Texas Border Business
Mcallen, Texas—With the goal of reducing the number of driving-related injuries and fatalities for oil and gas workers, Texas Mutual Insurance Company and its partners will launch the “Give Safety a Hand” campaign in the Rio Grande Valley on Thursday, June 18, 2015, with the 2015 Safety Summit.
Representatives of Texas Mutual, industry leaders, and area business and community leaders, will gather at the Renaissance Casa de Palmas for two morning sessions that will include successful safety initiatives from business leaders and general safe driving tips.
The event will include an Industry Safe Driving Roundtable moderated by Pat Niekamp — co-founder and publisher of Texas CEO Magazine — featuring company representatives who have made safety a priority for their employees.
“Simple changes in driving habits can make a significant difference in safety, especially in the oil and gas industry,” Woody Hill, vice president of safety services for Texas Mutual, said. “It is critical for all employers and their drivers to know there are several ways we can give safety a hand while driving. Texas Mutual and its partners are pleased to work with the Rio Grande Valley to educate people about how oil and gas workers can avoid life-changing, and sometimes fatal accidents.”
Hill will lead an interactive training session, Staying Safe on Texas Roads, to provide drivers with practical knowledge and techniques to avoid collisions and violations.
The “Give Safety a Hand” public education campaign will give drivers the tips and tools they need to be safe on the road through brochures, billboards, radio commercials, and the SafeHandTexas.org website. It will also provide resources for employers to talk with employees about the importance of driving safely.
Between 2011 and 2014, Texas Mutual reports that there were 294 motor vehicle accidents in the oil and gas industry in the Rio Grande Valley, with 4 of them resulting in fatalities.
Motor vehicle accidents are a particular challenge in the oil and gas industry. Last year, motor vehicle accidents accounted for nearly 12 percent of all accidents in the oil and gas industry statewide, among Texas Mutual policyholders. This is an increase from nearly 10 percent in 2013.
Oil and gas workers are exposed to many of the same driving risks as other drivers, including speeding, distracted driving, driver fatigue, and not wearing a seat belt. These factors can be made worse by inexperience, long shifts or deadlines.
Austin-based Texas Mutual Insurance Company, a policyholder-owned company, is the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance. Texas Mutual provides coverage to 40 percent of the market, representing over 62,000 companies, many of which are small businesses. Since 1991, the company has provided a stable, competitively priced source of workers’ comp insurance for Texas employers. Helping employers prevent workplace accidents is an important part of Texas Mutual’s mission.
Area businesses participating in the campaign include Texas Border Business Magazine, Rio Grande Newspaper Network, Texas Press Association, KMBH-FM, R Communications, Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber and Lamar Outdoor.
For more information or to order toolkits for your employees, please visit SafeHandTexas.org. TBB
