Trinity's Navasota, Texas Facility Celebrates 4 Years of Safety Excellence

Our Trinity Heads facility in Navasota, Texas, recently marked a significant safety milestone, achieving four consecutive years without a lost-time incident.

“With a record over four years and counting, our people get the biggest praise,” said Jared Birkhead, Plant Manager. “Whether it’s work-related or navigating the pandemic, our biggest success was our team’s dedication to one another. At the end of the day, safety isn’t a metric, it’s about the people.”

This remarkable achievement reflects the Navasota team’s unwavering commitment to safety, the well-being of each team member, and the continuous improvement of Trinity’s workplace practices.

“We have made a conscious effort to keep our employees updated on our safety metrics,” said Bryce Beall, Environmental, Health, and Safety Manager. “They all want to keep this streak running as long as possible, so they keep a sharp eye out for not only themselves but their fellow coworkers, contractors, and visitors.”

A lost-time incident refers to any workplace accident or injury that results in an employee being unable to perform their regular job duties for a specified period. Preventing these incidents is a key indicator of a robust safety culture.

“We strive to keep all our employees as informed as possible,” said Birkhead. “This includes daily safety briefings, monthly supervisor and manager meetings, and quarterly all-hands meetings with all employees. We make it a point to keep open lines of communication with all staff in Navasota.”

Becoming certified in ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 has also been a key factor in the facility’s success. Trinity was the first railcar manufacturer in North America to be certified to both rigorous standards.

“Getting certified helped us address the risks of our site and helped drive employee engagement,” said Beall. “It helped us get our safety programs well organized and ensures we are updating them to best fit the changing needs of our facility.”

The implementation of machine-guarding and light curtains has also been attributed to the facility’s safety success over the past four years.

“This has provided a much greater level of protection for our machine operators as they work with so many moving parts and components,” added Beall.

A safety committee meets monthly to examine facility metrics and generate new initiatives aimed at ensuring the team's safety. Additionally, the leadership team has acknowledged several employees who have contributed their ideas for enhancing safety.

“Leadership can present ideas and safety topics, but creating a safety culture means all employees buying into the idea,” said Birkhead. “That starts with all employees feeling empowered to help one another and call out an unsafe condition or act without feeling that there will be any type of repercussion.”

The constant dialogue between leadership and employees is crucial for developing a strong culture.

“Leadership needs to be able to walk the facility, and an employee at any time should feel comfortable enough to approach them with ideas, questions, and conversations about their work,” added Birkhead. “It’s about creating relationships with the people you work with every day. It's leadership's responsibility to get to know them and build that trust.”