Safe Solutions

Joe Black was ready to celebrate. He had just received the best news a roofing contractor could expect from his insurance company. After a recent job-site inspection, Joe's company, Black Roofing, was deemed by its insurance company to be taking the necessary steps to correct loss-control problems. Jerry, the loss-control representative, stated in a report that a perceptible improvement had occurred in Black Roofing's field operations.

Joe went on to read in the report that adherence to standard safety practices was notably more stringent than in previous surveys. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was being used; proper clothing was being worn; ladders were being set up properly; and fall protection and perimeter protection were in force. Crews apparently were more aware of what was expected of them in terms of safety practices—there seemed to be less hesitation to use safety gear and work safely. Joe was most pleased to read Jerry thought Black Roofing's crews worked exceptionally well as a team.

A few months ago, Black Roofing was on the verge of not being renewed by its insurance company because of a poor loss ratio caused by two severe workers' compensation losses during a three-month period.

In the first loss, an employee fell 40 feet (12 m) to his death even though a safety perimeter warning line was set up. The employee had gone beyond the perimeter line and apparently stepped off the roof. Black Roofing's insurer paid $330,000 for this loss. The second loss occurred when an employee slipped and fell 30 feet (9 m) while descending a ladder. The employee was in a coma, and the insurer incurred $775,000 from this loss.

But Joe was granted a last chance to improve safety. Jerry explained that though Black Roofing's written safety program looked good, it was not being enforced in the field. Although Joe thought he was conscientious in using past loss-control recommendations from his insurance company, he did not realize there was neither total follow through in the field nor full enforcement of the insurance company's recommendations.

With Jerry's help, Joe significantly improved Black Roofing's safety program and worker behavior by doing the following:

• Updating the company's safety policy with simple revisions. Joe added three paragraphs explaining his position on safety. He stated he expects a commitment to safety from each employee, all employees will be held accountable for following safety procedures and the disciplinary policy will be enforced. The revisions were given to each employee.
  
  
• Giving new employees a series of training videos and PPE on their first day of employment. Tests also were instituted during employees' first week of employment to ensure workers followed the videos' instructions.
  
  
• Hiring a company to provide fall-protection training and job safety training. The focus was on worksite training.
  
  
• Forming a safety committee composed of employees from each level of Black Roofing. Joe needed to find out how the safety policies worked in the field. The safety committee had the advantage of encouraging employee safety, developing new ideas and creating enthusiasm for safety at all employee levels.
  
  
• Promoting a supervisor to safety director. The bilingual employee presents safety materials to the crews in English and Spanish. The safety director has total authority regarding all safety issues and oversees the entire safety program by working with foremen and other supervisors. The safety director reports to Joe.
  
  
• Beginning new jobs one day earlier than their start dates. The extra day is used to set up safety equipment, properly arrange ladders and warning lines, conduct additional prejob surveys and perform other safety tasks.
  
  
• Instituting an employee incentive program. The program provides all crew members with a monetary award, such as rewarding roofing workers with $30 gift certificates for every 50 days they work with no accidents and when satisfactory results are obtained on daily written safety checks of a crew's performance. This is done monthly and awarded to a crew because it takes a team effort to win the safety award.
  
  
• Creating more foreman accountability. The foremen's goals include doing well on daily safety checks. A written accountability for safety now is an element of foremen's annual reviews, along with productivity, cost control and leadership.
  
  

Joe felt good about the implemented plans and programs. He was certain the next renewal would be much easier because Black Roofing's employees were working more safely.

Leslie Kazmierowski is NRCA's insurance programs manager.