entities. We offer turnkey services and enjoy working on value-engineered
projects. A couple of our recent product additions include
silent, smart pile services – drilled displacement piles and Giken
press-in piles. Our other deep foundations services include all
types of driven piles, drilled shafts, cofferdam installation, helical
piles and marine services. We continually look for innovative ways
to bring value to our clients.”
Developing a safety culture
Cajun has taken the time over the past two decades to finely
tune its deep-rooted culture of safety. For instance, throughout
the entire project lifecycle, Normand says all activities begin with
safety being paramount.
“From the conception, product selection and estimating of the
project all the way through field execution, every member of the
organization is empowered to think through how the task can be
completed safely,” he said. “We invest significantly in training and
spend time planning every stage of the work. We maintain a highly
experienced workforce, and encourage all employees to carry safety
ownership throughout their tasks.”
Safety leadership and accountability exists at all levels of the
company, from the owners to the managers and supervisors to
craft employees.
“Excellence in safety is recognized and awarded. Lessons
learned are transmitted and shared throughout the organization,”
said Normand.
In addition to carefully maintaining that critical culture, Cajun
has also implemented a well-funded incentive program for its
craft-level employees, where workers receive a gift for a job well
done at the completion of a project. For example, gifts have included
monthly project safety lunches, power tools, fishing gear, iPads,
outdoor cookers and big screen televisions.
Onboarding and training process
To understand how Cajun’s safety program works so successfully,
it is first necessary to go back to the beginning. That is, when an
employee is hired.
“When an employee is newly hired, they will initially attend
Cajun’s New Hire Orientation,” said Blake Bennett, manager of
safety – Deep Foundations and Marine. “The new hire orientation
is in a classroom setting and is conducted by one of our in-house
trainers. The goal of the orientation is to provide an understanding
of our safety culture and commitment to the safety of our employees.
The benefit of performing this orientation – in a classroom
setting – is to personally reinforce the culture by allowing the
trainer to share experiences specific to Cajun job sites and answer
questions.”
He says that once the new hire orientation is completed, the
employee will then go through a mentoring process where they are
paired with an experienced employee for 90 days.
“This allows that new hire employee to receive daily coaching
and guidance to become acclimated with Cajun’s safety culture,”
SAFETY
“ From the conception, product
selection and estimating
of the project all the way
through field execution, every
member of the organization
is empowered to think
through how the task can
be completed safely.”
– Chris Normand, Cajun Industries
114 | EDITION 6 2019 www.piledrivers.org
/www.piledrivers.org
