Each June, the National Safety Council observes National Safety Month to highlight the importance of reducing the leading causes of injury and death in our workplaces, roads, and communities. The past month serves as a crucial time for employers and their employees to unite and promote enhanced safety practices and awareness, with the ultimate goal of saving lives. While observed for the past month, safety is essential to acknowledge and improve upon year-round.
Preventable injuries, also known as accidents, are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. This alarming statistic underscores the need to prioritize safety in the workplace, especially in high-risk industries like pneumatic conveying, packaging and robotic palletizing. Magnum Systems' unwavering commitment to safety depends on our leaders and employees working together year-round to prevent injuries and foster a culture of safety that provides a sense of security and confidence.
Practice Promoting Workplace Safety
By understanding and addressing the critical safety concerns identified by the National Safety Council, we can collectively work to prevent injuries and fatalities, ensuring a safer environment for everyone.
In the past month, the National Safety Council focused on one safety area for each week of June. For 2024, the weekly topics are listed below and include comments from Kris Hammett, Magnum's Director of Organizational Development, about how Magnum continuously tackles safety.
Safety Engagement:
All full-time Magnum Employees are required to complete OSHA-approved safety training.
“Each employee must complete New-Hire Safety Training and Office Safety Training during their first week of employment,” says Hammett.
Additionally, each employee must complete 11 modules of Annual Safety Training each year. Mid-America Safety & Environmental provides all of this critical training online.
Roadway Safety:
While this doesn't apply to our company's core business, most of us drive to and from work, and many drive between Lenexa, Kansas, and Parsons, Kansas. It's essential to stay safe. Here are many proven ways to prevent an accident and stay safe on the road:
• Regular Vehicle Maintenance: Ensure your vehicle is routinely serviced and check essentials like brake functionality, tire pressure, and oil levels to prevent mechanical failures that can lead to accidents.
• Adherence to Speed Limits: Always observe posted speed limits and adjust your driving speed according to road conditions, weather, and traffic to maintain control of your vehicle.
• Defensive Driving: Stay vigilant and be aware of other drivers' actions. Maintain a safe following distance and be prepared to react to sudden maneuvers from other vehicles.
• Avoid Distractions: Keep your focus on the road by avoiding texting, eating, or excessive interaction with passengers while driving.
• Use of Seatbelts: Always wear your seatbelt and ensure all passengers are buckled up. Seatbelts significantly reduce the risk of injury during an accident.
• Adhere to Traffic Signals: Obey all traffic signals and signs. These signs and signals regulate the flow of traffic and deter potential accidents.
Risk Reduction:
“Mid-America Safety & Environmental conducts a safety audit at each of our facilities each month and provides positive findings and opportunities for improvement,” Hammett explains. “We have safety committees in Parsons and Lenexa that meet monthly to review safety audits and any near misses reported by our employees. The committees then assign ownership and targeted completion dates to resolve safety concerns.”
Slips, Trips and Falls:
“These are the leading causes of workplace accidents, accounting for nearly 270,000 annual reportable accidents,” says Hammett. “As part of our annual safety training, Magnum employees must complete the module on slips, trips and falls each year. Most of these accidents can be avoided with good house-cleaning practices, footwear and ladder use.”
Magnum's Safety Committee At Work
Originating in 2019, Magnum Systems' safety committee meets monthly to review facility safety as measured by monthly walkthroughs conducted by Mid-America Safety. These audits are thorough; the findings are discussed in detail and then assigned to a committee member who creates a plan to address the concern. Our safety committee also takes a closer look at any reported near misses. We carefully investigate These issues and report the findings to the team. This approach helps Magnum identify the root cause of the problem so we can put practices in place to prevent it from happening again.
We spoke to Magnum’s plant manager and safety committee member, Andrew Burnett, about the committee's goals. “Our initial goals were to provide a safe working environment for our employees,” he says. “We have been working with a safety contractor that audits our facilities and provides evaluation reports. Our ongoing goal is to score 90% or more on these evaluations. The most important goal is to eliminate workplace injuries.”
Burnett explains how safety is an ongoing activity that demands constant review and updating.
“Safety is an infinite activity. It never ends,” he explains. “The next accident is the most important one. We want to prevent that one from ever occurring. Allowing our employees to return home to their families every day happy and healthy must be our priority.”
As Burnett illustrates, it is essential to remember that safety is a continuous journey rather than a destination. Magnum Systems is committed to maintaining a safe working environment year-round. Our rigorous safety training programs, regular audits and proactive safety committee ensure we remain vigilant and responsive to potential hazards.
We urge all our employees and partners to embrace these safety protocols and maintain an unwavering focus on preventing accidents. We can create a safer and more secure workplace through sustained efforts and a shared dedication to safeguarding each other.
Magnum Systems podcast series, AIM!
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