Steve, a young roof mechanic, had worked for Len's Roofing for about a year. He had established himself as a responsible and good worker.
Early one August morning, Steve was sent with a crew to install a built-up roof system on a small commercial building. The crew drove to the job site in three new pickup trucks.
The day's work went well. The crew worked hard; proper safety precautions were taken; and no accidents or injuries occurred.
At the end of the day, Steve asked Dave, the foreman, whether he could borrow one of Len's Roofing's trucks for a few hours to help his sister move a few pieces of furniture into her new apartment.
Dave considered Steve's request for a moment and then agreed. Steve was a good driver and responsible, Dave reasoned, and he only needed the truck for a few hours.
That evening, Steve helped his sister move furniture. When they finished, he got into the truck and headed back to Len's Roofing. On the way, Steve's cell phone rang. His friend Joe wanted to know whether Steve wanted to meet for a beer. Steve agreed. After all, Steve thought, he could return the truck immediately afterward.
Three hours and eight beers later, Steve climbed back into the truck and headed to Len's Roofing. He approached a stop sign and, instead of halting, coasted through it. A police officer saw the truck move through the intersection without stopping. The officer pulled Steve over.
It didn't take long for the officer to suspect Steve was driving under the influence of alcohol. A Breathalyzer™ test confirmed the officer's suspicions. Steve was arrested, and the truck was impounded.
The next morning at Len's Roofing, Dave noticed the truck was missing. When Steve failed to report to work, Dave became even more anxious. He went to talk to Len, the company's owner.
Len was furious. He demanded to know why Dave had let Steve borrow the truck. Dave explained he had trusted Steve and believed he would return the truck on time. Disgusted, Len went to the city impound to retrieve the truck.
The next day, Len called his attorney. After Len explained what had happened, his attorney asked whether Len's Roofing had a written policy addressing employee use of company vehicles and equipment.
Employees need to be given clear guidelines and understand their responsibilities when using company vehicles and other property, the attorney explained. For instance, under no circumstances should a company vehicle be driven for non-work-related purposes. Also, driving a company vehicle after consuming alcohol must be strictly prohibited. Anyone caught driving under the influence should be dismissed immediately.
The attorney also advised Len to establish a mandatory drug- and alcohol-testing program.
After hanging up the telephone, Len thought hard about how to handle the previous day's events. When Steve showed up for work, Len told Steve he would be suspended from work for a week, and the impound fee Len had paid would be deducted from Steve's next paycheck. Also, because of Steve's drinking and driving charge and its effect on Len's Roofing's insurance costs, Steve would never again be permitted to drive a company vehicle.
Next, Len met with Dave and told him he was suspended for two days for allowing an employee to drive a company vehicle for a non-work-related purpose.
The next day, Len held a meeting for all Len's Roofing employees. He explained the company's new policy and asked each employee to sign a contract that included the company's updated rules. He also told them that future violations of Len's Roofing's policies would result in immediate termination.
Len was dedicated to his company's success. And that success, he told his employees, depended on everyone's commitment to safety.
Peter Greenbaum is NRCA's director of education and training media.
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