Blogger Jordan Barab is actually an expert on OSHA compliance (he was an official in the Clinton and Obama administrations), and every time I’d send him a question about a workplace accident, he would reply that basically, there were no “accidents.” It was almost always a compliance failure:
Since 2014, A. Duie Pyle has improved its work-related rate of injury by over 50 percent and their rate of accidents by more than 20 percent, driven by their employees. The company merges safety into the entirety of their business.
Their goal is a self-sustaining culture of safety motivated by the workers where everyone feels that they are helping to make the business more successful.
An overview of A. Duie Pyle’s key safety practices:
- Communication is open – the company listens to and responds to employees’ recommendations. An example is installing bright lights between dock trailers so that drivers can better see the perimeters. Another example is new, reflective painting yearly for terminal facilities. This aids drivers while backing in their trailers. Although this is an extra expense and takes more time, drivers feel that they are respected and valued, resulting in less accidents.
- In depth investigations for an on the job injury or accident to determine what could have been done differently.
- Weeklong classroom training for all new drivers, regardless of experience. Topics include the company and truckers’ roles, expectations, and how to successfully perform the job. New drivers are also paired with a veteran driver.
- Training drivers on progressive shifting for the company’s manual transmissions trucks. This cuts down on fuel costs and reduces a vehicle’s aging.
- An expanded defensive driving program.
- Trucks are equipped with collision mitigation schemes which sense when a driver hard-brakes, and initiates a recording around the incident. The schemes notify if lanes are changed without signals or if there is a sudden veering of the truck. Most of Pyle’s fleet have technology to prevent rollovers as well equipment to forward messages and camera observations to management.
- Pyle has placed a dashboard button on the tractors to air release the fifth wheel. This prevents reaching and possible rotator cuff injury.
Attorney Charles Boyk commented, “Workplace safety should be a priority every day. Working with employees in tandem to reduce unsafe practices and improve the workspace helps the bottom line. Of course, companies must always be held accountable when they do not treat the safety of their employees with the utmost importance.”
