SLC 2025 Preview: Transform Your Workplace With Safety Data
That World War II-era slogan, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without” could take on a whole new meaning if applied to workplace safety data (minus the last bit, of course).
That data could have another life, one filled with improvements, solutions and possibilities instead of collecting dust in three-ring binders or taking up space on your company’s servers.
Director of safety Trey White and director of human resources Mike Cutrona have made that idea a reality at Orgill, an independent hardware distributor. They will be sharing their experiences and expertise at Safety Leadership Conference 2025, being held October 20-22 in Pheonix. More information, including registration, can be found at www.safetyleadershipconference.com. Below is a preview of what to expect from White and Cutrona’s presentation.
EHS Today: Safety professionals collect a lot of data. How can they make it work for them?
Trey White: Data is a great starting point for measuring success, but it takes actions to truly earn buy-in. No one person at a business can handle all aspects of safety. Every employee has a part to play in creating the safety culture and part of that is the understanding of the safety data. That understanding leads to engagement, and that’s what makes the data truly work for safety professionals.
How can data make employees safer and more engaged?
Mike Cutrona: Data, when paired with action and a clear reason behind it, gives employees a snapshot of where things stand—and why it matters. Involving employees in safety committees or other safety-type committees gains buy-in and empowers them to protect each other and their colleagues. All employees, from leaders to employees, have to be engaged and buy-in.
Can you tell me more about your own journey of how you leveraged safety data to transform your workplace?
Cutrona: Building a safety culture is a journey. At Orgill, it started with a communication plan that focused on data transparency, clear action items and consistent follow up. That approach has helped reduce workplace incidents and thus lowered costs associated with workers’ compensation and facility infrastructure. Transparency and knowledge around injuries and/or recordable; injuries less than one year; days away, restricted or transferred (DART); total recordable incident rate (TRIR); and other metrics has been a big part of our success.
What have you been most surprised by on your journey?
White: I’ve been most surprised by how much of a difference local buy-in can make. Having buy-in from key stakeholders at the local level has helped create awareness of safety metrics and how they assist with the end business product.
What's something you wish you had done differently?
White: I wish we had found a balance between different jurisdictions/state requirements at the local level and consistency with the safety initiatives across all locations.
How do you decide what data to leverage or use as key performance indicators?
White: We started with the basics—DART, severity, TRIR—and then each year expanded a new category to monitor. Whether it’s tracking injuries per 100 employees or focusing on injuries that happen within the first year, the goal is always to look where the incidents are occurring and create a balanced way to compare performance across all locations.
What tools or techniques have you employed to connect the dots between safety performance and business performance?
Cutrona: We’ve focused on building a culture of transparency within safety, and one of the ways we do that is by sharing the return on investment (ROI) with all levels of employees through the tool distribution center (DC) safety scorecard, a device we use to inform the DCs how they are performing on key metrics. It is updated monthly, and all locations have access and can review and compare.
How can safety and HR work together, as you two have, to harness data to improve safety and engagement?
Cutrona: In the Orgill culture, HR does not necessarily own safety but is the main driver to keep "the finger on the pulse" pushing out initiatives, awareness and training. HR reports out metrics, successes and improvement opportunities at town halls, weekly announcements, and other safety meetings.
What's something you hope attendees take away from your presentation at the Safety Leadership Conference 2025?
Cutrona: A strong safety culture is not a short-term goal; it’s a long-term commitment. Little actions matter when trying to create a strong safety culture and get buy-in. Safety is a journey that never stops, and you have to always look for ways to continuously improve.
