LAGC Safety Committee: A Year in Review
As we begin year 2 of our Safety Committee I think it is important to take a look back at how far we have come in just over a year. We started laying the framework of our committee by agreeing to meet monthly to promote safe working habits to help prevent accidents, save lives, increase productivity, and protect our greatest resource, the workforce.
Our chairman for the past year, Leonard Mistich, serves on National Boards with AGC of America’s Safety Division. Leonard participated at a national level prior to our committee and was able to get more of our committee involved. Last year, Louisiana AGC had 4 representatives at the AGC of America Safety and Health Conference and I was added to a committee of AGC Safety Professionals from all over the country.
So what does all of this mean for your company?
Your company now has a large resource of knowledge and experience that is willing and ready to help your company practice safe work habits. These resources include, but are not limited to,
- Free Safety Training and Awareness
- OSHA Updates
- Site Inspections
- OSHA Citation Reviews
I am sure you have seen our advertisements for Safety Classes and updates from OSHA, but you are probably not aware of the last two bullet points. Several AGC Chapters around the country employ large safety staffs that complete inspections and reports for member companies. For our Louisiana members, our safety committee has offered to do a free Safety Inspection on one of your jobsites and then sit down with you and a few of your staff to review their findings.
In order to make Safety a top priority at your company, it is imperative that you create a safety culture that is seen throughout the company. There is no better way to make sure your employees understand this concept than by having each employee complete a Safety Orientation when they are first hired. As a Safety Committee we have been discussing each company’s Safety Orientation and the importance of instilling your companies’ safety culture in each new employee. We are working to put together our own Safety Orientation that each of our member companies can obtain and tailor it to their specific needs.
The final bullet point listed above is a new benefit that we would like to bring to our members. If you receive an OSHA citation and are unfamiliar with what to do, or just have questions in general, our committee is a great place to get answers. Not only do we have many years’ experience, but we also have a great OSHA partner who is willing to listen and give advice.
Our Safety Committee meets monthly at the LAGC office in Baton Rouge at 10:30 a.m. on the last Thursday of every month. If you, or someone within your company, would like to participate please feel free to contact Michael Demouy at or 225-344-0432.