We at Hughes Marine Firms are committed to the safety of our workers and have designed a modern and continually updated safety program for barge companies to guarantee the highest possible level of safety in the workplace for both our employees and visitors. The safety and well-being of our employees can be accomplished only through consistent and dedicated effort to follow all safety procedures and guidelines.
The goals of our safety program are: to make safety a priority in every work application, to be proactive in designing and setting safety standards and procedures, to react effectively to any incidents or accidents in the work environment, and to continually assess and update our safety program to ensure thoroughness and utmost safety.
Hughes Marine Firms is a proud member of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade organization for the US tugboat, towboat, and barge industries. Furthermore, Hughes is proud to be a designated responsible carrier of the AWO through its Responsible Carrier Program (RCP). The purpose of the nationally-recognized safety program is to provide a framework for tug and barge companies to continually improve their safety and the safety of the overall industry. While the RCP practices are based upon national and industry regulations for tug and barge companies, many of the requirements of the RCP exceed federal or local laws for operations and safety. Member barge companies are required to undergo a third-party audit by an AWO-certified auditor twice every five years to ensure compliance. The audit focuses on three primary areas: company management policies, vessel equipment, and human factors.
We have designed our safety program around the standards and guidelines of the AWO RCP and have tailored the program to fit our scope of operations. No job is worth doing if it is not done safely, and we will never sacrifice safety in the interest of saving time, money, or convenience.
We conduct regular safety meetings and distribute safety materials regarding all aspects of safety in the workplace, including, but not limited to:
- Confined spaces
- Personal injury prevention
- Man overboard procedures
- Oil Spills
- Crane operation
- Forklift operation
- Boat operation and line handling safety
- Welding and cutting safety
- CPR, AED, and First Aid Training
- Lock-out / Tag-out procedures
- Safe use of winches
- Toxic substances
- Environmental awareness and responsibility
Our new employee orientation program focuses on preparing new-hires for the workplace before they are permitted to work. Ongoing safety training ensures that safety procedures for barge companies are always fresh in the minds of our employees. The marine superintendent will continually train his or her employees using formal and informal training. Formal training includes monthly safety meetings, videos, and appropriate schools and certification classes.
We strive hard for an incident-free work environment and to operate as one of the safest barge companies in the country. We believe every work-related accident can be avoided by following proper safety procedures for barge companies and by using common sense. With full cooperation from our employees, we can ensure that Hughes Marine Firms is a safe and enjoyable place to work.
