November 2014 President’s Blog
CSSGA Executive Director, Todd Ohlheiser, Weld County Commissioner, Julie Cozad, CSSGA Board President, David Hagerman at a recent networking event.
The end of the year is fast approaching. Soon it will be 2015, our country will have a significantly modified Congress, and the legislative session will begin in Colorado. I wish to devote this month’s comments to a subject other than politics, as I am sure you, like me, are very tired of the political rhetoric we have endured from all sides for the last several months.
One note I wish to bring to your attention, however, is the CDPHE permit, which is being delayed as the agency works to address the many concerns provided during the public comment phase. An update in the near future will be provided, as additional information is available to share. Perhaps, this information will be available at CSSGA’s annual meeting November 21st at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.
As we enter these winter months, it is a good time to discuss safety and how all member companies, their employees, and their employees’ families determine, through their own decisions and actions, whether we will have a safe conclusion to the year and a strong foundation for the next year.
During this time of year, with our cold evenings and warm days, it is not uncommon to see an increase in injuries related to strained muscles, or slips and trips related to muddy footing or snow covered worker areas. It is also a time of year in which distractions outside of the workplace (school breaks, pressures of the holidays) can take our minds off our tasks and, in an instant, result in an injury or worse.
The ability of our teams and ourselves to go home safe each and every day rests well within our control. We simply must remind and encourage each other to stop and think through our tasks at hand, even pulling team members aside who seem to be distracted (mind not on task) and refocus them on their current activities. I have found through the years that the family can be a great asset in encouraging their family members to make the correct decisions, which will allow them to return home safe at the end of the day. These practices can extend beyond the workplace to home as well. As an example, improved practices at home might well prevent the seemingly annual “turkey house fire”. Our safety habits should not end either at home or in the workplace; they drive our actions in all settings.
Please join me in working with your teams to ensure we have a strong, safe end to 2014, as well as a great start to 2015 both in the workplace and at home. I hope to see you at the annual meeting in a few weeks, and I wish you all a wonderful upcoming year.