STEPS: Constructing Safe Futures!

APi Construction has always operated under the premise that our employees are the biggest assets to the organization. From the field to the executive management, everyone takes the safety and loss control program to heart.

Our award-winning Striving Towards Excellence and Professionalism in Safety (STEPS) program is a safety initiative developed by APi Group to protect the health and safety of our employees. The program began in 2006 as a defined set of policy goals using prevention, accountability, honesty, integrity, visibility, leadership and teamwork.

Why APi Implemented STEPS

SAFETY STATISTICS	2008	2009	2010	2011 Goals
Total Recordable "INCIDENCE" Rate (TRIR)	1.8	1.8	1.6	1.5
EMR (Experience Modification Rate)	0.73	0.69	0.61	0.60

Since 2007, APi Construction has experienced a significant decrease in its Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR). In 2007 our TRIR was driven by common injuries and doctors' treatment of those injuries. Due to an aging work force and the type of work APi Construction performs, our employees typically incurred the following injuries:

• Sprains and strains from lifting
• Puncture wounds from impaling board insulation over weld pins
• Foreign bodies in the eye due to insulation particles

These injuries were not always severe, but the types of treatment and prescribed medication made them recordable. The development of STEPS was necessary to ensure and improve the safety of our employees.

Several STEPS initiatives have helped to significantly reduce the number of injuries to our workers. Some of these initiatives include:

• Daily Stretching Program - Every worker employed by APi Construction participates in team stretching exercises at the beginning of each day. This, in addition to an emphasis on assisted lifting, ergonomics, and work area set-up, has helped lower the number of sprain and strain injuries.
• Blunt-head Insulation Pins - APi Construction worked with our vendors to modify insulation pins by removing the sharp-pointed end. The new blunt-head insulation pins have nearly eliminated puncture wounds.
• Advanced Eye Protection - APi Construction conducted a thorough search of several vendors to replace our standard construction safety eyewear. The result yielded safety glasses with a near-sealing effect that eliminated eye injuries and infections.

This living safety program provides APi Construction with a system to constantly seek new ways to provide a safe working environment.

STEPS on the Job Site

APi Construction's safety program is fulfilled through the following:

• APi Construction has a zero-injury goal.
• A safety incentive program promotes safe work through teamwork, while balancing production, attendance, and quality.
• Our safety manager reports directly to executive management and has full authority to implement and enforce safety policies.
• New hires are given an extensive education on APi Construction's safety program through the use of a custom-created orientation video followed by individualized coaching and reinforcement.
• Weekly safety meetings are conducted at the office and at each job site. The meetings involve all levels of employees.
• A daily stretching program is implemented on each job site to reduce the number and severity of injuries.
• All off-site medical injuries are reviewed by the Incident Review Board. The board consists of the project site supervision, safety manager, executive management, and the project manager.
• Annual company meetings discuss safety best practices. The project site leaders are invited to assist in development of site safety programs to foster a safer and productive work environment.

Although it takes substantial time to implement a new safety culture across a national company, STEPS has had a very positive and sustainable effect on our work force.

APi Construction has received national recognition and several awards from some of the industry's most respected agencies as a result of our STEPS program.