By making safety your focus everyday and doing your homework, your company can expand leadership and participation at all levels, retain dedicated employees and, most importantly, help reduce the number of tragic news stories.
By Dennis G Dunn
“Working safely may get old, but so do those who practice it.” ~Author Unknown
As a young banker in Philadelphia in the late 1970s, I once received a call to come as quickly as possible to the hospital—my twin brother, a concrete truck driver, was in a serious accident and was suffering life-threatening injuries. Rushing to the emergency ward, I learned his right arm had been severed, he had multiple fractures and he was experiencing severe blood loss. He had been thrown from his truck and fell more than 70 feet after swerving to avoid a head-on collision with another concrete truck that had drifted into his lane on a bridge. Drivers and other workers in the waste and recycling industry share similar high risks with concrete and other commercial truck drivers. Save for the actions of a quick-thinking telephone company lineman, and the fact he was five minutes from the hospital, my brother would not be with us today. Safety became personal for my family that day. Fast-forward to today where one can continue to observe too many similar news stories regularly splashed across the headlines:
“Garbage Truck Driver Killed in St. Mary’s on Monday Rounds.”
“Waste Pro Employee Seriously Injured After Falling From Truck.”
“Dallas to Pay $215,000 to Waste-Truck Driver Injured at McCommas Bluff Landfill.”
“Recycling Truck Accident Kills One Person.”
“Garbage Truck Driver Killed After Flipping Over on I-95 in Fairfield.”
With certainty, safety likely immediately became personal for the families impacted by these incidents, and too many other tragic stories when they occurred. Absent of these personal experiences, how does leadership of companies in the waste and recycling industry, considered the fifth most dangerous profession, attempt to reduce the number of accidents continuing to occur on a regular basis?
“The door to safety swings on the hinges of common sense.” ~ Author Unknown
Three Things Industry Leaders Can Start Doing Today
#1: Focus Everyday, No Exceptions
Let’s be honest, with the many challenges of business today, daily operations, schedules, financing, monitoring cash flows and more, safety is one of those issues that can easily fall to the bottom of our to-do list. Common sense tells us that focus on an everyday, no-exceptions commitment to creating a company-wide “safety culture” in your company may outshine many of the other tasks we focus on in our already too busy daily schedules. It’s critical to use a common sense commitment to safety best practices today. Place a reminder on your smartphone to refresh your personal and passionate commitment to safety every day.
“Safety is a cheap and effective insurance policy. ~ Author Unknown”
#2: Do Your Homework
Do your homework. Statistics prove that companies with an effective “safety culture”, including documented safety policies, plans, regular and mandatory safety meetings, creation of return-to-work and incentive programs promoting safe operations, and, yes, consistent and harsh discipline for those who do not comply, will save money well in excess of the cost of such programs. Worker’s Compensation Insurance costs are one of the waste and recycling industry’s largest per employee costs, including premium cost and the many times undocumented costs of lost productivity, administration and fraud. Studies have shown that reducing the most costly injuries, such as sprain and strain (e.g., back) job injuries can significantly lower a company’s EMR (experience modification rating). Additionally, many states and insurers offer discounts to employers that institute specific programs, such as drug free workplace, return-to-work, fall prevention and committee-led health and safety programs. Schedule a meeting today to consult with your insurance advisor, ensuring you are taking advantage of all available discounts—they can be substantial and represent another good use of time in your daily schedule.
“As soon as you see a mistake and don’t fix it, it becomes your mistake.” ~ Author Unknown
#3: Make Safety Personal
As your company’s leader, make safety personal, as you cannot lead anyone else further than you are willing to go yourself. Share your personal commitment to creating a meaningful, company-wide “safety culture” as a core value of your company. Involve your team from top to bottom in this process and make it participatory, with group discussions about creation of incentives, return-to-work programs and self-identification of existing safety hazards, as only your front-line can best see. And make safety personal by proactively working to prevent avoidable accidents. Finally, repeat # 3 everyday.
Let’s Get Out of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Professions
By following the tips, your company can expand leadership and participation at all levels, retain dedicated employees and, most importantly, help ultimately reduce the number of tragic news stories depicting lessons learned the hard way. The 8,300 plus member of SWANA, along with other national waste and recycling organizations, have identified improving safety as one of their Top Four 2016 Goals. They have identified specific actions, such as their “Safety Ambassador Initiative”, appointing a member in each of their 45 nationwide chapters to work within their chapter membership to help reduce accidents and injuries in the industry. Measureable goals have been set, the primary being to “get out of the top 10” most dangerous professions as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLM). | WA
Dennis G Dunn is a retired career commercial bank Chairman, President and CEO, student housing developer and now Vice President of Colorado Mountain Graphics (Carbondale, CO), a SBA-Certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB), providing high-quality graphics materials and services including many ANSI and DOT compliant safety markings, decals and reflective safety apparel. The personal story about his twin is a true one, but thankfully with a much happier ending. Dennis’ brother definitely experienced some difficult years following his accident, but now enjoys helping young amputees learn how to golf and deal with the many aspects of their recovery. He has won several amputee golf tournaments and beats his brother regularly (and without mercy). Dennis can be reached at (570) 640-3866, via e-mail at [email protected] or visit www.comtgraphics.com.
For more information on SWANA and its Safety Matters programs, visit www.SWANA.org.