It’s not very often I use this forum to directly talk about our company, Hanson Building Products, but this opportunity has arisen that is too good to miss and is well-deserving of a public accolade. Our Hanson Brick facility in Athens, Texas, has just passed an amazing milestone, 33 years without a lost time accident ~ fantastic example to any manufacturing facility everywhere. A huge well done to everyone involved at the plant over that time period!!!
We hear a great deal these days about SUSTAINABILITY and that word seems to “pop up” in conversations and texts with increasing regularity. The problem in my view is that wherever there is a mention of SUSTAINABILITY in any arena, too many people immediately call to mind visions of the environment, green stuff, tree huggers, etc., etc. The fact is SUSTAINABILITY is much, much wider than this and one of its cornerstones in any business is safety in the workplace.
Within Hanson Building Products we strive to be a sustainable company in every sense of the word (think the 3 p’s ~ people, profit, planet or the 3 e’s ~ employees, economy, environment) and safety is very much a part of our focus (i.e. people/employees). Achievements like the one at our Athens Plant pay testament to this philosophy. I thank every member of the team at the facility, past and present, for attaining such a fantastic result. It is not only through local leadership and a team approach that such consistency can be achieved but also diligent and detailed focus on the safety issue itself.
My belief is each and every person who attends work has a God given right to be kept safe whilst there and return to their family at the end of the day in the same condition as they set out that morning, even if a little more tired. The safety of the people in a company is the number one priority at Hanson Building Products as it should be in any workplace. It is, and always will be more important than profit.
Out of all the resources necessary to run a successful business, the people within the company are undoubtedly the most precious of all the resources. This fact should be recognized, voiced whenever possible and demonstrated by the way management act towards each level of the organization. Communication, teamwork, appreciation and the occasional, “Thank You,” are all essential to demonstrate the esteem in which every person is regarded. All of these should be evident in the day-to-day actions at the workplace and indeed, to achieve the landmark that has just been passed at the Athens facility, I’m sure they are.
People are the company, without them the company would not exist. It’s the people that turn a company into a living entity and this is essential to breed success. This has to be led from the top, status swept aside and each level of the organization treated with an equal level of importance. To achieve this, safety is the foundation that has to be under every activity. It’s paramount. It’s priority number one.
To you guys at Athens, a huge, “Well Done!” Thirty-three years without a lost time accident is the best news I have received ITHOE.