Reprinted from the Winter 2014 newsletter

By Bob Dobson, Foreman

I would like to take the time to express my view and opinion of our safety record. I have heard many people voice their sadness of our “LOSS” and that they hate the fact that our record has come to an “END”. For those that think in those terms, I’m afraid they won’t understand how I look at this as a time of celebration and the start of a new challenge.

First of all I would like to congratulate the Wood Products team on reaching 7,741 days without a time loss accident! Now is where some may take offense about my next statement:

This is just a number of a wall this number has tkaen us on a journey that included the presentation of awards, newspaper articles, letters from teh White House, and write-ups in magazines. It has given us hats, shirts, jackets, and many other items, but it is still just a number. Only those that have participated in this journey will fully understand the message that I am about to give you.

Very few of us have been a part of this team for the entire 7,741 days. Most here today have not. We inherited a seat on this remarkable ride from others that since moved on. They too, for the time they spent here, hopefully learned the lesson that was taught here.

The lesson you may ask? That a group of people who really have nothing in common can come together and watch out for one another and make sure we can all make it home at night without being injured while working in a very hazardous environment. We have accomplished this for over 21 years! We have learned to work as a team for over 21 years! We have worked together, argued with one another, cared about each other, and let the past go to become a great team for over 21 years. We have had injuries in that time and learned from them and moved on. We have voiced our concerns and listened to one another and moved forward.

This journey has taught us to accomplish something that no one thought possible, but we did it and we had growth because of it.

That is why I can say it was just a number on a wall. 21 years later we still have each other and a new start. Yes this is just that…a new start not an ending. It’s a new challenge and I know that as a team we can meet it and surpass the old record and in doing so show the worked that it wasn’t a fluke but a team that really cared about each other.

You changed 135 days of teamwork into 7,741 day! Now it’s time meet the challenge and change 7,741 days into 10,000 days plus and I knowyou are up to the challenge because you are the greatest group of people i have ever had the privilege to work with.