Our People: Patty Furuseth Named North Dakota Outstanding Safety Professional

• Marathon Petroleum Personal Safety Professional Patty Furuseth received the Outstanding Safety Professional Award from the North Dakota Safety Council in February.
• She was recognized for her hard work and dedication to making the Bakken oil field region a safer place to work.
• Furuseth has worked to increase collaboration between the oil industry, regulatory agencies and contractors in North Dakota.

The North Dakota Safety Council presented Marathon Petroleum Personal Safety Professional Patty Furuseth with the 2023 Outstanding Safety Professional Award at its annual Safety and Health Conference in February.

Furuseth has worked as a safety professional for 11 years and has supported MPLX, Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, for six years. She oversees rail and pipeline operations and construction projects tied to those assets in North Dakota. Furuseth previously worked as a field technician and account manager in the oil and gas industry. She credits those roles for providing her the industry knowledge needed to be successful in her safety career.

“One thing I ask myself numerous times a day is what is the next best thing I can do to add value,” said Furuseth. “I focus on working with the people I serve and provide them with practical solutions, so they can get their work done safely. That gives you the inroads you need to help motivate change.”

Marathon Petroleum Safety Manager Todd Schulte said Furuseth receiving this recognition from the North Dakota Safety Council reflects her hard work and dedication to her field.

“I focus on working with the people I serve and provide them with practical solutions, so they can get their work done safely.”

"Patty has done a lot to bring together the oil industry, regulatory agencies and contractors to make the Bakken oil field a safer place to work,” said Schulte. “She has improved safety at Marathon by her ability to coach and mentor employees and contractors. She has a passion for safety and truly cares about the people around her, which has a huge impact on changing the safety culture.”

Furuseth leads Neutral Grounds meetings that connect operators, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ). She also leads the Bakken Basin Safety Consortium, helped launch the Safety Industry Alliance, and serves as a board member of the North Dakota Safety Council.

In her speech at the conference, Furuseth shared that she lost her father-in-law in a workplace accident when she was 20 years old. That loss devastated her family and now motivates her to keep others safe.

“I can confidently say that his passing has saved many other lives through the education and commitment to safety it inspired in me and my colleagues,” said Furuseth.