Lessons learned from the recent snow fight

Well we didn’t get our wish of no snow this year. In fact, our first big snow/ice event hit before the official start of winter and by the time you read this we will probably be well through our second event.

I experienced the first storm up close and personal. I was in the SE District the day before, honoring some of our long-term employees at the service award lunch. When I got to the hotel in Cape it was just me and the Ameren crews. I talked with them about what they were up to and how bad they thought it was going to be. They were prepared for a half-inch of ice and downed power lines. Sometimes it is good to know we are not the only ones out there.

By the next morning everything was white and it was coming down fast. I headed up to the Jackson Building to see how things were going and listened in to the morning snow call. It is really great to see how well our teams are organized and how well you all adapt to changing conditions. A couple of districts asked for help and without hesitation folks stepped in and made it happen.

After the call I hung out at the building for awhile and talked with some of the team as they came in to reload. It is always good to hear first hand how things are going. It was pretty clear this one was going to be a challenge. I headed north on 55 and quickly noticed not much traffic, just me and a bunch of trucks. About every 20 or 30 miles I came upon a couple of yellow trucks, usually a tow plow teamed with another truck. They were definitely making a dent in it, but it didn’t take long for the snow to cover it back up.

By the time I got to Jefferson County things were letting up a little and I met a couple of waves of plows headed south, my first reaction was why don’t they have their plows down and then I quickly realized that they were the crews headed south to help.

Sometimes we take for granted what it takes to make all this happen and just how good we are at snow operations. That does not happen without really talented, dedicated folks doing great work. We learned some things from this storm, we get better and the beat goes on.

Thanks to everyone who makes it happen.

Making a plan to go home safe

The Morning Muster is a good time to stretch your arms and legs and prepare for the job of the day.  It’s also a good time to talk about priorities and review safety concerns.

I don’t mean talking about safety in general terms. This is a good time to target discussion toward specific safety risks for specific jobs.

To do this, one of our most important safety tools is the “Risk Based Assessment” forms. The RBAs are more than check lists of risk prevention.  They are a way to make safety a priority. They are a strategy for prevention. They are a plan to stay safe.

Reviewing and discussing these forms lets you zero-in on the specific risks involved with the job at hand.  They look at common hazards associated with the task. They look at the materials and equipment involved and, most importantly, they look at ways to keep risk to a minimum.

Before starting your day, review the RBA for the task you’re about to do. Review the common risks.  Remember the recommended actions.

Do these things and the RBAs become more than checklists. They give you a plan to go home safe. 

Sometimes it's the things you don't notice....

I wanted to talk to you about the things you don't notice.  Have you driven Highway 54 from Kingdom City to Jefferson City lately?  What do you notice about the drive? Or is it what you don't notice?  The concrete replacement work that Central District crews have done is so smooth you don't notice it. If it was a little rough or it had a "thump, thump" at the ends, our customers would notice every day, day after day.  This is one of those things you may not think of as customer service, but it is critical. I always say if you can't walk away from your work for the day and say it looks good and rides good, then you're not done. In our most recent customer survey our customers have reaffirmed that pavement smoothness is their number-one priority. We want to make it so smooth they don't even think about it. Sometimes it's the things you don't notice that are important.

Innovations Challenge expands to everyone

Innovation is one of MoDOT’s greatest strengths.  Finding better ways to do our jobs has saved Missouri taxpayers money, improved safety and made us a national leader among other DOTs.

Last year, MoDOT hosted two challenges, the PrOMo and the Tool and Equipment challenges. This year, the two programs have been combined to form one challenge with broader categories to cover every area of the department. 

Whether you innovate by crafting a new tool, streamlining a process or delivering a superior project, the Innovations Challenge is your competition to win! 

First round competition ends in December, so enter today by going to:

http://wwwi/intranet/cr/SolutionsAtWork/Innovations.htm

State Visits Reaffirm Commitment

I wanted to share with everyone what I have been up to over the last few weeks. I have traveled around the state meeting with Team MoDOT in KC, SW, NW,Central and NE Districts. I have met with Management Teams, Maintenance Buildings and gone out to construction projects and maintenance operations. I also attended a couple of the training sessions for the on boarding for our new maintenance employees.

Here are few observations. I am very glad to see how seriously the teams are taking the on boarding plan. This will make a huge difference in making sure new employees feel welcome and are safe and productive. I sat in on in on a couple of Morning Musters/ Safety talk/ Risk Based Assessments. I was impressed with how crews are using these tools to make things safer. For example Tyler a Crew Leader did a great job of leading the safety discussion and made sure it was very appropriate for the work for the day. When I have been out on projects and maintenance operations I can see the pride you take in the jobs you do.

My travels have reaffirmed what I have always known. We have committed,enthusiastic folks that do great things.

Remembering Our Fallen Workers

Since 1946, 131 MoDOT employees have died while working on the roadside, in shops and sheds or as a result of a crash while on department business.  This number only accounts for a part of the total since accurate records are not available before that time.

On Sept. 19, we will honor our fallen colleagues on the first Day of Remembrance at 1:31 p.m.  Central Office will hold a ceremony at the Fallen Workers Memorial and districts will honor these individuals in various ways across the state.

This tribute is an opportunity for us to remember the sacrifice made by these employees. It is also a time to reaffirm our own personal commitment to safety so that we all make it home safely.

Please join me in honoring these men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for Missouri’s transportation system.

Winter is Around the Corner

It’s time to start getting ready for winter. Like last year, our non-maintenance, safety-sensitive employees will help with winter operations.

They’ll be getting new training and refresher courses to make sure they’re ready for the challenge. We’re going to be bringing in seasonal employees as much as we can, but we still need to be prepared for anything Mother Nature sends our way.

Part of being prepared is planning your time off. We’re asking the safety-sensitive employees who might be called up in a snow fight to submit their annual leave requests as soon as possible. Each district will have a set number of annual leave spots set aside this season so they can take time off whether there’s a winter event or not.

 We recognize the personal sacrifices you make to keep Missouri roads clear, and I would like to thank all of you for your dedication and hard work.

Kathy Harvey named Assistant Chief Engineer

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Kathy Harvey to the assistant chief engineer position. Kathy brings a lot to the table and I'm very excited to be working with her in the capacity. Many of you have already had an opportunity to work with Kathy over the years, so you know she's a great team player with a strong vision for MoDOT. The executive team is now complete and we are looking forward to the great things ahead of us! Please join me in welcoming Kathy to her new position.

Keeping our reputation requires risk, innovation

MoDOT has a national reputation for being innovative -- and it is well-earned.

In fact, we were just honored by the Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials for our innovative approach to the Route 5 Shared Four-Lane project.

Our recognized success in using innovative ideas and processes has depended on two major factors.

First, we’ve been willing to take risks. We’ve stuck our necks out to try new ideas. And that’s taken a full-team effort.

As chief engineer, I want to encourage employees to be bold in taking risks as they meet new challenges. How do we do that? Well, we have to be willing to fail now and then.  We have to learn from our failures and get better because of them. I want to support a culture that isn’t afraid to balance risk with reward.

The other factor that built our reputation is our ability to adopt new ideas.

Every year, we host the Innovations Showcase.  This event brings together innovations and inventions created by our own employees. Often it is a tool or process created by the person actually doing the day-to-day job.

While great ideas are always showcased at this event, it’s our ability to put them into practice that makes them truly successful. This approach is critical to our continued success.

Good reputations are hard to earn, but they are even harder to maintain. By being bold and putting innovation to work at MoDOT, I think our reputation for innovation will stick for many years to come.

Fulfilling CDL Requirements a Snap

By now most of you who have a Commercial Driver’s License know about the legislation requiring you to confirm your status with the Department of Revenue.  This helps determine whether or not you must obtain a medical examination certification (DOT medical card).

Many of you may not know this, but I have a CDL myself and had to comply to the rules just like you. So, I wanted to use this this week’s post to let you know how incredibly easy it was to complete.

I did it on my lunch break. It took about two minutes and cost me $2.

In this week’s issue of Connections, there is a detailed article that addresses most of the questions you all might have over this process.  I recommend you check the article out. I’m sure it will alleviate many of your concerns.

This action is mandatory so get it done as soon as you can.  But if you’re worried about making time for the process, let me tell you from experience:  There’s nothing to it!

The Key to Safety is Vigilence

Safety is our number-one priority.  It is at the top of MoDOT’s Values and Tangible Results.  But safety isn’t just about putting on the right equipment.  And it isn’t just about numbers and statistics.  It is something that must be at the forefront of our minds every hour of every day.   It requires vigilance.  We must always remember that being vigilant about safety means we go home safe every evening.  Because in the end, safety is not just about us.  It is about our families, our friends, our customers and our coworkers.

Below is a video that covers my view of this important topic. Feel free to comment and share your own views. Let me know what you think!