Safety
Management Accountability and Commitment
All supervisory personnel are held accountable for the safety performance of the workforce under their direct control. Performance data is tabulated and transmitted to these individuals on a monthly basis. Safety performance is allocated the same priority as financial profit and loss, as they are inextricably related. Therefore, bonuses and other compensation reflect the evaluation of safety performance data.
Written Safety and Health Programs
Any evaluation of our Safety Program must begin with our Safety Manual titled, Project Safety, Hazard Communication and Substance Abuse Manual, Developed in 1990, it has been substantially revised in 1994, 1997, 2003, 2006, 2007 and is in continual revision, as regulations and practices change.
Orientation of New Employees
One of the most critical of challenges for all contractors is the incorporation of new-hires into the safety and health philosophy of the company. At Miller Electric, we continually emphasize the inherent responsibility to work safely. By targeting human values, we strive to raise the awareness level necessary for our employees to develop and maintain the proper mindset for safe work habits. Through such mediums as new-hire orientations, periodic training sessions, in-house newsletters and weekly and monthly safety talks, we constantly emphasize safe behavior and personal accountability.
Site Safety Meetings
Safety meetings are held on each jobsite every Monday morning at 7:00 AM. Conducted by the site superintendent or designee, all subjects are derived from a booklet specifically assembled in-house for this purpose. Any site specific safety requirements are emphasized at this time. In addition, we hold quarterly Safety Training Meetings at our Home and Branch Offices for all employees in the immediate area and specific on-site training as required.
Disciplinary Action for Unsafe Work Practices
No Safety Management Program can be effective without disciplinary action for unsafe work practices. We have attempted to mirror OSHA in this regard by categorizing minor and life-threatening safety infractions, and tailoring the punishment to the violation.
Major or leading-hazard type violations (such as violations of fall protection, excavation, confined space, lock-out / tag-out/energized work, ladders and scaffolds) are punishable by immediate termination.
Our supervision is not excluded from this policy. Effective supervision plays a vital role in the overall safety of our projects; therefore if the investigation into a violation of compliance shows that the supervisor was delinquent in his/her duties, they would in turn receive discipline under the same provisions.
Safe Work Permit Systems for Hazardous Area/Work and Confined Spaces
Miller Electric recognizes that one of the primary tools of both proof of compliance and instilling a sense of awareness regarding an impending task, is the use of permits and checklists. For this reason, we have developed a Permitting System for work on energized equipment. Too often people in our industry readily accept the risks associated with working on energized equipment. It may have been considered a regular part of our scope of work, but not any longer. By the utilizing these forms, we have sought to raise the awareness level of the substantial hazards involved, within the customer and facilities manager, as well as our own workforce.
By including the customer in the sign-off process for working energized equipment, we have discovered that what equipment was previously described as unable to be de-energized can now be scheduled for shut-down.
Incident Reporting/ Accident Investigation and Maintenance of Accident Statistics
Incident reporting and accident investigation are functions critical to those of supervisor accountability. By targeting the source of the accident or near-miss (source is defined as an attitude, individual, process or event) remedial efforts at reducing the prospect of a repeat is greatly enhanced. In addition, by requiring the signature of all levels of supervision (up to and including project management), supervisory personnel are acutely aware of their accountability to the maintenance of a safe work site.
Program for Monitoring Subcontractor Safety Program
As we are a subcontractor, our use of other subcontractors is very limited. However, in those rare occasions where we utilize other subcontractors, we contractually require these contractors to follow the same rules, regulations and policies dictated by our Safety Program.