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Wagner Logistics Achieves a Landmark 1 Million Injury-Free Hours: A Testament to Safety Excellence

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Wagner Logistics Achieves a Landmark 1 Million Injury-Free Hours: A Testament to Safety Excellence

Wagner Logistics, a prominent player in the supply chain management sector, proudly announced that they have reached an impressive milestone of 1 million hours without any lost time injury. This significant achievement underscores Wagner’s unwavering commitment to fostering a safe and healthy work environment for its employees.

In an industry as challenging as warehousing, where safety concerns are paramount, with over 400,000 distribution centers and over 827,000 human warehouse workers, Wagner Logistics stands out as a beacon of excellence in workplace safety. The entire workforce, spread across multiple locations, came together to commemorate this remarkable safety milestone on October 26th. As part of the celebration, each employee and temporary worker received lunch and a special T-shirt.

“At Wagner, we’ve instilled a safety-centric culture. Our Wagner Initiative for Safety Excellence, known as WISE, is not just a separate program; it’s the very essence of our brand, rooted in our core values of innovation, agility, integrity, accountability, and teamwork,” remarked Derek Farmer, Director of Environmental Health Safety and Compliance at Wagner Logistics. “Celebrating this safety achievement signifies that we’re fulfilling our mission of ensuring that our employees return home in the same condition they arrived. It translates to an improved quality of life for them and their families, ultimately boosting morale.”

In an era of transformation in the warehousing and logistics industry, with persistent labor challenges anticipated as storage and distribution demands continue to surge in response to consumer needs, numerous manufacturers and warehouse operators find themselves at a crossroads. Many third-party logistics providers, like Wagner Logistics, are embracing automation and innovative solutions such as on-demand marketplaces to connect with gig workers, thereby harnessing human resources in manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing across the United States. Regardless of the approach, one common thread is the unwavering dedication and commitment to building a culture of safety that enhances productivity and efficiency.

“We extend our heartfelt appreciation and profound gratitude to every member of the Wagner Logistics family. Your steadfast dedication to safety has left an indelible mark on our organization and the well-being of our team,” expressed Brian Smith, CEO of Wagner Logistics. “This achievement is not just a number; it signifies countless lives protected, families kept intact, and futures secured. We thank you all for your contributions in making Wagner a brand that resonates consistently throughout the organization.”

IMO SCS Global

TT Club Urges IMO Member States to Increase Container and Cargo Inspections

Past reporting of inspections carried out has been sparse.  In welcoming the IMO’s revised guidelines for inspections, the international freight transport insurer TT Club exhorts governments to report findings to IMO on 2021 inspections, as well as to increase the volume of inspections carried out.  This would helpfully inform the international maritime regulator and support industry players who are striving to ensure safety and reduce dangerous incidents.

 Revised Guidelines for the Implementation of the Inspection of Cargo Transport Units (CTUs)* issued last month by the IMO are aimed at helping governments to implement a uniform and safe inspection program.  The IMO Circular (MSC.1/Circ.1649) seeks to broaden the inspections undertaken and align fully with safety guidance developed during the last decade (previous guidelines date from 2012).

Specifically, governments are now requested to select from all cargo types, rather than simply declared dangerous goods, for inspection. Further the guidance takes account of the issuance of the CTU Code¹, revisions of container safety regulations and the need to minimize the movement of invasive pests. The Circular additionally notes the continuing low rate submission of inspection reports and encourages an increase in such inspections.

TT itself has long campaigned for an increased awareness of the issues surrounding the transport of dangerous goods, and all potentially hazardous cargoes.  It is dedicated to improving standards for the safe and secure packing of all cargoes in cargo transport units.

There is a plethora of industry generated guidance on best practice relating to packing and handling of cargoes, including the Quick Guide to the CTU Code, along with a Checklist of actions required of those packing cargo in freight containers, published by the Cargo Integrity Group and available in several languages.

Such work by industry groups can only be strengthened by a partnership with governments.  Their action on inspections, with the help of the new revisions to the IMO guidelines and use of that body’s reporting system is crucial.

About TT Club

TT Club is the established market-leading independent provider of mutual insurance and related risk management services to the international transport and logistics industry. TT Club’s primary objective is to help make the industry safer and more secure. Founded in 1968, the Club has more than 1100 Members, spanning container owners and operators, ports and terminals, and logistics companies, working across maritime, road, rail, and air. TT Club is renowned for its high-quality service, in-depth industry knowledge and enduring Member loyalty. It retains more than 97% of its Members with a third of its entire membership having chosen to insure with the Club for 20 years or more.

https://www.ttclub.com

safety

Safety First in the Workplace

While the race to deliver quickest shows no signs of abating, safety must come first in logistics.

While customers expect ever-decreasing delivery times, placing ever-increasing demands on the supply chain, the focus on fast should never come at the expense of workplace safety. Below are key considerations as you adopt (or enhance) a safety-first approach.

Prioritizing safety should not be a hidden commitment; rather, your employees and customers need to know that safety is an important corporate pursuit, one sought because it is a recognized value rather than a necessary liability. It must be integrated into your corporate culture.

The commitment must be a top-down pursuit, too, so that employees can see and understand the value for their employer. To that end, while the pursuit is initiated at the top, successful implementation occurs when employees are brought into the decision-making process. Establish a safety committee, for instance, that empowers your people while reinforcing critical undertakings.

Evaluate and assess all processes, engaging team members at all levels to solicit feedback. The engagement will provide meaningful reassurance that your intent is genuine while generating substantive insights.

Proper training is essential, ensuring the uniform execution of all procedures. Logistics equipment is complex, and when job tasks are modified, there must be a corporate-wide understanding of these new processes. This is especially true for employees who have long tenures at your company and for whom processes and habits become second nature and therefore difficult to break. Special emphasis on retraining those people might be helpful.

Simplify a feedback process for employees, making it easy for them to ask safety-related questions with clear instructions (and processes) about responding — promptly — to any concerns. It is imperative that all employees be fully invested in safety and processes.

As technology continues to evolve and drive greater workplace efficiencies, it can be tempting to rely on technology-generated processes. However, such an approach is fraught with risk, when human behavior is not easy to categorize. To that end, some companies designate employees to monitor other employees while performing tasks to discover elements that might go overlooked by a computer-generated report. If this works for your organization, make it an ongoing process, not a one-off pursuit, allowing you to continually refine and improve your overall approach.

Underlying all these elements is a mature corporate culture that prioritizes safety, an uncompromising value that supersedes profit, productivity and quality.

Safety first. It’s the right approach.

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David Ide is Global Vice President of Risk at BDP International in Philadelphia, Pa.