16
THE DAVEY BULLETIN
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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
