Safety

At Rinderknecht, we insist on "Safety First" as our standard operating procedure. In fact, each staff member is required to follow a strict code of safety as a condition of employment. Rinderknecht developed a structured safety program long before OSHA made safety a priority in American businesses. Our high safety expectations, continual training programs and daily inspection requirements have made Rinderknecht a construction industry model.

Rinderknecht's safety program communicates our company-wide commitment to meeting safety goals, expectations and requirements to every employee. We've incorporated continuous safety improvement into our strategic planning and made it an essential part of our Total Quality Management culture.

Award-winning Safety Program:

In 2011, Rinderknecht was awarded a safety award for Incident Rate Excellence from the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council during their 58th Annual Professional Development Conference and Expo on April 28-29th. We received this honor because we demonstrated an incident rate lower than the national average for our industry in 2010 and for promoting active safety programs and reducing OSHA recordable injuries among our employees.  

Company Safety Goals:

• Zero injuries
  
• Drug-free workplace
  
• Employee accountability
  
• Employee empowerment to identify and immediately correct unsafe conditions

Safety Communication Channels:

• Frequent safety training at all levels
  
• Staff and superintendent safety meetings
  
• Weekly Toolbox Safety Talks
  
• On-site safety training through videos, demonstrations and hands-on practice
  
• Safety memos and company newsletter articles
  
• Incident/injury reviews
  
• On-site reference materials, including OSHA 1926 Construction Safety Standards and Rinderknecht Safety Manual (350 pages)

Comprehensive Safety Requirements:

• Written safety rules and responsibilities
  
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements
  
• Hazard prevention and control through Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
  
• Emergency planning/preparation and medical assistance program
  
• Safety training and education
  
• Specific safety programs for hazard communication, respiratory protection, confined-space entry and lockout/tagout and blood-borne illness protection
  
• Daily site safety inspections

Rinderknecht's project superintendents conduct thorough daily site safety inspections and send weekly reports to the company's safety director. The director performs regular site safety audits and works with superintendents and project managers to address any potential problems in an aggressive, proactive manner.

Rinderknecht complies with all OSHA requirements. We train employees to inspect their tools and equipment before use and we keep detailed records of the inspections we perform on tools, equipment and worksites.

On average, Rinderknecht employees receive 32 hours of safety training a year. Training programs are constantly updated and improved to ensure that we are meeting employee safety needs.

Toolbox Safety Talks, which are offered each week, cover basic safety procedures and specific safety topics, such as electrical safety and power tool usage. Rinderknecht employees conduct the talks and coworkers are urged to participate and share their safety suggestions and concerns. As a result, employees feel a strong sense of ownership in Rinderknecht's safety program.