Safety is a Worldwide Endeavor for Gabriela Azi Ramos
Many people these days are searching to do something that is equally meaningful to society, personally fulfilling, and exciting; Gabriela Azi Ramos has nailed this criterion perfectly. Her twin talents as sales manager/business consultant and expertise in safety textiles/protective garments have allowed her to gain international notoriety and respect as a leader in this incredibly important area. Taking part in progressive development of these products and pushing forward the possibilities as well as public awareness, she has developed brands that are manufactured in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, China and South America. In an ideal world, businesses work to create products that are truly needed to make the world a safer and better place; Gabriela achieved this while helping the same companies flourish so that they might prevail in their course. Regardless of where you live, the importance of this, both domestically and internationally, cannot be overstated. Gabriela Azi Ramos is an authority in the field that is making fighting these disasters much safer for those on the frontlines.
Ideal Work is a Brazilian company. As the leading independent manufacturer of flame resistant garments and workwear and PPE distributor, selling over 1,500,000 million protective clothing per year, this company has been pushing the market towards excellence for more than four decades. At Ideal Work, Gabriela developed the brand Westex by Milliken, a company based in South Carolina and a global leader in textiles. This international relationship testifies to the importance and need of these types of protective garments everywhere in the world. While Ms. Azi Ramos continually received recognition for her business excellence, the depth with which she expanded the understanding of the scenarios which require protective garments is even more astounding. Vocations which require professionals to be exposed to or be in the proximity of fire, electrical and molten splash are, by nature, difficult conditions and potentially lethal. The garments created by Ideal Work often give these individuals the seconds needed to separate life from death. Of course, understanding and anticipating the risks demands a deep awareness of these situations that requires extensive investigation.
In the course of her career, Gabriela has accumulated a high degree of technical knowledge concerning Electrical Arc Flash and Flash Fire. Electric Arc Flash situations can occur in electrical maintenance and utilities activity. An Electric Arc Flash is always followed by a Flash Fire. While Flash Fire (sudden and intense fires caused by ignition of flammable substances in the air) by itself, is common in oil & gas, petrochemical and chemical industries. The drastic effects of being exposed to the hazards of an Electric Arc Flash and Flash Fire events can cause second- and third-degree body burns, even death. In order to correctly understand and progress towards evolving flame resistant protective garments, Gabriela immersed herself into national and international legislation and standards (like NFPA 70e), testing, certifications, and garment functionality. In Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and many other areas, she helped to educate workers and community through workshops and seminars. In addition to her 2016 recognition as a specialist in training and public speaking, Gabriela is a member of the Committee on the Study for Protective Gloves and Clothing — Thermal Risk — Heat and Flame organized by ABNT (Brazilian Association of Technical Standards), CB 032 (Brazilian Committee on Personal Protective Equipment) where she has contributed to the standards development and evolution of the field.
Gabriela’s expertise has benefited workers performing some of the most dangerous roles in a professional environment. Helping companies to improve safety in the workplace, whether by recommending the optimal solution, writing flame resistant garment specifications, or other avenues, has led to Ms. Azi Ramos’ professional relationships with companies like Copel, John Deere, Whirlpool, General Motors, Volkswagen, BMW, Brookfield Renewable Energy (one of the world’s largest investors in renewable power and generating infrastructure in North and South America, Europe, India, and China), Braskem S.A. (the largest petrochemical company in Latin America and eight largest petrochemical company in the world). In leading the charge to protect the most vulnerable, she has enabled these companies to progress forward in safety simultaneously by protecting those employees whom are faced with the extreme hazards inherent in their activities and workplaces.
Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Chemical, Utilities, Steel Metal, Mining and other potentially hazardous work environments have all received the benefit of Ms. Azi Ramos’ expertise and dedication to informing all involved parties. Witnessing live Arc Flash tests at Kinectrics laboratory in Toronto highlighted the importance of her endeavors. This experience, as well as visiting US suppliers, contributed to the expanding of her expertise. During her tenure, she also helped enhance company and brand credibility, increase market growth, create brand recognition, and increase revenue.”
Gabriela’s career is a perfect example of how business can thrive while contributing to the common well-being. Aguinaldo Bizzo, founder and director of São Paulo based DPST (Development and Planning in Work Safety), began his association with Gabriela back in 2006 when they were participants of the FISP (The International convention of safety and protection, Latin America’s largest safety and workplace protective convention). He declares, “Ms. Azi Ramos not only has an incredible knowledge of safety work that includes Flash Fire, Electric Arc issues, hazard analysis, and safety equipment applications, but she has dedicated herself tirelessly to expanding her understanding as well as that of others.”
Investigations have connected more than 1,500 of California’s wildfires during the past six years to power lines; this illustrates the connection between safety needs of private companies and how they can impact the general public. Educating and enabling workers who deal with these situations to act promptly and safely benefits everyone. Gabriela Azi Ramos has proven that businesses can succeed with a focus on thinking of the whole rather than the “we.” She confirms, “It’s exciting because my work is directly related to protecting lives while also working with high performance and high technology products. Studies in the area of textiles solutions and technological evolution are inexhaustible. In addition to improving performance and comfort, we’ve seen manufacturers make substantial efforts to reduce negative environmental impacts and apply eco- friendly/sustainable practices. It is already happening and will only increase in the future. Science, innovation, and technology can combine to create products which collectively improve the world, protect people and the environment, while also preserving natural resources. It is also deeply meaningful for me to know that my dedication and commitment into delivering the best for my career has left positive impacts and results for the companies and the people I have worked with.”
