Safe Start Breakfast

[StihlKiwi]

Had our annual Safe Start breakfast at work today as its back to work time after the Christmas/New Years break. Nearly 300 logging, silviculture and roading contractors/workers who got a cooked breakfast along with a guest speaker, a spiel on doing it right an not getting hurt/killed, and some awards.
Our company runs a program with the logging crews during the year where the focus is on training and safe working practices etc. The top performer, based on skill, competence, correct technique and practices and so on in six categories (manaul falling, skid work, machine operating etc) were recognized, and given a certificate and a shiny new 660 each (courtesy of Stihl NZ).

I've only worked here a couple of months, and I was impressed with how the whole thing was run, with the emphasis being on the crews to establish a good health and safety culture within the crew, and to take some pride in working in an environment that allows everyone to go home in one piece each night. And the guest speaker had some bloody good yarns too

 

[imagineero]

Sounds like a great day mate!
When I was working in the south island, a safe start breakfast was one that didn't give you the ####s on the way to the forest. Otherwise you'd be wiping your ass with leaves. We never had a day where someone didn't turn up with a bag of crystal meth. I never partook, and always felt uncomfortable being around those guys! Couldn't believe how open it all was.

Sounds like you are in with a good crew.

Shaun

 

[StihlKiwi]

Yeah seems to be something a lot of the forestry companies are doing these days so I guess it's having the desired effect.

We randomly drug test a couple of crews a month, but it only goes so far to stamping out meth use as its only detectable in a piss test for something like 22hrs. That's a part of what building good culture in the crews is about, creating a work environment where that's unacceptable.

 

[northmanlogging]

If you suspect or know a guy is using meth have them tested that day, and fired that night. If they refuse the test can em.

I have had the pleasure of working with many a tweaker, would rather see them dead...
As much as they endanger themselves they endanger others as well... Its not hard to refuse to work with someone and give drugs for your reason. If the bossman don't see it that way your miles ahead working for someone else, even if the pay is less

Of course laws in NZ may be different than here... but hopefully its better...

 

[StihlKiwi]

Company policy is to test after any incident/accident and also when the is reasonable cause. Good way to weed out the dodgy ones