Safety

Safety Is Our #1 Priority

Working with cars, trucks, and heavy vehicles is inherently dangerous due to the nature of the equipment. It is our responsibility that everyone who comes to one of our facilities leaves injury free. We take safety seriously. This means we are never satisfied with the status quo, and we are constantly looking for better ways to protect our associates, customers, and contractors.

Department of Safety and Risk Management

McCarthy Tire Service’s Department of Safety and Risk Management is:

KNOWLEDGEABLE

A resource of highly trained safety professionals who serve our company, our affiliated companies, and our customers.

DEDICATED

Dedicated to reducing injuries and accidents, and our company’s environmental impact.

COMPLIANT

Ensures compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

PREPARED

Provides high-quality training, comprehensive workplace evaluation, emergency response, hazardous materials management, and facility security.

Director of Safety and Risk Management
Russell Devens
Russ has more than 30 years of safety, law enforcement, security, insurance and risk management experience. Russ’ qualifications include:
- Serves as an Officer on the board of directors for the Tire Industry Association (TIA) (2023-2027)
- Level 400 Commercial Tire Service Instructor certification through the Tire Industry Association (TIA)
- Part 48 Certified and Part 46 Instructor certifications through the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA)
- Commercial Vehicle Inspector certification through the United States Department of Transportation
- 30-Hour General Industry and Construction certifications through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- First Aid, CPR, and AED certifications through the American Red Cross
- Police officer certifications in Pennsylvania and Virginia
Corporate Off-the-Road (OTR) and Commercial Safety Trainer - Mark
Mark Shimko
Mark handles new hire and refresher training for the off-the-road (OTR) and commercial truck service operations in McCarthy Tire’s northern region. He has more than 25 years of experience in OTR and commercial truck service. Prior to McCarthy Tire, Mark served in the US Navy for 10 years, and we thank him for his service. Mark’s qualifications include:
- Level 400 Earthmover Instructor certification through the Tire Industry Association (TIA)
- Level 400 Commercial Tire Service Instructor certification through TIA
- Level 300 Earthmover Tire Service Technician certification through TIA/MICHELIN®
- Part 48 Certified and Part 46 Instructor certifications through the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA)
- First Aid, CPR, and AED certifications through the American Red Cross
- Crane Inspector certification through the Crane Institute of America (CIA)
Corporate Off-the-Road (OTR) and Commercial Safety Trainer - Chris
Chris Stidham
Chris handles new hire and refresher training for the off-the-road (OTR) and commercial truck service operations in McCarthy Tire’s Southern region. He has more than 30 years of experience in OTR and commercial truck service. Prior to McCarthy Tire, Chris served in the US Army and is a combat veteran and we thank him for his service. Chris’s qualifications include:
- Level 400 Earthmover Tire Service Instructor certification through TIA
- Level 300 Earthmover Tire Service Instructor certification through TIA
- Level 400 Commercial Tire Service Instructor certification through TIA
- Part 48 Certified through the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA)
  First Aid, CPR, and AED certifications through NSC

Regional Safety Trainer – Southern Region
Marty Opinsky
Marty is responsible for overseeing corporate fleet operations in our Southern region. In addition, he is responsible for new hire and refresher training for the OTR and commercial truck service operations in South Carolina. He has more than 40 years of experience in OTR and commercial truck service, including the last 14 years with McCarthy Tire Service. Marty’s qualifications include:
- Level 400 Earthmover Instructor certification through the Tire Industry Association (TIA)
- Level 300 Commercial Tire Service Technician certification through TIA
- 30-Hour General Industry certification through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- First Aid, CPR, and AED Instructor certifications through the American Red Cross
- Level 300 Earthmover Tire Service Technician certification through TIA/MICHELIN®
- Crane Inspector certification through the Crane Institute of America (CIA)
Safety Manager - Southern Region
James Lanham
James has more than 30 years of experience in tire industry and trucking operations training. He served in the US Army as a Field Medic, and we thank him for his service. James’ qualifications include:
- Serves as a technical advisor on the American Trucking Association – Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC)
- Level 400 Commercial Tire Service Instructor certification through the Tire Industry Association (TIA)
- Part 48 Certified through the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA)
- 30-Hour General Industry and Construction certifications through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- First Aid, CPR, and AED certification through the American Red Cross
Fleet Telematics Analyst
Sarah Belles
Sarah has more than 10 years of experience in transportation and fleet management. She is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the company’s fleet telematics and AI dash cam technology.

MSHA Part 48

McCarthy Tire Service has an off-the-road (OTR) division that specializes in tires and tire services for mining and quarrying equipment. Our goal is to have the most highly trained OTR team in the US. We invest in ongoing training to ensure that we are serving our customers with the highest standard of safety.

Anyone who works on any type of mine site (underground or surface) needs to have new and annual refresher miner training approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) before they can enter a job site. More than 200 of McCarthy Tire’s OTR and commercial tire technicians, sales staff, and managers in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia are MSHA Part 48 certified. They are also certified in Red Cross first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and automated external defibrillator (AED) use. Every McCarthy Tire OTR technician and manager engaged in mine and quarry operations is MSHA Part 48 certified.

Tire Industry Association (TIA)
*The Tire Industry Association (TIA) is an international non-profit association representing all segments of the tire industry. TIA promotes tire safety through training and education, acts as the principal advocate in government affairs, and enhances the image and professionalism of the tire industry.