Safety in the Workplace
June is National Safety in the Workplace Month! This is a great time for us to reflect on how we create a safe environment for all of our employees. After all, our employees are what keep this place running like a fine oiled machine. It is our responsibility to set and maintain safety procedures in the workplace, and to teach everyday safety standards to all our team members. So, what does that look like? What do we do to make sure our team is safe from day to day? Let’s take a look!
Safety’s a Priority
At CWMF we make safety a top priority on the shop floor, you will find eye washing stations, first aid kits, and a Fastenal vending machine filled with safety glasses and gloves. PPE is required in all shop areas, by employees or visitors. This includes, but is not limited to eye protection, steel toe boots, earplugs, hard hats, and N95 face masks. CWMF also offers a PPE reimbursement program for prescription safety glasses and steel toe boots. Everyone in favor of safety glasses, say “eye!”
Training & Education
Consistent training and education are a key factor in keeping up to date on the latest safety protocols. An annual crane safety education class is required for all the shop crew. We require forklift certification for anyone driving the forklift. Each quarter, we have a Safety Director come in to go over OSHA regulations with all our team members. Annual hearing conservation testing programs and respiratory programs are also required, to make sure everyone on the shop floor is wearing their PPE correctly. Everyone wearing a mask or dust mask is required to have a fit test, to make sure the sizing is correct and functioning. Additionally, we make sure our team members are educated on lifting correctly (lifting is a breeze when you bend at the knees!), back safety, and fall protection. We want our team to work smarter, not harder!
Safety Committee
CWMF has assembled a Safety Committee, which consists of one person from each department. Our Safety Committee meets quarterly and discusses, you guessed it, safety in the workplace. They go over different ways to improve/implement our safety standards, including what is working and what could use improvement. We also do monthly walkthroughs on the shop floor to make sure all safety protocols are being followed. This is followed up with a monthly Safety Newsletter to all team members. CWMF is proud to be accident-free for the past fourteen months! Following safety rules are your very best tools!
In Minnesota, the weather can always be a concern for our employees. With high temperatures and high humidity, we always keep our crew in mind. Hydration packs are available at all water stations throughout the hot summer months. When temperatures become too hot to handle, we try to adjust the shop floor schedule, so they can leave prior to the rising heat. During the cold months, our crew enjoys a comfortable indoor work environment away from the frigid outdoor freeze.
National Safety Month
Throughout National Safety Month we like to mix it up a bit! We talk about different areas of safety and ask for input/suggestions from our team members. This might sound boring, but when we incorporate safety through interactive trivia games, scavenger hunts, safety selfie contests, and giveaways, everybody is eager to play along! Safety can be fun if there are prizes to be won!
Looking out for our employee’s safety is number one. Their wellbeing matters to us, and we will continue to take all the precautions necessary to create a safe and happy work environment for our entire team. We want our employees to know we don’t only go the extra mile for our customers, we go the extra mile for our employees too. When we work together as a team, we can achieve great things.
