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06/01/2007
From the NATE Office
Do you ever get that feeling that someone is watching you?
As I write this month’s article, there’s a man outside my window with a masonry saw. As part of a local downtown beautification project, sidewalks are being altered to accommodate trees and lampposts. The worker is no more than 20 feet from my ground-level office window. He might as well be on TV. As he prepares to start his work I am curious to see what type of safety gear he is going to use. As I think this thought, he puts on his goggles, places a hearing protection headset over his ears, and gives the tops of his gloves a tug.
Despite my office being a little noisier while this work has been underway this week, I have enjoyed the opportunity to observe the extent that these workers follow basic safety procedures. While I know there are aspects of their line of work I am unfamiliar with, the workers I have watched during this project have used their PPE as if it is second nature to them.
June is National Safety Month. One issue that has come up a number of times during the last year was the idea of how you make safety “second nature” so it becomes automatic. How do we create a “culture of safety”?
NATE members have taken numerous steps in this process. Forming an association to define what causes accidents and then developing materials to address those concerns have been huge steps. Creating an environment in which federal regulators listen to tower erectors has been another giant step. Getting the processes and procedures to become “second nature” is an ongoing effort, but one where we are making ground all the time. You can help make sure that momentum continues.
Use National Safety Month as an opportunity to review your company safety program with your crews. Make sure your crew chiefs have their tailgate session topics planned and prepared. Discuss hazard inspection procedures. Ensure that everyone is properly trained for the jobs they are expected to perform. Remind them of the gruesome year we left behind in 2006 where over 20 lives were lost on tower sites. Underscore for them that incidents and fatalities are almost always avoidable, and often are caused by not following recognized, defined procedures. Challenge them to be the leaders in creating a culture of safety for this industry.
And if that fails, remind your workers that they never know who is watching them. Out my window I see a guy approaching with a jackhammer. Let’s see if he does as well as his co-workers.
Stay safe, everyone.
Patrick Howey is the NATE Executive Director. He can be reached at 888-882-5865 or patrick@natehome.com
Patrick Howey
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