Thinking Safety

Recent events involving a non NWA employee continue to remind us how important it is to work safe and follow safety rules. Safety is and always has to be the most important part of our day to day work environment and we all must constantly be " Thinking Safety". No one comes to work with the thought of getting hurt or hurting someone else, but the facts are that unsafe work habits can and do result in injuries or worse. Driving habits are a very real concern and I often hear "what is the County or Company doing about it". There is no question we all have to be more proactive in ensuring that everyone is working and driving safely. Ensuring we have a safe working environment is a WE issue and not a THEM issue.

Wayne County, our company, the other companies and the unions are all in agreement that safety is job one and education, training, involvement and enforcement is an important part of the solution. I have asked Joe Conlon and our Safety manager to head up an EIT to look at other actions we can all take to ensure we have a safe work environment. The list of safety rules is long, but a great place to start is:

1. Drive safe - which means slow down and stop at posted stop signs or when visibility is limited.
2. Always be alert to your surroundings and watch out for the other guy.

3. NO cell phones, MP3 players, IPODs etc, should be in use when working on the ramp or when driving.

Again, a short list and nothing that we don't already know, but each day someone is seen not following the basic rules of safety.

Lets all work and drive safe, and if you see someone not doing so, please remind them we all want a safe place to work.

Thank you,

Mark