Safety Wall at M-11 adds a personal touch to remind workers to safely do their jobs
“Safety Wall” at M-11 adds a personal touch to remind workers to safely do their jobs
Illinois Tollway Maintenance Section Manager Phil Peterson wanted to drive home the importance of safety by making it personal, so he turned for help to the workers he supervises at the M-11 site in DeKalb..
“I asked all my guys, ‘why do you need to be safe?’” Peterson recalled. “The reason we want to be safe is because of something you love. I said, ‘let’s put what really influences your safety on the wall.’”
Together, they created a “safety wall” by posting photos of their spouses, children and even dogs on a wall inside the M-11 garage to remind themselves why it’s so critically important to focus on safely doing their jobs. The photos hang under a large headline that reads “Why Safety is Important!”
“I needed something to really hit home and make an impact on all the individuals working at this garage to let them know how big safety is in their everyday lives,” said Peterson, a 13-year Tollway veteran, who came up with the idea for a safety wall in 2020.
For his contribution to the wall, Peterson added a painting with the handprints and footprints of his then-5-year-old daughter, which helped spell out the word “love.”
Though Peterson and maintenance section supervisor Tom Koziol have always emphasized workplace safety at M-11, they said creating the wall helped remind the 25 staffers at the garage to always put safety first.
“Since the wall and everything that’s been implemented, I believe it’s boosted the morale on safety and also has just changed the culture overall in people’s minds in a positive direction,” said Peterson.
The safety wall is in the M-11 break room because “that’s where we start our day and that’s where we end our day,” Peterson said. “We put it just inside the door so it’s the last thing you see before you walk out to your work site.”
M-11 was recognized by the Tollway for having no workers sustain injuries in 2022, and continues to have a strong safety record--a fact Peterson and Koziol say demonstrates that their staff makes safety a priority.
“They look out for each other—you hear guys say ‘hey, grab your gloves, don’t forget your hard hat,’” Peterson said. “I think it’s uplifting, I think it’s rewarding and I think the zero injuries reflect that the guys take it real seriously.”
The push for safety didn’t stop with a wall—now it includes a mannequin, as well.
An M-11 crew found a mannequin in a ditch along the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), brought it back to their garage, then propped it up outside the garage decked out in full roadway safety gear—hard hat, reflective vest and pants, gloves and safety glasses.
“It boosts morale, it’s fun and it reminds you of the safety gear you’re supposed to have on when you go out on the road,” said Koziol, referring to the equipment operator/laborers who patrol I-88 to clear debris, repair guardrails, assist at accident scenes and aid drivers.
As a final reminder, Koziol added a fluorescent yellow sign to the gate crews take as they go out to work on I-88: “Be Safe Today. You’re Important To us and your Family.”
To further promote safety, Koziol and Peterson regularly hold “Training Tuesdays” for M-11 workers, reinforcing the skills they need to safely do their jobs.
“It’s all a reiteration to just try to make more of an impact on safety so they don’t forget it,” Petersons said. “I’m glad these guys have taken such pride in it.”
Peterson and Koziol are planning one new addition to the safety wall—they’re adding a mirror so workers heading out the door see their reflections.
“That’s to remind them of the most important thing: Be safe for yourself,” Koziol said.