When Ryan DeBoer, Comstock plant manager, started at Shape just three years ago, the Comstock facility had the worst safety incident rate in the company. Since then, Comstock has turned their safety incident rate around and have now gone two years without an injury.
It wasn’t easy getting there. It took an entire team to accomplish something as big as this. Ryan notes that the creation of their safety team has had a big impact on their safety success. “The consistent focus and drive to resolve safety issues has made a big difference,” said Ryan.
The safety team meets twice a month and includes all shifts. During their meetings they focus on a variety of findings to help keep their workplace a safe environment.
1. Review corporate and plant safety measures.
2. Review any injuries that happened at the plant and any injuries around the other facilities. Then discuss if or how that injury could happen here so preventative actions can be taken.
3. Review safety audit findings.
4. Review open safety issues and work orders.
5. Take a section of the plant and perform a safety walk. The team then writes work orders to address any issues discovered on the walk.
“Everyone on the Comstock team should be very proud of this accomplishment,” said Ryan. “Their daily focus on safety is what has gotten us to this point.”
On September 25, the two year anniversary of remaining injury free, the team had a pizza party celebration. The Comstock team will be having a larger celebration later in October, where Ryan will be shaving his head; an agreement he made with the team if they made it another year without an injury. Congratulations Comstock on all your continued hard work to stay safe!