Mapei Sponsors NTCA Contractor Safety Program
Mapei Americas president and CEO Rainer Blair noted that NTCA’s program underscores safety – one of the installation material manufacturer’s key issues for the industry and its own company -- and one of Blair’s own personal convictions.
“Mapei’s commitment to safety starts within our own company and extends to those contractors and installers who use our products,” Blair said. “We feel the sponsorship of this program is a concrete way to show how much we value a safe workplace.”
Begun May 1st, 2006, the NTCA Contractor Safety is different from other safety programs because is was created to meet the specific needs of tile contractors. It was developed by NTCA in cooperation with Jim Isaminger of D.M.I. Tile and Marble in
Isaminger successfully introduced the Contractor Safety Program at his company and worked diligently with the NTCA to provide the components of the program to other tile and stone installation contractors. Isaminger sought to develop a program to reduce tile setter injuries, missed days from work and worker compensation spending, which the Center to Protect Workers’ Rights estimated is 2.5 times the average amount spent by all industries and approximately 5.17 percent of payroll.*
“Implementing the Contractor Safety Program 10 years ago led to an annual reduction in our worker’s compensation EMR rate; for 2007 our EMR is .67,” Isaminger said. “The resulting savings in worker’s compensation insurance premiums has directly increased our net profit. In addition, productivity has remained at peak levels as we have not incurred lost work days due to careless accidents, and our employees have benefited from having a safe work environment.”
The NTCA Contractor Safety Program is an annual subscription and is available to NTCA members at a reduced rate. The subscription includes the following features and benefits:
- Twelve monthly safety topics: Each issue contains a safety meeting topic with a presenter outline and employee handout. Sign-in sheets are printed on the back of each issue to document that the employee received training on the topic.
- Worker safety policy: Blanks allow each company to personalize the policy.
- Safety committee recommendations outline the purpose, function, and organization of a viable safety committee, including Accident/Injury Investigation Report, Accident/Injury Flash Report, and Accident/Injury Follow-up Direction.
- Drug-free workplace policy outline: Includes standards required by many general contractors and builders
- Safety violation policy, safety violation interview, and safety violation tickets: These are designed to be issued violators of company policies. Each pad of 50 tickets has duplicates for the offender and personnel file.
- What to do in case of accident or injury: Company-personalized brochures have specific instructions on medical care providers. The same information is laminated into a wallet-sized card for quick reference. To utilize this feature, the subscribing company will be required to provide information about a pre-selected care provider.
- Safety awards outline and suggestions
- OSHA quarterly newsletter emailed to contractors, with new jobsite safety tips.
In addition to the first year subscription and all that comes with it, NTCA will offer a second year, reduced-cost subscription that will include the following:
Twelve new safety topics for monthly meetings
Two supplemental issues for personal or home safety concerns
Safety award certificates and hard hat stickers
OSHA quarterly newsletter
“This program contains two important reasons for contractors to consider its implementation,” said Bart Bettiga, NTCA executive director. “First, as an employer, it is the contractor’s responsibility to create a safe, accident-free environment. Second, if he accomplishes this, the odds are that his workers’ compensation costs, over a period of time, will reduce. The NTCA feels this is a recipe for success for both the employer and the employee. We are happy that MAPEI shares our viewpoint and is supporting this important NTCA program.”
For more information and pricing, contact NTCA executive director Bart Bettiga at bart@tile-assn.com, NTCA membership director Bob Brown at bob@tile-assn.com or phone (601) 939-2071.