In September 2011, wildfires swept across parts of Texas. Over 34,000 acres were burned in the Bastrop County Complex alone, with over 1,645 homes destroyed. Two people were killed. At the time, I was traveling to several Western projects. At one location, a lady on the project team was noticeably upset and anxious. She recounted that she and her husband were from Bastrop. They had lost their house and all their possessions along with beloved pets and farm animals. This couple, like thousands in our industry, was working on a project away from their home. Sobbing, she told me, "There is nothing left to go home to."
You can't go back
I had the opportunity to visit with several corporate executives and project leaders while auditing a contractor employer at a Gulf Coast facility. As a consultant, I had been asked to review their safety program. The contractor was wanting to win bids from some previous customers. It had been years since a third party had visited the company with the intent of making suggestions for improvement. The contractor had been recognized in a safety awards program some years prior. Upon questioning them about their safety program, I began hearing about their program the year they won that award; they were still using the same techniques. They obviously did not want to hear what I wanted to tell them, so I toned down my comments by politely saying, "Those former techniques are outdated. Safety programs in today's industry have changed, and contractors must keep up-to-date with safety innovations. What was good in the 1990s most likely will not work today." In a manner of speaking, I was telling them, "You have nothing to go back to."
Old school
One antiquated system was their Employee Disciplinary Action Program. Their discipline was to terminate employees without due process. In my opinion, those techniques did not work in 1993, and they still will not work today. Employers must realize that by discharging employees without the opportunity to make amends, change habits or be re-educated, the contractor merely loses employees that must be replaced. If the contractor had hired the most qualified in the beginning, discharging some would mean the replacements will be less qualified. Today's employees have rights, and employers must understand those rights. Re-training, probation or other non-punitive measures should be tried before discharging an employee.
In another instance, during an audit of a bridge project, it was determined that the project leaders' methods were discriminatory. Please understand that discipline and discrimination are vastly different. Discipline is a way to alter a person's behavior, meaning you are attempting to help employees by instructing them in proper workplace procedures and processes. Discrimination may deny employees their rights, and that can be found to be quite illegal today.
What can contractors do?
The contractors I was auditing asked me what they should do to get current with employee hiring and best safety practices. I advised them to first get a trained human resources (HR) person who knows the legalities of hiring and termination. They should get their corporate staff trained in current safety best practices and compliance standards. I explained how the local trade association's brown bag training sessions are a quick way to get up to speed. I said they would also need a safety manager who was trained in the latest techniques of behavior-based safety; project planning, craft assessment and training; safety education and orientation; worker involvement; near-miss/incident reporting and investigation; and stop-work authority. A craft safety committee, rewards and recognition programs, and other processes are tools to help companies get a good start. I emphasized that they must also be willing to listen to people who can bring change to an established culture.
Previous clients for this contractor may not return if the contractor is unwilling to make changes in its safety and business culture. If opportunities with previous customers go away, there may be nothing to go back to.
For more information, contact HASC by visiting www.hasc.com.