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Davey Bulletin Nov-Dec 2020

The Davey Tree Expert Company provides residential and commercial tree service and landscape service throughout North America. Read our Flipbooks for helpful tips and information on proper tree and lawn care.

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16 THE DAVEY BULLETIN | November/December 2020 For Davey's Orange County account, vigilance in the field and teamwork are the cornerstones of their safety culture. An area of safety focus for this Eastern Utility operation is making sure the crew members remain attentive despite performing similar work each day. "It takes one time for someone to not pay attention or think the job site is the same as it has been the last hundred times. That's when incidents happen," said Mike Walsh, account manager. "Every morning, before we head out, we tell the crews to be vigilant and that today is a new day. There are always going to be hazards on every single job site." Marc Pierre, general foreman, echoed Walsh's thoughts on complacency. "With a climber, we reiterate to them to double check their safety tie-ins and double check their chain brakes on their chainsaws," Pierre said. "Part of our culture of safety is making sure everyone is paying attention to the small details." Pierre believes the promotion of teamwork and team building has led to a stronger safety culture for their account. In promoting teamwork, peer gear checks have become an essential part of holding each crew member accountable for each other's safety. "Creating that team environment is what enforces and encourages a strong safety culture," Pierre said. "It's not one person in charge of the safety culture. It's everyone. Sometimes my team will say, 'Hey Marc, you're not wearing ear protection around the chipper.' They do it as a reminder. I'm glad they have the confidence to say that to me even though I'm their supervisor." As Walsh stated, everyone is on equal footing when it comes to safety, whether a crew member is a foreman or the ground person. Everyone is encouraged to step up and look out for each other. "We want to make sure no one is afraid to call an all stop," Walsh said. "We want everyone to go home safely. If something is wrong, even if you're the newest crew member, you have the right to call an all stop, because it could save a life. We are also starting to have the person with the saw ask the rest of the team, 'Does anyone want to call an 'All Stop!' before I make the cut?' We find that people are more comfortable speaking up if they are reminded to do so." The biggest hazards for the Orange County account are struck-by incidents. Davey's drop and strike zone marking policy has been reiterated to the crews, so they always make sure to identify where the wood is falling on the work site. Marc Pierre said they are really focusing on removals and trimming, so the crew members understand what could strike them and the appropriate distances they should be away from a tree while it's being removed. A CULTURE BUILT ON EQUAL FOOTING SAFETY

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