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SALT LAKE CITY — Employees at Roofers Supply begin each day with their Stretch and Flex Program, or as most employees call it, the Jane Fonda. The program consists of a series of stretching exercises specifically developed by a physical therapist for Roofers Supply employees.
The stretches takes less than 15 minutes, but have dramatically decreased injuries during the past five years.
"With our industry it's not just a straight lift, there are a lot of variables of exposure for an injury," said Roofers Supply human resources director, Holly Henrie. "Simple stretches help employees warm-up for an incredibly physically demanding job in the construction industry.
Our goal is that our employees return home in the same shape that came to work in... with all their fingers and toes.
–Holly Henrie
With the addition of stretching exercises in the morning and once they arrive at a job site, we have decrease back injuries and the number of strains and sprains substantially."
But Roofers Supply's Stretch and Flex Program is just one aspect of their comprehensive workplace safety program.
"Our goal is that our employees return home in the same shape that came to work in, a little more tired perhaps, but with all their fingers and toes," said Henrie. "That's our ultimate goal and we work hard to keep our employees safe."
Because of Roofers Supply's leading efforts in workplace safety, Workers Compensation Fund (WCF) has awarded the company a 2012 Charles A. Cain Safety Award. They are one of 14 companies to be highlighted this June, national safety month.
Fellow award winner, Reid Ashman Manufacturing, located in St. George Utah also encourages employees to be safe by using a safety ticket program.
"We have a program called 'Caught Being Safe.' Employees nominate others if they see another employee doing something safe," said Sara Lang, safety committee director at Reid Ashman. "All nominations go in a hat and the safety committee picks a winner every month and they get a gift card to In-N-Out. We also have a ticket program where if you are caught being unsafe, you'll get a ticket and that means you've just volunteered to help out at the next safety committee meeting."
Small reminders and safety programs can make a big difference not only in the lives of employees, but in the company's financial position.
When a workplace injury occurs, how much does that injury truly cost your organization? Typically, actual injury costs are between 5 to 50 times the size of the obvious direct costs of medical expenses and salary for the injured worker. An organization may also be surprised to realize how much revenue is necessary to recover the costs associated with a workplace injury.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, costs associated with occupational injuries and illness can comprise as much as 5 percent of a company's total costs.
Costs associated with occupational injuries and illness can comprise as much as 5 percent of a company's total costs. -OSHA
An effective safety program can help prevent injuries, reduce costs and make a substantial contribution to your bottom line. The most effective safety program is one that is fully integrated into the way your company conducts its business. You should focus your safety program on the systems and processes that have the greatest potential to cause injury.
"With more than 49,000 workplace injuries reported to the Utah Labor Commission in 2011, keeping employees safe must become a primary goal for every company," said Ray Pickup, WCF president and CEO. "The importance of workplace safety cannot be underestimated. We applaud these award-winning companies who lead the way in workplace safety."
Recipients of the 2012 WCF Charles A. Caine Workplace Safety Awards are as follows:
- Advanced Health Care Corporation, Salt Lake
- Devoge Electric, Salt Lake
- DP Curtis, Richfield
- Graymont Western, Salt Lake
- Interstate Rock Products, Hurricane
- Langford Roofing, St. George
- Palmer Christiansen Company, Salt Lake
- Petersen, Inc., Farr West
- Reid Ashman Manufacturing, St. George
- Roofers Supply, Salt Lake
- Structural Steel & Plate Fabrication, Salt Lake
- Tooele County, Tooele
- Triple T Heating and Cooling, Spanish Fork
- Wasatch Distributing, Ogden
