2nd QTR Safety Team Meeting Recap

This week, we’re recapping the highlights from our 2nd Quarter Safety Team Meeting held on June 3rd. If you weren’t in the room, no problem—we’re sharing everything here because transparency matters and everyone deserves to be in the loop.

Shoutouts - PASE Award Recognition.

Let’s kick things off with a few well-earned shoutouts. These team members stood out this past quarter for leading by example.

• Toby Loeffelbein (Seattle Warehouse) – For his quick thinking and calm during a first aid response.
• Riley Richardson (Seattle FireStop) – For always promoting safety and setting the tone for others.
• Colton Jory (Portland FireStop) – For his rock-solid consistency in applying safe work practices.

If you see them around, give them a nod—they’ve earned it!

Safety Gear Update – Helmets & Harnesses

Let’s Talk Gear. Chin strap helmets are becoming the industry standard—and for good reasons. If you’re still using the older hard-hat style, talk to your supervisor or reach out to Safety. We’ll get you squared away.

We also rolled out a survey on the Werner Blue Armor harnesses and Bantam SRLs—and the feedback was a big part of the decision to move forward with them. Here’s what stood out.

• “Chair in the Air” feature extends rescue time without needing trauma straps.
• Lighter weight = less shoulder fatigue.
• Harness turns red when damaged = built-in visual check.
• Only one report of SRL lock-up. Pretty solid. 

Compliance and Incident Review

We volunteered for an LNI compliance audit of our program and conditions in the office and warehouse back in March—nothing major flagged, but we’re staying sharp and fixing small things before they become big ones. Our goal is to always improve!

Here is a quick snapshot of incidents this quarter.

Injuries

• One recordable – elbow injury.
• Three first-aid cases – a rolled ankle, a twisted knee, and an abrasion to the forearm.

Incidents

• 3 total – included property damage and an unfortunate IDLH violation.

Near Misses

• A metal tray fell four floors from a lift into an open shaft—no injuries, but a close call.
• A MEWP rolled over an extension cord and upon elevating, the pothole protection bars cut into the cord, energizing the lift, the guardrail contacted a ceiling wire—resulted in a spark. Luckily, no one was hurt.

These are reminders: the small things matter, and near misses are a gift—if we learn from them.

New Ladder Inspection Stickers – The Testing Phase.

Back in our 1st quarter meeting, several team members pointed out that our current HBI ladder tags don’t hold up well in the classic PNW weather. They tear, fall off, or become unreadable. So, we’re testing a more durable vinyl sticker version that applies to the inside of the ladder legs for better protection. Stay tuned—more feedback and results to come.

1^St Quarter Safety Goal Review – How are we doing?

We started the year with four key safety goals, and here’s how they’re shaping up.

• Enhance Communication - Are crews getting what they need from supervisors to work safely and efficiently?
• Reduce IDLH Violations & Incidents - We're keeping hazard recognition and control top of mind.
• Promote Proactive Safety - Are we stepping in when we see something unsafe? “See Something, Do Something.”
• Inspire Field Leadership - Are experienced team members mentoring others and setting the tone? We’ve seen great examples of crews calling safety instead of improvising—let’s keep that momentum going.

After thoughtful consideration and discussion, we've decided to focus on one key safety goal each quarter moving forward. This will help us stay focused, drive meaningful progress, and create lasting improvements in our safety culture.

This Quarter’s Focus: Mental Health Awareness

Mental health is just as important as physical safety—and this quarter, we’re putting it front and center.

• May was Mental Health Awareness Month.
• September is Suicide Prevention Month.
• Toolbox Talks and resource guides are posted on the LMS calendar—you can go back and access them at any time.

We can all get involved in helping break down the stigma surrounding mental health and help us focus on our 3rd quarter goal by focusing on the 5 C’s of Mental Health.

1. Competence – Feeling capable of coping with life’s challenges and achieving set goals. Remember a problem is not permanent, try focusing on the positive.

2. Confidence – Believing in one’s abilities and sustaining a positive self-image, while doing the same for others by focusing on individual strengths.
3. Connection – Creating and maintaining supportive relationships with others, nurturing a sense of belonging and community. Invite crew members to have lunch with you, including everyone!
4. Character – Showing integrity, ethical behavior, and a sense of responsibility. Be a good person!
5. Caring – Demonstrating empathy and concern for self and others. You don’t have to solve anyone’s problems. Just a simple “are you doing, okay?” and providing resources or directing fellow workers to HR for assistance is a great place to start! 

Remember This! 

If something’s working — let us know. If something’s not — speak up. Safety is a team effort and every voice counts.

Click here to view the 2nd Quarter Safety Team Meeting PowerPoint  

Let’s keep showing up, speaking up, and looking out for one another. Thanks for all you do—stay safe out there and Keep Moving Forward!