Olympic Steel – Bettendorf, IA: Todd Ervin and Garry Behrendt

At the Bettendorf, IA division, employees used wood as an extended guide to place wood pieces on trucks as part of a typical loading process. Todd Ervin, Crane Operator, came up with an idea to use a bar with guides for the wood, so employees could complete the process without putting their hands/arms in harm’s …

At the Bettendorf, IA division, employees used wood as an extended guide to place wood pieces on trucks as part of a typical loading process.

Todd Ervin, Crane Operator, came up with an idea to use a bar with guides for the wood, so employees could complete the process without putting their hands/arms in harm’s way. Garry Behrendt, Shop Helper, fabricated a tool that brought Todd’s idea to life. The tool has adjustable brackets that make it useful for all sizes of material. In addition to the decrease in wood usage, this no-touch tool makes the process safer by eliminating the pinch point.

Lesson Learned: It’s easy to do things the way they’ve always been done, but real learning and growth happens when we shift our focus to identifying risks and finding ways to reduce or eliminate those risks.