Total Safety's mission is "to ensure the safe well-being of workers worldwide." These words guide workers on a daily basis, as they are tasked with providing equipment, personnel and safety solutions for clients working in hazardous environments.
"This statement explains why we do what we do -- why we come to work every day," says James Taylor, voluntary protection program director. "Safety is critical to Total Safety because it is critical we not only have programs in place to provide safety services to our customers, but we must have programs in place to help keep our employees safe."
Taylor explains that the company's entire program is implemented via the following concepts:
Process. This involves documentation, training and tools that establish safe work practices. These include safe operating procedures, work instructions, standing job safety analysis (JSAs) and JSA cards, inspection checklists, HEROES cards, and safety training.
Process Control. This involves EHS and management conducted audits, inspections, observations, investigations, consultations and corrective action plans. Formal tools such as management observation cards and the safety management system program are examples of instruments used for conducting process control activities.
Safety Culture. The safety culture continually is built and grown through activities such as annual safety day, VPP, Total Safety Star programs, safety stand downs and a safety coin program.
Total Safety's significant budget supports safety staff members, employee training, PPE and employee safety activities such as safety day, to name a few.
Three specific business cases have been made to establish such a budget. First, the company's safety programs and activities have led to a total recordable injury rate that is 90% below the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) average.
Total Safety also has seen a total injury cost (direct and indirect) reduction of $1,048,000 since 2014. Lastly, since 2014, the company has reduced its motor vehicle accident direct costs by $408,000.
"The safety of our employees means the safety of our customers and peers," Taylor says. "They are all connected."