In 2023, Bartlett Group, Excel Modular Scaffold’s holding company, witnessed increased incidents related to walking/working surfaces. These incidents ranged from tripping over obstructions to losing balance and stepping into openings, resulting in serious injuries and potential hazards for personnel across various service lines. To address this alarming trend, Bartlett Group launched a comprehensive campaign to eliminate walking/working surface-related incidents.
Walking/working surface-related incidents pose significant risks to workers, with uneven surfaces on scaffolds being a common culprit. Without intervention, these incidents are likely to increase, jeopardizing the safety and well-being of Bartlett Group’s employees.
To stop the trend, Bartlett Group’s Walk Wise Campaign rolled out a multi-faceted approach:
- Awareness and Education: Sites received banners and posters to remind workers of the hazards associated with walking/working surfaces, emphasizing the importance of vigilance and hazard mitigation.
- Daily Safety Meetings: Discussions on walking/working surfaces have been integrated into morning toolbox safety meetings, ensuring that safety remains a top priority.
- Continuous Assessment and Mitigation: Crews conduct regular inspections of their work areas for housekeeping concerns and slip/trip potentials after each break. Hazard mitigation is prioritized before work resumes.
- Adequate Lighting: Walking/working surfaces are adequately lit to enhance visibility and reduce the risk of accidents.
- Job Safety Analysis (JSA): All JSAs commence with an assessment of walking/working surface hazards, reinforcing the importance of proactive hazard identification and mitigation.
- Recognition of Efforts: Sites are encouraged to submit examples of eliminating walking/working surface-related incidents to Regional HSE Managers, fostering a culture of accountability and recognition.
- Celebrating Success: Good catches and exemplary efforts in maintaining safe walking/working surfaces are acknowledged through highlights in newsletter and social media.
- Implementing Best Practices: Workers are encouraged to adhere to safety guidelines, such as utilizing designated paths, avoiding slippery surfaces, and wearing appropriate footwear with adequate ankle support and traction.
Bartlett Group’s Walk Wise Campaign underscores its commitment to the safety and well-being of its personnel by proactively addressing the alarming trend of walking/working surface-related incidents. By prioritizing a culture of awareness, education and continuous improvement, Bartlett Group aims to create safer work environments where employees can thrive without compromising their safety. Together, let’s choose the clear path towards safety and walk wise.