APG Safety – Putting People First

Everyone at APG is committed to working safely and it shows. Safe practices are taught and followed on our project sites, while driving our vehicles, and even while working from home. This is done because there is nothing more valuable than your health and life. Safety should never be sacrificed to save time or money, no matter what. It just isn’t worth it!

High-visibility vests, gloves, safety glasses, and hard hats are all part of our uniform, but as important as our PPE is, there is even more we can do to show how seriously we take safety. At every opportunity, apply the principles shown in the Hierarchy of Controls. These principles teach us to eliminate hazards and to use every available method to complete a task safely so that the least effective safety measure, personal protective equipment (PPE), is the last resort to protect ourselves from harm.

Dale Rive and Sean Hendry

Our Safety Director Sean Hendry and Safety Compliance Officer Dale Rive have been leading the charge to keep us all focused on SAFELY performing our work. This has been an especially challenging year to maintain regular safety training throughout the company because Sean and Dale are implementing our COVID-19 policies on top of their normal duties, but they haven’t missed a beat. Thank you, Sean and Dale!

Having a dedicated team that focuses solely on our safety is just one element of the APG Safety Culture. Beyond the training and accountability that Sean and Dale provide, a Safety Committee made up of rotating members provides real-world feedback on job hazards, near misses, and innovative safety techniques. We reward our collective commitment to safety with gift cards, parties, and prizes. We also bolster our culture with classroom and field-based training, covering topics like OSHA 30, confined space entry, equipment operation, and fall protection. Everyone at APG takes accountability for themselves and has been empowered to work safely. And we’re getting great results!

Our Experience Modification Rating (EMR) has been reduced for the second year in a row and now sits at a record low of 0.63. What does that mean? The Experience Modification Rate has a significant impact on the workers’ compensation insurance premium of a business. The EMR takes into account the number of claims or injuries a company has had in the past, along with the costs involved. The lower the EMR, the less APG pays for insurance.  Paying less for insurance enables us to be more competitive, earn more work, and pay higher bonuses.

This drop in our EMR is outstanding and everyone should be commended for doing their part in contributing to our team’s success. Sean and Dale can teach us how to work safely, but they can’t work safely for us. So please, take on the personal responsibility of working safely and help others on the team to be safe too!

Congratulations to everyone on this outstanding achievement. Your example of putting people first and being APG Safe sets the standard in the industry. It’s our goal to see the EMR drop again next year, so… BE SAFE EVERYONE!