News

RLTurner just recorded yet another accident-free year. How do we do it? Every single employee is committed to our culture of safety. In fact, many of our best safety advances come from our own people.

While overseeing the spillway at Traders Point, Kevin Kendall worried about our guys standing on forms while vibrating concrete. The crew needed leverage to move vibrators, but he wondered if there was a better way. Making stiff backs longer and attaching a 2×4 on the side that doesn’t have a walkway proved to be a viable solution to gaining leverage while guarding against falls.

Sam Medlen has only worked here a few years. However, he saw that there was a potential disconnect in communication at our job sites. He created bilingual signs, in English and Spanish, listing our required PPE and directing all visitors to our job site trailer.

Other ideas have been around so long, we simply think that’s how we’ve always done it. However, when we first started building pools, guys would fall through the rebar grid and hurt their legs. The idea of wire mesh atop the grid came from a former employee, and now it’s part of our pool-building protocol.

Other great ideas take a team to implement. Safety barriers are required around pools or holes more than five feet deep. Recently retired Kenny Pinkerton pushed for portable safety rails. Larry Sheets purchased carts to transport them, and Eric Clanton used his welding skills to customize them. The team effort resulted in safety equipment that can be easily transported, quickly delivered into buildings, and efficiently installed.

All our new employees must pass a 90-day probationary period. During this time, they’re given green hardhats. This classic concept was a Turner’s Best idea from decades ago. This easily flags new employees at job sites, ones who might need help or be quickly located. “We always want to make sure they have an experienced teammate with them to help guide and keep them safe,” says Scott Troxell.

If you ever wonder if your good idea can make a difference, check this out: according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there was a 3.1 percent decrease in nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2024—the lowest number recorded since tracking began in 2003. It definitely makes a difference!

So, if you have a good idea for a Turner’s Best submission, don’t hesitate to give it to Scott. It could not only win you some cash, but it also can make our company safer for generations to come.