Safety Rules at W.T. Byler
Houston-based W.T. Byler was recently honored by Bowen, Miclette & Britt Inc., as the first construction client in the company’s history to reach a 0.19 Experience Rating. Bowen, Miclette & Britt of Houston is one of the largest independent insurance agencies in the United States. Both are members of the Associated Builders & Contractors.
The recognition reinforces and supports Byler’s priorities, director of safety and risks Geoff Pospisil tells Texas Construction.
The firm’s services include engineering and project controls; site clearing and grubbing; mass excavation and embankment; storm water systems installation; soil stabilization and reclaiming; asphalt paving and concrete; pavement milling and profiling; and turnkey railroad construction and maintenance.
In the past three years, W.T. Byler has worked more than 2.9 million man hours. The company has a fleet of more than 550 units of construction equipment and transport-trucks; and works a million man-hours building 200 hundred projects and producing revenues in excess of $100 million annually.
“Accident prevention and efficient production go hand-in-hand,” Pospisil says. “This can be met only by working continuously to promote safe work practices among all employees and to maintain property and equipment in safe operating condition.”
W.T. Byler makes safety a priority by using monthly bonuses/incentives for superintendents and daily safety meetings and job briefings. Every six months a superintendents meeting’s first topic is safety, Pospisil says.
Pospisil says job safety analysis covers everything from hazards to near misses and to prevention. “It can be a three- to 30-minute conversation each morning.”
He says all employees wear orange safety vests while on the job, and that the industry is moving toward that as a best practice.
