Grain Processing and Milling/Agriculture Case Study
Improving Safety Performance
The Request
Help to improve safety performance in the workplace.
Company Profile
Industry: Grain Processing and Milling/Agriculture
Annual Revenue: $4.5 billion
Locations: 20
A nationwide grain processing and milling organization was unsatisfied with its safety performance in the workplace and engaged Brown & Brown. The customer wanted to revamp its existing internal safety auditing process, which focused on lagging indicators and compliance-based elements.
The Solution
Developed audit format based on a safety and health management system.
Brown & Brown’s Risk Control specialists reviewed and evaluated the existing audit format and analyzed loss experience to put in a new program. The Brown & Brown team discovered that the audits did not address many existing risks.
To address the risks, the Brown & Brown specialists worked with the customer’s Corporate Risk Management team to develop a new auditing system.
The new system incorporated Safety Performance Metrics that were inclusive of proactive measures based on a safety and health management system, metrics from risk assessments, as well as lagging indicators and compliance.
The new audit format included elements that identified and assessed local management planning and leadership, employee participation and involvement, hazard identification and correction, preventive maintenance and physical conditions and regulatory program compliance.
It also included tracking risk assessment findings and corrective measures to indicate risk level performance. A weighted score for each element and criteria for scoring was developed based on observations, interviews and document reviews. Local management and employees were trained in the management system elements and how to perform their specific duties.
When auditing was initiated and tracked, locations were provided immediate feedback and assistance in areas where the location needed help.
The Results
Reduced claims by 50% and workers’ compensation costs by 75% in the first year.
The new Safety Metrics System allowed the organization to quickly identify strengths and weaknesses among operations using a Safety Performance Dashboard. Locations were able to identify and prioritize risks for corrective action, and in many cases anticipate potential problems. This led to a reduction in worker incidents by 50% and workers’ compensation costs by 75% in the first year. This also contributed to improved management/employees’ relationships. OSHA compliance was improved, and the customer increased employee participation in safety, allowing key locations to pursue OSHA VPP.
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