#11 Better Safety = Fewer Injuries
posted on Thursday, December 22, 2016
“Our farm has focused on safety more than ever before,” said Aaron Perry, manager of Sow 27, a farm that has been recognized for safety performance four consecutive quarters in a row. “We talk about it every day, we watch out for each other and stay on top of repairs and maintenance issues to reduce risk—the safety of our people is as important to us as the care of our animals and the performance of our farm.”
And Aaron and his team are not alone in placing safety as a high priority. This year there were more farms recognized for safety than in the history of the company, and more farms earning consecutive recognition each quarter for completing their safety training, passing their safety audits, and most importantly, not having any accidents or injuries. Even the National Safety Council is noticing, recognizing Iowa Select Farms two years in a row for awareness and training efforts to improve safety on farms.
“Farming, especially livestock production, can sometimes be tough and our employees are working hard to take care of the animals—walking pens, moving animals, vaccinating and providing treatments,” said Eric Wiechmann, Safety Manager for Iowa Select Farms. “Our animals are docile and domesticated, but they are still big animals that are on the move. Our employees have to be extra careful and have the right training to make sure they stay safe.”
“Years ago nobody really talked about safety until someone got hurt and then it was an issue, but now it’s part of the culture and it’s talked about every day,” said Wiechmann. “The managers and supervisors are really doing a great job of setting expectations and making safety part of their team meetings and everyday routines, and especially explaining the ‘why’s’ behind the safety protocols in common situations.” Employees know why they should only move sows 3-5 at a time and put the cap on a syringe or scalpel when walking or passing it to a co-worker.”
Employees get routine safety training through the monthly “Safety Talks” which cover both technical matters such as how to use an eyewash station, all the way to overcoming behaviors and attitudes that cause accidents, such as being overconfident, in a rush, or simply complacent. Farm managers have the complete training logs to ensure the understood the message.
“Safety is top priority on my farm, these 12 people are my family and I don’t want any of them hurt,” said Lawra Mathes, farm manager for Sow 21. “I talk safety every day and give out tips and reminders on how to do things correctly to avoid injury. I use the motto, ‘work smarter and safer, not harder’ and my team has also made it their own. We just passed our 4th quarter safety audit and I could not be more proud of my crew.”
“Quarterly bonuses are also driving behavior,” said Wiechmann. “Earning a bonus every quarter for things a team can control, like safety, biosecurity and training can really put some teeth into following the protocols, too.”
And Eric and the production leaders are constantly looking for ways to make things easier for employees and put a focus on eliminating things that carry a higher risk of causing an injury, such as transporting a mortality out of the farm. This year a self-propelled electric winch referred to as a “Hercules” was introduced on sow farms to reduce the risk of back and shoulder strains caused by operating the traditional “dead carts,” an investment that earned Iowa Select Farms recognition by the National Safety Council. We’ll continue all efforts to keep our employees safe in 2017, and thanks to all of our managers for making safety a priority every day. #billionpounds
Congratulations to all of the 2016 safety winners to date!
Q1 Safety Awards
• Sow 3
• Sow 5
• Sow 9
• Sow 12
• Sow 17
• Sow 19
• Sow 21
• Sow 24
• Sow 26
• Sow 27
• Sow 31
• Sow 113
• Sow 117
• Sow 118
Q2 Safety Awards
• Sow 2
• Sow 5
• Sow 7
• Sow 8
• Sow 11
• Sow 21
• Sow 24
• Sow 26
• Sow 27
• Sow 28
• Sow 29
• Sow 30
• Sow 114
• Sow 115
• Sow 117
• Sow 118
Q3 Safety Awards
• Sow 1
• Sow 5
• Sow 6
• Sow 14
• Sow 16
• Sow 21
• Sow 24
• Sow 25
• Sow 26
• Sow 27
• Sow 28
• Sow 30
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