Written by Matt Taylor, CHST, SMS
OCP is proud to be rolling out a Safety Challenge Coin Program.
The program is designed to recognize and reward employees who go above and beyond their role in the OCP Safety Program. All employees are eligible from the date of hire. The challenge coin is a hand-crafted 1.75-inch diameter 24k gold plated brass coin. There will be a limited number of coins available each year.
Employees who show courage in doing what is right, suggesting meaningful lean solutions to safety issues, and or voluntarily increasing their knowledge in construction safety may become recipients of a coin. An employee may receive more than one coin in a year for outstanding leadership in safety. The coin is also an employee’s entry into an end-of-year $1000 drawing. (Yes, the taxman gets his share.) An employee entered in this drawing does not have to be currently working for OCP to win if the separation from OCP was not because of being fired or self-resignation. An employee in the drawing can be removed if the employee receives disciplinary action after receiving the coin.
Our first Employee of Choice in Safety Excellence goes to an employee working out of the Cleveland Office. He improved how OCP is doing morning temperature checks. This employee, on his own time, researched a non-contact thermometer that made temperature taking safer by limiting contact with potentially sick employees. This idea also made morning check-ins a lean process for the foreman. These suggested thermometers are now quickly being added to job sites across the state and into each OCP office as well. He observed this solution when attending his child’s hockey games and noticed the arena’s way of checking temperatures. He reached out to a Regional Safety Manager who bought the product and put it to use on his job site.
“This simple concept not only changed OCP but is impacting the industry as well,” explained Randal Figueroa with Turner Construction. His team implemented the device for their employees as well and recently featured it in the company’s newsletter.
“I had a chance to attend OCP’s morning huddle, stretch and flex, and PTP review. I was thoroughly impressed with the very quick turnaround from your visit last week. The foreman and workers seemed engaged, they covered the topics and hazards for the day and even displayed new items that we can employ on other job sites, the first of which is the non-contact, audible temperature scanner. This is a great idea. It eliminates cross-contamination or any human error by having a designated person scanning. It is very quick and accurate. When asking OCP employees Matt M. and Shane as to how they are ensuring that everyone is in fact using this new device, they quickly presented a sign-in sheet that the foremen are using to check off all those in attendance.”
Great job to our first Employee of Choice in Safety Excellence. OCP looks forward to awarding more of these coins and the $1,000 prize to team members going above and beyond to keep us all safe.