A Safe + Sound Safety Program
Gaines and Company jobsites are very busy and progress at a fast pace. Robust safety programs – rooted in Management Leadership, Worker Participation, and Finding and Fixing Hazards – are necessary to ensure sitewide safety.
Gaines and Company earned its industry-leading reputation in site development services due to 70 years of relevant experience. This success would not be possible, though, without their robust health and safety program at the foundation of all company decisions, processes, and procedures. Gaines and Company celebrates OSHA’s Safe + Sound Week (August 15-21) by reflecting on the components of a successful health and safety program.
The site development services that Gaines and Company provides includes underground utilities, grading, excavating, erosion controls, and road work for home builders and developers, general contractors, military installations and state, federal and municipal authorities throughout Maryland, North Carolina, Washington D.C., and Delaware. This work could not be completed successfully without prioritizing safety throughout all aspects of the job with a safety and health program.
According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the core elements of a safety and health program are management leadership, worker participation, and finding and fixing hazards. Gaines and Company integrates these concepts into all aspects of their work, from decision-making to project execution.
Management Leadership
Management leadership is crucial to a successful health and safety program. This component requires that leadership not only makes decisions prioritizing health and safety, but also supports those decisions with actions.
Gaines and Company integrates this concept into performance through their consistent safety-focused actions. Not only did leadership develop a systematic safety and health plan, but they also support it with necessary resources. Additionally, they recognize employees who advance the company’s safety culture with the Safety Excellence Achievement Award.
Gaines and Company crews start work each day by first reviewing the work plan, proactively addressing all safety concerns and considerations.
Worker Participation
Who knows their jobs better than the employees performing the work every day? Worker participation makes employees accountable for enhancing the health and safety program by providing solutions to obstacles they encounter without fear of discrimination or retaliation.
Routine pre-job briefs are just one example of Gaines and Company employees contributing to the health and safety culture. During this time, work for the day is reviewed as a crew, as well as any incidents or near misses. All employees apply lessons learned and the work plan to the context of their individual roles, determining if and how improvements can be integrated. This leads to a safety jobsite every day.
Routine training and safety processes and procedures, which are initiated by management leadership and fulfilled through worker participation, are an integral part of Gaines and Company’s comprehensive health and safety program.
Find and Fix Hazards
Finding and fixing hazards is the responsibility of employees throughout all levels, roles, and responsibilities of an organization. According to OSHA, finding and fixing hazards should be a proactive, systematic approaching to hazard identification and mitigation before an incident or injury occurs.
Gaines and Company crews perform routine hazard assessments, including inspecting all tools and equipment prior to use. Additionally, the organization empowers employees with the responsibility of Stop Work Authority, meaning work will not continue if a situation is not safe.
Gaines and Company’s comprehensive safety and health program was methodically developed and routinely enhanced through participation from all employees, regardless of seniority, role, and level of experience. Gaines and Company uses its safety program to keep employees Safe + Sound.
