The ABC Safety Team is a group of members working together to improve their own company safety programs and ensure that each involved member meets and exceeds their own safety goals.
ABC is committed to helping members improve their safety record. We offer three programs designed to make the construction workplace a safe workplace:
The STEP Program was developed by contractors for contractors in 1992 in order to assist member companies with their safety program. The STEP Program is an objective, organized tool for contractors to use in evaluating, strengthening, and measuring improvements in their occupational health and safety programs. It allows contractors to benchmark their programs against standards of excellence in 20 areas:
- Depth of commitment
- Clearly articulated safety policy
- Defined responsibility for safety at all levels
- Comparability of workers’ compensation experience modification rate
- Allocation of financial resources
- Annual goal setting, including self-audits, action plans, and feedback mechanisms
- Frequency of safety meetings with supervisory employees
- Tailored, pre-job safety planning
- Employee involvement
- New employee orientation
- Clearly-defined and current safety rules
- Needs-based safety training by qualified personnel
- Documentation of frequent “toolbox talk” meetings
- Routine inspections with clear procedures for correcting and avoiding deficiencies
- Comprehensive supervisory training
- Defined accident and near-miss investigation protocols
- Use of appropriate personal protective equipment
- Scheduled program performance reviews
- Consistent substance abuse policy enforcement
- Complete and accurate record keeping
The STEP Program has four award levels. The first three levels, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, are based solely on a contractor’s self-evaluation of the content and performance of its occupational safety and health program. The Platinum level requires verification of self-evaluation data through a third-party on-site inspection.
Since 1999, ABC New Mexico has offered members the opportunity to partner with New Mexico OSHA through the CLAS Partnership. The partnership is available to all companies that are STEP award winners. CLAS Partners enjoy the following benefits:
Bronze
- Recognition on the New Mexico OSHA website
- Recognition in New Mexico OHSB reports to federal OSHA
- A certificate identifying the contractor and the level of participation
Silver
Recognition on the New Mexico OHSB website Recognition in New Mexico OHSB reports to federal OSHA A certificate identifying the contractor and the level of participation No citation for non-serious violations, provided hazards are abated at the time of inspection and verified by compliance personnel.
- Recognition on the New Mexico OHSB website
- Recognition in New Mexico OHSB reports to federal OSHA
- A certificate identifying the contractor and the level of participation
- No citation for non-serious violations, provided hazards are abated at the time of inspection and verified by compliance personnel.
- Maximum good faith, size, and history penalty reductions in the case where a citation is issued.
Platinum
- Recognition on the New Mexico OHSB website
- Recognition in New Mexico OHSB reports to federal OSHA
- A certificate identifying the contractor and the level of participation
- No citation for non-serious violations, provided hazards are abated at the time of inspection and verified by compliance personnel.
- Maximum good faith, size, and history penalty reductions in the case where a citation is issued.
- Exemption from program planned inspections until June 30 of the following year.
- Exclusion from non-program planned inspections except in response to reports of imminent danger, fatalities/catastrophies, signed formal complaints, and referrals from OHSB officials.
- Resolution of all referrals, except those involving serious injury, by phone, fax, or email.
- Absent cause, exclusion from OHSB inspections conducted at a non-participants.