Great Dane has always made safety a priority, with a strong commitment to providing a work environment where teams are trained to look out for themselves—and each other.
Although Great Dane’s injury rate has consistently been below the national average for the truck and trailer industry, Dave Ritchie, Great Dane’s Senior Director of Environmental, Heath, Sustainability and Safety, saw areas where there could be further improvements.
Great Dane launched a campaign designed solely with safety culture in mind, calling it “Think Safety First” (TSF), which has become the banner for safety at Great Dane. “It’s a fantastic presentation that shows the connection between behavior and the potential consequences, connecting the dots to all those affected by one injury, including family members,” Ritchie said.
How can you begin to develop a culture of safety at your workplace?
Ritchie suggests the following:
1. Create a Safety Identity
This may start with a safety campaign that includes a program designed for training your company’s professionals at all levels, whether they are new to the industry or a seasoned contributor.
Every company should adopt a set of core beliefs which begin with the mindset that all incidents are preventable. Additionally, a safety campaign should be far reaching – from the workplace to the home to social activities and woven into the company’s fabric.
2. A Safety Program Should Be Interesting and Dynamic
“Safety training should be immersive, including classroom instruction, followed by experiential learning, such as shadowing a supervisor in manufacturing or working with a service center manager and observing customer interaction,” Ritchie said. “This is highly effective for improving safety performance and closing any identified gaps.”
3. Make Safety a High Priority Throughout Your Company
“Safety is a top priority at Great Dane–a core pillar for how we do business each day. Our Think Safety First campaign has integrated safe practices throughout the company whether on the shop floor in one of our manufacturing facilities, servicing a vehicle in one of our many service centers, working on important designs in engineering, or situated in one of corporate offices,” Ritchie said.
“Safety is consistently present in our employees’ minds and on many occasions manifests itself in clear demonstrations of care for each other. I believe the safety culture we’ve created has contributed significantly to making Great Dane an industry leader,” Ritchie added.
With some thought and planning, you too can develop a safety culture at your workplace and reach your goal for decreasing injuries and increasing overall job satisfaction.
Our high standard for safety is integrated into our products, too. Click here to learn more about our flatbed safety features.
