Worker Safety Best Practices Not only is the health of the community important, but also the safety of the project’s workers, especially when it comes to FUSRAP projects. Michael Johnson, team leader, New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said, “Safety is very important for all construction projects and especially for FUSRAP projects because these projects introduce the workers to potential exposures to contaminants above and beyond your typical construction project hazards.” Because of this, the team has implemented a series of worker safety best practices for its workers. The team has been so successful in doing this that they achieved 1 million manhours without a lost time accident. “This type of achievement is rare. This is the only project that I have worked on in the Army Corps that has achieved this milestone,” says Johnson who has worked on this project for 15 years. Following are some of the key worker safety best practices the team is performing that make this project a leader in worker safety. A.M. Safety Counseling Every morning, the workers take part in a short Daily Tailgate Meeting. According to Johnson, this 30-minute meeting sets the day for the team. During the meeting, they discuss several things including the project’s safety analyses that can include discussing the steps needed to get through the potential hazards of a specific job. They also discuss a safety topic of the day that can include near misses or accidents that happened in the construction industry recently. Following this they hold a Q & A session and then the workers get up and take to the floor for some stretching exercises before heading out to the job site. Worker Empowerment Workers are encouraged to have open dialogue to reduce workplace accidents. Johnson said, “For example, the workers have Stop Work Authority which means anyone on the job has the authority to stop the project if they observe unsafe conditions or behavior.” Safety Incentive Award Program Each month, workers receive safety incentive awards for proactively taking steps to ensure safety on the project. According to Johnson, this program is a way to ensure inclusion for the project’s safety commitment. The program is designed to have targeted goals that empower personnel to have “skin in the game” and encourages workers to proactively take ownership of the project safety culture by meeting those safety-oriented goals. In addition, each quarter, workers are selected by their peers as the “Quarterly Safety Performer” recognizing exemplary safety performance and achievement. According to Bill Lorenz, vice president of Cabrera Services, Inc., a contractor who plays an integral part in the project’s safety measures says, “We are recognizing and rewarding our employees, not only for noticing and taking actions to eliminate hazards from the job site, but also for making positive observations that illustrate a commitment to safety for everyone on the project.” Cabrera Services, Inc. is headquartered in East Hartford Connecticut.
New York District Commander, Mathew Luzzatto touring the FUSRAP Maywood Superfund Site in New Jersey in February 2023. Credit: Nayelli Guerrero, Public Affairs, New York District.
New York District Commander, Mathew Luzzatto being shown a map of the FUSRAP Maywood Superfund Site in New Jersey in February 2023. Credit: Nayelli Guerrero, Public Affairs, New York District.
New York District Commander, Mathew Luzzatto touring the FUSRAP Maywood Superfund Site in New Jersey in 2019 and watching soil being placed into a railcar. Credit: JoAnne Castagna, Public Affairs, New York District.
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csengineermag.com
June 2023
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