Safety people who've done the work

About First Link Safety

Meet the team that keeps you safe.

Four First Link Safety professionals in hi-vis vests and hard hats: one holding a clipboard, one with rolled blueprints, and one with a hard hat under their arm

HOW IT STARTED

Built on the Partnership Between Safety and Industry

First Link Safety grew out of the OSHA Partnership Program for Construction in 1996, which Robert (Bob) J. Kohnke authored, an innovative program now in use nationwide that forged a working relationship between OSHA and the construction industry. He built First Link on the need for a quality independent safety consulting firm to help construction companies meet OSHA compliance and reduce the cost of workers’ compensation insurance.

Brent Smith bought the company from Bob in 2006. Brent continued Bob's dedication to his clients and safety. With Brent at the helm the company grew from a small crew and spread from the Treasure Valley to Eastern Idaho.

Aaron took over the business from Brent Smith, bringing a field-first perspective shaped by years of hands-on work. He got his start in oil and gas in 2003, working as a valve mechanic before moving into laborer roles: hole watch, bottle watch, fire watch. He transitioned to safety in 2007 and moved to Idaho in 2017 to get off the road after years of traveling. Oil and gas is what Aaron really knows and understands, and that mentality shaped everything about how the company operates today; from who we hire to how we deliver training.

Today, First Link has grown to become a national leader in safety.

Stylized retro illustration of a vintage CRT monitor on a wooden desk displaying the First Link Safety website.

THE PEOPLE

Meet the leadership

Every one of us started in the field. None of us were book safety people. Here's who's got your back.

Aaron Friend

President

Aaron Friend

President

Photo of Aaron Friend

Started as a valve mechanic in oil & gas

Got his start in 2003 working oil and gas as a valve mechanic, laborer, hole watch, bottle watch, fire watch. He worked warehouses and food packaging before moving into safety in 2007. He moved to Idaho to quit traveling and took over First Link Safety. Aaron brings extensive safety experience and specializes in OSHA compliance, safety program development, and workers’ comp strategy. Known for being really good at arguing cases with OSHA... and winning.

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Rose Garza-Rosenberg

Safety Consultant

Rose Garza-Rosenberg

Safety Consultant

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Rose keeps the books balanced and Aaron in check, which is no small feat. If Aaron's the guy throwing numbers at a dartboard, Rose is the one making sure they actually stick.

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Brent Smith

Brent Smith

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Chris

Chris

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Plus the rest of our team across our coverage area.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Four things we won't budge on

Safety is practical, not theoretical.

It’s not what’s in the book, it’s how you make it work in the field and build a culture around it. When we teach excavation, we bring actual samples of dirt. Class A, Class B, Class C... Here’s what it feels like in your hands.

Hire from the trades.

Every person on this team worked with their hands before they worked in safety. Valve mechanics, laborers, refinery operators, tire changers, military. You have to have that baseline knowledge of actually being in the dirt to relate it to the people doing the work.

Never stop getting better.

Every team member takes at least one training class per quarter. The regs change. The hazards evolve. If you’re not continuously improving, you’ve stalled out.

No translator needed.

You can cite OSHA laws all day, but if the crew doing the work can’t understand you, you’ve lost the room. We break it down into language that makes sense: real-world examples are what people retain better than book knowledge.

REAL RESULTS

The numbers don't lie

$350KSaved Per Year

Restructured one workers’ comp program: worked their claims, got stuff cleared off quickly, and made sure people got back to work on time. Annual savings: around $350,000.

2.8 → 0.97Experience Mod Reduction

Took one company's rate from 2.8 down to 0.97, a general industry standard. That keeps you off OSHA’s radar and drops your insurance costs.

55Injuries Cleared

Reviewed a client’s OSHA 300 log and found 55 recorded injuries that weren’t applicable. Wiped the log clean, which keeps you off OSHA’s radar on a lot of their workers’ comp programs.

We get referrals directly from the OSHA area director and from insurance company safety representatives. When companies get hit with citations or their insurance flags them, we’re one of the names they hear. Over the years our clients have also contributed to a large part of our growth through word of mouth advertising.

Let’s Talk Safety

Whether you just got hit with a citation, your insurance company sent you our way, or you’re trying to get ahead of the game, now you know who you’d be working with. Let’s figure out what you need.

Start a ConversationCall Us: 208-328-4911