Geneva Rock is as committed as ever to the health and safety of our employees, customers, and members of the community. This year, we faced never-before-seen challenges from COVID-19, and we learned that with courage, teamwork, and a little creativity, there’s nothing we can’t overcome.
At the onset of the pandemic, we prioritized communication, training, and compliance with the CDC’s recommendations for preventing the spread of the virus. Our supervisors held regular Toolbox Trainings while our upper management sent out official communications frequently. Receiving accurate information and next steps forward were crucial to providing certainty in uncertain times.
Our safety team worked tirelessly and often creatively to protect our employees and customers. When masks became mandatory and N95 masks were out of stock everywhere, our safety team produced homemade masks out of t-shirts. Since March, we have purchased over 15,000 masks, with a variety of 10 mask options, including the popular neck gaiters. We have distributed about 4,000 masks, and we are prepared with more masks if the virus continues through winter and spring.
“We wanted to show our employees we seriously care about them and their families. We want each employee to be safe and well — both at work and at home,” said Gary Hatch, safety director.
We also provided employees with sanitation and disinfecting supplies for their work environments, from equipment operators to office workers and everyone in between. We purchased 70 GOTT coolers for disinfecting liquid solution and over 1,000 spray bottles for employees to sanitize their workstations often.
There have been highs and lows. When OSHA required a report on any employee-to-employee transmission of the virus, our worry increased. We are proud that we have not had a single recordable incident of employee-to-employee transmission at Geneva Rock. Considering the size of Geneva Rock’s 1,250-employee workforce, this is truly a remarkable accomplishment.
Despite the uncertainty, we worked every single day. COVID-19 did not stop one day of Geneva Rock business. In fact, this has been one of the busiest years ever. We are so proud of all that our team members have accomplished during this pandemic.
Along the way, we learned some important lessons. First, we hope that people realize it’s okay to take a few days off if you’re not feeling well. Second, safety goes hand in hand with everything we do – production, quality control, deliveries – everything. It’s our top priority. Third, we are in business to service our customers, and we will always prioritize their safety. Finally, we recognized there is no challenge too big or too complex for Geneva Rock. Even in unexpected and changing circumstances, we can assemble quickly, solve problems, and keep moving forward. Thank you to everyone who has helped us face this year’s challenges with determination and optimism. Please – stay safe out there.