Western Pallet Magazine July 2019 | Page 17

Pallet Consultants Significantly Reduces Injuries, Makes Safety #1 Goal Workplace injuries have dropped sharply at WPA member Pallet Consultants since implementing new safety measures in January. Those measures included new equipment as well as changes to injury reporting procedures, safety processes and an overall renewed focus on team member well being, Suarez explained. He also said Pallet Consultants has “increased training and awareness companywide with new safety videos that loop on TV screens in our cafeteria daily.” Team members at Pallet Consultants already had access to health insurance, 401k and other benefits, but the company Gus Gutierrez, CEO of Pallet Consultants, wanted to do more according to Gutierrez. says this move is part of a larger goal for the company. “Safety has always been a “Take for example our new injury priority, but now we’re doubling down,” reporting system,” Gutierrez noted. “If he said. someone gets hurt, management has to send the report to executives within 24 There have been new purchases like hours, along with an action plan to prevent goggles that don’t fog in the humid Florida it in the future. That action plan is shared summers, new guards on machines, better with all other managers at our other gloves and brighter lights. Longer and locations, and they all share their own more comprehensive training periods suggestions and take notes.” with detailed videos and safety suggestion boxes placed around the Suarez’s favorite development is “team warehouse have also made workers more awareness and willingness to not only aware of safety procedures and more protect themselves but their coworkers confident in reporting potential hazards, by pointing out anything they think could according to Daniel Suarez, the Pompano be unsafe.” Beach Operations Manager. Being without injuries is a lofty goal, but “We are now proactive versus reactive,” one Gutierrez is confident in. “We’ll get says Suarez. “We have added new lighting there, and be the safest company in the for much clearer pathways for our forklift industry. It’s only a matter of time.” drivers. Upgraded nail guns with added safety features. Upgraded and added new cameras for internal review and training,” JULY 2019