I was recently asked by the CHASE (Construction Health and Safety Excellence) committee to provide a presentation outlining Gryphon’s safety culture. We are members of CHASE which is a partnership between OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), AGC (Associated General Contractors of America) and contractors who are committed to enriching the lives of their people and the communities in which they serve. (sound familiar?) Safety Culture can be defined as:

"The product of individual and group values, attitudes, perceptions, competencies, and patterns of behavior that determine the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of, an organization’s health and safety management"

Here at Gryphon, I feel that we value each other’s lives as well as the people around us. This includes while working as well as after working hours. Our team prides themselves on their knowledge of best practices, but more importantly, we appreciate learning new ways and improving upon old practices in the hope of improving the working environment.

The presentation went though the CHASE application as it specifically addressed "BLUE" members. The "BLUE" members of CHASE are expected to maintain the highest level of safety as well as set the standard in the industry in terms of excellence in safety in both physical (jobsite conditions) and literal (established documentation) applications. The "BLUE" level members are required to establish the following:corporate safety program, site-specific safety program (updated monthly) establish subcontractor safety provide training to its own employees and subcontractor employees a drug-free workplace site inspections (daily, weekly) - with involvement from first line employees and management qualified safety representative at each project

I elaborated on the support that the safety department receives from top management. This is also a crucial element of the CHASE organization and one that is specifically addressed before any company can become a member. I was proud to present our company’s culture and will continue to dedicate my time and energy to improving this aspect of our company, but it will take everyone’s "buy-in" to be successful.

Robert Coleman - Director of Risk Management