safety is always in the mix
At Schuster Concrete, safety is one of our top priorities. We strive to be sure that every driver, yard and dispatch employee is protected from injury each and every day they report to work. With strict safety rules such as a hard hat requirement while inside each plant property at all times and training programs to insure that all employees have the proper skills needed to work safely we can proudly say that we have an excellent safety record. Schuster Concrete continues to make improvements to our safety program to make sure we remain a safe place to work.
Commercial Driver Hiring Process
Any commercial driver hired at Schuster Concrete goes through a rigorous hiring process that begins with a comprehensive application and interview. Once the application is completed, office personnel complete a thorough review of the applicant that includes Department of Transportation (DOT) required reference checks, a pre-employment exam, a DOT physical, substance abuse testing, and a review of the applicant’s current driving record. This process helps us to be confident that we are hiring safe drivers for our company. Finally, each commercial driver hired must complete a New Employee Orientation training session prior to commencing employment.
License Monitoring System
As a part of on-going employment, we monitor the driving record of any employee who operates one of our company vehicles. We subscribe to a License Monitoring System, which is a service of the Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles, where we receive updates any time there is a change in the driving record of one of our drivers. We also require that any drivers who reside outside the state of Maryland to provide us with a certified copy of their driving record bi-annually. This process allows us to examine each driver’s record and insure that we have safe drivers operating our vehicles.
Training
We have a company Safety Director who conducts safety meetings with plant-based employees on a quarterly basis. Topics are explained and discussed that educate employees on safe work practices. We have also implemented bi-monthly Tool Box Talk articles that our drivers are given to read. These topics give them further instruction regarding methods of working safely. When an accident or injury occurs, our safety department will perform a full investigation of the incident and will conduct post-accident re-training with the employee if necessary.
Substance Abuse Testing
Every potential employee completes a screening to test for the use of illegal drugs prior to being hired with Schuster Concrete. In addition, our commercial drivers are entered into our random testing program where each month employees are randomly selected for drug and alcohol testing according to DOT regulations. Furthermore, any employee involved in an accident or injury is sent for substance abuse testing. Any test that is returned as “positive” will result in the immediate termination of the involved employee.
Incentives
Schuster Concrete offers many incentives for the drivers. Each driver who demonstrates excellent safety practices will receive a yearly safety bonus. We also conduct a plant safety incentive program that evaluates the total number of safety incidents for each ready mix location. All employees of the plant with the lowest statistics receive a reward at the end of each quarter.