Assessing Your Approach to Risk Management

By Greg Plumley, Director of Loss Control - Forestry Mutual Insurance Company

In the realm of accidents, the age-old adage states, "Accidents will happen." Yet, is it accurate to believe that all accidents are entirely unavoidable? Another familiar saying contends, "There's no such thing as an accident." Perhaps, while some instances of misfortune may be destined, it is essential to acknowledge that we have all likely contributed to an accident through our own negligence, if we are truly honest with ourselves.

Nobody should lead a life so steeped in risk aversion that they find themselves holed up in a bunker. Nevertheless, cultivating an awareness of potential hazards and being attuned to one's surroundings can undoubtedly aid in navigating a day devoid of accidents. Embracing a more conscientious "safety attitude" could potentially save lives.

To gauge your personal safety attitude, it is worthwhile to ponder how frequently you contemplate safety in your work environment. If your response leans towards "not very often" or "only when a colleague is injured," adopting a fresh outlook on safety may be beneficial. Here's a recommendation: Identify what, within your operation, constitutes a high risk and cultivate a mindset geared towards recognizing and mitigating those risks daily.

Forestry Mutual has pinpointed six key areas that substantially influence daily risk levels. Prioritizing these six facets will not only decrease your risk exposure but also foster an overarching culture of safety within your workforce.

1. New Employees:?Operations where one or more employees possess less than a year's experience on the job are more susceptible to logging incidents. Assign a mentor from among your experienced colleagues to guide new employees.
2. Team Experience:?Operations where employees have functioned as a cohesive unit for five years or longer exhibit a reduced risk of logging incidents.
3. Mechanization:?Operations that fully embrace mechanization, thereby eliminating manual chainsaw operation in all production functions, particularly felling, can markedly curtail logging incident exposure.
4. Safety Attitude:?Operations in which both the owner and employees demonstrate a genuine concern for safety, reflected in consistent usage of proper safety equipment, adherence to safe operating procedures, regular safety meetings, and strict enforcement of safety rules, minimize their logging incident exposure. There should be no tolerance for unsafe behavior.
5. Safety Awareness:?Operations that maintain consistent safety awareness and training programs cultivate a workforce with a proactive safety mindset, anticipating the unexpected. Leveraging safety meetings and informative articles can effectively promote a reduction in incident exposure.
6. Accountability:?Operations led by individuals who consistently exhibit unwavering accountability for safety rule violations foster a secure work environment. Accountability significantly diminishes incident exposure when coupled with a sincere concern for employee safety.

Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact your Forestry Mutual Field Representative, who is ready and willing to assist you. Education equips you with the knowledge needed to shield yourself from the ever-growing risk levels and daily liabilities you encounter.

Remember, "Safety is a full-time job; don't make it a part-time practice."