Ty Lapekas

Meet Ty Lapekas, Safety Engineer and this month’s Hard Hat Hang Up.

How did you get into the construction industry?

While at Virginia Tech studying Industrial and Systems Engineering, I focused on research and projects that revolved around safety, human factors, and system design. These experiences gave me a strong interest in creating safer environments and ensuring that people can work effectively without unnecessary risks. The construction industry offers an opportunity to apply what I’ve learned in a practical and impactful way, which is what ultimately drew me to it.

What do you like most about being a Safety Engineer?

What I like most about being a Safety Engineer is the opportunity to use what I’ve learned in school to create safer work environments as well as help the safety department run more efficiently by optimizing processes. It’s rewarding to see how the work I am doing directly impacts the project team’s safety and enhances the safety department’s operations.

What does an average day as a Safety Engineer look like?

An average day involves both a mixture of fieldwork and office tasks. I spend time on job sites with our Safety Managers aiding in identifying potential hazards and doing site inspections, as well as working on process improvements, safety initiatives, and documentation back at the office. The mix of being in the field and in the office keeps the role really engaging and allows me to be exposed to a lot of different things.

You recently joined the Chesapeake team! What do you like most about working at Chesapeake so far?

Since joining the team, what I’ve enjoyed most is how welcoming and driven everyone is. People are committed to doing their best work while also offering guidance to new employees like myself. It’s also been great to get exposure to a wide range of projects, which makes learning from my colleagues even more valuable.

What hobbies or activities do you enjoy when you’re not at work?

When I’m not at work, I enjoy playing golf, golfing, then playing even more golf. Also, I love exploring new places and going hiking with friends whenever I can, collecting watches, and watching movies.  Sports are a huge part of my life as well, I watch as much as I possibly can, especially football – go Steelers!