28. Think Safe. Work Safe.

Know and practice the safety procedures for your job. Watch out for the safety of your teammates as well, for we’re all part of the Famous Family. Never take shortcuts that compromise your safety or that of your teammates.

Marc's Message:

I believe that if you asked almost every single associate at Famous, and all of our friends and family whom we are associated with “what are some of the most important things in life?,” we would get a reply like “family” and a short list of other things that they value immensely.  I also believe that one of the universal answers that would rise near the top over and over again is the word “health”.  If you agree with the premise that being healthy is important for each of us and in the lives of our loved ones, then this week’s fundamental, THINK SAFE, WORK SAFE is central to our core beliefs.   

At Famous, we really take a holistic view to being healthy and safe.  We want you to come to work feeling good, stay safe while you perform your work functions, and return home to your families feeling well and energized for the days ahead.  We have wellness initiatives and an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) to help all of us stay emotionally, spiritually and physically fit.  In addition, we have various safety training available which allows you to work in a more secure work environment.  If you are not familiar with all that we offer, I encourage you to reach out to others at Famous for direction, our Safety Lead (Dan Reed) or our HR team to learn about all of the resources available to you and your families. 

When it came to safety, one of our superstars was Matt Cush, our Transportation Manager.  We mourn the recent loss of Matt, but can still learn from him during this difficult time.  As many of you know, Matt was a trained EMT and always brought a safety mind set to every process and project.  He genuinely cared for others’ well-being and always looked for ways to make our facilities safer.  In fact, he often worked during the weekends personally inspecting each truck for safety concerns to ensure our drivers have a reliable vehicle for branch replenishment and customer deliveries.  Matt had everyone’s backs and truly went above and beyond to help our Famous Team stay safe.   

We all need to take personal responsibility to look for any safety issues that could exist, and communicate your thoughts and potential solutions to your managers and / or functional leaders, including HR.  We need to listen accordingly and implement effective ways to improve anything and everything related to everyone’s safety.   

In closing, I believe we all want the same thing: to be healthy and safe not only here at work, but at home and in your personal lives as well.  Take care!