On their website, LIUNA signatory contractor PG Cutting Services promises every customer that they’ll deliver the “safest, most efficient, reliable and affordable” service possible. Positioning safety as their first promise says a lot about where their values lie. But for PG Cutting, a commitment to safety isn’t just about looking good or being compliant with OSHA; it’s about going beyond compliance to ensure every worker returns home at the end of the day.
“Balancing business development and taking care of your workers aren’t mutually exclusive,” said LHSFNA Management Co-Chairman David F. Rampone. “PG Cutting Services is a prime example of that principle in action.”
We sat down with Angel Perez, Safety Manager and Foreman at PG Cutting, to talk about how the company makes good on its safety promises. While worker safety has always been a priority for the company, it took on new urgency in 2017 when one of their employees suffered a serious incident while working on a roadway job at night. This is what first led Perez to seek additional assistance from the LHSFNA.
“Being a rather small business at the time—and me being the only safety manager—the idea of building a robust safety program from the ground up was daunting, but we knew it had to be done,” explained Perez. “That’s why I reached out to the LHSFNA, and they really stepped up to the plate and delivered.”
Upon first reaching out, the Fund’s Occupational Safety & Health Director at the time flew out to meet with Perez, conduct jobsite safety analyses and talk to workers. Together, they were able to address any concerns and get PG Cutting up to speed, developing a safety program that not only kept the company in compliance, but also delivered the best protection for the company’s workers.
“It really meant a lot to us that we could rely on our union and safety professionals to be there for us when we needed it,” Perez said. Since then, Perez explained, the LHSFNA and PG Cutting have worked hand in hand to develop a variety of safety resources, including site safety plans, trenching and shoring checklists, a workplace violence prevention plan and a confined space entry plan.
PG Cutting has also worked to make sure safety is ingrained in the company’s culture—right from the beginning. All new hires, from journeymen to apprentices, are required to take a 10-hour OSHA training program before they can start work. This module lays a strong foundation of safety knowledge, teaching workers about common jobsite safety hazards, what their rights are as employees and what their employer’s responsibilities are for protecting them.
Beyond initial training, the company implements ongoing safety initiatives. For instance, exposure to high heat on the job is a significant concern in Southern California. In 2021, Perez reached out to the Fund’s Safety & Health Specialist Ryan Papariello for resources on heat illness prevention that he could share with workers. The Fund sent over a variety of toolbox talks, pamphlets and fact sheets, which Perez uses to train and refresh workers every year.
As any safety professional knows, an effective safety strategy doesn’t end at training. It’s equally important that employers promote a positive safety culture at work. If workers don’t believe their management cares about their safety or they might be punished for speaking up, unsafe conditions will persist. Perez strives to create an environment where employees feel empowered to speak up and raise any concerns they may have.
“At the end of the day, making sure our men and women get home safely is much more important than meeting any deadline,” said Perez. “Everyone deserves to leave a job in the same condition they showed up, and we make sure that’s clear to everyone.”
The benefits of working with LIUNA and the Fund extend past safer working conditions, too. Perez explained that becoming signatory with LIUNA helped propel PG Cutting into significant growth, both in terms of safety programming and the ability to secure better projects. Being in the union, he said, helped the company build a reputation for safety and exposed them to a much larger variety of projects. The company has recently expanded and now serves Arizona in addition to California.
If you’re a signatory contractor looking to bolster your safety program, reach out to the Fund’s Occupational Safety & Health Division. We’re here to help you help your workers.
[Hannah Sabitoni]
