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“Rigging and maintenance companies must invest in good equipment, but even more important is the investment in programs that demand safety training, safety awareness and attention to keeping all employees safe. I am honored to introduce you to our Safety Director, Julie Frazier. We have invested in this position for years and continue to believe it is an essential part of our operations. “
-Jerry Sanders

As Safety Director, Julie’s highest priority is making sure every team member and every work environment is as safe as possible. Recently, Julie had the opportunity to discuss the role of safety in our company as well as the overall industry trends. Here’s a short recap of our “safety tailgating” with Julie.

Why did you choose safety as your career focus?

My mother was a paramedic and my father a fire chief. The combination of their careers made the term safety take on a different meaning to me since childhood. At an early age, I was exposed to the world of extreme situations where safety and the lack of safety precautions caused loss of life. I often thought “what if” someone had noticed the dangerous situation. Safety was an early and natural path in my career. In my 30 plus years of working, I have always been involved in safety programs in one way or the other. I’ve served in multiple management roles in industry and I’ve “seen it”…the good and not so good. Understanding safety has been an area of genuine focus for me and I am proud to contribute my experience and expertise to this team who already makes safety a priority.

What do you consider the most important elements of your job?

Every morning before our jobs, our team has a dedicated safety briefing. We cover the basic goals of the job but we also review any safety concerns that we’ve identified on our end as well as the environment in which we are working.

Recently, we had to remove a piece of equipment that was next to a hot molten mix process. The mix metal was being dipped and the airborne ambers were hot and uncontrolled. In order to protect our employees, we installed a screen in order to keep the hot mixture metal away from our employees. Other companies had removed similar equipment, but we were the only ones to take that extra step to ensure all team members were safe.

The most important element is trying to prepare for the unpredictable. That takes experience and a full work team environment to be aware of all the elements around us. I am honored to work at Associated Industrial Riggers. Unlike some companies I have worked with, reviewing the safety measures before each job is mandatory. The reviews and briefings are focused and critical parts of our regular routines. I’ve worked for and with many companies over the years, and I’ve never seen anyone who puts safety as a priority like this one.

What can companies do to increase the safety in their own environments on a regular basis?

Lead by example, always set safety and health as a top priority in your organization. Implement a good reporting-tracking system and develop a solid safety manual that isn’t complicated but useful and practical for your business. It’s also essential to provide your employees with health and safety training on a regular basis. Give your workers the tools and resources they need to be safe. Conduct routine and un-announced job-safety inspections, make necessary improvements immediately so employees can rely on you and your safety programs. This will also open up more communication and create a better approach in improving your safety environment.

There is never an end to supporting our safety program. With the right efforts on a consistent basis, you can be assured that our team, our equipment and our services will ALWAYS EXCEED your safety expectations. Safety is not an optional priority. We look forward to supporting you with a fully integrated rigging and maintenance service that you can trust!

-Julie Frazier
Director of Safety and HR for Associated Industrial Rigging Corporation
My direct number is 315-420-7266 and my email is jfrazier@airiggers.com
Please do not hesitate to call me with any safety questions or concerns.