OSCAsafe Safety Trainer Spotlight: Gary Brashier
Meet OSCAsafe instructor Gary Brashier. Learn how his refinery experience brings practical knowledge and insight to workplace safety training.
August 11, 2025
This is the sixth blog in the OSCAsafe by Tang+Company Trainer Spotlight series, where you can meet the talented instructors who are the driving force behind our training programs.
In our previous conversations, we met Jeffery Thomasson, Mayra Castellanos, Bill Grove, plus more of our seasoned workforce safety instructors.
In this edition, we’re excited to chat with Gary Brashier, one of the longest tenured OSCAsafe Instructors with extensive experience in the oil and gas industry.
Q1: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at OSCAsafe.
Hi, everyone, I’m Gary Brashier, and I’ve been working as an instructor at OSCAsafe for 25 years! As an instructor at OSCAsafe, I have led courses on HHFT, Safety Attendant, HAZWOPER, and so many more.
I really enjoy providing the best service and training for clients at work. Outside of work, I love being a father and granddad!
Q2: What motivated you to choose OSCAsafe to pursue your training career?
At OSCAsafe, innovation is part of the culture. The team is always open to new ideas and committed to staying at the forefront of safety training. A great example is OSCAsafe’s HHFT course, which was developed in collaboration with regulators and industry partners. It’s become a benchmark in high-hazard facility training.
I’m proud to be part of an organization that invests in my growth, both personally and professionally. Over the years, I’ve become a stronger instructor and have gained a deep understanding of effective adult learning techniques.
Q3: Can you share your industry experience and expertise that you bring to the classroom?
I bring decades of hands-on refinery and safety expertise, with 16 years spent in roles ranging from Process Operator to Shift Supervisor, followed by 35 years as a Health and Safety Supervisor, Trainer, and Industrial Hygienist.
Along the way, I also volunteered as a firefighter, became a safety instructor, and even owned my own business.
Whenever I teach classes, I can draw on this wealth of experience to provide students with practical insights and advice that can help them in real-world situations.
Q4: What is a valuable lesson you learned during your career?
Always be on time for work and give 110% to ensure that safety is your top priority. In the end, we all go to work to put a roof over our heads and food on the table for those we love and care about. When you remember this and do your best to keep yourself and those around you safe, things generally work out.
Q5: Who is your safety hero or the person who influenced your ideas on workplace safety the most?
The first Safety Manager I worked for was at the Mobil refinery in Southern California. When I started, he took me aside and said, “Gary, we are going to change the way you think. You are not just an operator; you are someone who provides safety.”
This not only helped me understand the importance of safety in high-hazard industries, but it also helped me realize that safety is essential to success.
Q6: What do you find most rewarding about teaching safety?
There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing learners fully engaged, asking questions, connecting with the material, and truly absorbing the knowledge. As a safety instructor, you know you’ve done your job when a student approaches you after class and says, “That was a great class.”
I love that I’m doing my part to use my experience to teach valuable safety knowledge to the next generation of workers.
Q7: If you could give one workplace safety tip, what would it be?
Always follow the Safety rules for your company and the refinery where you are working. Also, never be afraid to speak up when you see something wrong. If you see something, say something.
Q8: Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
My connection to the refinery industry began in high school, and I’ve been involved ever since – whether working directly in refineries or providing training to those who do. In addition to my role at OSCAsafe, I also teach at the University of Nevada, Reno, and Fullerton College, and run my own safety consulting business.
I guess you can say I keep myself busy!
Q9: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Early in my career, a work project took me to Alaska. The trip was unforgettable, and it left a lasting impression. In particular, I was struck by the raw, natural beauty of the landscape.
I’d love to return someday to experience more of what Alaska has to offer, like hunting, fishing, and soaking in those breathtaking views.
Q10: Do you have a personal motto that you live by? If so, what is it?
Always be a humble person. A humble person will go further and understand more about life. In both life and safety, patience is a good virtue to have!
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