By: Taylor McPherson, Director of Communications & Community Engagement and Member of Safety Steering Team

If you’ve been following along with our safety journey, you’ve most likely heard it referred to as “the road to safety excellence.” After beginning the year with fresh goals for our Live Safe Work Safe (LSWS) program, our Safety Steering Team (SST) has picked up a new set of passengers – some old faces, and some new. Either way, the SST has a robust representation of every unit within our family of companies.

The overall goal of the team? To address specific areas of our safety culture needing improvement and to act as a catalyst for employee-driven ownership of these improvements, one at a time. The reinvigorated team first met in March to train and discuss opportunities to effectively support our safety culture. The SST reconvened on April 6, 2021, to build and finalize a strategic plan for 2021 to help us reach these goals.

Where Have We Been?

Amongst other initiatives, the SST is also responsible for nominating team members for each of our Continuous Improvement (CI) Teams. Early last year, CI Team #1 unveiled an improved daily huddle-up process that continues to offer effective safety reminders for our crews before they begin their day. CI Team #2, which focuses on Hazard Communication, was launched in February 2020, just before COVID-19 took top precedence. While focus shifted to safety concerns stemming from the pandemic, CI Team #2 utilized the halt to prepare an even stronger program.

What’s Next?

The SST will meet once again in May to offer aid for the full rollout of CI Team #2 hazard communication training. In Q2 of this year, CI Team #2 will kick off this quarterly training for employees by taking the message to each of our crews, both in the field and at plants.

Other objectives from the SST include making preparations for our next company-wide Safety Perception Survey to offer fresh data directly from employees, which will help us locate new areas in need of improvement. Once the survey data is collected and reviewed, SST will select a topic and new teammates for the creation of CI Team #3.

These teams continue to empower our employees and equip each and every one of us with the tools needed to take ownership of our safety culture. It will take the combined efforts of us all, collectively working towards our ultimate goal of a zero-incident rate. Until then, we press on, taking each increment that “moves the needle” as a huge win.