RJ Daigle Case Study
Growing Smoothly with Safety
How absolute safety helps RJ daigle
position for growth
key actions:
New System Integration and Implementation
Process Analysis and Overhaul
Planning and Efficiency Improvements
Key Results:
Saved $30,000 on Annual Insurance Premiums
Saved an additional 25k with…
EMR lowered from 1.02 to .89
Rj Daigle & Sons has excelled in company HSE for years, even winning multiple safety awards for Contractors. But when the time came to expand their business and protect their reputation, they recognized their need for a higher level safety program. RJ Daigle was beginning to get recognized for their safety record, and started taking on more projects and bigger clients. These new projects had higher safety requirements, and it soon became more difficult to maintain a high caliber safety record and culture. They also lost a major client, and it was not long before RJ Daigle hired Absolute Safety to bolster their program and provide expertise. With Absolute Safety’s guidance, RJ Daigle is now back on track with a high caliber and more efficient HSE program.
Problem:
With just a few accidents, a contractor’s EMR Rating can raise above a 1 (the industry standard), and destroy that company’s chances at getting better jobs and better insurance premiums.
When a contractor is expanding and gaining new types of jobs, it’s easy to have a few things slip through the cracks. New processes, new employees, and new sites can all create confusion, poor procedures, and new incidents.
Within just a few incidents, their safety record dropped enough to increase insurance premiums (over $30,000 on insurance premium increases alone) and Workers Comp payments.
RJ Daigle knew they needed third party expert to help plan and communicate new procedures. By getting to know RJ Daigle, we were able to avoid the “cookie-cutter” approach, and develop a program that works best for their specific needs.
Process:
Our first step is always to understand the business. Even though we are well versed in the construction industry, understanding the individual Contractor and their specific business functions helps us create the best plan for that company’s operations, budget, and culture.
Our first two weeks were spent compiling a report with our observations and recommendations. We talked to managers and employees, got an understanding of their culture and procedures, and then created a focused Plan of Action. After delivering the report and planning with management, we used our action plan to start enforcing new protocols.
We started with big picture ideas. Alot of protocols were failing simply because of lack of knowledge within the workforce.
By observing different crews, we were able to hone in on what specific protocols each group needed to improve the most. By talking to specific foremen and workers, we could implement granular improvements more efficiently. We also created an application-based tracking system for safety talks, that follows each individual area of safety.
Safety doesn’t just happen in the field. Part of our ongoing HSE efforts are weekly meetings with management to give briefings and relay plans. Since we understand leadership priorities, we are able to efficiently resolve issues, and even help management customize programs to make safety more affordable. This has resulted in a whole host of additional improvements to RJ Daigle’s HSE program, including a safe driving course (resulting in zero accidents since implementation), stronger JSA’s, and a full safety orientation.
Results:
RJ Daigle is now on track to lower their EMR from a 1.02 to a .89 in 2021. This will result in about $30,000 of savings on insurance premiums alone. With improved OSHA compliance in different categories, they are expecting to save an additional $25,000 a year.
RJ Daigle is getting more work. They are now able to meet higher requirements for bigger jobs, and are getting noticed for their safety culture. Being able to point to an expert Safety Partner for any safety needs has positioned them to land more distinguishing clients.
Employees are behaving more safely. When Absolute Safety started, we observed about 45-50 negative actions a week, and we have reduced these by about 90%. There have been noticeable improvements in trust and communication as well as recorded incidents.
The Foremen now have what we call a “safety mindset”. With a better understanding, management is more mindful with safety and can communicate more effectively. The culture is improving week after week, and even more so with each new safety program we implement.
Morale is up, and employees are more comfortable completing their jobs safely. We have even seen a noticeable decrease in employee turnover with our improved new hire process.
Our new programs have created a huge organizational benefit. By implementing and teaching the SUCCEED platform, we are able to track virtually everything from certifications to observations and plans. This new platform has saved countless man hours, while also improving safety tracking.
By using Absolute Safety as a 3rd party safety partner, RJ Daigle now has access to an entire network of resources. We now act as RJ Daigle’s Safety Department, so we are able to provide constant support for any area they need. With our constant attention and expertise, RJ Daigle is well positioned for company growth and safety leadership.
Conclusion
By partnering with Absolute Safety, RJ Daigle has given themselves a Safety Department full of resources and expertise. Their bottom line has improved alongside their safety record and culture. Soon we will be introducing more improvements (such as a safety incentive program!) to RJ Daigle’s HSE program. Good safety is ongoing, and an ongoing safety focus will keep your business growing and operating smoothly.
Contact:
Feel free to reach out to info@absolutesafety.com to learn more about how Absolute Safety drive profits with safety practices.