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Renewed alliance highlights ongoing safety initiatives 

Safety is one of those topics that often gets second billing thanks to news items that generate more “immediate” interest, such as the ongoing guest worker debacle, the housing slide, and, yes, the rising costs of fuel. Yet, when the dust settles, safety concerns will be there, just as they’ve always been there, and failure to give them your undivided attention can raise havoc with your company’s operation.

David Snodgrass, CLP, past chair of the PLANET Safety and Risk Management Committee, recently shared a few sobering statistics about safety in PRO magazine. He noted that our fatality rate is 3.5 times higher than the national average for industries, and we have the fifth highest fatality rate and the fourth highest lost workday rate among all industries. Says Snodgrass, “The disturbing fact is that all of these statistics are trending upward. Equally disturbing is that most of these accidents are preventable with resources that currently exist.”

Thanks to David and other members of PLANET’s Safety and Risk Management Committee, safety has long been a key initiative for our association. Many safety resources are readily available to all PLANET members. One of the main resources has been and continues to be our relationship with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). As of October 2, 2008, PLANET and OSHA have renewed an alliance that furthers both of our efforts to promote safety throughout the workplace. As before, the alliance will continue to provide training, education, outreach, and communication for all industry members.

OSHA continues to be an important partner in our mutual quest to improve safety in the workplace, and we have other partners, as well. CNA, for example, sponsors the PLANET Safety Recognition Awards Program. Gaining in popularity every year, this program recognizes companies that consistently demonstrate their commitment to safety. This year’s award winners were recognized at the Green Industry Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. If you’re not familiar with the program, awards are given to companies with no vehicle accidents, no injuries or illnesses, and no days away from work. There’s also a most-improved category.

Among other important safety initiatives, of course, is PLANET’s STARS Safe Company Program. Only a few years old, the program already has nearly 1,000 participating companies. It’s free, it increases awareness, and it works. The program is also a great safety networking tool, connecting all green industry companies in an effort to lessen their risks. 

PLANET has literally dozens of books, CDs, and DVDs related to the subject of safety, such as PLANET’s new Safety Tailgate Training Manual. Sponsored by CNA and Caterpillar Customer Safety Services, this exciting new resource contains hundreds of tips and solutions to keep your crew safe. Each page is printed on weather-proof paper with English on one side of the page and Spanish on the other.

When you enter PLANET’s Web site at LandcareNetwork.org, click on Programs and then Safety Programs to view the safety Web page filled with information like the safety tip of the week, some cool idea that will help keep your employees safe. The safety committee is even preparing to do some industry-specific benchmarking, using STARS members and Safety Recognition Award recipients.

Frankly, talking about safety is less exciting for me than discussing some of PLANET’s other, more high-profile initiatives. But when you get right down to it, few topics are as important and relate to as many companies as safety does. We have a responsibility to our employees, their families, and our clients to be as safe as we can possibly be. 


Jason Cupp, CLP
PLANET President

 

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