Story by Chris Dixon
Over the years I have worked with many professionals in different industries, including residential and heavy construction, oilfield, trucking, mining, rigging, maritime, logging, mill operations and heavy equipment. I have learned one very valuable lesson: as a business owner, co-worker, or employee, it is your responsibility to live and breathe safety at work, home and elsewhere.
Accidents happen every day. These events, almost all of which can be prevented, occur because we as humans are “foulable.” We are not perfect and we don’t always think about safety before we act. We can all do more, especially in our daily operating arenas. It is time to strengthen the Safety Culture.
Your “mod rate” is not the most important reason you should promote the Safety Culture. Any disabling injury, or accidents that kill, can have far-reaching effects that we often do not consider until they occur and we have to deal with the consequences. When you live and breathe safety, you take those potential consequences into consideration.
Every person should have the reasonable expectation that they will arrive at work, perform their duties, and return home to their families safe and sound. Have you demonstrated to your team that you care about them and their families? It goes beyond a paycheck and steady employment. They must understand that you care about their welfare, and their ability to provide for themselves and their families—something they cannot do if they are injured, disabled or dead. Have the conversation often, and reinforce what the negative consequences are.
Safety is a responsibility, not a toolbox talk to satisfy the insurance company. Make the time to consider the safety aspects of a task. Discuss it with others on the job; move down the safe path even if it takes a little extra time and effort. Be a leader and keep others out of harm’s way. Step up and set an example when you see something occurring that is unsafe, or a potentially unsafe situation that might develop.
I see examples of unsafe situations every time I am in the woods. Examples include loads that are not strapped down properly; debris hanging off a trailer; people walking too close to an operating loader; dull chain saws; no personal protection whatsoever; machinery leaking flammable fluids; operators who have never been trained or who operate machinery unsafely. It is your duty to stop it, even if the guilty party is not your employee. It might be embarrassing to the supervisor of that employee, or to the business owner. It doesn’t matter. The consequences are what matter. Have a frank conversation with your employees and subcontractors about what you expect them to do as it relates to safety and then follow through.
I once attended a skidder demo, where I watched the operator bring a drag to the landing, pull the machine up near the road and, while the machine was still rolling, jump off from the operator platform, land well, take off in a run, grab a pole saw and start trimming a load. I stopped the young, tall, muscular operator and we had a talk. I asked him why he was jumping and running around like a chicken with its head cut off. He said he was a new hire and wanted to make sure he was the hardest worker on the job. I told him he wouldn’t be part of the crew long because he would be in the hospital! He obviously was not properly trained to run the skidder. He did not set the park brake prior to dismounting, and did not safely dismount using the ladder and three points of contact. He ran instead of walking and did not look down to avoid trip hazards. He started using the pole saw before he had put on his PPE. He and I talked about the consequences of those unsafe acts, and the difference between working hard and working hard safely. A supervisor or owner must stop such acts and have the discussion.
I think of “loaded gun moments” as situations that will almost always result in an accident. These situations are akin to running around with a loaded gun, safety off, and among numerous obstacles. They are the most avoidable of all unsafe conditions. The list consists of those the young operator was guilty of, plus others, including texting or dialing a number while driving; operating a vehicle of any type that is not safely ready for the road; operating machinery around people without establishing designated work zones for the equipment and “no personnel zones” for people on the ground; and not having an Emergency Plan in place for events that require emergency first aid or evacuation.
Emergency Plan
It is the responsibility of everyone on the job to make sure there is an Emergency Plan in place. Everyone, including truck drivers, should have a copy of it. At a minimum it should contain the names and positions of employees that have had emergency first aid training, including CPR. It should also have a list of emergency contact numbers for those in charge of reacting to emergency situations. It should include local emergency numbers for medical help, fire, police, etc. Most importantly, it should provide accurate directions from the nearest emergency facilities to the job site. Conduct an emergency action plan briefing each time you move to a new location.
Caring about your co-workers is as important a safety tool as any you can obtain or use. Make it a daily routine to make sure everyone made it out of the woods safely and back to where they started. Ask them to report in at the end of the day that they made it back OK. This is also a great time to discuss any safety issues that have arisen during the day and put a plan of action in place for events the following day.
Make it a point to live and breathe a Safety Culture, to nourish and strengthen it. Instill a responsible safety mindset in those around you at work and at home. A strong Safety Culture will drive down accidents, restrict costly consequences and make our industry more professional and accountable.
Dixon is the outgoing Forestry Products Div. Operations Manager for Ring Power Equipment, a Caterpillar dealer that serves north and central Florida. Until around June 15 he can be reached at chris.dixon@ringpower.com. He is leaving Ring Power to join the business of his family. His post June 15 email address will be skeeterdixon@aol.com.