Safety/Lincoln

Heavy equipment can be dangerous — heavy steel, moving parts and sharp edges all contribute to the potential for harm to the operator and those in proximity.

With 700 employees across five states, logging millions of miles annually, on and off highways and at challenging job sites, safety is a big challenge for a company like KirbySmith.

The equipment dealer knows it has a paramount responsibility of ensuring all these employees return home safely after a day’s work — and its outstanding safety record proves it takes that obligation seriously. The equipment mega-dealer covets the numerous safety awards amassed over the years because it has worked hard to earn them all.

“We have a great safety record because we are committed to it,” said James Lincoln, Kirby’s safety and environmental director. “We do this for our people, not for any safety awards. We care and we execute because it’s the right thing to do.”

The safety-first culture is cultivated at the top of the organization, Lincoln said.

Every gathering or meeting of Kirby-Smith personnel begins with what Lincoln calls a “safety share moment,” where someone relays a story demonstrating the importance of being cautious on the job.

“Even our executive team begins their meetings that way,” he said.

That commitment to safety is all about protecting people — both employees and customers, as well as the environment and the company’s assets.

“We have a zero-harm culture and have put policies and procedures in place to support that culture,” added Lincoln.

Safety policies and procedures are applied in every situation KirbySmith employees could face. Technicians encounter challenges working in the shop, driving to a site to support a customer and working at a remote site. Sales personnel often visit customers’ work sites to demo products.

“We expect our people to be safe wherever they are,” said Lincoln. “We do not reduce our safety expectations just because our people may not be at a company branch.”

Site safety orientations are the norm and both employees and customers have come to expect and are grateful for them.

“Our employees appreciate that management will go above and beyond to make sure they are safe,” Lincoln said. “They see first-hand that they are supplied the equipment and tooling to get the job done safely.”

Lincoln leads a safety board that meets monthly and includes stakeholders within the organization and from the ranks of its customers. Best practices are shared and put into practice on an ongoing basis.

At Kirby-Smith, the notion of “safety” is not just some word used to help its employees and customers feel like the company cares about them; rather it is a moral value that guides all its team members, no matter what their job titles are. By working and communicating together, every one of its 700 employees can be assured that he or she will return home safely to their families and loved ones after a day’s work — and return tomorrow, ready for another safe and successful day. 

(All photos courtesy of KSM.)