Safety introduces the “Good Catch” program

Courtesy Photo | (left) Dustin Strand, safety and occupational health specialist, and John Dehnke, collateral duty safety officer, sample the ventilation system at Lock and Dam 5 near Minnesota City, Minnesota. USACE St. Paul District courtesy photo.  

MINNESOTA CITY, MN, UNITED STATES

12.19.2022

Story by Elizabeth Stoeckmann 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District

Formerly known as the “near miss reporting,” the Good Catch program is available to all employees to proactively prevent accidents in the workplace.

The purpose of the program is to demonstrate that close-call situations are strictly used to prevent future mishaps for the benefit of all and focus on the district’s safety culture.

“It is a resource we use to recognize our employees identifying hazards before something occurs and a way to share and distribute that information to applicable disciplines, areas or all hands depending on the hazard,” said Dustin Strand, St. Paul District safety and occupational health specialist.

By practicing the age-old “see something, say something,” employees are encouraged to share lessons learned with district personnel to prevent future accidents.

Details of the Good Catch program highlight proactive vs. reactive behaviors, identify trends and efficiencies in reducing workplace hazards and reinforce everyone’s responsible for workplace safety.

Since the inception of the program in 2020, the safety office has received more than 25 reports that have significantly impacted the safe operation of locks and dams, miter gate controls, equipment use, load handling equipment, slips, trips and falls, snow removal, government vehicle safety checks, etc., to name a few.

“A Good Catch was received from our Western Area Office, Fargo, North Dakota, in May that a crane that was improperly rigged for a critical lift of 120,000-pound concrete beams. The attention to detail in recognizing this was exceptional and could have been catastrophic. This Good Catch was recognized by our Corps load handling equipment high hazard work group – a team of subject matter experts across the Corps,” Strand explained.

All reports are extremely beneficial and prevent workplace accidents and injuries, he said.

How to get involved?
1. Identify the unsafe act, condition, hazard, or potential for mishap
2. Take appropriate immediate action to correct the situation and prevent property damage or injury
3. Ensure the situation is safe to proceed with the intended activity
4. Fill out the “Good Catch Reporting Form” here and submit it to your supervisor. The supervisor will review the form, add information and documentation as necessary and submit the packet to the district safety office as soon as reasonably possible, preferably within 10 days of the Good Catch occurring

“We will always have injuries, but our hope is to prevent as many as possible,” Strand said. “The Good Catch program helps communicate unsafe issues or problems through the district. By sharing best practices in a safety-first culture, accidents are reduced and prevented, and everyone can go home safely.”

• Date Taken: 12.19.2022
• Date Posted: 12.19.2022 12:37
• Story ID: 435471
• Location: MINNESOTA CITY, MN, US