In today's fast-paced world, safety culture has become a top priority for businesses, and Greggs Restaurant is no exception. This iconic Rhode Island restaurant chain has taken a proactive approach to ensuring the safety of its employees and customers by implementing its own "recipe" for safety culture. Partnering with Beacon Mutual, Gregg's Restaurant has taken steps to prevent workplace injuries and promote a culture of safety within their establishment over the last 20 years. In this blog post, we'll explore the steps taken by Greggs Restaurant and the importance of a safety culture in the workplace.
With Beacon’s help, this longstanding Rhode Island establishment has achieved this success by assembling key ingredients such as safety committees, proactive training and prevention, establishing a return-to-work program, and caring for employee well-being to create a safe and healthy environment. Just as a recipe requires careful preparation, implementation of safety committees and proactive training is crucial in ensuring that all employees are aware of safety protocols and hazards. Safety committees act as the main ingredient, bringing together diverse perspectives to identify and mitigate risks. Proactive training and prevention serve as the spices, ensuring that safety is top of mind and preventing accidents before they occur. Continuous improvement is the seasoning, encouraging feedback and evaluation to refine safety practices. A return to work program is the garnish, promoting the safe and timely return of employees to work after an injury. Finally, caring for employee wellbeing is the final touch, ensuring that employees feel supported and valued, fostering a culture of safety and trust.
“No one wants to see their workforce injured. We do what we can to prevent injuries and Beacon has been very helpful in that. We have taken a lot from what Beacon has to offer in helping us grow our (safety) culture,” said Bob Bacon, Owner of Gregg’s Restaurant.
“We’ve helped Gregg’s promote workplace safety throughout the years through our loss prevention service visits with the senior management team. That allows us to determine services that will help them provide a safe and helpful workplace," said Lester Poole, Senior Loss Prevention Consultant at Beacon.
Safety Culture
Gregg's has created a strong safety culture by prioritizing the safety of its employees and customers.
“Safety is built into the process from how to use the machines to wearing the proper safety equipment that may pertain to one’s job. There is also literature around the building about how to lift, how to bend, and how to keep yourself safe while working. We like to reinforce all of that when working,” said Raymond Vanasse (Skip), Gregg’s Bakery Supervisor and forty-five year Gregg’s employee.
Safety Training
Gregg’s has also implemented a safety training program for all employees, which includes regular safety meetings and on-the-job training. This training ensures that all employees are aware of potential hazards and know how to prevent accidents. Gregg's also encourages its employees to report any unsafe conditions or incidents immediately, which allows the restaurant to quickly address any issues.
“Beacon provides services to restaurants such as Gregg’s in terms of safety training. We can come on-site and train employees. They (employees) can also come to Beacon for safety seminars. We have Beacon University which is a remote way of learning for a lot of employees that can’t take the time from work to come into Beacon for safety training,” said Lori Wall, Ergonomic Consultant at Beacon.
Safety Committees
Gregg's has also formed safety committees that are responsible for monitoring and improving the restaurant's safety practices. These committees are made up of employees from different departments, including management, bakery and kitchen staff, and servers. This allows for a diverse range of perspectives and experiences to be considered when improving safety practices. The committees conduct regular safety audits and inspections to identify potential hazards and recommend improvements.
Continuous Improvement
“Our culture of continuous improvement comes from management down, like branches of a tree. It truly is a culture," said Vanasse. "This commitment to continuous improvement has allowed Gregg's to maintain a high level of safety and prevent accidents."
Gregg's is committed to continuously improving its safety practices. They regularly review their safety policies and procedures to ensure they are up-to-date and effective. Additionally, they use data and feedback from Beacon’s safety representatives to identify areas for improvement and implement changes.
Vanasse continued, “Every day is an opportunity to be careful and to know that you have the support of management, our HR department, and Beacon Mutual if the necessity arises. A safe work environment is a happier work environment and much more productive. It’s all about teamwork”.
Return-to-Work/Stay-at-Work Program
“No one wants to see their workforce injured. We do what we can to prevent injuries and Beacon has been very helpful in that through the training that they do. When we do have an injury, our focus is on getting the injured worker taken care of and back to work as soon as they are willing and able,” said Bacon.
With the help of Beacon’s Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work team, Gregg’s has been able to retain their most valuable resource, their employees. Beacon has helped Gregg’s implement transitional and modified duty for injured workers.
“Beacon is great in the support in helping our employees get back to work. They’re on top of everything, they answer all of our questions. No question is a silly question. They reach out to our employees and help our employees get all the help that they may need whether it is doctors or physical therapy,” said Amanda Lento, Gregg's Human Resource Manager.
“I believe other companies can learn to utilize Beacon in bringing in the preventative measures, looking at the jobs, seeing things you can fix so that in the long run, you don’t have the problems and you can avoid the injuries," said Lento.
By following Gregg's safety success recipe, restaurants and hospitality companies can follow suit and prioritize safety for both employees and customers. This can be achieved by implementing a stay-at-work/return-to-work program, committing to continuous improvement, providing regular training and encouraging employees to report any unsafe conditions. Furthermore, it is important to establish safety committees and regularly review safety practices to identify potential hazards and recommend improvements for a stronger safety culture.
Beacon Mutual is proud to provide loss prevention and ergonomic services at no additional cost to policyholders. With a large team of safety experts from a variety of disciplines, Beacon's Loss Prevention Representatives and Ergonomic Specialists will outline the steps needed to establish an effective loss prevention program. Our goal is to help establish a realistic safety process that will prevent injuries and accidents, improve employees’ attitudes toward safety, and minimize claim costs. Learn more about safety services.
For further information on securing workers' compensation insurance from Beacon Mutual, reach out to your independent agent today – Beacon will help you put together the best recipe for safety and prevention in your workplace!