July 15, 2007

Safety, compliance, and then production maximizes bottom line

James M. Hylko

Theory into practice

The programmatic elements discussed in the AGC study had already been implemented as part of Weskem LLC's corporate safety program (Oak Ridge, Tenn.). The company employs salaried, bargaining-unit, and sub-tier subcontractor employees who are responsible for the characterization, sorting, treatment, packaging, interim storage, and transportation associated with asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, and hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes. Over a six-year period (2000–2006), Weskem's combined injury/illness recordability and lost workday case rates were <1.1, thus contributing to an EMR of 0.94 in 2006.

According to Weskem's safety director, Todd Potts, "These significant achievements can be traced back to the president, senior management, and employees actively participating in the company's safety and health program, and challenging everyone to continuously improve in the areas of safety, compliance, and then production. This success was achieved while performing high-hazard, invasive field activities involving hazardous, radioactive, and explosive waste materials. Even with overtime, accident and injury rates over the past six years remained steady and below industry averages, thus reducing Weskem's EMR below 1.0, while meeting all production goals."

Final thoughts

Employees' risk perceptions, behaviors, and attitudes are adversely affected when they perceive that safety is no longer a company priority, or when resources that are normally devoted to safety are diverted elsewhere. Therefore, resources such as hazard identification, prevention, and mitigation are often credited as the most important elements directly reducing workplace accidents and injuries.

However, making the most of these resources requires a multifaceted approach that combines worker training and involvement, ergonomic job design, medical surveillance, competent supervision, and a corporate organization that promotes safety. Companies experiencing unacceptable safety performance metrics can reduce losses and improve their overall "safety, compliance, and then production" goals by adopting key programs that have been shown to enhance a positive safety culture without sacrificing production or the bottom line.

 

—James. M. Hylko is an integrated safety management specialist for Paducah Remediation Services LLC and a POWER contributing editor. He can be reached at james.hylko@prs-llc.net.