Manatt's Mirror - December 2002

After what will be 38 years of working for Manatts, Wally Rohrer has decided to retire from being the manager at the Victor concrete plant.

This year at Manatt’s, Inc. and Subsidiaries will be known as the “year of change”. By this, I am talking about a change in attitude regarding safety.

We are a good company with many good people, but we need to, and will, change our attitude and viewpoint toward safety.

Now, and in the future, we will wear protective safety equipment not only when the possibility of injury is imminent, but even when the possibility of injury is remote.

For example, in our equipment, yard to the north of our Brooklyn Office, you will see it plainly marked a hard hat area. We are wearing hard hats not only when we are exposed to overhead hazards, but even to cross the road.

You will also see all shops in Brooklyn require mandatory safety eye protection for both employees and guests. If you cross the yellow line, you will be asked to put on protective eye wear. This is being done to remove the remote possibility that something could go airborne in our shop and hit someone in the eye. Too many times, I have witnessed unsafe acts in our shop and explained the need for protective eyewear. What was once optional is now mandatory. Our Brooklyn shop safety committee recognizes the problem and supports this initiative.

In my many visits with employees at our meetings this winter I explained that safety is not a training session. Safety is a way of life Manatt’s, Inc. is adopting in the way we do business.

We need a culture change at Manatt’s. We need employees who are willing to speak up to fellow employees when safety violations exist.

Our safety programs belong to the workers on the job. It is for them that we are most concerned. Weekly “Toolbox Talks” are mandatory. Our goal at Manatt’s, Inc. is to be world class in safety!