OSH Generations is about family and the safety profession. Many OSH professionals have parents or children who are also in the profession. Our members share their stories of the people who influenced them to enter the safety profession or those who they inspired to become safety professionals. Here’s the story of ASSP Fellow Dan Della-Giustina, Ph.D., CHCM, a professional member of ASSP’s Northern West Virginia Chapter. This story was originally published in the February 2013 issue of Society Update.

Dan Della-Giustina has been employed at West Virginia University for 38 years and has chaired the Safety and Environmental Graduate Department for 18 years. He is a professor in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Previously, he worked at Michigan State for a few years and Aetna Life & Casualty Co. for 2 years. In addition to being an ASSP Fellow, he has held numerous offices at the national, regional and chapter level, so his involvement with the Society has been plentiful. He is currently the chapter treasurer and has been the student section advisor for 28 years. Dan’s son Daniel has followed in his father’s occupational safety and health footsteps. Daniel is the corporate safety director for Consigli Construction Co. in Milford, MA. He has been working in the safety field for more than 35 years.

“Having my son in the safety profession has been magnificent for me,” says Della-Giustina. “He is well versed in the 20 years that he has been a safety director in the construction industry in the greater Boston area. He has an M.S. in Safety Management and also is a CSP. What more can I ask for from a son who follows his dad’s profession?”