On this episode of the WorkSAFE Podcast, we sit down with Mark Watson, owner of Watson Concrete and Watson Trucking and Hauling, based in Columbia, MO.
Many of MEM’s policyholders have found ways to go above and beyond keeping their employees safe – they help them work with confidence. Watson and his team are often recognized for their outstanding commitment to safety. For them, safety is crucial, and they consistently engage employees, which creates a lasting impact.
Listen to this episode of the WorkSAFE Podcast, or read the show notes below.
Why is safety a core value at Watson Concrete?
At Watson Concrete, safety is a core value. Mark Watson and his team create a culture that not only keeps employees protected, but sets them apart in the eyes of other contractors. In turn, this opens doors for more business opportunities. How did this come to be?
“Safety for us is our number one core value we’ve got in our company,” Watson shared. “We preach safety, service, pride, and professionalism – and all four of those all tied together in a successful operation in a day. You know, safety is our number one top priority. And if you do that right, then the other ones all kind of fall into place.”
Safety infrastructure at Watson Concrete
Watson holds an important perspective on employees: he considers each one to be a safety officer. “Every single person in this company is a safety officer and everybody is responsible for themselves, the person next to them, the crew that they’re with,” he added. “And it is a daily conversation for us.”
MEM builds on Watson’s efforts with additional support. Watson partners with Brad Minor, Senior Safety and Risk Consultant. Minor visits job sites and provides recommendations and fresh ideas. However, implementing any new safety concept requires employee buy-in. “It’s a huge commitment on everybody’s part,” Watson explained. “And we make sure that everybody knows that this is part of their role.”
What does Watson Concrete do to ensure safety is a daily focus on the job site?
Making safety a daily focus on a job site requires commitment and effort. Watson highlights that it starts with apparel. Employees wear jeans and boots, and the company provides other essential gear.
“We provide that to everyone. We provide t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, safety vests, hard hats, glasses,” Watson shared. Wearing the same gear – and the right gear for the job – starts the day off right. “We provide all that, and it’s a large expense every year, but it’s the expense that is absolutely worth making.”
Watson also invests in boots for his employees. Insulated boots, the best kind for the work they do, are purchased for every team member. “We feel that that is our responsibility to provide them with that and basically give them everything that they need to be successful and successful in a safe way.”
Safety is a two-way conversation
Engaging in safety is essential to building a strong safety culture. This means talking about when things are working – and when they aren’t. Work days at Watson start with a safety talk, but in reality, it’s a conversation. And efforts to collect feedback and constantly improve don’t stop there.
“One of the things that we do is we ask everyone in the company to fill out an annual review on the company, and it’s nice to hear what we’re doing well,” Watson shared. “But more importantly, what can we do better on the very first part of that sheet is safety. What are we doing well there? But more importantly, what can we do better?”
The importance of generational buy-in
Getting buy-in from older employees is an essential yet underrated tool in building a safety culture. At Watson Concrete, doing the job in a safe way is a point of pride for longstanding workers. Older employees can have a strong influence on younger ones, especially those who might be new to the industry.
“If you’ve learned bad habits, it’s really hard to break them,” Watson points out. “So like I said, just kind of having the older guys get involved with it, and then everybody engaged in this I think has really, really helped us.”
Workplace safety: An investment that pays off at Watson Concrete
For some companies, it’s a priority until it becomes to expensive or inconvenient to maintain. But for Watson, safety isn’t just an expense. It’s a responsibility – and his biggest investment.
Winning contracts
“We’ve actually been awarded contracts because contractors know that we’re a very safe contractor,” he explained. “They know they’re not going to have to worry about us on a safety issue out there.” They bring safe equipment, stop to talk about the job before jumping in, and have safety processes already in place. Everyone in the company has an OSHA 10 card, which Watson Concrete arranges. New hires typically earn them in the first 2-3 weeks on the job.
Whether working as the main contractor or as subcontractors, clients know exactly how Watson and his team will show up: prepared, trained, and focused. Even if Watson Concrete’s bid is higher than the next contractor, clients often feel more comfortable spending more to ensure safety and peace of mind. Investing in safety ultimately contributes to the bottom line, rather than taking away from it.
Attracting talent
Employees at Watson Concrete take pride in working safely and being a part of a company with a strong safety culture. Not only does it differentiate them from others in the industry, but it allows them to have a sense of ownership in the work they do and how they do it. “We’re able to attract a lot of great talent, and great people come out here just because they know that’s the culture that we have.”
Lowering e-mod
An experience modification factor (e-mod) plays a key role in how workers compensation premiums are calculated. Fewer workplace incidents result in a lower e-mod. A lower e-mod contributes to lower premium rates.
“As the years have gone on with the company, our mod has come down. And that’s something we pay attention to because it affects our bottom line,” Watson explained. “So by knowing that we do this and we have a good culture, we can keep our keep our mod down, get better premiums.”
Watson’s advice to other employers
For Watson, safety is a daily commitment that reveals long-term benefits. He highlights that over the years, the company hasn’t always done everything right. They’ve made mistakes, but they’ve learned from them.
Further, making that commitment to safety has never been the wrong choice. “Make the investment and know what you’re investing in,” he said. “You’re investing in excellent people that are going to represent you as well.”
People are at the heart of every safety culture. “It starts with everyone. It’s not just the top, it’s not just the bottom. It’s every single person,” he added. “You have to get every single person to buy in and encourage them to be successful at this. At the end of the day, the top has to do this and then lead by example. And that’s something that we’ve done.”