Every pumping company has “Go-To” operators. Sometimes this is not even a conscious decision. These Top Gun operators are usually looked up to by the rest of the troops and singled out for the unusual or difficult jobs. These operators are usually the ones designated to be ‘training operators’. These are the members of the team that set the standards. These are the people that will determine what your insurance rates will be next year. With very few exceptions, these are the people that need the most, not the least supervision.

We are at work, not at war.

Make sure that these are Top Guns, not kamikazes.

The difference is in the jobs that should NOT be done.

No company likes to walk away from work. No operator likes to tell the contractor that they have the wrong equipment on the job. No owner wants to be the reason that the pour is delayed or cancelled. The decision to “go for it” or to stop – think – evaluate – plan and then execute the plan is often times the difference in the success or failure of a company. It is very hard to run your company from a court room.

Some one once said that the difference between the civilian population and the military is training. I do not buy into that. A proper, professional pump company is trained up tight. It has procedures in place before the emergency arises. A professional pump company can, and often times do, run on autopilot. If the manager has to be there… he isn’t much of a manager.

When things are a little slow, train. When things are going well, train. While there are no fires to be put out, polish the fire truck, get ready for the fire. Set the standards by which your company will operate before you have the emergency. Make sure that your top guns know the rules and the limits. Make sure that your operators know the difference between safe and not acceptable. Make sure that they know that stepping over that line does not make them heroes. Doing the impossible is just not the way it is done. Reinforce the importance of safety; professional procedure is the only acceptable way to go. Over the line is out of line.

Reward individual safety compliance. Let these very important people in your company know how much you appreciate their effort. Positive reinforcement is more effective than punitive action.

When everyone from the top of the company to the lowest on the seniority list know that doing the right thing is right you are on the road to success. There are no other options for success. The safety culture you create within the company will carry you through the emergency; uninjured and ready for tomorrow.

Protecting the health and welfare of each other is a sure way to a more profitable future. Plan for success and it will be yours.

We are all in this together. ;~)

Amen Bob, We are all in this together. You have hit the nail on the head. I just hope all the managers in the industry agree.

Thank you Bob! Keep writing and I'll keep printing.