WM Veterans bring safety to our country and community
Redmond ReporterNov 21, 2018
By
Special to the Reporter
In honor of Veteran's Day earlier this month, we spoke with area fleet director for Waste Management operations in the Pacific Northwest
Alvarado's approach to work is straightforward: safety and service. Alvarado learned, and lived, those principles serving with the
Alvarado manages the 100-plus employees who make the equipment work at Waste Management. Whether it's trucks, bulldozers, conveyor belts, welding equipment or fork lifts, Alvarado's job is to make sure Waste Management's technicians have the training and tools to get the job done safely and efficiently.
His first tour of duty was as a lance corporal in the
"The solution was straightforward," he said. "It was all about situational awareness. We all needed to be more dutiful and disciplined about taking the time to inspect our surroundings, so we could anticipate and avert risk."
Alvarado learned to be watchful 24/7 to protect himself and his fellow
"You have to have your head on a swivel at all times," he said. "I'm impressed how Waste Management embraces safety as a core value."
Sometimes it's the operational readiness of a 26-ton garbage truck, other times it's the labyrinth of conveyor belts in a recycling plant; always, Alvarado makes sure equipment and systems work, and work safely. His attention to detail includes things as small as spotting a stool that could be a trip hazard on the repair shop floor.
From his office in Kirkland, it's a short drive to Woodinville, home to two of WM's busiest operations.
"The leadership I provide for WM teams today is very much grounded in my early training in the military," Alvarado said. "My work then was safety and service for my fellow