Across HBM, safety is a core value. As a diversified portfolio of industrial manufacturing operations, we believe the key to keeping employees safe is building a workplace culture where safety comes first. Our operating companies put a significant focus on creating an authentic safety culture where every employee goes home to their loved ones unharmed.
Creating a safety-first culture begins with prevention. Training raises awareness about potential hazards, reduces potential risks, and prevents injuries. Each of our operating companies have robust new hire training programs and conduct ongoing training.
At our HarperLove business, the teams have regular safety training meetings. Team members look for safety opportunities daily, and the safety focus extends to all aspects of the employee lifecycle from hire to retire.
In addition to prevention, across HBM, we aim to create an environment where all team members are encouraged to have a voice in ongoing safety operations. One way we do that is through employee-led safety committees.
At Mississippi Lime Company, employees have many meaningful opportunities to be engaged in safety. Activities include daily shift discussions, near miss reporting, safety champion activities, and routine interactions with site Safety Specialists. Employees also have the opportunity to serve on or engage with the Safety Pillar Team or the newly formed Safety Steering Committee for their respective site locations. These teams are employee-led and focus on continuing the safety-first culture.
We also believe in the continuous improvement framework of our safety culture. Our teams regularly review safety programs and protocols and update practices as needed.
Schafer Industries, long-time champions of the 6S LEAN process (a system that aims to promote and sustain a high level of productivity and safety throughout a workspace), performs monthly near-miss audits, sharing improvements across their work sites. They have regular safety-focused Gemba walks and have instituted Rapid Improvement Events for key safety enhancements.
Our Control Devices team shared examples of recent changes recently made after conducting a safety audit. They flattened the organizational structure so that managers and supervisors were closer to the work. This increased access to the people and allowed for more visibility into high-risk tasks, accountability, and follow-through. Control Devices is also improving safety culture by implementing a new program called “ART,” or Active Release Technique. ART facilitates world-class soft-tissue and nerve care through an on-site wellness program. This non-invasive diagnostic and treatment method is intended to stop strains and sprains before they become an injury.
Our goal across HBM is to deliver world class safety performance and to always strive for zero injuries. We do not take this goal nor the required work to achieve it lightly. Our employees are the essence of our organization and the driving reason we have a culture that always puts safety first. Looking out for each other and working safely is core to who we are and how we operate.
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