Safety Starts At the Top

Building a successful safety program starts with you

Fall 2002 - Superintendents play a vital role in developing and maintaining a successful safety program. You have the opportunity to demonstrate the importance of safety and must stand at the forefront of the program as a role model for your staff.

Managers of safe golf course operations:

• are very visible at safety meetings.
• know the club’s safety policies backward and forward.
• are the first to spot unsafe conditions and take appropriate action.
• are also the first to recognize and praise safer worker habits.

Have a written policy
To support a good safety program, you must develop written safety policies with well-defined safety rules, protocols and procedures. The policy rules should be basic, clearly worded and, if possible, illustrated so management can enforce them without question.
Consistent enforcement is critical to the sustainability of all safety programs. Don’t make any safety rules that in the interest of production you are willing to overlook. In situations where a safety rule may not be enforceable, you can elect not to make it a hard
policy. In these cases, safe operating procedures should be determined and then taught, allowing employees to use proper safety judgment while on the course. Safety rules and policies must be backed  up by a progressive discipline policy that is consistently enforced. For example: first a verbal warning, second a written warning, then suspension and ultimately termination.

Start training with new employees
Another important aspect of a first-rate safety program is training. It is well documented that new employees are the most at risk for having accidents. To minimize this risk, all new employees should:
• undergo formal orientation training before going out to work on the course.
• be taught course safety rules and be given training on basic equipment and safety issues before starting work.
• work with the assistant superintendent or experienced member of the maintenance staff.

Don’t forget the refreshers
Safety training does not only apply to new employees. Golf courses with a passion for safety recognize the economic and social benefits of safe operation. They develop safety training programs that target every level of employment and provide continual reinforcement.

Safety incentive plans can pay for themselves
When properly implemented, a well-designed safety incentive plan pays for itself in four ways.

1. There is less downtime and higher productivity.
2. Employee morale is higher.
3. Insurance costs are reduced.
4. Equipment life increases.