NSSGA Podcast

Clay Albright of Caldwell Stone developed his career in the Aggregate Industry at an early age, through a family-owned quarry in Kentucky. He is a third-generation miner and a young leader in the industry. Today Clay joins Libby to discuss his safety story as a haul truck driver nearly twenty years ago. He shares what he learned from this scary experience, and how he uses it to teach other miners about the importance of center-loading trucks, preventing the rear from becoming overloaded, and avoiding risk wherever you can. Clay's story is a great reminder of how something can happen at any time, even on a routine day.

Episode Highlights

• Clay's family history in the Aggregates Industry
• Third-generation owner of Caldwell Stone
• Clay shares his safety story of a near-miss that happened nearly 20 years ago as a haul truck driver
• Material shifted to the back of the truck, caused the front wheels to lift off the ground and the engine to stall out entirely
• Engine had an internal failure that caused it to lose power
• Truck is still in service and has not had any engine-related trouble since
• This experience highlighted the importance of center-loading trucks and preventing the rear from being overloaded

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• If something like this happened at our operation, what would we do? Who would be called?
• Are there things we could do or consider at our operation to make hauling and loading material safer?
• Does anyone have a story about material hauling safety they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"As I was pulling up the first hill, the material shifted to the back of the truck bed, and I could feel the front tires coming up off the ground."

"I knew something wasn't right, so I immediately grabbed my hard hat and put it on. I put my foot on the brake and radioed for help."

"I was extremely nervous, but I had confidence in the other guys that they'd take care of me."

"We took the truck to the dump, and got rid of the material. And on to the shop for a diagnosis for why the engine seemed to stall out."

"That near-miss definitely made me more aware of shifting loads."

"The trucks can take a lot, but why risk it when we can avoid the problem before it even happens?"

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Caldwell Stone website

Rob Lanham is the Aggregates Program Manager at the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance. He joins the show today to discuss his recent heart attack, the symptoms he experienced, and the importance of acting on chest pains immediately rather than ignoring the pain or waiting for it to pass. Rob waited only 15 minutes from the onset of chest pains before being rushed to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a "Widowmakers Heart Attack." His doctors credit his quick response with saving his life and preventing permanent damage to his heart. Rob discusses the lifestyle changes he has undertaken since his dangerous health scare, and reminds listeners to seek medical attention right away should they notice any of the signs or symptoms of a heart attack.

Episode Highlights

• Rob was awakened by severe chest pains and it began migrating to his shoulder and down to his left arm
• Went to the hospital within 15 minutes of onset of symptoms, and was told he was suffering from "Widowmaker's Heart Attack"
• Stent was inserted in his left interior descending artery to clear a 90% blockage
• This experience caused Rob to reevaluate his diet, exercise, and stress level, and make several lifestyle changes
• Acting quickly and going to the hospital within 15 minutes of experiencing chest pains saved Rob's life and prevented major permanent damage to his heart

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• What are our company emergency procedures? Where is the first aid kit and where is the AED?
• Walk through a refresher of basic CPR – for example, what is the appropriate beats per minute to do compressions at? How many rounds of compressions should you do?
• What is one small thing you can do at home to improve your health and decrease your risk of a heart attack?
• What is one small thing the company could do to improve worker health and decrease risks of a heart attack?
• Does anyone have a story about health scares they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"I know everybody's heard that, but it's true. That's the first tell-tale sign of a heart attack."

"I started perspiring profusely. That's your second tell-tale sign you're having a heart attack."

"I'm going to have to exercise from now on. I'm going to have to eat a lot healthier. I'm going to have to reduce the stress in my life."

"I'm extremely grateful to still be here, to still be able to see my family and see my grandchildren."

"Quite honestly, I don't miss the things that I used to eat that probably led to the artery blockages."

"What got me to this was I acted quickly on my chest pains. I didn't wait for an hour, or two, or three."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

In this episode, Libby talks to Johnny Farley, Area Health & Safety Manager at Rogers Group, about winning NSSGA's seatbelt campaign slogan contest with: Why risk it? Just click it. Johnny explains how he came up with his slogan, and how his experience as a State Trooper underscored just how important seatbelt safety truly is. He shares the tragic story of responding to a fatal motor vehicle crash involving three teenagers, and how many of these fatal accidents on the highway and in the construction and mining industry could be prevented by simply wearing a seatbelt. Today's conversation is an important reminder that seatbelts save lives, so, Why risk it? Just click it.

Episode Highlights

• Johnny came up with the slogan only an hour after receiving word about the contest
• Why seatbelt safety is important to Johnny
• His story of responding to a fatal motor vehicle crash as a State Trooper
• Many motor vehicle crashes and accidents in the construction and mining industry could be prevented by simply wearing a seatbelt

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• What are our company policies and procedures around wearing seatbelts?
• How are we doing as a company at wearing seatbelts? If there could be improvement, how can we improve and further encourage seatbelt use?
• Walk through a day in your mind that you operate a vehicle - a pickup truck, loader, etc. What accidents could occur and how would wearing a seatbelt help in the circumstances you're imagining?
• Why do you wear a seatbelt? Who do you wear a seatbelt for?
• Does anyone have a story about seatbelt safety they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"I actually thought of the slogan about an hour after I received the email."

"I explained to all three families that their children were killed because of being ejected, or partially ejected, from the vehicle. And unfortunately...a seatbelt would have most likely saved their lives."

"This same story is echoed all too often in highway motor vehicle crashes and in the construction and mining industry."

"The vast majority of these fatal incidents could have been prevented by simply wearing a seatbelt."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Kicking off our Safety Shorts series is a conversation about the single most common cause of workplace fatalities, complacency. Unexpectedly, this can be even more hazardous in workplaces where there is a strong focus on safety, as we can become satisfied with our safety efforts, settle into routines, rest on excellent safety records, and slip into a mode where we take safety for granted. Complacency opens the door for accidents and injuries. Today Libby shares her suggestions for how to help us snap out of complacency and turn our concentration dials back up, and details the use of nudges, intentional reminders that make behaviors more likely, in the fight against complacency in workplace safety - because even a small mistake can cause significant loss.

Episode Highlights

• Celebrating National Safety Month, which is June
• Complacency is the single most common cause of workplace fatalities
• Unexpectedly, it can be even more hazardous in workplaces where there is a strong focus on safety and compliance
• We become satisfied with excellent safety records and take it for granted
• Similar to getting a crown at the dentist or a new tattoo - you're acutely aware of it in the beginning, but after a while, you get used to these things
• Nudges are intentional, sometimes unexpected cues, that direct our focus and attention and guide behaviour
• You can use these in workplace safety to help fight back against complacency
• Examples include installing mirrors that indicate who is responsible for safety that day, place family photos near the exit to remind drivers who they are driving safely for as they head out onto the road, and mixing up your tool box talks
• Share safety videos as a reminder that even a small mistake can cause a significant loss

Toolbox Talk Discussion Questions

• When are the most likely times you may 'zone out' at work?
• What types of accidents could happen here on our site if we 'zone out'?
• What are nudges we could introduce that could help address times like these when we zone out?
• What other safety nudges could we add around our site?
• Does anyone have a story about complacency or nudges they'd like to share?

Quotes:

"As humans, we are prone to distraction, inattention, and one of the greatest safety hazards, complacency."

"Unexpectedly, it can be even more hazardous in workplaces where there is a strong safety focus."

"After a while, you get used to all these things, just like a haul truck driver gets used to their same-old-same-old route, or the welding job you're doing is just like that last one hundred you did."

"Complacency is an open door for accidents and injuries."

"Nudges are intentional reminders or arrangements that make a behavior more likely, and workplace safety is a perfect place to try out a few nudges to fight back against complacency."

"Sharing accident or near-hit videos can reinvigorate workers and show how even a small mistake can cause significant loss."

Links:

National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website

Bi-partisan legislation was introduced in Congress which supports the construction of much-needed public works projects with the access to raw materials necessary to build and revive the roads, bridges and infrastructure projects in our nation's communities.

Meeting your members of Congress can be intimidating, but there are simple things that separate good meetings from others! Mike Gula, of D.C. fundraising firm Gula Graham, and Michele Stanley, NSSGA vice president of government and regulatory affairs, share their tips for good face-to-face meetings with elected officials.

Find out how to put together a quarry tour with Don Rosenbarger, business development manager with Delta Companies, Inc. Then hear about the impact of face-to-face meetings from Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., who toured the company's Goreville operation in August.

The Delta Companies Inc., is a subsidiary of Colas USA, a leader in infrastructure construction and maintenance across the country.

Ed Mortimer, vice president of transportation and infrastructure at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, joins Michael W. Johnson, NSSGA president & CEO, for a conversation on how these two groups come together for infrastructure advocacy and work within a larger community of infrastructure-focused groups to make a difference.

Luck Companies hosted the staff of members of Congress for a tour of the Bull Run Quarry in Chantilly, Va. It was the first time visiting a quarry for these staff members, who work for members of Congress that serve on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

On Thursday, July 25, NSSGA met with Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee staff to learn about the committee's infrastructure bill that they plan to unveil on July 29.