Aim Holds 4th Annual Safety Week
At Aim Transportation Solutions, “safety first” isn’t just a phrase you throw around. It’s a code by which to operate, think and prioritize. Safety not only keeps our employees, customers and those we come in contact with safe, but it’s the very foundation of our ability to provide the unparalleled services we’ve built our brand and reputation on. To put it simply: Safety is everything.
When it comes to safety, Aim never takes its eye off the ball. It’s a 24-7, 365 commitment built right into the company’s culture. To further strengthen this commitment, Aim held its fourth annual Safety Week. Aim’s safety experts designed this five-day initiative to engage employees in daily conversations to ensure safety is on the forefront of everyone’s mind while also uncovering areas for improvement.
Back in 2020, the first ever Safety Week focused on Aim’s core values—integrity, trust, accountability and commitment—the heart of Aim’s safety-first culture. And so, as is tradition, Safety Week launched on May 8 with a review and discussion of those four values Aim holds so dear.
To put a more fun and engaging spin on this year’s topics of discussion—know your limits, situational awareness, avoiding shortcuts and root cause analysis—Aim’s safety team went Hollywood. Each safety manager was put into the director’s chair and tasked with filming a short video covering the do’s and don’ts of their respective topic. The videos were entertaining, informational and, most importantly, memorable.
“As a safety department and as a company overall, driven by our core value of commitment, we are dedicated to making continuous improvements that enhance safety,” said Ron Bourque, Aim’s Vice President of Safety. “Some of these improvements, like the implementation of our Netradyne in-cab camera systems, are substantial and immediately evident.”
“Another recent success was the addition of a specialized ladder/work platform in all Aim shops; although this equipment was a significant investment, it makes the job of our technicians easier and safer,” Ron added. “Smaller behavioral changes that have a positive impact are sometimes not as easily deployed and noticed, and that’s an area where Safety Week truly shines. In the end, regardless of the scale, our commitment to continuous improvement remains unwavering.”
It’s important to mention that Safety Week is rooted in the military. Aim Co-President Scott Fleming brought the idea from his time in the Marines serving in Iraq. He and fellow Marines, during a stand-down, took part in a week-long safety training, which saw Platoon Sergeant Scott Fleming, communicate daily safety messages to fellow soldiers. Later on, Mr. Fleming recognized an opportunity to adapt that experience to bolster Aim’s safety-first culture.
Each Aim facility was sent a banner emblazoned with the Safety Week logo and Aim’s core values, and Aim employees during the week were asked to sign the banner as a pledge to safety.
“Safety Week is really a two-way street,” Bourque concluded. “While focusing on and having open discussions about key safety topics reinforces the safe behaviors we desire, it also uncovers things we as a company can act on to improve safety down to the individual level.
“That, perhaps more than anything else, is what makes Safety Week such a success.”
