Safety is first at Tri-State Drilling.
Over the past ten years, in response to a greatly-increased need for foundation drilling across the country, Tri-State Drilling has hired many new employees and purchased new, state-of-the-art drilling equipment. The quadrupling of company’s revenues during this time is just one indication of how quickly the company grew. This exciting period of growth has also brought challenges. New personnel had to be brought up to speed quickly, not just in job skills, but in learning to work safely. Today, thanks to the diligence of our Safety Department and the conscientious efforts of our employees, Tri-State has a safety track record of which we are rightfully very proud.
Recently, on the Middletown to Norwalk job in Connecticut, a particularly challenging project and one of the two biggest Tri-State has ever taken on, project superintendents partnered with Par Electric to achieve the goal of one million man hours worked over 14 months with no lost-time injuries.
On the even larger Arrowhead-Weston project in Wisconsin and Minnesota, Tri-State redoubled its safety program, with the conscientious efforts of its employees and assistance from the utilities and M. J. Electric. The safety improvements initiated on this project were shared by the rest of Tri-State’s workforce and led to Tri-State’s receiving the ADSC 2007 Most-Improved Safety Program Award.
Safety results like these require on-going commitment, vigilance and strict adherence to company safety rules. From the first agenda item at management’s weekly meeting to the early morning “toolbox” meeting at job sites, a “safety first” approach is stressed. Then, these meetings are reinforced by positive action. Our Safety Manager makes site visits and audits and trains employees to work safely. Project superintendents and foremen are trained to eliminate on-the-job hazards. Employees learn OSHA rules and learn how to provide medical assistance.
Since we are primarily a transmission line foundation contractor, we routinely work around energized lines. This 'highly charged' environment requires specialized knowledge. In addition, as transmission lines get larger, the right of way space seems to be shrinking, leaving less room to work and making safety more difficult. Even with these challenges, we are confident in the ability of our employees to continue their excellent record. Diligent supervision, enforcement of OSHA rules and employee creativity in devising safe work plans and minimizing hazards—all of these have served us well.
The rare rule violations are met with disciplinary procedures, but we prefer positive incentives to reward employees. Statatistics are kept validating men for their individual safety performances annually, and for their contribution of new ideas submitted to promote company safety. To keep the creative juices flowing, for the past five years one employee has been awarded an all-expenses-paid vacation for a break-through safety approach.
Tri-State Drilling is, and always has been, a family-oriented business. After working hard in the field all week, it is a company priority that each employee return home, in good health, to enjoy free time with family and friends.