Electrical Safety and Accident Prevention Program
Ensuring that every employee goes home safely every single day is the overriding goal of our safety program. In addition to ensuring compliance with all Federal, State, and Local regulations, SME's safety programs provide critical guidelines for all employees. We maintain a full-time employee as a Safety Director whose sole focus is development, implementation, and training on our safety programs.
For each project, we prepare a written safety plan which identifies the specific hazards that employees will encounter on that project and the safety measures to be taken to mitigate the risks associated with those hazards. Specialized training for unique safety hazards such as arc flash protection, confined spaces, fall protection, and respiratory protection, as well as many other topics, are provided both on an annual basis, and more frequently, if necessary.
In fact, a strong safety culture is so important to us, that our safety orientation for newly hired employees consists of 10 hours of safety training. At the conclusion of their orientation, newly hired employees have completed the OSHA 10-hour Construction Course. Additionally, all of our project field leaders have completed the OSHA 30-hour Construction Course.
SME has been a member of the ABC Safety Alliance since its inception. Alliance members must re-qualify each year by undergoing a rigorous audit of their safety program by a third party evaluator. Additionally, SME has reached the Platinum level in ABC's STEP Safety Program which also requires an independent third party audit of our safety program.
Our experience modifier (EMR) for 2011 of 0.7429 places SME solidly among the safest contractors in Washington. Full credit for this accomplishment goes to our outstanding employees for understanding the value of a safe workplace and performing their work in a safe manner.
SME's Commitment to Asbestos Awareness
Electricians often perform work in buildings constructed during the years in which the construction industry made heavy use of asbestos-containing products, so there is a high risk of exposure to asbestos. In addition, asbestos-containing drywall and insulation also pose a high risk. Asbestos exposure carries with it the risk of developing serious lung diseases, including mesothelioma, a rare cancer with no known cure. For more information on occupational asbestos exposure, visit this page on mesothelioma causes. The commercial and residential electricians at SME Inc of Seattle take pride in safety, and are proud supporters of asbestos awareness!
