Every Accident Has a Lesson: Using Incidents and Near Misses to Build a Safer Highway Department

July 18, 2026

Over the years, I saw more than a few workplace injuries and equipment accidents. Fortunately, most weren't catastrophic, but every one of them had something in common. There was an accident. Someone investigated it. A form was completed. It was filed away. And then...we moved on. What was learned? Not a damn thing, unless you were the guy who got injured. In many organizations, that's where the learning stops. I've always thought that was a missed opportunity. An accident should nev…continue

How Highway Leaders Build a Safety Culture

July 15, 2026

I've attended plenty of safety meetings over the years. I've watched countless training videos, sat through toolbox talks, and reviewed more safety policies than I can remember. Those things all have their place. Every highway department needs rules, procedures, and training. But during my years as a deputy highway superintendent in upstate New York, I came to believe that a genuine safety culture isn't built in a conference room. It's built in the everyday interactions between p…continue

The Little Hazards That Prevent the Big Ones

July 10, 2026

If someone asked a highway employee what the biggest dangers on the job are, the answers would probably be predictable. Working in traffic, operating heavy equipment, tree removal, confined spaces, excavation work, and working around high-voltage electrical lines. These are certainly among the most hazardous tasks performed by highway departments, and they deserve every bit of attention they receive during safety training. But there is another category of hazards that is often overlooked. The li…continue

Safety Is About People, Not Paperwork: Building a Safety Mindset That Lasts

July 8, 2026

For many organizations, safety training is measured by spreadsheets. How many days since the last injury? How many OSHA recordables? How many hours of annual safety training have been completed? These numbers matter. They reduce liability, lower workers' compensation costs, and help ensure regulatory compliance. But if those are the only reasons a department invests in safety, it has missed the point entirely. The real purpose of safety is much simpler. It is about making sure every employee…continue

Battery-Disconnect Switches: The Low-Cost Lifesaver Your Fleet Cannot Ignore

July 31, 2025

Losing a public works department’s front-line fleet is a gut punch on every level: the price tag alone is staggering, with each modern plow truck now ringing in at $250,000 - $300,000, and lead-time bottlenecks mean replacements ordered today may not roll onto the lot for 12 to 18 months. While crews wait, snow and ice don’t; without those trucks the department can’t clear roads, patch potholes, or haul materials, leaving residents stranded and critical services - police, fire,…continue