As we are a product manufacturer, we are interested in providing jobsite safety training for our field employees (sales and field service managers) who are often on job sites, required to walk projects, go up lifts, out on scaffolding, etc. We want to be as prudent as possible in making sure they are current in common safety procedures. They would always be in the company of contractor personnel whom we assume are so trained and similarly diligent, but we feel it a good idea to pursue this independently as well.
Do you know if other companies do this?
Do you know of a program that exists to this end? Do you feel it is something you would be interested in doing or that might be useful to other AWCI member manufacturers?
I am very familiar with the great help manufacturers’ representatives can be to the contractor as well as the designer. And by the way, this help and expertise is greatly appreciated and sought after.
I am not personally aware of what other product manufacturers and suppliers do in this particular case, but you are definitely headed in the right direction—a direction that will be greatly appreciated by your employees and their families.
The first program that comes to mind is the OSHA 10-Hour program. In another life, when I was working for a big design firm, all employees who visited job sites had to complete the OSHA 10-Hour course before they could go to the site. When I took the course it was spread over a 10-week period and taught during lunch time. The course is a very basic safety training course to make you aware of the hazards on a typical construction site. It also deals with the Personal Protective Equipment that is required to be worn while on site.
There are may qualified OSHA 10-Hour instructors. I will locate several and send you their contact information. It is my understanding that the course can be presented in as few or as many sessions as you want, and it is available online from OSHA. The end result is that the participants receive a card certifying that they have successfully completed the course. This is very helpful if they are required to present evidence to a general contractor or safety inspector that they have received safety training.
Under the heading “and I thought I had problems” comes the following question: I work for a zoo and we are in the process of renovating the building that houses tigers. Is there a floor covering that will resist and not absorb tiger urine?
There are several companies that produce seamless liquid applied floor covering for specialty applications. These are most commonly used in hospitals and laboratories. Not knowing the chemical makeup of tiger urine, I would suggest you contact some of the manufacturers and inquire as to the ability of their products to provide the resistance necessary over the long run. A good place to start your search is www.arcat.com. Search under Division 9 for “seamless flooring.”
Under the heading of Safety, AWCI has retained the services of a safety consultant to provide additional safety information on a regular basis. The April edition of the AWCI’s Tech Update newsletter will have a detailed update of the services being offered to members to enhance their safety programs and more information about the safety consultant. At the Safety Directors Forum, which will take place during AWCI’s Annual Convention in Long Beach, Calif., on April 27, there will be a demonstration of Release 2.0 of AWCI’s Safety Software along with other information about the new safety services being offered to AWCI members.
About the Author
Donald E. Smith, CCS, is AWCI’s director of technical services.
