Posts Tagged ‘safety brings you home’

Egan Company Earns Governor’s Safety Awards

Wednesday, July 24th, 2024

Every year, the Minnesota Safety Council recognizes top organizations who display excellence in occupational injury prevention. These Governor’s Safety Awards were announced at a ceremony on April 30 and recognized a number of Egan Company teams who achieved success in maintaining low incident rates in 2023. 

Egan’s teams recognized at the 2024 Governor’s Safety Awards ceremony included: 

  • Automation, Technology, and Service – Diamond Award
  • Mechanical – Diamond Award
  • Industrial Controls – Gold Award
  • Electrical Special Projects – Silver Award
  • Egan Company – Silver Award

In 2023, Egan Company achieved its lowest recordable incident rate in company history: 1.27. Every day, Egan employees show up to work dedicated to the task at-hand and the safety of themselves, their colleagues, and their environment. By taking time to put safety first, we were able to do better work and go home safely.

Celebrating Safety Month in June

Thursday, June 27th, 2024

The safety of everyone and everything Egan works with is our number one priority. National Safety Month is an opportunity for Egan to recommit to maintaining high safety standards in the office, on the jobsite, and everywhere we work. By focusing on the safety of self, others, and the property with which we work, we can contribute to a culture and environment of safety that helps everyone go home without injury at the end of the day. 

HOW WE STAY SAFE

During Safety Month, Egan participated in the National Safety Council’s campaign to promote key safety messages each week. These included:

  • Safety Engagement
  • Roadway Safety
  • Risk Reduction
  • Slips, Trips, and Falls

In addition, field leaders and safety team members at Egan promoted Egan’s first value of Stay Safe on the jobsite through Toolbox Talks and Daily Safety Plans. Safety is all-encompassing, starting with how we show up to work everyday. By preparing our bodies and minds for the work ahead, we can ensure that we are in the right physical and mental state to work safely. 

During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Egan emphasized the importance of mental well-being and how it relates to safety on the jobsite and at home. Just as physical safety precautions need to be taken at the start of every day, mental preparedness and well-being is equally important for the health and safety of everyone at work. Everything on the jobsite needs to be taken into consideration in order to create a safe work environment where everyone can go home without injuries every day. 

National Safety Month takes place in June, but safety at Egan happens all year round. As one of America’s Safest Companies, we are committed to a culture that prioritizes the safety and well-being of everyone.

How We Stay Safe: Safety Absolutes

Wednesday, February 14th, 2024

There is one topic of conversation at Egan Company that every employee can join in on: safety. Every day, conversations around safety are held to ensure jobsites, offices, and every employee is following safe practices and goes home without  injury. While every conversation around safety is different, there are 11 recurring themes that are often at the center of safety discussions. 

Egan’s Safety Absolutes are guiding principles that are designed to reduce incidents and keep our employees, our customers, and our environment safe. The Absolutes were created to reiterate baseline expectations for performing work safely and have been a foundational part of Egan’s Safety Program. They are shared at orientation and posted on jobsites, in shops, around the office, and online to keep them fresh in everyone’s mind. These Safety Absolutes are just part of our company-wide initiatives to prioritize safety everywhere we work. This vigilance on safety resulted in a record-low 1.27 incident rate in 2023, and our Safety Absolutes will contribute to our future efforts of achieving zero incidents. 

EGAN COMPANY’S SAFETY ABSOLUTES

Stop Work Expectation: All employees are expected to stop work if an unsafe condition exists.

Fall Protection: Proper fall protection will be used when working at heights at or above 6 feet. Some customers require fall protection at or above 4 feet.

Preventing Utility Hits: Prior to beginning any work activity that could damage an underground utility, there will be active locate tickets, and pre-dig photos or videos captured. Safe digging practices within 2 feet of locate marks will be used.

Excavation / Trenching: Excavations will be properly sloped, benched, and/or protected from cave-in.

Lockout / Tagout: All sources of energy will be properly isolated using locks and tags.

Energized Work: Equipment will be de-energized, unless deemed infeasible (troubleshooting, certain life critical equipment) to turn off by all parties. Workers must be trained and authorized to perform this work using PPE, a signed permit, and approval from Egan Company management. First choice must always be to de-energize.

Hoisting And Rigging: Only authorized employees and proper equipment will be involved in all hoisting and rigging operations.

Confined Space: Confined space work will have documented training, air monitoring, permits, and rescue plans in place.

Operating Vehicles And Equipment: Vehicles and equipment will only be operated by trained and authorized employees.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Egan’s baseline minimum PPE must be worn, including hard hat, safety glasses, cut-resistant gloves, and proper footwear. The task or customer may require additional PPE such as a face shield or high-visibility vest.

Daily Safety Planning: Daily Safety Plans and Weekly Toolbox Talks will be completed daily/weekly and Egan’s Active Stretching will be completed daily.

SAFETY FIRST. SAFETY ALWAYS.

These 11 Safety Absolutes aren’t just guidelines; they are essential focus points for every Egan employee to keep in mind every time they begin work. With these principles at the forefront of the work we do, we can continue to promote safety in the office and on the jobsite, and we can help keep ourselves, our colleagues, and our environment as safe as possible. Everything adds up to ensure we can go home to our families every day. 

Safety Measures Add Up

Wednesday, January 31st, 2024

“Safety first” is more than just a saying at Egan Company. It is a foundational belief that paves the way for great work, successful projects, and most importantly, the health and safety of our team. In 2023, Egan renewed our commitment to safety by prioritizing the core value and putting it first each and every day. 

This enhanced focus on safety resulted in our lowest recordable incident rate in Egan history: 1.27 (down from 1.95 in 2022). We are proud to be significantly below the industry average, thanks to the hard work of our employees. This number represents a number of things: the amount of injuries recorded throughout the year, the impact of incidents per hours worked, and of course, the hard work that goes into minimizing risks on the job site and reducing workplace injuries. Achieving a record-low incident rate required a daily commitment by every team and every individual, whether they were working from home, in the office, or on job sites. This number shows that our efforts pay off, and a future with zero workplace incidents is possible. 

HOW WE PUT SAFETY FIRST

Every day, Egan employees show up to work dedicated to the task at-hand and the safety of themselves, their colleagues, and their environment. By taking time to put safety first, we were able to do better work and go home safely.

This was done in a number of ways:

Daily Safety Planning – Before beginning work each morning on job sites, our crews participated in Daily Safety Planning, which outlined the day ahead and discussed potential hazards, risks, and considerations for teams to be aware of. Starting the day with a focus on safety helps set the tone and establish expectations on the job site.  

Toolbox Talks – Each week, Egan field leaders conduct “Toolbox Talks,” sharing important company updates and messages to their teams. Included in these weekly updates are important safety reminders and focuses, which often center around specific safety tips, equipment handling, or other necessary safety messaging.

Safety Lunches – Hard work does not go unrewarded. Teams who went injury free in a month during 2023 were recognized with a lunch. This helped reinforce our initiatives and reward the efforts made by each team throughout the year. 

Safety Absolutes – Through 11 specific messages, Egan has established non-negotiable safety expectations for every employee to follow. These absolutes are guiding principles for how we can ensure safety in everything that we do.

Individual and Team Efforts – Each team member, whether they work in the field, in the office, at home, or anywhere in between, plays a part in creating a safe work environment. We all contribute to a culture of safety and teamwork everywhere we go. 

STRIVING FOR ZERO INJURIES

While Egan achieved a record-low incident rate in 2023, our goal is zero injuries. We are continuing to work together to meet that goal and ensure every team member can go home at the end of the work day without injuries or near-misses. Everything adds up on the jobsite and in the office to lead to zero injuries and a safe work environment. 

“It’s inspiring to reflect on our achievements throughout 2023,” said Reid Romer, Egan Company Safety Director. “For the past 18 months, we’ve shifted our mindset to integrate safety and risk assessment into how we pursue, plan, and execute work. When we  manage our risk well on the front end, the results will follow. The result is a signal that we are building a strong balance between safety, quality, and production. This is important because safety is our leading core value. Our industry and customers are elevating their standards, so leading with safety is necessary to be sustainable. We’re on the cusp of what we’d consider best-in-class performance within our industry. It is the leadership within our organization, from our CEO to field leaders, that contribute to our culture of safety and instill that value in everyone who wears an Egan hard hat.” 

America’s Safest Companies Distinction

Friday, December 18th, 2020

Recognized for its ongoing commitment to worker safety and health, comprehensive training programs and risk management efforts, and a lower than industry average injury and illness rate, Egan Company has once again been named one of America’s Safest Companies.

EHS Today named 10 organizations to the 2020 list of America’s Safest Companies, including firms with a few dozen employees to multinational corporations with tens of thousands of employees. Together, these organizations all have one thing in common: to provide a safe working environment for their employees.

Being named one of America’s Safest Companies is a tremendous honor!” said Reid Romer, Egan Company Safety Director. “When I think about safety at Egan, I think about our people.  Our dedicated teams enable us to progress along our journey to safety excellence and to continue to grow, evolve, and excel safely within our organization.  I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I believe the best is still to come.

Within Egan, a safety department was first established in 1986. Having been founded in 1945, it may surprise some that Egan had gone over forty years without a dedicated safety program. Today, Egan maintains an ongoing, aggressive commitment to provide all employees with a safe and healthy place of employment. 

“We have a true ‘Safety Culture’ at Egan Company. Everyone believes in our safety programs and is acting and responding to do our work in the safest way possible,” said Duane Hendricks, Egan Company President & CEO. “We have good safety results because of our many safety initiatives and the involvement of everyone. This sets us apart and keeps our people focused and safe.”

Egan continues to move forward in the belief that work-related injuries are preventable, but we can never claim to control all the variables. What we can control is how we collectively work together and support each other to promote safety.

“We do not focus on our safety for an award, we focus on safety to keep our people safe. But it is exciting to know Egan is recognized for safety once again!” Hendricks adds.

All award recipients were honored at EHS Today’s Virtual Safety Leadership Conference on November 10. A feature was published in a special section in the November issue of EHS Today magazine (read more here).

Egan Company Named One of America’s Safest Companies

Friday, December 4th, 2020

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (December 4, 2020) EHS Today once again selected Egan Company as one of America’s Safest Companies for its commitment to worker safety and health.

The 10 organizations identified as America’s Safest Companies represent safety excellence and come in all shapes and sizes, including firms with a few dozen employees to multinational corporations with tens of thousands of employees. Together, all chosen organizations have one thing in common: to provide a safe working environment for their employees.

“Being named one of America’s Safest Companies is a tremendous honor!” said Reid Romer, Egan Company Safety Director. “When I think about safety at Egan, I think about our people. Our dedicated teams enable us to progress along our journey to safety excellence and to continue to grow, evolve, and excel safety within our organization. I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I believe the best is still to come.”

Egan Company maintains an ongoing, aggressive commitment to provide all employees with a safe and healthy place of employment. Through its safety program, on-going safety training, safety policy and practices, and a full-time safety team, employees are given knowledge and skills to ensure their own safety in the workplace.

“We have a true ‘Safety Culture’ at Egan Company. Everyone believes in our safety programs and is acting and responding to do our work in the safest way possible,” said Duane Hendricks, Egan Company President & CEO. “We have good safety results because of our many safety initiatives and the involvement of everyone. This sets us apart and keeps our people focused and safe.”

All award recipients were honored at EHS Today’s Virtual Safety Leadership Conference on November 10 and featured in a special section of the November issue of EHS Today magazine (read more here).

About Egan Company

Egan Company is a privately-owned, specialty contractor providing building trades to general contractors, engineers, building owners, property managers, and facility engineers. Specialties include: electrical, mechanical, curtainwall/glazing/metal panels (InterClad), millwrights, building technology, controls and system integration, and 24/7 service. Egan serves every stage of a building and provides in-house expertise in planning, design and engineering, construction, and maintenance. For more information about Egan Company, visit www.eganco.com.

About EHS Today

EHS Today, formerly known as Occupational Hazards, is a part of Penton Media, Inc. The publication informs safety, health, and industrial hygiene professionals in the manufacturing, construction, and service sectors about trends, management strategies, regulatory news, and new products that help them provide safe and healthy work sites. Since 2002, America’s Safest Companies has honored more than 200 organizations for their unwavering commit­ment to worker safety and health and environmental stewardship. 

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Media Contact:
Angela Schmidt
arschmidt@eganco.com  //  763-504-3471

2019 June Safety Month: Accountability

Thursday, June 27th, 2019

It’s National Safety Month and we’re focusing on three key areas that help us work safe at Egan: Awareness, Action, and Accountability.

This week our attention is on Accountability. Two Egan team members share their insight on holding each other accountable when it comes to working safely.


Q: How can we better hold each other accountable to achieve zero injuries?

“Always say something if you see a co-worker performing a task unsafe. We can learn from each other by speaking up and demonstrating the correct, safe way to do things. This way we keep each other accountable and get to go home injury-free.” – Tony Klema, Egan Project Manager

Q: What would achieving zero injuries mean to Egan?

“Achieving zero injuries means Egan could approach all of our projects with even more confidence. A high emphasis on safety speaks volumes to new and existing customers and being able to demonstrate stability and trust with them is important. Also, zero injuries keeps my coworkers and I coming home at the end of the day to our families.” – Terry Fredericks, Egan Panel Shop Field Leader

2019 June Safety Month: Action

Thursday, June 20th, 2019

It’s National Safety Month and we’re focusing on three key areas that help us work safe at Egan: Awareness, Action, and Accountability.

This week our attention is on Action. Two Egan team members share their insight on taking action in order to stay safe.


Q: As a Field Leader, how do you continuously maintain safety on the jobsite?

We maintain safety on the job by emphasizing that the crew speaks up. Whether they see something they feel is unsafe or see another trade working unsafe, they should always make the superintendent or myself aware so immediate action can be taken. – Mark Hoffman, Egan Glazier Field Leader

Q: How do you empower your crew to speak up if they see unsafe work happening?

“Having open discussions every day gives the crew an opportunity to voice their safety concerns and builds trust among the group. I try to reiterate that any safety issue that arises should be brought to my attention and I make sure to address or act on their concerns immediately, regardless of its severity, so they always feel comfortable speaking up.” – Ben Tronson, Egan Pipefitter Field Leader

2019 June Safety Month: Awareness

Thursday, June 13th, 2019

It’s National Safety Month and we’re focusing on three key areas that help us work safe at Egan: Awareness, Action, and Accountability.

This week our attention is on Awareness. Two Egan team members share their insight on workplace awareness and safety culture.


Q: How do you make sure all employees on your jobsite are aware of the importance of our safety culture?

Understanding the importance of our safety culture starts in the morning as we go through our Daily Safety Plan and morning stretching. Additionally, we always stress the importance of wearing full PPE. I also constantly try to encourage the crew to not be afraid to speak up if there is a tool or equipment that could make the job easier or safer.” – Anthony Sailer, Egan Electrical Field Leader

Q: What is one way every Egan employee can contribute toward achieving zero injuries?

Staying aware of everything happening around the jobsite should always be top priority. Conditions on any site can change rapidly, both on inside or outside jobs, constant awareness will help us be alert to identify potential hazards and prevent injuries. – Todd Hemstock, Egan Limited Energy Technician

Safe Subcontractor of the Year Awarded by Ryan Companies

Friday, August 10th, 2018

Safety continually shapes how we do our job at Egan. Every day, on every job, safety remains the highest priority.

However, this culture of safety didn’t happen overnight, on one project, or in one year. It’s been built on a commitment spanning across decades. A commitment we are proud to share with other industry leaders who value safety as much as we do.

Recently, Ryan Companies recognized Egan and named us its 2017 Safe Subcontractor of the Year. This award was voted on by Field Managers and Project Managers at Ryan Companies and was based on various criteria—from safety program enforcement to creative solutions for safety.

We are honored to have received this award – and thankful for the generous donation Ryan Companies made to Toys for Tots on Egan’s behalf as part of the recognition.

 

Pictured above (L to R):
Scott Beron, Ryan Companies
John Gaddini, Ryan Companies
Nick Ravetto, Egan Company Safety Coordinator
Luke Piram, Egan Company Project Manager
John Reber, Egan Company Vice President