Officer patrols city buildings to keep employees safe
James Garza is on the lookout for safety hazards
James Garza, HR safety officer, looks over Public Works’ job safety analysis with Robert Parker, PWE safety representative. One function of Garza’s job is to act as a liaison between departments. Photo by Dave Schafer
Story and photo by Dave Schafer
It’s Friday before Labor Day, a time when work-place accidents historically increase. Not just before and after Labor Day, but around any extended weekend.
“When people get complacent, or their mind is not on their job, accidents tend to happen,” said James Garza, Human Resources safety officer.
Garza’s rounds today start with the Houston Emergency Center, where workers’ compensation claims and sick leave have declined by nearly 60 percent in the past year, according to Director David Cutler.
One reason for that cut is the annual Labor Day barbecue. Events like this keep morale up, which makes employees more careful.
Also, the building is sparkling clean. So is the gym that helps them maintain better health.
“This department has done an excellent job with safety,” Garza said. “They take care of their employees, and their numbers show it.”
Garza is here to talk to Robert Taylor, HEC’s safety liaison. Garza talks to a lot of people, from safety liaisons and managers to office and field workers, to find out what’s worrying them.
His easy-going demeanor is like a friend, but field workers aren’t always happy to see him. They hide or get mad, thinking he’s trying to stop them from doing their job. It’s just the opposite, he said.
“We’re here to make sure they go home in the same condition they reported for work.”
HEC wants to add a walking track around the building, but supervisors, concerned that the track took employees into the path of delivery trucks, called Garza. Together they brainstormed possible solutions, including putting up signs and warning lights.
A basketball court was nixed after Garza pointed out it was too easy for an employee to injury himself or someone else while playing.
Garza listens to Taylor with a furrowed brow, nodding his head, occasionally interjecting a “yeah, yeah,” or “right, right.” As they walk through the building, Garza picks up a paperclip here, a piece of crumpled paper there.
“Safety hazards,” he said.
Safety as a focus
The next stop for Garza, one of six HR safety officers, is the East Water Purification Plant. There had been problems with the equipment and respirators fitting the employees. They wear the respirators if there’s a chlorine leak.
Garza is following up and looking for other safety issues. He also wants to see the department’s recently completed job safety analysis, check the cooperation they got, and understand how they built their analysis so he can take that template to other departments interested in doing a job-by-job safety plan.
When he arrives, he immediately notices one safety hazard. The four-foot-tall grass harbors snakes, according to Mike Simmons, PWE safety coordinator.
PWE, like many of the larger departments, has its own safety officers, so Garza’s job is to offer advice and act as a liaison between that department and others.
“Departments think they have isolated safety issues, but that’s not the case,” he said.
About 95 percent of the 150 plant employees have respirators that fit, Simmons said. It’s part of an increased focus on safety.
“We’re dealing with a culture change. Citywide, we’re more concerned with safety,” Simmons said.
In Fiscal Year 07, workers’ compensation claims dropped to 1,868 from 2,267 in FY05. Since 2004, the city has cut the amount paid in claims by a third, saving taxpayers $7 million last year, according to HR’s workers’ comp division.
Garza, talks to a lot of people, from safety liaisons and supervisors to office and field workers, so ferret out safety concerns. |
Safety as a behavior
Garza drives his white Ford F-150 with city emblems on the doors and a light bar in the back window to the downtown library, which is under renovation. Several employees had complained about the dust, and safety officers been have monitoring the air. Garza moves the monitor from the sixth to the third floor.
Being proactive is important, he said.
About 80 percent of his time is spent away from his cubicle at 611 Walker. When he’s not speaking to employees or acting as a liaison, he’s taking surveys, giving training and guidance, and researching best practices. Every other week, he gets a trend analysis from workers’ compensation that tells him where accidents occurred and why. He investigates to see what they can do differently to keep employees safe.
“Safety is a behavior,” Garza said. “You have to continuously be thinking about it until it becomes second nature. Without being safe, you can’t do your job right.”
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