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100,001 to 300,000Man-hoursDeKalb Pipeline Co.Conyers, Ga.to understand the importance of safety. We had to start slow and work to wherewe are today. All the hard work has definitelypaid off.”NUCA provided a wealthof training and the abilityto network withother contractorswithinsafety forums.DeKalb’s success is thanks in large part to its safety-minded employees.DeKalb has been accident free for 10 years — a monumentalachievement. Despite its immaculate record, DeKalb knowsthat it can’t rest on its laurels. King believes that employeesneed to continually look out for themselves and others.“Always pay attention to your surroundings, if you are indoubt, stop and ask. If something is wrong, make sure totake the time to fix whatever is creating the unsafe environment,”King recommends.DeKalb Pipeline Co. was started in 1960. When James King Jr., now the President, tookover the day-to-day operations, he knew that getting a safety program started was going to beone of the major hurdles. “At that point in time, safety wasn’t at the forefront of everyone’sbusiness. I knew that it needed to be, so I felt I needed to make that a priority,” saysKing. “Metro Atlanta was having numerous trench fatalities, and the undergroundutility industry was getting a black eye. It was very difficult getting the employeesDeKalb’s KeySafety Points• Employees — they need to understandthe importance of a safe place to work.• Safety Awareness — recognizingjobsite hazards before they leadto injuries.• Training — you must spend time andmoney to properly educate.• Management must understand that safetyis not cheap to implement on the frontend, but pays off later.• Good Resources — being a partof NUCA and GUCA isvery beneficial.300,001 to 500,00Man-hoursForemost Pipeline Construction Co.Gaston, S.C.Foremost Pipeline Construction Co. was started in 1965 withabout six to seven people doing distribution pipeline work in SouthCarolina. The work was there, and hard working people could accomplishquite a bit if they were willing. The company has grownsteadily since then, with around 40 three- to five-men crews workingevery day and on larger projects 10 to 50 people.“I think the key to our safety record begins with a managementteam that is serious about safety, a good safety team and safety programand, most importantly, our people in the field have boughtinto a safety culture and really watch out for each other,” says TimHaechten, Division Manager for Foremost. “I think NUCA is oneof the most safety oriented organizations I’ve been involved with. Iconstantly read and study its publications for any ideas to put intoeffect here at Foremost.”Foremost’s formula for success revolves around these five keyjobsite safety points:1. Management has to be involved and committed tosafety above profit.2. Foremen have to be committed to the safety culture and bewilling to put the program into effect daily.3. Jobsite evaluations have to be performed and adhered to.4. Observation cards must be available and utilized to convinceevery employee that they have the right to stop unsafeacts on the jobsite.5. Recognition — employees need to be recognized for theircommitment to safety.Tim Haechten presents safety award trophies at Foremost’s2009 Annual Team Safety Training Two Days Program.July 2009 | Utility Contractor 19