An Appointment With: Joe Molloy, Vice President, Workforce Safety

As vice president of workforce safety, Joe Molloy is responsible for ensuring a safe work environment for our 76,000-strong Northwell employees. Joe started his career with Northwell in 2005 as corporate director of benefits with prior job experience in employee safety in hospital settings in addition to expertise in benefits and employee wellness. In 2014, Joe’s role and proficiency resulted in the creation of the workforce safety department that carries out Northwell’s commitment to safety in the workplace.

We spoke with Joe Molloy to learn more about how this department keeps safety a top priority.

What is the role of workforce safety at Northwell Health?

Workforce safety is committed to reinforcing a culture of safety for everyone from patients to team members, and ensuring that we are all advocates for a safe work environment as employees across the health system. Patient safety starts with team member safety, so our department has developed many programs and educational modules to reinforce the importance across the organization. As a result, we have award-winning programs that have been recognized by New York State and nationally for their success.

What are some of the different positions on the workforce safety team?

A few teams operate under the workforce safety umbrella. We have roles that include safety training, communications, programs and care coordination, OSHA compliance, workers’ compensation, and industrial hygiene.

We take our mission to enforce a safe environment for all very seriously and really appreciate the partnerships we have throughout the health system, including with the safety officers, the office of legal affairs, security, HR, risk, engineering and the organization as a whole. We couldn’t drive safety without everyone’s participation. Workforce safety’s efforts are made easier by the culture of Truly Together that permeates every corner of the health system.

How did your team make an impact during the pandemic?

Like many departments at Northwell, our team members were re-deployed around the health system to help with the COVID-19 response. In addition, we organized the re-fit testing of more than 40,000 employees to ensure proper safety, fit and use of PPE. Further, the team made yeoman’s efforts to support wherever there was a need.

What advice would you offer someone thinking of a career in workforce safety?

If you are the kind of person that enjoys taking care of fellow team members, or, you have an interest in how we keep our team members safe, you may want to consider a career in workforce safety.