Wharton-Smith Construction Group announced that it has achieved Gold in Associated Builders and Contractor’s STEP Safety Management System. Founded in 1989, STEP participation demonstrates safety leadership and a cultural commitment to safety performance.
STEP applicants measure their safety processes and policies on 25 key components through a detailed questionnaire with the goal of implementing or enhancing safety programs that reduce jobsite incidents.
ABC recognized Wharton-Smith for an exemplary safety culture that provides employee safety training, conducts weekly safety meetings and operates from established and documented safety processes that allow for regular jobsite safety inspections. The standard operation guidelines establish clear, concise, and easy to understand safety rules and allow for prompt resolution to safety issues.
“We have built a ‘Safety First’ culture here at Wharton-Smith and have a very high expectation of proving it every day,” said Ron Davoli, President and CEO of Wharton-Smith. “Wharton-Smith could not be prouder to be recognized for our safety performance by the Associated Builders and Contractors.”
Wharton-Smith safety priorities include setting project-specific and corporate goals that exceed industry standards. We are committed to continuous safety training on all required construction subjects and tasks, including competent person training. To enhance that training, we have recently hired a new full-time training specialist to assist with the training tools, methods, and assessments to ensure our commitment to training is achieved across the company. In addition, we proactively manage our claims and return-to-work programs to guarantee the best results for our employees and continually improve our EMR.
Wharton-Smith recently took an additional step to enhance our safety culture by initiating a corporate-level safety committee to focus on new safety initiatives and improve communication between upper management and field personnel. Short-term goals of this committee are to implement a standard glove policy, high visibility shirt program, Competent person identification stickers and creating a project utility vehicle safety policy. Long term goals include implementing a near-miss report process and an employee recognition program.
“An industry-wide commitment to total human health is essential to ensure both the physical and mental health and safety of our workforce,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment and Workforce Development. “As a STEP participant, Wharton-Smith’s leadership has demonstrated a commitment to create the conditions for all to do their work without incident. By implementing proactive safety measures, such as emergency preparedness plans and a sound personal protective equipment policy, Wharton-Smith is committed to consistently raising the bar when it comes to safety performance.”
According to ABC’s annual Safety Performance Report, applying STEP processes dramatically improves safety performance among participants regardless of company size or type of work, and can reduce recordable incidents up to 88 percent, making the best performing companies 827 percent safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average. Ratings range from Diamond—the highest—to Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Participant.
To learn more about the STEP program, visit abcstep.org.