PERSISTENCE PAYS!!!?
While safety is likely one of the most unpopular aspects of any business, in reality, it ends up being one of the most important. As Health & Safety Professionals, we understand the importance, and relevance of a good safety program, and more often than not, the biggest challenge is to have the Management and Workers buy into the program. Safety plays a role in WCB premiums, contract bidding, training costs, and ultimately, the Health and Safety of the entire workforce. No matter how incredible the program may be, if the communication and cooperation link between all parties is broken, the message just does not get through.
I am the Health and Safety Coordinator for a medium sized COR certified concrete company. The company had their COR certification before I was brought on, but there was a lack of buy in by a lot of the workers. The company knew the importance of safety, but lacked the resources and expertise to communicate the message and properly administer the program. This is where I came on board.
I brought with me over 20 years of labour and safety background, and wanted to focus my career in safety, and so the new career path began. After only 5 months on the job, I was advised that I had been accepted in the Occupational Health & Safety Program at Red River College, an excellent Canadian Certificate Program. https://me.rrc.mb.ca/Catalogue/ProgramInfo.aspx?ProgCode=OCCHF-CT&RegionCode=WPG
I completed the program with honors and returned to work with a wealth of information to help improve a good program. The cookie cutter program has now been completely customized to reflect the business in detail. Workers played a big part in rewriting the program, especially with the Safe Job Practices, and Safe Work Procedures. This provided them some ownership. It was now their program. Forms have been simplified and revamped, and an excellent core group of workers have received training and supports, and now proudly assist their teams in the field with all aspects of Health and Safety.
A year ago, paperwork from the field was very intermittent, and poorly documented. Now, I can be comfortable with the knowledge that more than 80% of the paperwork will be provided to the office in a timely fashion, and will be well compiled. There is a new awareness and acceptance on the sites of the importance of safety, and though it is far from perfect, it is miles from where we were just over one year ago.
When I say that Persistence Pays, I mean it. A career in Safety usually equates to people being upset that we are limiting the way they work. I now hear a lot more inclusion and appreciation of the work we have and continue to do in regards to safety. When I don't hear anything at the end of the day, I often sit back and smile.I do that because it means all of the workers went home safe. Just another day at the office