Safety Talks: A Thousand Days Without Lost Time Injury

We integrate proactive risk management and ensure a commitment to safe work culture, not only because of adherence to OSHA standards but because we want to ensure one thing: Everyone gets home safe. With this mindset, we’ve surpassed the safety performances typically seen across various industries.

The culture of Re:Build Optimation in maintaining such a record is based on continuous improvement, emphasizing the importance of daily safety practices. This is in contrast to industry trends where slips, trips, and falls remain major causes of nonfatal injuries, representing a considerable portion of the total accidents that occur annually.

Re:Build Optimation’s strategy revolves around prevention, quality safety education, and the cultivation of a safety leadership culture.

People-First Mindset vs. Statistics

Re:Build Optimation’s achievement with over a thousand days without a lost time injury is a particularly significant milestone when considering industry averages for lost time injury rates, which typically range from 3.0 to 5.0 in various sectors, particularly in construction and engineering. Although not built overnight, the team at Re:Build Optimation systematically worked to instill a proactive stance towards identifying and mitigating risks before they escalate into incidents.

The one thing that stands out is the prioritization of a ‘people-first’ mindset over a strict focus on statistics. This approach is predicated on the belief that while data is important, it can sometimes feel impersonal or “cold,” missing the human element of safety management.

Rather than relying solely on statistical indicators, Re:Build Optimation’s strategy involves direct engagement with employees in the field. This hands-on approach helps identify and address the root causes of safety issues, fostering a culture where employees take personal responsibility for safety. Beyond data, the effectiveness of being present in the field, engaging directly with workers, and encouraging them to actively participate in safety practices is highly emphasized in Re:Build Optimation’s workspaces.

Relying solely on data might not capture the full picture of on-the-ground realities, and emphasizing metrics in safety programs can lead to a lack of trust among workers. There’s a risk that an over-reliance on numbers may encourage underreporting of incidents to meet targets. This practice potentially distorts the actual safety situation, highlighting the importance of a balanced approach that values genuine safety improvements over numerical achievements.

The Risks of Reporting

Although reporting is a great deal of responsibility, mandating the reporting of safety incidents or near-misses, irrespective of their occurrence, can undermine the authenticity of safety data. This is seen in many behavioral-based safety programs. Such requirements might prompt employees to report incidents just to meet quotas, which can detract from identifying genuine safety concerns and lead to skepticism towards the safety program.

Specifically, practices that tie financial incentives to safety reporting metrics—either encouraging underreporting to receive bonuses or mandating a minimum number of reports for financial rewards—can compromise the integrity of safety data.

These approaches may result in either an underrepresentation of actual incidents or the reporting of non-issues to fulfill quotas, both of which undermine efforts to foster a true safety culture.

The effectiveness of safety programs is significantly enhanced by quality training that empowers employees to identify and mitigate genuine hazards. This approach is contrasted with systems that impose arbitrary quotas for safety reporting, which may not effectively contribute to a safer workplace and can lead to compliance for compliance’s sake, rather than a deep-rooted culture of safety. The effectiveness of a safety program is contingent upon its ability to be customized to the specific needs and characteristics of the workforce and operational environment. Adopting and adapting safety practices from various sources to fit the unique context of an organization can lead to more effective and engaging safety programs.

Seven Effective Strategies for a Safe Work Model Approach

Implementing a model that simplifies safety into tangible and actionable components—such as focusing on procedures, oversight, and training—can make safety practices more accessible and understandable for employees.

An effective safety strategy involves a combination of factual data analysis, meaningful employee engagement and training, and the implementation of tailored practices that reflect the unique aspects of an organization’s operations and workforce.

“Imitation is the highest form of flattery,” a principle that underscores the value of learning from the success of others in the realm of workplace safety. This approach is crucial for safety professionals looking to enhance their programs, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, observation, and adaptation of successful practices from other organizations or leaders within the field.

Here are seven effective strategies and implementation methods for a safe work model:

Diversified Roles in Safety
The field of safety encompasses a broad spectrum of professionals, from industrial hygienists to safety coordinators on construction sites, and even high-level corporate roles like vice presidents of safety. This diversity highlights the varied approaches and strategies employed across different sectors and levels of responsibility.

The Value of Mentorship
Latching onto a mentor and observing what works in practice is highlighted as a critical step for safety professionals. This process involves not just passive observation, but also active research and application of successful safety practices, tailored to the unique context of one’s own organization.

Decision-making and Worker Involvement
Encouraging workers to participate in decision-making processes regarding safety practices is vital. This involves presenting options and allowing workers to choose the tools and methods that work best for them, thereby fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to safety protocols.

People-First Mindset vs. Statistics
Safety professionals are reminded that OSHA and other regulatory bodies set minimum standards, but there’s room for innovation and adaptation within those guidelines. Offering management multiple options for safety compliance underscores the professional’s role in facilitating informed decision-making.

Influencing Work Culture
Developing a positive safety culture requires time, leadership skills, and the ability to influence others effectively. Drawing from military experience, principles such as leading by example, being knowledgeable, and holding oneself accountable are identified as key to influencing work culture positively.

Be, Know, Do Principle
Embodying what you advocate for (Be), having a deep understanding of safety practices (Know), and walking the talk by implementing safety controls personally (Do) are critical for establishing credibility and fostering a culture of safety. This principle emphasizes consistency between words and actions in promoting workplace safety.

Leadership Tactics for Influence
Different situations and individuals may require varying leadership styles, from authoritarian to democratic. Knowing when and how to apply these styles effectively can help safety professionals navigate the complexities of influencing behavior and attitudes toward safety within their organizations.

Leadership Approach to Safety

The key approaches to leadership in safety range from the importance of safety conversations and worker involvement in safety planning to the economic impact of safety measures. Here’s how Re:Build Optimation not only mitigates risk but also cultivates a culture where safety is ingrained as a core value shared by all teammates.

• Safety-First Culture and Conversations: Initiating safety conversations at the beginning of each project emphasizes the right mindset. By involving workers in safety planning and engaging all parties in discussions, Re:Build Optimation ingrains safety as a core value, fostering a culture where safety protocols are not just followed but are a part of the organizational ethos.
• Layered and Comprehensive Safety Strategy: Adopting a multi-tiered approach to safety that starts with hazard elimination and includes engineering controls, administrative strategies, and personal protective equipment (PPE), ensures a thorough safety framework. Complemented by extensive safety training tailored to specific workplace risks, this approach equips employees with the knowledge and tools to mitigate hazards effectively.
• Economic Benefits and Safety Leadership: Acknowledging the economic impact of safety measures through cost savings in workers’ compensation and medical treatments highlights the financial rationale behind rigorous safety protocols. Leadership by example, where safety leadership is visibly demonstrated by adhering to protocols, reinforces the collective responsibility towards maintaining a safe work environment, thereby reducing accidents and cultivating a proactive safety culture.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2019, which occurred at a rate of 2.8 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers.

Case Study

In preparing for a high-risk welding job inside a pressure vessel at a chemical company, the Re:Build Optimation safety team engaged closely with the client to fully understand the risks involved, especially concerning airborne chemical concentrations above permissible exposure limits. This due diligence included reviewing past data under operational conditions and conducting new monitoring to assess current levels of airborne contaminants. The process also involved a thorough review and application of control of hazardous energy procedures to ensure all systems were properly isolated to prevent any incidental flow of chemicals between systems that could escalate the risks.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), specifically powered air-purifying respirators, was chosen to protect against the identified airborne contaminants and welding fumes, after a collaborative decision-making process with the experienced welders who were to perform the job. This planning phase was meticulous, with several walkthroughs, each lasting about 45 minutes, to thoroughly review and plan the work, emphasizing the importance of not just relying on past data but also adapting to current conditions and ensuring all safety measures are understood and agreed upon by everyone involved.

When we talk about safety in the workplace, it’s not just about ticking boxes on a compliance sheet; it’s deeply personal. Imagine this: You’re involved in a project that requires meticulous attention to safety, like welding under a large chemical tank with reactive chemicals. This isn’t just another day at the office; it’s a scenario where every decision you make directly impacts the well-being and lives of the people working with you.

So, to you reading this, know that safety in the workplace is a collective responsibility. It’s about making sure that everyone, from the ground up, can go home to their families, safe and sound, at the end of the day. It’s about real lives, real people, and the genuine commitment to protect them.

Career

Entering the field of safety isn’t typically a direct path. Many of us found our way here through a combination of education, mentorship, and a genuine interest in making workplaces safer. It’s a growing profession, one that offers the opportunity to make a tangible difference in people’s lives every day. If you’re drawn to a career where the well-being of others is your priority, safety might just be your calling. It’s not just about avoiding accidents; it’s about creating an environment where everyone has the chance to go home safely, every single day.

There are many opportunities to work in occupational health and safety, which is great news for anyone interested. What helps someone do well in this job aren’t just the hard skills, but also things like being a good leader, being able to coach others, and getting how people and teams work together. Additionally, you must be able to understand and be able to interpret regulations and consensus standards, be informed and up to date on them, and have a good technical knowledge of chemistry, some physics, and mathematics. Occupational Safety and Health is very much a STEM career as much as it is an art.

A lot of times, people don’t start off thinking they’ll work in safety. They might be studying something else or working in a totally different job and then find their way into safety because they got interested in it somehow. This makes the safety world diverse because you’ve got people coming from all sorts of backgrounds bringing different ideas and experiences to the table.

The workday for safety is never boring because you’re always navigating different challenges. One day you are using principles of organic chemistry to understand an exposure risk, and another day, you might be using leadership styles to influence others. Plus, you get to work with all sorts of people, from engineers deep in the technical details during the design phase to skilled trades apprentices on the ground who might be new to thinking about safety.

The psychology part is really important, too. It’s not just about knowing the rules; it’s about understanding how people think and react, which helps a lot when you’re trying to make sure everyone stays safe and actually follows the safety plans.

Getting into safety work is like jumping into a role where you’re making a difference, keeping people safe at work every day. It’s perfect for someone who wants to use both their brain and their heart to help others.