Our Views on Safety Excellence
Safety Excellence is a rather abstract and subjective notion for many people. There are many fancy gadgets in safety catalogs, but are they really necessary? Safety excellence is too often equated with safety products — many product companies promote this ideal to gain business. At Preferred Safety Products, we know that safety excellence is much more than costly products. We play a small role in helping our clients reach for a definitive level of management success regarding safety in their business. How can a professional safety products company help?

Responsibility: Companies have a responsibility for their employees’ safety under OSHA regulations, and also morally and financially. It is a company’s responsibility to provide training, safe conditions, equipment, and procedures to do the work. Safety products don’t eliminate hazards so much as they minimize the risk of harm from the hazards. Proper safety management doesn’t rely solely on safety products, they are only part of the multifaceted program. Since we work every day with companies helping them develop and respond to their responsibilities, we apply that information to the best sales advice and product improvements for your benefit at the time you call us!

Follow-through: Management has a key role after the safety equipment is bought and the work procedures and training have been developed. The supervisor then has the job to monitor and periodically correct and/or retrain all those workers under him.

Safety Excellence comes from proper observation of:
A. Safety Performance
(compliance with rules and mandatory protections)

B. Behavioral Performance
(actions (or inaction) that may cause accidents and injury)

C. Hazard Assessment
• Determining Physical Hazards
(conditions that may cause accidents and injury)
• Determining Procedural Hazards
(policies or procedures that inhibit safety outcome)

How can Preferred Safety Products help in these critical areas?

Safety Performance is enhanced when employees are properly equipped with well fitting, easy to use, and comfortable safety equipment. Employees don’t always need elaborate bells and whistles — basic and simple products are often the most effective. Employees are more willing to comply with safety procedures when they feel the equipment is made and purchased with their needs in mind.

Behavior Performance – Many believe behaviors may be the single biggest issue with non-compliance. They can indicate if the worker is unwilling or mentally unable to follow the prescribed safety procedures or work procedures. However, poorly fitting, or inappropriate safety equipment makes it undesireable to remain protected, or in some cases impossible to do so. When a worker is properly equipped with the Preferred Safety products that work for his situation, he will more likely behave in a way that is productive and safe. Getting the job done, taking little risk, and complying with the rules are among the many benefits of selecting the Preferred Safety product for the job.

Hazard Assessments conducted before the start of work, and being observant of conditions or behaviors that weren’t predicted or foreseeable are a vital part of Safety Excellence.This is especially important in construction as the work changes very often. Since we frequently work with hundreds of people in the same situation as you, we can assist you in predicting what might be a hazard, and also advise which Preferred Safety products have worked in those situations. A quality product may be adaptable to changing conditions, and we can help by showing you how to maximize the benefits your products can provide. We don’t give false hope for Safety Excellence when we know the safety product is just a part of the hazard correction scheme. If the hazard and the protection needed are identifiable, we can work with you and help you solve your problems.

We serve your needs first, and sell you products second. For instance, regardless of the sales opportunities this presents, we are disquieted by the number of customers we get that have bought an inappropriate safety product from another manufacturer, which doesn’t work for them, or in their situation. It is especially troubling when we solve it with our information, advice, and quality products which often are much simpler, and for much less cost. In addition to the aggravation, possible risk, and cost, the time and money lost and the downtime this causes employers is reason enough to team up with a knowledgeable and respected safety products company for all your safety needs.

We look forward to helping you and working with you as you continue to work towards your company’s Safety Excellence. Our philosophy and outlook on providing the best products at the best value has allowed us to grow by 20 to 50 percent for 11 of the 13 years we have been open. We don’t have all the answers, and certainly can’t run your work or know your workers as well as you, but we want to be on your team — helping you solve the safety problems and risks that are normal to your environment.

BARRY COLE, President