No matter the fleet, there is always room for improvement. And there are steps any fleet can take to heighten the focus on shop safety.
In 2018, Transervice assumed the responsibility for the truck maintenance and repair operations for Vaqueria Tres Monjitas (VTM), the second largest dairy operation in Puerto Rico. VTM operates 400 pieces of equipment, which are serviced by more than a dozen technicians. The Transervice team was impressed with the dedication and efforts of the workforce, but noticed areas that needed improvement from a safety standpoint.
VTM operates out of a main location near San Juan, with three remote locations as well. Those are serviced on a rotating basis with a mobile maintenance unit and the required technicians—diesel and refrigerated technicians, depending on the service needs—dispatched from the main location as needed.
Here is a brief look at the steps the Transervice team took to move VTM from a good shop to a great shop, eventually achieving the distinction of having no workplace accidents over a 12-month period.
- Perform a complete site assessment. The first thing we did was to conduct a walkthrough of the shop noting areas that represented the biggest safety hazards. One area of concern was the in-ground pits that served a purpose at one point; however, they were not protected by curbs, chains, or safety markings. Although the team in place had effectively worked around the pits, we saw them as a potential trip and fall hazard that also limited the shops’ capabilities. The pits were ultimately eliminated, allowing for better shop utilization and flexibility.
- Improve overall appearance. With the elimination of the pits, and as part of the shop reorganization, the Transervice team performed a thorough cleaning and painting of the entire shop, adding safety markings to help create safer walkways. Improving the overall appearance of the shop with something as simple as fresh paint can go a long way in helping technicians take pride in their workspace. They will work hard to keep it clean, tidy, and safe. In addition, the team updated and upgraded technician uniforms with high-visibility stripes on them, as well as custom Transervice high-visibility safety vests for management and administrative personnel who were required to wear the vests whenever they visited the shop. This demonstrated and reinforced management’s commitment to safety.
- Reorganize for better workflow. If a workflow plan does not already exist, create one for the shop that allows technicians to get where they need to be without having to walk around a lot of objects. In order to have easier access to specialized tools and prevent technicians from having to walk through each other’s work areas, we relocated the specialized tools that were housed in an outbuilding to the main shop area.
- Eliminate hazards. Compressors and all the air lines in the shop were replaced/relocated so that ports were brought much closer to where they were needed. The shop was replumed with a different compressor and airlines were relocated much closer to the bays. Upgraded waist-high stainless steel stands and tables were installed so technicians did not have to bend over to pick heavy objects off the ground, risking an injury.
- Focus on shifting culture. When it comes to changing culture, it is important to get buy-in from your technicians. The law of thirds tells us that anytime you try to change things, one-third of the people will jump in and get onboard with the change, one-third will say they are never going to change, and the remaining third will do whatever the majority does. When we assumed management of the shop, we hired much of the existing crew, but also added staff. Part of the hiring process was to assess job candidates’ commitment to safety. We wanted to hire team members who would commit to waving the safety banner.
- Continually reinforce safety. We hold safety meetings regularly to continue to promote the importance of safety throughout the shop. At VTM, we gave the technicians very specific examples of things we wanted them to do. As an example, eye protection was not part of the norm. We instituted a mandatory policy for eye protection. In 2020, one of the gifts we gave the technicians was a headband that said, “Safety Vision is 20-20,” to remind them of the importance of safety.
The result: The main facility—which services 427 pieces of equipment annually, operating 20 hours a day—was accident-free in 2020.
Transervice continues to emphasize safety in a number of different ways. One way is through its Toolbox Talks, which allow management to communicate with the team about safety-related concerns. It also holds an annual technician appreciation event which includes a new safety message for the year and a gift for each of the technicians which contains the safety message for that year. But perhaps more importantly, the leadership team continues to “walk the talk” by enforcing the wearing of high-visibility safety vests for themselves and all visitors to the shop.
Gino Fontana, CTP, is Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Transervice Logistics Inc. Previously, he was Vice President of Operations Berkeley Division & Puerto Rico. His expertise emphasizes cost savings, process efficiency and improvement, superior quality, and people management skills. He has more than 35 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry with both operational and sales experience.
