Communications
The Hard Hat Award is a new part of the program, recognizing WSDA employees who promote the motto “Safety Matters” through demonstrating a commitment to safe workplace behavior and practices.
“There’s been a huge shift in improving safety,” said Ron Hussung, WSDA Risk and Safety manager.
“Some people have been here a really long time – like 40 years – and have never been in an accident and practice safe workplace behaviors and have never gotten that recognition. This gives them a real sense of pride and ownership.”
Hard Hat Award recipients are presented with a red, white and blue hard hat or a safety vest. Anyone can be nominated for an award, Ron said, and anyone can reach out to a safety officer to nominate someone.
“Supervisors can submit names, but we also do outreach to recognize people who are clearly showing a commitment to safety,” Ron said.
Improvements to the safety programming at WSDA have improved communication and results, he said. “There’s more interaction between us. It’s definitely bridged a gap.”
In addition to the Hard Hat Award, there’s a general safety email for connecting with and improving the Safety Program. “People feel like they have an open door to connect or share concerns, on anything from forklifts and hot water to slippery surfaces.”
Recent winners
Recent Hard Hat Award winners exemplify a commitment to safety improvement at WSDA.
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Lyndon, David and Minden pose
in their Hard Hat Award gear.
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David Hecimovich, Lyndon Badcoe and Minden Buswell in the Animal Services Division were intently focused on safety when the division hauled out their emergency equipment. They performed a tremendous amount of work to make sure equipment was functional, secure and safe for staff to use. Additionally, following in their tradition of hands-on trainings, David, Lyndon and Minden conducted equipment safety training.
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Caleb poses in his awarded hard hat.
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Caleb James in the Spokane office of Food Safety and Consumer Services, requested a ride-along with the safety team to observe potential safety hazards at his worksite. He also asked for support to improve his lifting technique. Caleb demonstrated excellent safe workplace behavior and helped Robert Ambriz, Eastern Washington safety officer, gain a better understanding of the daily hazards Caleb faces.
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Kjersten shows off her new hard hat.
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Kjersten Braaten-Fierros from Hops Plant Protection keeps safety in the forefront of workplace activities and regularly volunteers her time to work through safety issues. She is incredibly conscientious about problem solving, and often fixes safety issues without being asked.
In summary: Ron Hussung discusses the benefits of safety program communication and awards, and the WSDA’s Safety Recognition Program welcomes a new group of inductees into the Hard Hat Award winners’ hall of fame.
