Safety Permeates Culture at The Washington Division of the URS Corp.

As a provider of planning, engineering design, construction, technical, management and operations and maintenance services, the Washington Division of the URS Corp. employs roughly 25,000 employees at 400 sites worldwide. Those are some big numbers, but the company doesn't let size become a distraction from what really matters: safety.

Brad Giles, vice president of environmental safety, health and security, points out that safety is ingrained into the company. “It permeates our culture,” he says of safety. “It's the first thing we talk about in every meeting.”

And OSHA agrees: the agency selected the Washington Division as one of the first five charter participants for the VPP Corporate Pilot Program, which is designed to test the VPP process for corporate applicants. Such applicants generally include large corporations or federal agencies with a strong focus on workplace safety and health.

The Washington Division's standout safety approach is visible through the company's belief that leadership and communication must back up all safety efforts. Safety is one of the company's core values, which is evident in the .07 lost-time DAC injury rate.

Giles points out that safety is an indicator of healthy production. “We believe there is a strong correlation between safe performance and cost, schedule and quality,” he says.

Additionally, the Washington Division of the URS Corp. is a firm believer in fostering cooperative relationships with other agencies. Company leadership recognizes that while they have the luxury of access to varied safety resources, not all organizations are as fortunate. The Washington Division therefore holds safety classes and works to share this knowledge with others - especially with industry up-and-comers, Giles says.

“It's incumbent on us as safety professionals to give back to our industry,” he says.

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