Managing a tragedy's emotional aftermath.

Editor's Note: Following the tragic death of an Ontario dealership's service technician, who was recently killed while performing repairs on a piece of forage harvesting equipment, Bev Leavitt, Executive Vice President of Canada East Dealers Association (formerly Ontario Retail Farm Equipment Dealers Association), asked dealers, dealer associations and affiliates that have safety programs and information to please share it with other companies' dealers. If you have published safety procedures or safety manuals that outline standard guidelines for equipment repair--any brand, any type--please notify Bev Leavitt, by phone [phone]) or e-mail ([e-mail]). Bev's request prompted I&T to ask Brett Harman at Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance for some general guidelines for companies dealing with tragedy.

It is devastating when an employee is seriously hurt--or worse--killed on the job. The ripple effect caused by such a significant crisis affects a company in ways that cannot be imagined.

How a company's leadership deals with a crisis can determine how well its employees cope with the tragedy. Helping employees manage the emotional aftermath of a crisis is just as critical to your ongoing business operations as the reaction to the immediate event.

The impact of these types of accidents can be long lasting. Not only do they affect productivity, such accidents affect insurance rates and even a company's reputation in the marketplace. That's why taking precautions to prevent employee injuries and proactively promoting an environment of safety every day are some of the best investments a company can make.

Work with your insurance company to identify and prevent the most common causes of personal injury accidents at your workplace and establish safety programs that specifically address hazards unique to your operation.

Companies are not establishing a culture of safety just to stay productive and profitable. They do it because it's the right thing to do. Nothing weighs heavier on a business owner's mind than an accident that could have been prevented. Every company--every ag equipment dealership--has to be passionate about safety and following best practices.

Top 10 Ways to Protect Employees

Obviously, preventing worker injuries in the first place is the best practice. Here are the Top 10 ways you can create a safety-conscious environment at your dealership and help protect your employees:

1. Make safety the No. 1 objective in your workplace from the top down. Establish safe work procedures. Make sure employees understand and follow them. And, don't just talk the talk. Walk the walk.

2. Provide training to cover all areas of your operation. Ensure and document that all employees are attending and receiving the appropriate training.

3. Hire qualified employees. Make sure current employees are in the right positions.

4. Investigate all accidents (as well as near misses) to evaluate the cause. Learn from these events and make changes to procedures, equipment or processes, wherever needed.

5. Provide the correct personal protection equipment for the task, and verify regularly that this equipment fits employees appropriately.

6. Complete (and document) proper maintenance on all equipment to ensure it is in good condition, and repair or replace equipment whenever needed.

7. Inspect all vehicles, mobile equipment and shop tools regularly to maintain safe operating condition.

8. Train employees on the proper use of tools, equipment and machines. Document the training.

9. Maintain good housekeeping of your premises and equipment.

10. Conduct regular safety inspections. Make sure all safeguards on machinery and equipment are in place and in good working condition.

When the Unthinkable Occurs

When an tragic incident occurs, it is traumatic--not just for the people immediately affected, but also for their co-workers and their managers. So, it is important for employees to be able to talk about it.

Helping employees express their emotions helps them process the tragedy. It helps the healing process and helps them become productive again. Such action provides employees with a place and time for such aftercare and shows employees that management cares about how they are feeling and is willing to provide help.

Crisis counseling is also an important step in getting productivity levels back to normal after any kind of traumatic event. While managers and co-workers can offer a sympathetic ear, they are not trained to handle the incident's emotional fallout.

Check with your insurance agent to see if your policy covers the cost of hiring a professional crisis counseling service. If your insurance company doesn't offer this service, it may well be worth your company's investment to find and provide this assistance to your employees.

Brett Harman is president of Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company, which is rated A + (Superior) by The A.M. Best Company, the country's leading insurer of commercial agribusiness and related businesses in the food and fiber chain. The company and its affiliate, Farmland Mutual Insurance Company, are members of Nationwide[R], a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio. Nationwide Agribusiness is rated A+ (Superior) by The A.M. Best Company, the country's leading insurer of commercial agribusiness and related businesses in the food and fiber chain. Nationwide Agribusiness and two of its affiliates, Allied Insurance and Nationwide[R], combine to insure more farms in the U.S. than any other insurer. (www.NationwideAgribusiness. com)

by Brett Harman

Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company