Company Safety Policies

[Curbside]

This is a several part question.

I would imagine the large companies all have Written Safety Policies but how many smaller companies all have Written Safety Policies? Do you break your safety book down for each peice of machinery that you own? Did you make the booklet up yourself, hire a company to do it for you or find someone elses and adopt it as your own? How often do you have safety meetings and do you have all your employees sign the booklet and at each meeting?

Presently I do not have a written policy as I am quite small company but new rules have been made here and I think I am going to have to get one written up.

Does anyone have one they might be willing to share?

 

[treemandan]

One reason it is good to have written policies is that someone can't say they didn't know. Think about the lady who sued Mc Doanalds.
If you are small or big it is good to have things written down and a copy for all to sign. Unless you trust everybody really really well.
In order to accomedate your situation where you have no written policy and there are things you need to add from time to time try this:
Start with a 3 binder and put all the things you feel you need in it and give to your guys/ girls. Once a week or month hold meetings where you bring up old and new topics. You should ask for feedback from the people you expect to follow the policies. You should ask the people you pay to help write them.
This way you stand a better chance of people understanding and feeling like they should be following the policies.
Try to think of ways to write yor policies that states the policy and gives an example.

 

[Curbside]

Well I know this is not exactly the most interesting thread but I figured their would be a few more comments in regards to the question?

Maybe no one has a safety policy and hoping to ignore or is the title just to boring? Ha.

 

[JShaw]

Our company doesn't have a written policy. But we are a two man company and talk alot about safety issues. My concern is more ANSI and industry safety standards. As long as we are abiding by those regulations I'm without a written policy. If we were to begin to grow our business and hire employees I would definately start looking into written policies that cover everything. One thing I've learned, cover your butt.

 

[RedlineIt]

Curbside,

I've done a crapload of work in this area, albeit for a large corporation that had no idea how compliant they were, how effective their training was, who was trained, on what, by whom, and why do we have all these accidents.

You say there are new rules in Manitoba? OK.

How are you doing on the old stuff so far. Have you done WHMIS training yet, do you have an MSDS folder? This is basic federal stuff, first day training.

An absolute basic is whenever you deliver training, it must be documented by all who received it. If it is not documented, it did not happen.

Next simple step is to read the manuals that came with your equipment, and understand them well enough that you can take an employee or group of employees through the manual quickly.

I could tell you how to set up a training manual template, but I would have to charge you consulting fees.


RedlineIt

 

[BC WetCoast]

Having written policies is a good thing for worker's comp. If an employee gets injured doing something that is against your safety policy and they understand that policy (by signing off on it), then you can dispute the claim.

All your employees, subs and temp hires, should be given a copy of the safety policies to read when they start and should sign off before they start. A PITA, I know, but can save you in the long run.

Worker's comp here (Worksafe BC) will go after company directors personally for flagrant violations. If you are a small limited company, you (and/or your partner) may be the only director, so the safety of the limited company is bypassed. It is important to understand how the worker's comp in your jurisdiction is regulated.

 

[treemandan]

Having written policies is a good thing for worker's comp. If an employee gets injured doing something that is against your safety policy and they understand that policy (by signing off on it), then you can dispute the claim.

All your employees, subs and temp hires, should be given a copy of the safety policies to read when they start and should sign off before they start. A PITA, I know, but can save you in the long run.

Worker's comp here (Worksafe BC) will go after company directors personally for flagrant violations. If you are a small limited company, you (and/or your partner) may be the only director, so the safety of the limited company is bypassed. It is important to understand how the worker's comp in your jurisdiction is regulated.

Actually in Pa( USA) the workers comp covers stupidity and ignorance. At least that is what I am led to believe. You say" don't do that" and they do, they still get the comp. I guess it covers accidents, which it should, but allows for morons to roam freely.

Hell, you could have a heart attack on the job and WC would cover it. I guess that is actually fair, somehow.

 

[RedlineIt]

Curbside,

When new regs come out, your local municipality are supposed to be the first on the block to implement them. They're sort of ethically bound, (or driven by unions,) to set the safety example.

If your local town or city has a tree division affected by the new regs, they are likely to be the first to implement training. You can't go wrong by stopping in for a chat with the local muni tree warden or manager to ask about that issue, and then how they set up their training in general.

Municipalities are the only people doing the same(ish) job who are not in direct competition with you, and are a great resource for this type of info.


RedlineIt

 

[lxt]

You can get safety tailgate meetings! I got mine through a dept of Labor recognized safety training facilty.....right now cant remember the name.

Its on a disk & is specifically for tree care, my guys get one every week! read it, understand it, sign it & give it back to me!!!

you actually have to do this atleast in PA, if Osha spot checks you or you get a safety audit you better show you provide training!!


LXT.........

 

[techdave]

Frequency of Safety meeetings.

Howdy, I work for a Large corporation, and volunteer for a Large state agency.

There is ALWAYS a safety topic covered with the whole crew on a monthly basis. This is the minimum for crews that do not work together.( Most guys work along in our industry, even having a helper is rare.)

Crews in the agency I volunteer in must do a weekly meeting of 15-20 minutes MINIMUM on a topic pertinent to waht they are about to do.

Both situations have a new hire sign off after attending a safety talk or video as part of orientation. General stuff like safe vehicle ops, no drinking policy, no cell phone while drving policy, use of backbelts, saftey glasses, lockout tags, kevlar arm sleeves, etc.

For a tree company the general stuff might also include how to do traffic control, and how to feed the chipper and how to coupleand uncouple trailers safely. HTH Dave.

 

[clearance]

Having written policies is a good thing for worker's comp. If an employee gets injured doing something that is against your safety policy and they understand that policy (by signing off on it), then you can dispute the claim.

All your employees, subs and temp hires, should be given a copy of the safety policies to read when they start and should sign off before they start. A PITA, I know, but can save you in the long run.

Worker's comp here (Worksafe BC) will go after company directors personally for flagrant violations. If you are a small limited company, you (and/or your partner) may be the only director, so the safety of the limited company is bypassed. It is important to understand how the worker's comp in your jurisdiction is regulated.

It is still the WCB, Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia. They are still legally doing business under that name. "Worksafe B.C.' is a doing business as name (d.b.a.) They changed their name, but not really, same B.S., same heartless culls who screw over injured workers. Employees are covered regardless, although the coverage they get is questionable in most cases.

Get them to sign off on it so you can dispute the claim, nice. I can see it now, for example, one handing. He signed right here that he is to run a saw with two hands (but I want production, put that handsaw away or you can look for another job). More B.S.

 

[Curbside]

Hey some good ideas there. When you talk about going over how to operate the chipper and couple and uncouple trailers how detailed is your meeting/manuel. Is it a step by step?

 

[ropensaddle]

Hey some good ideas there. When you talk about going over how to operate the chipper and couple and uncouple trailers how detailed is your meeting/manuel. Is it a step by step?

How many different hitch manufacturers are out there no two exactly
the same! I have a fifth wheel, pintle,gooseneck,and ball and 1-7/8 2"
and 2-5/16 break away and air way too many choices!
Now they should know how they function or stay away from
the altogether, I wont pull a trailer unless I inspect the coupling.
It is the drivers responsibility and I have a cdl and don't want
some crack head anywhere near the hitch area. The best thing
you can tell them is never do anything until all steps in the hitching process are finished safety chains crossed breakaway
hooked up pins in place,lights plugged in a checked ! Trailer
brakes checked wheel chocks put up etc. try telling a crack
head all this on Monday and see what you end up with!

 

[fireman]

Safety Procedures

I right sop's standard operating procedures for chain saw operation, chipper operation,tree removal for groundies [when to remove branches when climber is cutting]and traffic control.My employees when first hired do not touch equipment for a week and have someone assigned to them to teach them how we work and know our procedures.They understand the dangers of each piece equipment and what not to do and what the equipment is designed for and what the limitations are.until they understand it they just drag branches even if they say they have experience.I tell my guys no question is a dumb question ask if you don't know and don't act like you do know because that is when someone is going to get hurt.It is very important to protect your self and your guys.

 

[Dadatwins]

I right sop's standard operating procedures for chain saw operation, chipper operation,tree removal for groundies [when to remove branches when climber is cutting]and traffic control.My employees when first hired do not touch equipment for a week and have someone assigned to them to teach them how we work and know our procedures.They understand the dangers of each piece equipment and what not to do and what the equipment is designed for and what the limitations are.until they understand it they just drag branches even if they say they have experience.I tell my guys no question is a dumb question ask if you don't know and don't act like you do know because that is when someone is going to get hurt.It is very important to protect your self and your guys.

Are hard hats, and basic PPE part of this training??? Do not see much of it here?

http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=62050

 

[OldArborist]

Look, I'm old and I've been at this for 20 years before I saved up enough money to retire a bit early.

If you have a small company - like I had - small enough that you know your 2-3 workers in person and can trust them, you don't need to bother with all 'em strange papers.

But you know what, above the size that you can personally know all your workers and explain stuff to them, get your stuff printed out and written down.

 

[techdave]

Hi Curbside, re the meetings & manuals

The monthly crew meetings come with written safety instructions on general topics like how to use a MSDS or how to service hardwired equipment or appliances safely.

The annual qualifications for a given piece of equipment like saw or brushcutter or truck are more detailed and include operating instructions for common modes of operation, plus safety dos and donts. Some stuff like the tracked equipment for making trails needs the above class, plus evaluation of hands on by an instructor.

The tailgate type meetings should ALWAYS be specific to todays work or recent work and include detailed cautions and best operatiing procedures.

See also my answer to old sawyer next.

 

[techdave]

Some reasons why even the experienced need ...

Safety training and especially the tailgate meetings.

With all due respect to Old Arborist, there is no reason for ANYONE not to get periodic safety reminders.

This is especially true of the "tailgate meetings".

Ok so your crew is experienced and you know them and vice sersa. You are all competent. Great. BUT:

What if you make a physical mistake or mental error?

Who is more likely to catch the error and correct you before you hurt you or do damages? Your crew as is , or your crew that just had a meeting specific to the job you are doing today??

W egot to look out for each other, and the tailgate meeting means everybody pretty much gets teh benefit from not just the smartest/most experienced guy, but from all the experieence and know how of ALL the guys!!

 

[take3wraps]

Head is in ass , , don't panic , breathe , seriously your heads are up your ass.

 

[techdave]

Hi Take2 wraps

What did yuo mean by your post, Are you saying having a safety policy is good or bad? And who are you calling HUA?