America's Safest Companies: The Mundy Companies

At The Mundy Companies, safety is a core value that receives support from the highest levels of the firm. All employees carry a laminated card – signed by co-owners Shane Burden and David Mundy – stating that they have the right and responsibility to stop work if they believe it is unsafe. Burden and Mundy take a hands-on approach to reinforcing the maintenance contractor's EHS principles, frequently visiting the company's work sites. 

"You will find the owners of the Mundy Companies doing audits in a petrochemical plant in the middle of the summer in Houston, or it could be in North Carolina or wherever we work," says Bill Pratt, vice president of environmental, safety and health. "They're highly visible and committed. Their expectation of each and every one of us is that no one gets hurt while performing their work."

While company leaders make a point to show their commitment to EHS, they also emphasize the importance of having an employee-driven safety culture. Associates play an active role in EHS by leading safety committees, sharing best practices and participating in the company's behavior-based observation process, among other activities.

For the past two decades, employees have begun each workday with stretches and calisthenics designed to minimize sprains, strains and other repetitive-motion injuries. The company's stretching regimen has been so effective that a number of other firms have adopted it, Pratt notes.

"It helps set the tone for the day," Pratt says. "It gets people thinking, ‘We've got some work to do, and we need to make sure that we do it safely.'"

Throughout the day, associates keep safety in their back pocket – literally. The company has created a "three-in-one" card, which provides a checklist to help employees identify hazards and observe work processes with safety in mind.