Attaining the Health and Safety Certificate of Recognition (COR) isn’t about the trophy. It’s about positive thinking and working to keep everyone safe.
Triple Eight Transport earned its COR certification in November 2023 with a score of 98% on their audit, which involved 58 interviews and site observations. .
The name Triple Eight Transport comes from the intersection of 8s in the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Arora. They met on November 8, married on December 8, and their first child was born in the eighth month. It’s an appealing history that has shaped the company’s team spirit and the family values imbued in the company culture.
Triple Eight Transport’s core values include “fostering a positive work environment” and striving for “the highest ethical standards, values, safety, honesty and mutual trust” in a company that invests in its staff, “supporting their growth and continued development.” Those values extend into the company’s safety and compliance programs, which the company notes are “designed, implemented, and reinforced to ensure that our Triple Eight team, customers and customers’ assets are safe.”
Preparing for a COR Audit
As Triple Eight Transport prepared for its COR audit, SafetyDriven provided guidance that helped enhance, apply, and expand the company’s established safety culture. The safety team notes that SafetyDriven was very supportive, responsive to questions, and helped streamline onboarding new members. They ensured the preparedness of Triple Eight Transport drivers on Vancouver Island; they don’t work on the mainland and it would be easy to miss something like an email blast. Auditor John Dunn, who lives on the Island, met the drivers and found their knowledge and safety values excellent. It was clear SafetyDriven was there to help the company succeed.
A Positive Safety Culture
It’s natural to emphasize what goes wrong in our days, rather than recognizing and prioritizing what goes right. While we need to be aware that hazards exist, things can go sideways, and there will be bad days, focusing on good days and what goes well yields more successes. Triple Eight Transport’s safety practices include prioritizing conversations about what went well that week, while also discussing and finding solutions to address any failures. This approach helps to maintain a positive work environment and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Maintaining a positive attitude has reinforced the company’s health and safety practices; Triple Eight Transport was always a safe place to work, but people became more interested and invigorated by changes they saw as they prepared for the COR audit. Customer Service created flash cards, quizzing each other daily. Accounting had regular safety quizzes. Operations looked for missing training and ensured drivers were up-to-date. In the maintenance shop, they painted lines for walk-ways and made time for staff to clean up at the end of each shift, getting the shop ready for the next shift. The drivers—80% of the company’s workforce—were all on board as they prepared for the audit. In fact, COR would not have been attainable without their support and dedication to safety. They are literally the driving force of Triple Eight Transport.
In the Safety and Compliance Office, the focus is on coaching and mentoring. But you can’t reach people if they don’t stop to listen, so they made the office a more inviting space. Drivers began to stop to say hello rather than dropping off paperwork and leaving quickly. Morning meetings became more than learning opportunities, with contests and thought prompts providing creative ways to keep everyone thinking about teamwork, efficiency, personal safety, and looking out for the other guy. They talk about highlights of the week and celebrate each other’s successes. Safety meetings are campaigns to promote specific aspects of health and safety, such as staying healthy on the road. There is a visible sense of pride among staff.
The Next Audit
Working together to embrace a positive safety culture will help Triple Eight Transport as it expands. Another audit will inevitably come up. And Triple Eight Transport will definitely be ready.