DBM workers stretch and flex before working at the IDX Tower in Seattle. Photo courtesy of DBM

Donald B. Murphy Contractors (DBM) has adopted a philosophy that safety is not a policy or a program, but what it calls an attitude — a reflection of an overall willingness to think globally and act locally.

The company says safety cannot be the responsibility of one individual, but rather a collective responsibility of the team. Accordingly, it formed a safety committee comprised of six members (three elected by the employees and three appointed by management).

The DBM safety committee meets the first Thursday of each month. The meetings have an open-door policy and all employees are encouraged to attend. If there are items that need further review, disciplinary action or hazard corrections, the committee will meet again the following Wednesday. Those meetings are by invitation only.

If an employee is brought before the safety committee, the committee has written guidelines used to determine appropriate disciplinary action. The guidelines provide a consistent mechanism to fairly and objectively hold employees accountable.

DBM encourages employees to report any safety concerns and rewards employees for ideas, suggestions and doing the right thing.

The company’s safety incentive program is designed to recognize only employees that go beyond what is expected. Employees are nominated by their peers or supervisor. Each month, the safety committee reviews the nominations and awards are issued if the nomination is determined to have merit. The monthly awards average $100 in merchandise.

At the end of year, only the employees that have received monthly safety awards are eligible for an annual grand prize. At the DBM Christmas party, those employees have their names put into a bowl and drawn randomly. Last year, DBM gave out $4,500 in travel vouchers.

Each employee receives in-depth training on safety rules and regulations. Each new employee is issued a safety packet which includes all of DBM’s corporate policies and lets he or she know exactly what is expected of him or her. Safety packets include a copy of Keller’s OSHA Guide to Construction Safety.

DBM provides training throughout the year on various subjects such as: ADSC Down Hole Entry; 10-hour OSHA; drilled shaft competent person training; first aid/CPR; forklift certification; hazmat; and fall protection. DBM has also developed an in-house test that all equipment operators must pass.

The company has a program for monitoring individual employee habits. A “notice of safety violation” form is sent to assist the foremen in enforcing safe work practices. Those notices are then used as a tool for the safety committee to monitor employee work habits as they move from one foreman to another. If a habit develops, the employee will be asked to meet with the safety committee.

In the past year, DBM started a checklist procedure called “start cards.” Every day prior to the start of the shift, each foreman does a walk-around inspection and goes through the checklist for the daily activities. The foreman then instructs his/her crew of the hazards associated with the work during that shift and how they will deal with each hazard.

To keep employees limber, DBM superintendent John Joslin last year started a stretch-and-flex program that is in use at the IDX tower site in Seattle. Eventhough the program is relatively new, DBM has already seen a reduced number of back injuries and muscle strains on projects Joslin has supervised.