Safety is more than a checklist at Town & Country Group—it’s ingrained in everything they do. This commitment has made them a finalist for the Safety Award of Excellence in the electrical trade category. Through effective training, teamwork, and strong leadership, they have created a safety culture that protects workers and raises industry standards.
A Daily Focus on Safety
At Town & Country Group, safety begins on Day 1. Every new hire participates in a comprehensive safety orientation that sets the tone for their role in maintaining a safe work environment. Safety doesn’t stop with onboarding. It’s a daily commitment, starting with Pre-Task Analyses (PTAs). Conducted at the start of each workday, PTAs help their employees identify potential hazards, develop solutions, and take proactive steps to prevent incidents before they occur.
This culture of awareness is reinforced monthly through company-wide safety meetings that address key topics such as equipment inspections, first aid procedures, PPE usage, and more. By weaving safety into daily and monthly operations, Town & Country ensures its team is not only prepared but fully engaged in keeping operations safe.
Good Catch/Near Miss Data Creates a Learning Culture
One of the most impactful elements of Town & Country’s safety program is its focus on good catch/near-miss reporting. Employees are encouraged to document hazards they observe and take a photo to share at monthly safety meetings. These reports are reviewed as a group, with peers, not just supervisors, leading discussions on how the situation was handled.
This peer-driven approach fosters accountability and builds a culture where “doing it the right way” becomes second nature. The program has really taken off by celebrating proactive behaviors and recognizing employees for their contributions. In 2024, for instance, the team reviewed 78 good-catch/near-miss reports as part of their ongoing efforts to improve.
The process doesn’t end with recognition. Town & Country collects this data to identify trends, measure effectiveness, and implement changes to further refine their safety strategies.
Proactively Addressing OSHA’s Construction Focus Four Hazards
Town & Country’s comprehensive training system directly addresses OSHA’s Construction Focus Four Hazards—falls, electrocution, struck-by incidents, and caught-in/between accidents. These high-risk areas are not only covered in general discussion but also tackled with targeted, hands-on training.
Every month, their keynotes cover practical skills and important safety topics like ladder safety, fall protection, lockout/tagout, and trenching protocols. For instance, fall protection gets extra attention with hands-on ladder training, rough terrain forklift sessions, and even fun, unique activities like rock climbing, where employees literally learned to “hold the line” for their teammates.
This hands-on approach ensures that employees not only understand theoretical risks but are fully equipped with the skills they need to mitigate them in the field.
Here’s how Town & Country integrates safety training into their monthly framework to address specific hazards:
- Falls: Dedicated ladder safety sessions, lift training, and housekeeping.
- Electrocution: Tailored lockout/tagout training, arc flash protection, and GFCI usage.
- Struck-by Risks: Forklift training and clear protocols for hand and power tool use.
- Caught-In/Between Hazards: Practical trenching/shoring exercises and confined space entry protocols.
By addressing these risks proactively, Town & Country arms its employees against the most dangerous challenges of their work environment.
Collaboration and Leadership in Safety
Town & Country understands that creating a safe industry requires shared knowledge and collaboration. That’s why they actively partner with contractors, general contractors (GCs), and trade organizations to make safety a unified effort.
The organization enhances safety by hosting joint safety meetings on active job sites to address hazards like confined space entry, enabling teams to identify and solve issues in real time. Foremen attend scheduled progress meetings and conduct monthly site audits, sharing results with general contractors to boost accountability. Town & Country also leads safety advancements through the ABC Western Michigan Safety Committee, developing resources like a safety framework for progress meetings to help members improve safety standards throughout the industry.
The belief that “safety is not a competition” drives Town & Country to openly share their strategies, creating a ripple effect that improves the industry as a whole.
Safety Backed by a Commitment to Community
Town & Country’s dedication to safety extends well beyond its worksites. For T&C, safety is a deeply personal responsibility tied to the well-being of its employees, their families, and their community.
You can see this mindset in actions like prioritizing safety during annual reviews and offering mental health resources, like corporate chaplaincy. At the team’s January kickoff meetings, they take time to look back at company performance and past MIOSHA worker death fatalities, which serves as a powerful reminder of why their work matters.
At its core, Town & Country’s safety culture is about people—championing their well-being, empowering them with knowledge, and ensuring they return home to their families safe every day. By celebrating milestones like births, marriages, and community gatherings, T&C reinforces the importance of family and the responsibility they have to protect it.
Setting New Benchmarks for Industry Excellence
Town & Country isn’t just a safety leader in their own organization—they’re raising the bar for the entire industry. Whether through daily PTAs, working closely with contractors, or their role on the ABC WMC Safety Committee, they show that a proactive, all-in approach to safety is key to getting the job done right.
For Town & Country Group, safety is about creating a culture that values people above all else. Their innovative practices, leadership-driven safety culture, and unwavering commitment to community inspire employees, trade partners, and competitors to do better. This dedication is what makes them a dynamic finalist for the Safety Award of Excellence, demonstrating that when it comes to safety, they truly “hold the line.”
