truck driver

environmental technician

technician

environmental specialist

field technician

SET Environmental

I've worked for SET for a while and I'm finally gonna give my personal review. This is in my opinion only. 
In the time I have been at SET my office managers have been pretty fair and understanding. Nothing bad to say about them. 
The crews you work with are amazing. You have a few guys that may linger off at times, but once they reengage to the tasks at hand, the days become alot better. 
These guys and girls you work with become like family to you. Trust, anger, sadness, joy and everything in between is felt amongst the guys you work closely with. 
Yes, we are an emergency response team.... If Emergency responses come in, we may need to drop what we are doing and move to a new job. As long as you can handle the craziness of our day, you'll be fine working here. 

Pay scale... Leaves ALOT to be desired as we really do handle stuff that can potentially hurt us. Chemicals, tools, falls ect. 
Yes, safety is a high priority. A priority that I will not bend for. Meaning if you fail to heed the safety aspects, you will not be working with me or my crew.
Pre job Paperwork:
#1You must fill out DVIR's on your phone.
#2 ssp or site safety plan
#3 safe work permit
#4 Pressure washing checklist (if needed)
#5hydro blasting Checklist. (if needed)
#6 confined space entry form (if needed)
#7log into samsara app on your phone and connect to your vehicle (usually the driver)
#8 lock out Tag out (if needed)
#9 site field notes and time sheets

On top of all that you have to think about the job and try to think of all the equipment and tools you'll need to get the job done. Then load everything and move to site. 
If you don't meet the onsite time, you'll start to get harped on by management.

Don't be upset if you do all these things and get ready to leave and something else pops up and takes priority. 
Happens alot!
Compensation: For the average guy the pay is ok. For those coming with experience, be prepared to start all over again.

One thing I would like to see happen here is more in person training. By that I mean the basics... How to put on harnesses, how to tape someone up, how to rescue someone who has gotten injured while in a vessel. 
These are all things that should be done live so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency situation. 
Fires for example... There are many different types! How many employees wouldn't know how to use a fire extinguisher if the need arose?
Newer guys may have never put on a harness before. But with all the previous listed pre job things we need to do, how can we train them in the field?
Equipment: yes, maintained well, but we DEFINATLY need to get with the times and invest in equipment those guys in the field can rely on. 
 We are faced with break downs, failures or damaged equipment. The mechanics do try to get them fixed,but we wouldn't need to waste that money if newer equipment was available.

Raises and bonuses: raises come with accomplishments and promotions.
I've never worked for a company that makes you earn your bonus by doing even more. You must submit SI (safety initiatives) to earn points towards your bonus. They can't just say hey, thanks for busting your tail for us. We appreciate you. Your holiday bonus is 200 I think and it's taxed as well.

All in all, SET does try to make you feel like you belong as long as you work and not stand around with your hands in your pockets. 
But like I tell everyone I work with, "Work is your job, it pays bills and let's you have fun while at home... Put into it what you want out of it" 
I'd give SET a shot. If it's not for you, it's not for you. No biggie. We all have limits.
Anyway, Enjoy your day and I hope my review helps you make the right decisions for you and your family.





What is the best part of working at the company?
The benefits. Chad Tameling, the Executive Vice President has monthly sales meetings that are more about you and life and your role in it. He is a great motivational speaker. If his managers in the company followed his example of motivating people and treating people well and fairly, the company would do even better than it does. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Managers that are unethical, inappropriate with words and training parameters. Managers have too much slack to control the future outcome of lower level employees and can ruin your future there and growth to suit themselves.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
I experienced a hostile work environment, one where if you weren't part of their, "circle",  (the word a mgr. used) you are targeted, left out of info., blamed for actions you didn't do and set up to fail because they will never be pleased. Getting the right mgr. is key but a gamble. In my case I had THREE report to mgrs. at the start and end. others in the company had only one. My advice, if you work here document everything single thing that takes place everyday. Do not assume things are going well and not do it. Do it because you may need it as ppl will only admit to what you will be able to prove and sometimes will still deny. If you never need the documentation, you will be lucky and probably were brought into the, "Circle". pffft!

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
There was never a "typical" day.  I never knew what I was in for, who would be angry or unhappy with you on any given day. Just because you are doing what you are suppose to and what one mgr. told you to means nothing because the mgrs often don't communicate and have no idea what the other mgrs have tasked you with and therefore each other thinks what they have asked you to do is taking too long. Its a situation where you can't please anyone ever.  Do not believe they have your best interest in mind as part of the team. They will 2 face you, say one thing and often act different and say different when you are not around.  I made friends with a few ppl that still work there and they don't trust the mgrs and some of the rest either. They act just as fake as they are treated just to get by.  Everyone talks about how bad, 2 faced, and wrong mgrs. or sales behavior is but they don't like or respect them. The Exec. Vice President has many family members that work at this company and all my dealings with one of them have been positive, inclusive and motivating so I am not referring to them.  However, the office I worked in had many members of one family, (a local family to my office location) family friends and tight relations and it made for a very difficult situation. None of them could do any wrong and you were often left the one to blame, if "they" said you were. A very stressful environment to keep everyone happy and fairness with treatment being the same across the board, not a chance.  Those in that group were given freedoms to tend to their family whenever and as long as they needed where if you had situations with your own family you were not given the same freedoms to handle or take care of.  It was always a problem or inconvenience.  If you were special you could work from home and still get paid but if you aren't part of that "circle" you are not allowed to.  It was disheartening and disappointing because it could have been a good job.

Work:
Working here is truly awesome if you like working with a great team. I don't mean management. I mean the team of guys you're working with. I like the guys I work with directly, but those people behind the desks are what will eventually fold this company. 
Promotions:
You can be highly educated and experianced in this field and get passed or skipped by someone with no experience and no education in this field. It's not what you know, but who.
Respect level:
As long as you show up as a leader, you will earn respect from your crew. You don't have to have a title of a foreman, project manager or supervisor to be the leader. You simply just need to show leadership. There are ALOT of people in the wrong positions. However, that isn't any of my business. Again, it's not what you know, but who.
Stress level:
Attributes of stress stem from work and home life... Work should be work and home should be home. However, when the balance is off on either end it starts to become stressful. 
This job has its stressful moments, but trust me, be the leader!! You'll make it through.
Biggest complaint:
SI or (Safety Initiative program)
This is the biggest failure so far and let me tell you why. 
This is a way for individuals to point out what others are doing. Good or bad. But when someone gets word that someone wrote them up for something as small as not putting a pin in a hose coupling..  it's like "Are you serious?"
So then that person now has a bad taste in their mouths for the person who wrote the SI.
This program puts bad blood in the water on the tech side of things.... Not good.
In ending:
This is a pretty good place to work and for me, like I said before, it's not the management that go to work for. It's the guys that have been here since my start that have accepted me and that I have accepted not just as co-workers but as friends as well. 
As long as I watch out for them, they'll watch out for me and that is where the trust comes in and where safety becomes more important than ever.


This is about the southern safety & rescue division (formerly Safe Rescue) rather than the entire company. The work is great, you can learn a ton from the more experienced leads. Most of the field employees I’ve worked with have been great. Unfortunately that is the end of good things I can say… some of the management absolutely refuses to listen to its employees. It is supposed to be a safety and rescue company, but actions speak louder than words. I have witnessed new hires sent out without proper training, equipment constantly being used well past its prime, trucks being neglected, we are even issued shirts that are NOT fire retardant, they are fire resistant and will melt to your skin at 250°. What impression is that supposed to give about how much they care about our safety? They don’t. They just want to look good for the higher ups of SET. It’s embarrassing. The lack of training and proper equipment is a disaster waiting to happen. Not to mention we are very much underpaid and the same management that doesn’t listen will use manipulation tactics to get their way. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The industry, the work/life balance, and the people.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Management that I had to deal with was vastly unprepared for a management role, terrible training, short attitude when asking for help, all nitpicks and zero assistance or praise for hard work. Working in the office as opposed to the field is almost a guarantee of evening and weekend hours due to poor management. The largest $ value accounts for the company have the smallest teams inside the office - creating a bottleneck of work for a select few people.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The environment and culture are both great, almost a dream job. Certain teams will have a worse experience than others due to poor management.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
As I was in the office and not the field, my experience is different. Office positions are mostly standard 8-5 with flexibility as long as you are on top of your work.

Expectations outweigh compensation for the environment you will be subject to working in, they ask more than give. You will be asked to sacrifice any personal time for them. SET  dosnt care about you it's all about the money for them. You are just a number. They will not hesitate to take your PTO or vacation time even if approved and paid for, they will take it all back. If you are full time you are not guaranteed 40hrs. It can be weeks before a new job pops up. The slow months you need to have another job just to pay your bills. Do not rely on this place for full time employment you will lose everything waiting on the next job, it's feast then famine. You have been warned!!!!! Also they lie about the 25% travel it's more like 80% they give all the local work to their favorite employees. When busy Expect to work 150+ hrs in a two week pay schedule.  Sounds good but not worth it. 

Overall i enjoyed working at SET environmental. They are very good at recognizing employees how are working hard. When they see you have a drive and are motivated they will present you will opportunities to move up. If you don't show an interest in taking on more responsibilities you will remain where you are.  
The hours are pretty crazy and you will be asked to push your own limits. You can say no buy dont expect to be put on an easy job or get first dibs at a prevailing wage job. Do what they ask and dont have an attitude and you will be just fine. 
In summary longs hours but you will be compensated, management does a good job at helping those who prove they can handle the job. If you like activities outside of work this job is not for you. Forget bowling league, golf, etc. YOU WONT HAVE TIME!  
Consistent 50-80+ hrs a week.

Typical Environmental job with slow and busy times.  I’ve been to a few other Environmental companies and this is by far my favorite.  Lots of hours up for grab and if you communicate what you want management will help you get it.  Overall good group of people to work with.  You’ll always have a few bad apples who are selfish and negative because their only enjoyment in life is being unhappy and blaming others for their failures.  I like the family feel.  It’s better than being a number working for a large corporation.  I know this is a good place to work based on the number of employees who have left for greener pastures only to return to SET.

Overall, dream job material. Great work / life balance, super flexible, decent enough pay. The trouble for me didn’t start until my last several months or so. Huge system transition took place and for whatever reason they didn’t feel the need to train me until the absolute last second and then left me to sink or swim. This, after repeated, and I do mean REPEATED, inquiries by me about the status of my training. Were it not for how they completely mishandled that situation along with a newer finance exec being absolutely overbearing, I would still be there. Doesn’t take away from this being a fairly great company to work for overall, though. Kudos, for the most part. Very few complaints here. 

Job is cool lots to learn and challenging. Its a great place too work if you have another income coming in your household with a retirement plan and insurance.
No match on 401 k, no business disruption insurance to cover wages during an Emergency such as a Hurricane. SET automatically takes your vacation and PTO time without your consent. 
Only 6 paid holidays a year, no paid sick time 3 PTO days a year, Health Insurance is very expensive about 65/35 split no options on plan there is other insurances you can purchase still expensive. 
90 day waiting period for insurance and vacation accrual but 6% payroll deduction starts 1st check with no match.

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