June is National Safety Month, a time dedicated to emphasizing the importance of maintaining a safe and hazard-free environment for both employees and customers. However, at Medford Wellington, we prioritize safety every single day.
Whether we are working on commercial services or construction projects, our goal is to make sure we are doing the job right, while adhering to all safety protocols.
At Medford Wellington, safety is a collective responsibility that spans the entire organization, from tradespeople to management. We expect individual accountability and ensure that every team member returns home just as they came to work.
Over the last five years our team has worked almost 1.2 million hours, with only 120 hours of lost time due to minor injuries. We are proud to have achieved this 0.01 % lost time injury rate and expect to do even better in the coming months.
So how do we prioritize safety?
The process begins the very first day an employee joins the company and continues all through their career here at Medford Wellington. Our safety program comprises of six key pillars:
Caring
As teammates, we all are in this together. We are caretakers of one another’s safety, whether that means giving a team member a hand at a job site or distributing Gatorade and cold water during hot days. Caring for our colleagues is crucial, and we encourage everyone to contribute to this culture of mutual support.
Training
According to OSHA, more than 60% of accidents in construction happen in the employee’s first year, emphasizing the importance of early and practical safety training. At Medford Wellington, every new employee is immersed in extensive safety training procedures and demonstrations from day one – starting with 8-hour training to reviewing more than 100 pages of safety manuals. The training continues, protocols reinforced and expanded upon as employees progress in their careers. From mitigating potential hazards and best ways to avoid accidents, despite the unpredictability of certain situations. We continuously remind everyone of the importance of safety and implement best practices to keep our employees and clients safe and avoid challenging situations
Inspection
In our commercial services and construction roles, thorough inspection is crucial – from spot checks on site to equipment tests to make sure they remain operational 24×7. My team conducts more than 600 safety inspections annually. We also constantly speak with our team on how to properly deal with chemicals and protect eyes with safety glasses to the safest way to service and install customers’ equipment.
Re-training
We regularly conduct ongoing safety training for our employees, underscoring our serious, diligent, and tenacious commitment to these practices. We emphasize the importance of thoroughly understanding the programs designed to educate employees on precautionary processes and methods for mitigating workplace risks, injuries, and fatalities. Additionally, we distribute a weekly newsletter called Toolbox Talk, which provides tips and procedures on various safety topics, from staying hydrated during the summer months and preventing falls to safe driving and mental health. Finally, we make revisiting safety protocols fun by creating a Jeopardy-like game to quiz people on fall protection and fall hazards.
Accountability
Accountability is key to maintaining safety standards. It involves understanding the reasons behind any mishaps, assessing employee responsibility and working to prevent future incidents. Employees must consistently strive to meet safety standards and uphold their responsibilities.
Bottomline
As we emphasize the importance of workplace safety, we remind the team that safety is everyone’s responsibility – not just this month but all year long. In my 13 years of service here, I have seen the best of the best rise to the occasion and come together as one team and ensure everyone goes home the way they came to work.
Here’s to many more injury-free days at Medford Wellington.
XXX
Zachary Isabelle is safety manager at Medford Wellington.