Safway® Group
For the third year in a row, Safway® Group supported Safety Week May 7-13 as an alliance partner with the Construction Industry Safety Initiative and the Incident & Injury-Free Executive Forum, which together include more than 40 national and global construction firms.
In addition, Safway partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) on the fourth annual national initiative to prevent falls, the leading cause of work-related injury and deaths.
"There is nothing more important to our industry and to our business than safety," said Paul Amedee, Safway Group vice president of environmental health and safety. "Safway is committed to continuous improvement both within our company and throughout our industry. Every one of us has a duty to our fellow employees, customers, friends and families to put safety first."
During Safety Week 2017, managers and safety personnel at all Safway jobsites throughout North America held stand-downs to inspire all Safway employees to be effective, dedicated safety leaders year-round.
In observance of Safety Week, Safway Group also offered free Systems™ and Sectional Scaffold Safety Training for users and erectors throughout the entire month of May. Developed for erectors and those who perform work while on a scaffold, the online training included chapter quizzes and a final exam. Participants received a certificate of completion.
During Safety Week 2017, Safway focused on the theme of "I Speak Up Because I Own Safety" along with three key programs to improve safety:
1. Near-hits. According to Amedee, recognizing and reporting near-hits are crucial. "Discussing a near-hit gives us the opportunity to develop corrective actions and relay the information to all relevant parties," he noted.
2. Good catches. "If we train ourselves to pay close attention to our surroundings, we can prevent many injuries" said Amedee. "Imagine the following scenarios playing out on jobsites across the United States: spilled coffee, tools left in a walkway, workers distracted by a nearby conversation -- and all the others like them. These scenarios may seem small and inconsequential, but all of them can easily lead to a fall, injury or other safety incident."
3. Stop work. "Whenever anyone believes a situation exists that places a person or equipment at risk or danger, they should take the responsibility to stop and assess the situation," explained Amedee. "It may take a minute or less to stop and evaluate a situation -- a minute that could prevent an injury or even save a life.
"Safety Week offers an opportunity for everyone who works at Safway to participate in discussions regarding fall prevention and safety initiatives."
During the companywide stand-down, all Safway employees received hard hat stickers with the "I Speak Up Because I Own Safety" graphic and other giveaways. In addition, safety personnel and managers at all Safway jobsites and locations were encouraged to personalize their Safety Week stand-down by providing special awards or recognition for safety achievements.
For more information, visit www.safwaygroup.com or call (800) 558-4772.
