Sr. Safety Manager Michael Hernandez is currently the senior safety manager responsible for upholding Webcor’s industry-leading safety standards at the UCI Mesa Court Housing Expansion in Orange County.
For the last decade, Sr. Safety Manager Michael Hernandez has made a point of stepping back and listening—really listening—to every single worker on his project sites, regardless of the nature of the discussion. It’s always been the first step to earning their hard-won trust.
“People are what drive me,” Michael says. “Knowing I’ve done my best to create a secure environment where our team can work with confidence keeps me motivated each day. It all comes down to psychological safety; it’s crucial to creating an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up, sharing ideas, and raising concerns without fear of judgment or retaliation.”
Last year, Michael joined the UCI Mesa Court Housing Expansion project in Orange County, where he’s currently the senior safety manager responsible for upholding Webcor’s industry-leading safety standards.
“Team members often say the same thing about Mike: he listens,” says Sr. Superintendent Justin Moore. “And because he listens, people trust him.”
Without trust, psychological safety is impossible to cultivate. Without psychological safety, there’s no chance of building the type of safe and supportive work environment that accelerates productivity and innovation.
“Mike’s commitment to psychological safety is one of his greatest contributions,” Justin says. “He encourages open dialogue, making it clear that speaking up—whether to report a hazard, share a concern, or suggest a better way—is not just allowed, but expected and respected.
“He’s made a lasting impact on every job site he’s touched—not just through technical know-how, but through the way he brings teams together and creates an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up and asking questions. That’s psychological safety in action, and it’s a big part of what makes his crews so strong.”
More importantly, however, psychological safety saves lives. Workers will only seek help from their safety leaders, who are professionally trained and equipped to support those battling mental health challenges before they evolve into a crisis, if they trust them enough to do so.
It’s an enormous responsibility that Michael’s never taken for granted. It’s driven him to establish meaningful relationships with all team members, no matter their role on the project, since the day he stepped foot on his first Webcor job site in 2015. For Michael, there’s simply no other way to do his job.
“Mike truly works for the people,” adds Safety Manager Billy Barajas. “He’s created a family-oriented job site culture here at UCI Mesa where everyone feels valued and connected. He leads by example, proving that trust, transparency, and consideration for people are key to building strong teams.”
Michael’s passion for safety and tireless dedication to the well-being of his team are what inspired Billy to transition to construction safety in the first place: Before joining Webcor in 2018, Billy worked as a third-party medic for several Southern California construction projects. On one of those projects, Michael was leading safety efforts for Webcor Concrete.
Billy was immediately struck by Michael’s unshakable enthusiasm and dedication. “He always went above and beyond—we even did regular safety walks around the site as a preventative measure,” Billy recalls. “Even then, it was clear that he genuinely cared about the crews and set the tone for a strong safety culture. It definitely made a strong impression early on! He’s been a mentor I look up to ever since.”
Beyond Safety Week’s trainings and knowledge-sharing sessions, Michael sees Safety Week as a prime opportunity to draw widespread attention to psychological safety and remind field staff that working safely goes far beyond fall protection and PPE.
“We want everyone on-site to feel like part of the Webcor family,” he says. “We want them to know we care for and appreciate every single person on our projects.”
It’s also a time to recognize safety leaders like Michael who embody integrity, respect, and attentiveness, and their tremendous impact on their team’s well-being.
“Mike is one of those leaders who not only follows safety protocols but shapes the culture that keeps us all protected,” Justin says. “He has an innate ability to bring people together, build trust, and foster mutual respect. Whether he’s onboarding a new crew or checking in with a longtime colleague, his calm, approachable demeanor sets a foundation for transparency and collaboration.
“Because of this, teams under Mike’s safety leadership tend to communicate more effectively, look out for one another, and take pride in creating a safe work environment for everyone. Thanks, Mike, for leading with integrity and heart.”
Looking forward, Michael hopes to see a substantial shift in the industry’s attitude toward safety—one that embraces collective care instead of dismissing safety as a burdensome obligation. “It’s essential that safety be viewed as a way of life,” he says. “It needs to be something we prioritize because we truly care about those around us, rather than because we’re simply told to do it.”
It’s a vision that perfectly aligns with Webcor’s emphasis on Speaking Up for Safety—the foundation of our ever-growing safety culture—and community-oriented teams. He plans to continue growing with Webcor, forging impactful relationships with site workers, advancing Webcor’s safety culture, and building productive teams fueled by trust and psychological safety for many, many years to come.
“Webcor’s been an incredible place to work,” Michael says. “I’m excited to continue contributing to projects that shape California. I truly appreciate the opportunities I’ve had to grow here, both professionally and personally.”
The 2025 Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) competition in Reno brought together top construction talent from ASC Regions 6 and 7, introducing Webcor to several potential recruits and offering learning opportunities to dozens of students.
Despite an initial hiccup, Webcor scored big at the 2025 Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) competition in Reno.
The event brought together top construction talent from universities across ASC Regions 6 and 7, introducing Webcor to several potential recruits and offering learning opportunities to dozens of students.
Webcor judges—including Blair Hinojosa, Mac Hammitt, Karen Turcios, Jocelyn Mezofenyi, and Rachel Johnson—designed an interactive, collaborative competition inspired by the real-world Shattuck project in Berkeley.
When initial tasks proved too challenging for the students, Webcor quickly adjusted:
The students thrived,” Jocelyn says. “Seeing their excitement validated our approach."
🥇 CSU Sacramento 🥈 Cal Poly SLO 🥉 UC Davis
HR's Desiree Montoya reported that Webcor connected with over 80 prospective interns and project engineers through event activities.
Webcor plans even more dynamic experiences for future ASC competitions, reinforcing its leadership in construction innovation and education.
Webcorians Package Hundreds of Food Boxes & Beautify Local Trails for Earth Month
For Earth Month this year, Sr. Sustainability Director Sarah Rege and Sustainability Manager Kavita Karmarkar organized regional volunteer events combatting two critical environmental issues: food insecurity and pollution. NorCal Webcorians packaged food at SF-Marin Food Bank in San Francisco, and SoCal Webcorians beautified the trails surrounding Los Angeles’s famous Griffith Park.
SF-Marin Food Bank After two years of hosting NorCal’s Earth Month events in the East Bay, Sarah and Kavita decided to plan this year’s event closer to the San Francisco King Street office. They eventually settled on the SF-Marin Food Bank, an essential resource for more than 53,000 households battling food insecurity in San Francisco and Marin.
Although not directly related, sustainability and food insecurity intersect in major ways, Kavita says.
“Sustainable water and soil management drive the long-term stability of agriculture and food production systems,” she explains. “Additionally, extreme weather events (climate change) and increased carbon emissions (burning fossil fuels) harm agricultural patterns, crop yields, etc.” Disadvantaged areas suffer these consequences the most, compounding the severity of food insecurity within already vulnerable populations.
On April 4, six Webcorians and two SFO West Field Garage JV team members from Austin Commercial packaged 13 pallets of food boxes for senior citizens living on fixed incomes.
Seeing all the boxes they’d packaged in just two hours and realizing their work would help so many meet their weekly grocery needs was a powerful moment, Kavita says. Although physically tiring, their shift flew by as they sang along to the ‘70s music blasting through the warehouse, laughed together, and connected while supporting a vital community cause.
“Aside from the community, physical, and mental health benefits of volunteering (as discussed in a recent WELL-Informed newsletter), volunteer events are a great opportunity to meet colleagues you might never have otherwise,” Kavita says. “I had the pleasure of meeting team members from the SFO West Field Garage for the first time, including our partners at Austin Commercial.”
“Being involved with the community brings more awareness and empathy for others in our area,” Sarah adds. “It was shocking to hear how many people and families rely on the food bank for groceries!”
Project Engineer Avery Girard enjoyed volunteering so much that she’s organized a future community service day at the food bank for the entire SFO West Field Garage JV team. She’s excited for another opportunity to bond with her teammates while giving back to the community in which they all work.
“When you volunteer, you see firsthand just how much our community needs support,” she says. “Helping out as a company strengthens both our team and the people we serve. It’s an experience that fosters deeper connections and a sense of purpose that extends beyond the workplace.”
Cleaning Griffith Park’s Trails Down south in Los Angeles, Webcorians gathered at Griffith Park to pick up trash along the trails and throughout the open space surrounding the former Los Angeles Zoo.
For born-and-bred Los Angelenos such as Marketing Specialist Max Swerdlick, this year’s SoCal Earth Month event was a perfect chance to beautify an iconic LA landmark beloved by residents and tourists alike.
“I spend a lot of time in LA’s mountains, beaches, and parks,” Max says. “I pick up trash when I can, but my impact is minimal. Cleaning an entire section of Griffith Park—one of my favorites in the city—with my colleagues was a joyful and rewarding experience.”
Project Engineer Ricky Rosales was similarly drawn to this year’s Earth Month activity by his LA roots:
“Simply put, I love my city.”
Griffith Park’s 4,200 acres offered plenty of space for volunteers to spread out and cover as much ground as possible.
Nearly 15 Webcorians from IT, Project Controls, the LAX Wayfnding Enhancement Project (WEP), Design Management, Business Development, and Marketing joined Kavita and Sarah for a morning of outdoor litter clean-up.
Prepared with gloves, trash-grabbers, and plenty of trash bags, Webcorians spent two hours picking up trash and non-organic items. By noon, they’d collected nearly 45 pounds of waste that had been strewn throughout the park and its trails.
“Seeing the area of the park we’d cleaned was a beautiful sight,” Max says. “We had a great time playfully comparing the trash items we’d accumulated throughout the morning. The joy and fulfillment we collectively exuded was palpable, and I loved seeing our team’s filled bags at the end of the day.”
Ricky also enjoyed seeing so many Webcorians across departments come together on a workday to serve their community—a Webcor core value particularly close to his heart.
“We have the privilege of coding 20 hours of community service each year, so what’s stopping us all from making an impact?” he says. “Regardless of how small it may seem to clean up some debris, pack a meal kit, or distribute supplies to those in need, these volunteer activities give us the chance to physically represent a community that cares—what’s bolder than that?”
