America’s Safest Companies 2016: American Bridge Company

One look at the photos from American Bridge Co. and you'll understand why maintaining a corporate culture focused on safety is so important to them.

“With a strong desire to be the global leader in our industry, we strive to not only build the world's most iconic structures, but to be known for our exemplary safety program and culture.

We believe in never settling for the minimum, always setting the highest standards and never being willing to accept failure," said Joe Corvello, CSM, corporate director of health, safety and environment for American Bridge Co.

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In the application for America's Safest Companies, Corvello noted that while the “ultimate success of the safety program depends on the full cooperation of each individual in performing his/her job in a safe and efficient manner, it is management's responsibility to see that a safe work environment is maintained at all times."

At American Bridge Co., a safe work environment means that:

• Safe physical conditions are provided and maintained to the extent feasible.
• Employees are provided with and trained on the proper use of personal protective equipment.
• Adequate safety rules and procedures are developed.
• Training is provided.
• Rules and procedures are enforced.

On-boarding for all new hires begins with the company's president and CEO delivering a greeting with a strong emphasis on American Bridge Co.'s philosophy that safety be placed above all else. This delivers a clear message of expectations from management in regards to personal safety and the safety of coworkers, said Corvello.

One of the innovative aspects to the company's safety process is a Safety Score Card, which evaluates leading indicators for each of its project locations. Leading indicators at the company include near miss reporting, daily safety observations, weekly workplace inspections, safety meetings, toolbox talks and compliance audits.

The company conducts quarterly safety surveys, which provide feedback on the positioning of safety culture and awareness within the company's key performance indicators. “This allows for any improvements to be implemented if required and tracks the company's overall safety culture," said Corvello.

The company issues monthly Safety Performance Reports, which are distributed across the company and demonstrate the overall safety performance for individual projects, business units and the company. Dashboard reports are provided to shareholders to demonstrate continued health and safety success.

“The primary role of American' Bridge's Safety Program is to ensure workforce well-being and business continuity," emphasized Corvello.