“Safety Culture” has become the go-to phrase for most safety programs in today’s businesses. But at what level is a “culture” operating, and how is it maintained? At R.E. Warner & Associates, we believe that safety is not just something to be thought about during work hours, but a continuous mindset that should be part of daily life – whether inspecting a boiler furnace duct on a cold winter day or grilling steaks with family and friends on a hot summer evening.
Being smart about safety entails more than taking a test once a year and knowing the ABCs of basic safety. It is about understanding the present dangers involved in the work or activities you are about to engage in, and what tools should be available to successfully and safely complete your endeavor. We advocate for always being aware of your environment, including the actions of other people around you, and always having a plan for emergencies should something arise that puts you or others in harms’ way.
To encourage a safety mindset, our firm has 21 mandatory training courses, with another 38 additional project- and discipline-specific training programs. We work with third party qualifiers like Avetta, Gatefeed, and ISNetworld to maintain the safety requirements specified by our clients. We use Health and Safety Procedures (HASP) on every job along with the client’s Job Safety Analysis (JSA) and/or Job Hazardous Analysis (JHA). We also have toolbox talks, weekly safety messages and safety incentive programs.
The result, we hope, is that each of our team members when engaged in a task – whether work-related or not – is aware of what they need to do to keep themselves and others safe. Even better – we hope they are taking steps to educate others about safety too, as we encourage all colleagues, friends and loved ones of the R.E. Warner team to “Be Smart/Be Safe”!
This article is by Dave Brunner, Mechanical Designer and Safety Coordinator. Dave has more than 30 years experience in mechanical and HVAC design and coordination for new construction and renovations in the commercial, municipal, and industrial sectors. Dave also serves as R.E. Warner Safety Coordinator and is credited with developing our safety program, documentation and training program, as well as managing various other safety-related tasks. He recently completed the OSHA 30-Hour General Industry training.