Windsor Windows & Doors is very proud to announce that, once again for 2018, we have been awarded Woodgrain’s Presidents Safety Award. Woodgrain Millwork’s Window Division has won this honor six of the past seven years. Safety is one of Woodgrain’s core values; we put a great deal of emphasis on protecting our employees. In 2018, we developed a methodical strategy and implemented specific tactics to improve our safety statistics.
Windsor is committed to elevating our safety performance to the next level. We partnered with Keren Consult, L.L.C., comprised of Dr. Nir Keren and Dr. James Wright who both teach at Iowa State University. They are nationally renowned for their expertise in Safety and Compliance as well as Organizational Climate and Situational Conditions Assessments.
These experts immediately identified ways in which we could improve our safety platform. The first step was to develop a defined safety manual encompassing the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Subsequent consulting sessions revealed that we could implement other improvements, as well. We were reminded that a safety program requires support from the leadership team, not just the financial aspect but the commitment to pave the way for change which was truly led by our Division President, Mark Rieser. We learned that setting accountability from top to bottom was a priority.
The first step was to address “Safe Manufacturing” as a whole, rather than two separate entities. Safety and Manufacturing must become one. As a result, we took steps to educate the department managers.
The professors develop the material and scheduled the training. Managers were given complete responsibility for the safety of their team and everything within their space. This meant that training, equipment repairs and even conducting housekeeping inspections. With these simple instructions, keeping our work environments clutter free has reduced injuries by opening up working and walking surfaces. As we continued safety training, line managers were introduced to Job Safety Analysis identifying steps to take on completing each job safely. During this process, managers developed a profound respect for what safety professional evaluate every day.
Our success in 2018 is attributed to this training that was conducted by the ISU professors. It revealed potential hazards that exist in nearly every department. And as managers have completed the Job Safety Analysis for every position, they learned what each employee encounters to accomplish a task. Recognizing potential hazards and taking action to mitigate them continues to have a positive impact on the overall health for the Window Division. With commitment, clear communication and with everyone moving in the right direction it is amazing what an organization can accomplish.