Safety first, last, and always

I really enjoyed spending time with our industries’ safety professionals during our recent Spring Thaws.

Specifically this year, it was a humbling honor to narrate our fallen miners tribute. In preparing for that responsibility, I spent some time contemplating what it means for our producers to be essential to the current and future economy of our state, and the inherent safety risk our colleagues face every day to make it happen. Although fortunately none were from California, it galvanized a perspective I have held for years, in new ways.

As many of you know, I have been involved in infrastructure most of my career, and even spent the better part of a decade working for one of CalCIMA’s producer members. I have faced the loss of people I knew. But looking at the story of each of the fallen over the last year, and being invited to take on the responsibility of narrating it, was so humbling and instructive. It really hit home as I thought about being the son, brother, father, husband, cousin, friend, or colleague of each one we memorialized. I had to fight through the emotions and did my best to recognize their sacrifice and loss, and then turn all our eyes forward.

While we cannot go back, what really matters is what we do next. Safety first, last, and always is a lifestyle, not merely words, and helping each other pay attention and applying the training we have is how we must “play it forward.”

I want to take this opportunity to applaud the work of our CalCIMA Safety & Health Committee. The committee members work hard to be a resource for their fellow members and I encourage every producer member, from every one of the member companies’ product lines, to engage with them.

First and foremost, the meetings of the committee serve as an opportunity for peers to consult and exchange information on safety practices, to tool up our practices so we can anticipate where we need to increase attention.

The committee also serves to provide members news on regulatory developments through regular meetings with the U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration, Cal/OSHA’s Mining and Tunneling Unit, and Cal/OSHA.

In addition to the training offered at the annual Spring Thaw Safety Conferences, the Committee has developed a series of training materials to assist members. A particular area of emphasis has been on customer truck safety at mine sites. Resources for members include uniform truck safety signage, postcards, brochures, and presentations. The Committee has also produced pamphlets, checklists, and presentations to improve contractor safety at mine sites. Most recently, the committee developed safety tips for concrete mixer drivers working around concrete pumps, as well as safety signage that may be used in your company’s safety materials. All these can be found on CalCIMA’s “Tools for Safety” website, or can be obtained through the CalCIMA office.

For 15 years now, the committee has recognized producers’ safety achievements through the annual Excellence in Safety Awards. The awards and the awards process serves to highlight what’s working, best practices, and remains one of the most unique and rigorous safety award programs.

The Safety Committee is also critical in setting our policy agenda. In addition to initiatives to improve Cal/OSHA communication of hazards found in inspections, the Safety Committee initiated the legislation in 2011--SB 341 (Lowenthal)--that required all trucks to have a back-up alarm!

The significant work of the committee is aided by the consistent and committed leadership of the committee by Michael Herges, Graniterock; Meghan Neal, P.W. Gillibrand; Matt Smylie, Ford Construction and Charley Rea, CalCIMA’s professional staff lead. We owe them all a thanks! The committee will continue to support your training opportunities and it is on each and every one of us to pay attention and apply what we know to what we experience on the job site each and every day. n

Sincerely,

Robert Dugan President/CEO CalCIMA

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