W. M. Jordan Company is proud to announce that we have achieved Level 2 of the Virginia BEST (Building Excellence in Safety, Health and Training) Program with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry. In 2017, W. M. Jordan was the first company to reach Level 1 of the BEST Program and now in 2021, we are the first to reach Level 2.
Virginia BEST is a collaboration between Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) and the Associated General Contractors of Virginia (AGCVA) designed to encourage and recognize AGCVA members who voluntarily implement highly effective safety and health management systems to benefit construction workers and reduce or eliminate injuries, illnesses and fatalities on construction sites in Virginia.
The core elements of participation in BEST include management leadership and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control along with safety and health training. Companies that achieve Level 1 of BEST are recognized for implementing an effective safety and health management system that meets current VOSH regulatory standards.
Level 2 of BEST involves continuing safety practices established at Level 1, while also expanding safety training and guidelines to include trade-partners and non-field employees.
Additionally, Level 2 requires a buy in from the entire organization to be successful.
“This pivotal milestone would not have been possible without the cooperation and collaboration of our entire W. M. Jordan team, who always choose to go above and beyond safety expectations,” said W. M. Jordan President Ron Lauster.
Even though this is a Virginia based program, we recognize this accomplishment across all regions as this higher-level benchmark for safety not only makes our company safer and better, but our trade partners too.
“I am excited about the future of our safety program,” said WMJ Director of Safety Scott Sutton. “With a new and improved safety manual, and everyone in the company, office and field completing a minimum of OSHA 10 certification, our teams have the tools they need to keep their jobsites and the people on them safe. We will all be safer away from our jobsites too.”
In accordance with BEST Level 2, our safety teams are continuing to work with trade partners to expand safety education to everyone on the jobsite.
“We have begun requiring trade partners to have their superintendents complete OSHA 30 training,” said Scott. “Eventually we will get to the point where it is understood that if you want to work with W. M. Jordan, your people need to have all the proper safety training. To help facilitate this, we provide our trade partners with OSHA 30 training at no charge, as well as work with connecting fabricators with safety training firms.”
Collaboration is the key to success when it comes to the Virginia BEST program.
“There are no trade secrets in safety,” said Sutton. “That is one of my favorite parts of the BEST program, if you can help someone be safer, you have to do it. We all have the common goal of keeping our teams as safe as possible. W. M. Jordan takes pride in being a leader in jobsite safety.”
The benefits of the Virginia BEST program extend beyond worker safety. BEST participants see decreased bottom line costs associated with dramatically reduced injury and illness rates along with improved productivity and employee morale.
Achieving Virginia BEST Level 2 is another step in completing our goal of BEST Level 3 and becoming fully self-certified. Building safer jobsites allows us to continue our Relentless Pursuit of Excellence.
