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Reminders Keep Safety Top of Mind at Weeping Water
Because safety is the number one concern at PotashCorp, its Weeping Water plant has come up with a way to help keep the safety message top of mind.
Three safety-related questions are prominently posted throughout the facility, and everyone who sets foot there is handed a card with the questions.
Because it is a relatively small facility, safety management at the 35-person Weeping Water, Nebraska, feed phosphate operation can be accomplished on a person-to-person level.
That's one reason that the Weeping Water site has an exemplary safety record, earning a platinum award of honor with distinction from the National Safety Council of Greater Omaha for 11 years running. The plant was also awarded the US Mine Safety and Health Administration's prestigious Sentinels of Safety Award three years in a row.
"We've increased safety training for all our supervisors, but we've also added the lead foremen at the plant to our safety leadership team, so we've got 15 of our 35 people leading the way in safety," said General Manager William Donohue. "All these leaders then become effective coaches on safety, and everyone in the plant understands the priority we put on safety."
As a result of the March 2007 leadership meeting, the following questions were established for risk analysis:
| 1. |
Are the tools, equipment and manpower adequate to accomplish the job? |
| a) |
If not, what is needed in order to proceed safely? |
| 2. |
Do you have any suggestions on how to perform the job safely, and what are your safety concerns about the job? |
| 3. |
Do you understand the hazards/exposures of the job, and what have you done to reduce or eliminate these hazards? |
In addition to Leadership Team meetings every other month, safety is at the top of the agenda at quarterly all-employee meetings.
"Everyone hears the same, clear messages: 'We're all accountable for safety.' And the goal of the company remains 'no harm to people or to the environment.' Consistency is the key to really bringing those messages home to people," Donohue said.
The proof is in the statistics. Weeping Water finished off 2007 with more than three years without a lost time accident, and had no recordable accidents in 2007, as well.
"We're a smaller-sized plant, and with our size you certainly can send clear, consistent messages that you know every single employee hears," Donohue said. "You can do this, though, whether you are 35 or 350 employees. The process just takes time and effort. We have found that by increasing safety leadership and pushing that responsibility further down the chain of command, everyone starts to take more and more ownership of safety."
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