcare Hazard Communication & Compliance, numerous OSHA standards, JCAHO (EOC and QA) and NFPA Life Safety Code and Health Care Facilities
• Certified International Healthcare Safety Professional
• Certified Toxicologist
• Certified Medical Technologist

So many adventures in Joe’s professional work history make up his complex and exciting journey including Red Rocks Community College and Rocky Mountain Education Center.  From 1972 to 1983, some of the work history includes developing and managing safety, regulatory compliance, and toxicology programs and departments for a national medical laboratory.  Managing multiple safety, industrial hygiene, chemistry, and environmental health departments and programs in general industry and healthcare can also be added to his history.  In 1980 and continuing to 1990, Joe was the Director of Safety Industrial Hygiene, Health and Special Projects at Rose Medical Center in Denver, Colorado.

Experiences during the period of 1983 to 2007 include positions as director, consultant, and developer of corporate safety, industrial hygiene, and environmental health departments in healthcare and general industry.  Joe became an adjunct instructor at Red Rocks Community College (1990 - 1998) teaching classes in Chemistry of Hazardous Materials, Fire Science, and Environmental Compliance Technology.  In 1994 he became one of the first instructors in the Rocky Mountain Education Center’s OSHA Training Institute at RRCC where he developed a Basic Chemistry and Toxicology Course, a Workplace Violence Prevention Course, a Laboratory Safety and Health Course, a Hazard Evaluation and Risk Assessment Course, and an Introduction to Accident Investigation Course.  In addition to teaching in the courses that he developed, Joe also teaches in at least nineteen other courses for the RMEC OTI, both on-site and off-site, on a routine basis.  Another highlight of this period is Joe’s establishment of his own company in Lakewood, Colorado, McFadden and Associates, L.L.C., Consultants in Safety, Health and Industrial Hygiene.

Considering Joe’s varied interests in the health and safety fields, what are his current areas of emphasis?  His time is spent as a full-time consultant, educator/trainer, guest lecturer, and community college instructor in these areas: workers’ compensation, JCAHO, OSHA, legal matters, toxicology, safety management, industrial hygiene, design and code review, regulatory compliance, risk management, employee health, laboratory safety, problem solving and troubleshooting, department and budgetary development and management, accident prevention and investigation, employee management, policy and procedure development and implementation, hazardous chemicals, LASER safety, safety and health audits, TB and Bloodborne Pathogens, team building and management, workplace violence and terrorism, radiation safety and health, mold remediation, and indoor air quality.

With all this talent and experience demonstrated in his work, Joe has devoted time to his community.  This is where an introduction to Joe’s wife Katy comes in.  While Joe was attending UNC in Greeley, Colorado, he met and dated Katy.  During this time, Katy was a Girl Scout leader and taught camping and survival for Girl Scouts and their leaders.  Joe has joined her in this volunteer effort for over 20 years, and Katy continues to train Girl Scout leaders in troop leadership and outdoor skills. Katy is also a bilingual elementary school teacher.   Along the way, Joe and Katy were married in 1975 and continue to enjoy camping, traveling, admiring nature, and being with each other.

The staff and students at Rocky Mountain Education Center’s OSHA Training Institute value Joe’s talent, instruction, and expertise.  Joe values his opportunity to instruct at the Institute and states “My experience and symbiotic relationships with Rich Hawkins (Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Education Center) and the incredible Institute staff, consisting of Jeannette, Trish, Jeannine, Danielle, Ron, and Jodi make working at this institute both a pleasure and honor.”   Joe appreciates being permitted to “market his consulting business,” outside of the class time.  “Rich allows this within the atmosphere” that is so welcoming to all visitors in the Center. “Opportunities are given” to instructors by the staff so that when calls come in for information that Joe can provide, he is given an opportunity to respond to those inquiries.  “Many of my clients come from the classes I teach and from responding to questions outside of the classroom.”     

Please contact Joseph McFadden for lists of Consulting, Legal, and Education/Teaching Affiliations; Professional Memberships and Associations; selections from Presentations and Course Instructions; or titles of books to which he contributed/edited text, and names of his published articles and journals.

If you have a question or seek information about any of the subject areas that are cited in Joe McFadden’s Profile, he would be pleased to interact with you.  He is devoted to creating safer and healthier work sites as well as developing an appreciation and enjoyment of our environment.  Casual conversations and professional interactions always have a place in his days.

Please contact/visit Joseph McFadden:
Joseph S. McFadden, President and Owner
McFadden & Associates, LLC
8920 W. 4th Place
Lakewood, CO 80226-1170
joe@mcfaddenllc.com
303-234-1747