The pursuit of excellence: Tackling OSSE certification in a pandemic
By Lisa Thibault
The pursuit of Occupational Safety Standard of Excellence (OSSE)/COR certification is a significant undertaking for a manufacturing or food processing company. Their motivating goal may be to prevent injuries or reduce premiums, to be more competitive in contract bidding, generally improve business efficiency, or enhance corporate responsibility.
While there are many benefits to certification, the work requires a commitment from the employer, project lead, and team. For the companies that persevered in 2020—in a pandemic— achieving OSSE certification was a remarkable accomplishment.
While addressing the need for enhanced health and safety protocols, additional staff education, and the added complexities of physical distancing, shutdowns, and more, a number of Alliance member companies also put in the work to complete their OSSE certification in 2020. We had an opportunity to talk to some of them about their journey.
What made you pursue OSSE certification?
ChrisDedinsky |Kettle River Brewing Company
As a new company with minimal experience in building and maintaining a health and safety program, we decided pursuing OSSE certification would help ensure our health and safety program was comprehensive right from the get-go.Breanne O’Neil | Hevvy/Toyo Pumps
Our team is our greatest asset. Protecting our team members and ensuring that everyone goes home safe at the end of the day is how Hevvy/Toyo Pumps can defend our team and our future. Leadership needed to know that we were doing everything we could do to protect our team. The OSSE certification would provide just that, and it complimented our values and beliefs about safety and the culture of prevention.Steve Glemintz | E-Cycle Solutions
We felt that our safety record had improved dramatically over the past three years, and we wanted recognition for our safety excellence.
Did you have any reservations about doing your certification during the first year of the pandemic?
Chris Dedinsky | Kettle River Brewing Company
The pandemic has created many unforeseen challenges but did not give us any inherent reservations around pursuing certification. Ideally, we would have liked to have all training done in person, but we were happy with our online training results.Steve Glemintz | E-Cycle Solutions
Not at all! Our company is considered an essential service and we felt that it was important enough for us to continue.
Did you face any challenges during your certification as a result of the pandemic?
Breanne O’Neil | Hevvy/Toyo Pumps
The pandemic did bring some challenges when it came to completing many of the OSSE certification requirements. We had to rethink the traditional ways to achieve the certification pre-pandemic and adapt our methods to ensure that we were still just as thorough and successful.We could no longer gather the entire company in a boardroom and quickly shifted to online videoconferences. The team wasn’t all in the office, so printing a document was no longer an option. Cloud-based tools like Google drive became a cornerstone of document collaboration and revision tracking.
Finally, and most important, we needed to make sure that the entire team understood the essential safety changes and newly introduced procedures and policies. We introduced a learning management system that featured our own custom video online training courses that overviewed the entire OSSE program. The video training was a game-changer for our company, as we were able to ensure that the same messages about our safety culture were delivered to our team, no matter where they were.
Did the OSSE process reveal anything to you about your company’s safety culture?
Steve Glemintz | E-Cycle Solutions
It revealed that we are on the right track and that our systems are sound. Our corporate commitment to health and safety is healthy and progressive.Chris Dedinsky | Kettle River Brewing Company
The OSSE process revealed a relative lack of foundation in our health and safety program. Being a small business, we had few documented practices and procedures in place. The OSSE process helped us establish our program in full and build a comprehensive package that we have in place as we add members to our team.
When we support and care for our team, they support our customers with that same care...
How will OSSE help contribute to the success of your company?
Breanne O’Neil | Hevvy/Toyo Pumps
We always strive to demonstrate what sets us apart from the competition. This culture is within every facet of our company. When we support and care for our team, they support our customers with that same care. The OSSE certification is an embodiment of our commitment to the highest standards in safety. OSSE will help keep the most crucial people in the company safe – our team members.Steve Glemintz | E-Cycle Solutions
I believe it is always important to strive for excellence. OSSE certification demonstrates our total commitment.
What advice would you give to others looking to pursue OSSE?
Chris Dedinsky | Kettle River Brewing Company
It is a valuable program that created a strong start to our health and safety program. It set out a platform that we can continue to build upon as we add new members and processes to our facility. My advice would be to make sure you allocate time to develop the program – weekly or bi-weekly as it fits your schedule. It can be an intimidating thing to jump into at the start but it is manageable if you tackle it piece by piece.Breanne O’Neil | Hevvy/Toyo Pumps
Be prepared; be thorough, and most of all, never stop nurturing a culture of safety! The best advice we could give any company pursuing OSSE certification is not to see certification as the end of the journey but see it as the validation that you are on the right path to fostering a safety culture. OSSE is only the first step on a much longer journey that allows you to improve every step of the way.
Congratulations 2020 OSSE certifying companies on your tremendous dedication to workplace health and safety during challenging times
