Craft Voice in Safety
One of Kiewit Energy’s most extensive program initiatives is that of the Craft Voice in Safety (CVIS). The CVIS Committee is a group of craft workers that meet every Saturday to discuss safety issues, and plan how to fix those issues. The members are easily recognizable by the blue safety vest that they wear. Besides the group of craft, there is also a member of the safety department and a construction manager present at meetings to assist with creating an action plan to fix those safety issues.
The CVIS committee has affected positive change within the Kiewit Energy Canada Corporation by assisting with the updating of safety policies, programs and procedures as well as by highlighting the importance of family, friends and home life. (Examples include and are not limited to: Aerial Work Platform Program, Recognition Awards Program, Dropped Object Prevention Campaign, Mentoring Program, Spotter Training, Mass Safety Meeting Presenters, New Hire Safety Orientation, Why I work Safe Posters)
This group provides an opportunity to get safety issues brought up, discussed and corrected.The CVIS committee has created a mission statement that captures their primary focus which is to “promote and provide a safe workplace by making recommendations to correct safety concerns; identify, correct and report un-safe conditions that exist on the site and to promote the same from our co-workers; motivate employees to recognize risk and mitigate hazards through training and promotion initiatives; improve communications between all stakeholders (between the trades and trades and management) to achieve mutual satisfaction and achieve our goal of NOBODY GETS HURT.”
The CVIS committee has shined a spotlight on the fact that we all have a reason to work safely and have encouraged others to not only share their reasons for working safely but also to share their experiences–something that they have seen or that has happened to them that has affected them and made them realize the importance of working safely each and every day. The CVIS committee also has a hand in organizing special events and guest speakers for Remembrance Day and the International Day of Mourning. This is an important part of our commitment to caring for employees as it focuses on people and the important role we have in each other’s lives.
Safety Observation System (BBS) and Mining the Diamond
We have a behavior based approach to safety here at the Froth Treatment Project. Each one of our workers is expected to complete one safety interaction with a co-worker each week. These interactions behavior-based and are to be documented on our SOS card and submitted to the safety department so that we can track and trend successes and improvement opportunities.
As participation in the Safety Observation System (SOS) program increases our incident frequency/severity decreases. The more we talk about safety the, the less we talk about incidents. This is making the site more aware of potential hazards and creating a safer work environment.
This program not only helps predict incidents, but more importantly it helps keep our people safe. Each day workers submit a Safety Observation System (SOS) card thus contributing to the program. The items that are discussed on the card are read and categorized based on their similarities to other cards. These observations and comments are an important part of our Mining the Diamond Process. We read all observation cards and identify items that are being addressed multiple times by a variety of workers. Before this initiative was rolled out to workers, we examined every incident that occurred at Froth and found that the majority could be put into six categories. These six categories were deemed our diamond categories, which sparked the Mining the Diamond Program.
A diamond event is an occurrence or incident that poses the potential to have a serious or life-altering effect on someone. An example of a Diamond Event would be dropping an object from an elevation where if not for luck could have had a much more serious, even deadly outcome. A Diamond Event requires immediate action and will likely be investigated to ensure that something similar does not happen again. A Diamond Observation is an item that is observed in the field that fits into one of our diamond categories and where you an immediate intervention was performed. We extract diamond observations directly from the SOS cards that are submitted. We track and trend items that are being repeated helping define our focus areas.
HOW TO APPROACH SOMEONE TO COMPLETE AN INTERVENTION
Why do we approach others?
· We don’t want to see anyone get hurt.
· They are taking a risk that could cause injury to themselves or others.
· We want to recognize positive acts and behaviors.
· Your observation and your approach to stop an unsafe act or behavior may save a life…do not take that chance and walk by.
How should we approach others?
· Introduce yourself and ask to see their JHA. Ask the worker about what they are doing. Talk with people – not down to them.
· Always start on a positive note when possible. If you need to correct an at-risk condition or behavior discuss possible options to correct the situation or complete the work in a safe manner. Avoid making people defensive. Let them be a part of the solution. We want them to learn not feel threatened.
· Communication is a two-way street.
What do we do with imminent danger?
· Imminent danger is a workplace hazard that puts you or others at immediate risk of death or serious physical harm.
· Intervene immediately.
· Ensure the worker is clear and safe before beginning your discussion.
· Be firm (not angry).
Mentoring
Kiewit’s policy is to perform its work in the safest manner possible, consistent with good construction practices, and with regard to the safety, health and environmental welfare of people, assets, production and the environment. Kiewit strongly believes that work performed safely yields the highest quality at the lowest cost.
To meet this policy, Kiewit has implemented a Safety Mentoring Program that is driven by craft workers for craft workers.
A Safety Mentor is someone that is an effective communicator, dedicated to the safety program, disciplined and an innovative thinker. Our mentors are experienced workers that act as positive role models for the mentees and demonstrate a commitment to Kiewit Energy Canada’s Safety Program.
The safety mentors are assigned mentees from his/her crew, and monitor and coach mentees on a daily basis while performing regularly scheduled work. The following quotes are what our mentors have added into the mentor train the trainer program:
• “Be credible-Being credible doesn't mean that you need to have all the answers. The best answers for your mentee will come from their own thinking, with the help of your wisdom to support them.”
• “Be a positive role model-Good mentors are respected by their mentees. A mentee can learn a lot from their mentor simply by watching how their mentor behaves in any particular situation.”
• “Be genuinely interested in your mentee as an individual-A mentoring relationship is a very personal one, which is often very important to the mentee, so, as a mentor, you need to get to know your mentee personally, so you can help them in a way that meets their best interest.”
• “Share your experiences and insights-Be open to sharing your successes but also your mistakes and failures, as these are often where our biggest lessons are learned. It will also help your mentee be aware that challenges will arise, and the way you dealt with the situation might also help them gain insight about how to build resilience.”
• “Ask open questions-Asking your mentee open questions (questions that can’t be answered with a yes or no) will help you as a mentor to identify their real needs, values and passions.”
• “Act as a sounding board-Mentees benefit greatly from the opportunity of having a good mentor listen to them. Allow them to explore their thoughts and ideas openly with you. Listening is just as important as speaking when it comes to communication.”
• “Provide a fresh perspective-One of the benefits of working with a mentor is that a good mentor will often provide their mentee with a fresh perspective on an issue”
• “Provide helpful feedback-Not all feedback is helpful. A good mentor knows this and will deliver feedback in a way that will help their mentee gain insight to further develop specific qualities or skills. For example, a good mentor will always ask for permission to give feedback before doing so.”
• “Acknowledge achievements-Highlight for your mentee any achievements they might have forgotten, to help build their confidence.”
• “Offer advice if the mentee asks for it-It can be very tempting for a mentor to just jump in and offer advice before a mentee has actually asked for it, especially when you've dealt with a similar situation yourself.”