Commitment to  Safety & Training at PPD Painting

As one of the foremost painting and decorating companies serving the Chicago metro area, we are strongly committed to the welfare of our clients and employees. Precision Painting & Decorating has repeatedly demonstrated compliance with current health and safety legislation, resulting in awards and accreditations year over year.

Our dedication has most recently been recognized by the American Painting Contractor (APC) organization, which has granted us a TOP JOB award for the third time so far. Together with an A+ rating on Better Business Bureau, Lead-safe Certification by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as the Safety Certification by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), this acknowledgment not only makes us proud, but also reminds us of the outstanding responsibility we have.

Now more than ever, we are doing everything we can to protect our staff and customers. We are closely abiding by CDC recommendations, as well as by the strict workplace health and safety preventive measures. Please read more about what we do to keep our community safe here.

We strive to live up to the highest professional standards as an organization that values the efficient management of health and safety. Due to this and in order to advance our commitment to safety and compliance, PPD has appointed Sean Buruato as the Director of Safety & Training.

As one of the founders of Precision Painting & Decorating with over 20 years of experience in the painting industry, Mr. Buruato’s expertise is an invaluable asset to our company. Sean oversees the training and development of field employees in a manner that improves quality and production while monitoring and promoting safety on a daily basis.

To understand what this entails practically, Mr. Buruato agreed to contribute to our blog and provide us with his professional insights.

Q: When it comes to planning and day-to-day supervision of fieldwork, what are the practical steps that you and your team take to ensure that possible hazards and risks are identified?

A: This is handled using our Site Safety Assessment Form. That entails listing the job steps in sequence for every project, identifying all potential safety issues that could arise from each step, and listing the hazard control measures that will be taken to mitigate those risks.

This form is reviewed with each project’s foreman and production team before any project begins and reinforced during weekly site visits by our management team. This assessment form was derived from my OSHA training, construction safety organizations, and many years of professional experience.

Q: How do you ensure that adequate preventative and control measures are implemented?

A: The only way I feel comfortable with the fact that I have done enough to protect our crews is by researching and training myself. I monitor weekly updates from OSHA and The US Department of Labor. I routinely check the function of all of our equipment (harnesses, power tools, respirators, etc.) by following the safety recommendations of each manufacturer. Finally, I work closely with our equipment vendors (aerial and scissor lifts) to certify all of our crews to safely operate their machines. Being aware of all the potential risk issues is the only way I can prevent them.

Q: In your experience, what are the best practices in terms of training and development of field employees?

A: In the past, we have tried many different training methods including assigning reading material, training videos, and third-party certifications. I have found the best method to ensure that our crews learn and retain new skills has two parts. First, we provide in-office training talks on topics ranging from safety topics to airless spraying. Secondly, this new learning is reinforced by in-field practice.

All of our foremen are also field-trainers and recognize that part of their job entails developing less-experienced talent. It is my view that this practice is mutually beneficial. The foreman makes his job easier by increasing the breadth of the painter’s skills and the painter obviously benefits by translating those skills into moving up the ranks within our company. Additionally, we track the skills of each crew member and assign them to specific projects that will allow them to grow their knowledge of our craft.

Q: In terms of training quality, what makes PPD stand out?

A: Our training isn’t just about new skills. It’s about instilling an attitude and fitting into the PPD culture. The attitude that doing it right the first time is always the shorter road. The attitude that you should be proud of your work every day and not just show up for a paycheck. And most importantly, the attitude to never stop learning and embrace what you don’t know. Something I routinely tell my crews is: I can teach you how to be a good painter, but you have to make yourself great.

Q: What are the challenges you have encountered while implementing safety and training policies?

A: One of the main challenges is getting the crews to be consistent with using safety equipment. For example, some of our guys weren’t wearing their half-mask respirators when they clearly should have been. After discussing with the guys, it was found that the plastic that the mask is made from is too rigid and thus uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods. We resolved this issue by providing all of our crews with more expensive silicone face pieces. Solving a simple comfort issue can greatly increase compliance and safety.

If you are interested in learning more about Safety & Training at PPD reach out at sales@ppdpainting.com. For free estimates and if you have any kind of commercial painting requests, ring us at (630) 688-9423 and we’ll be happy to assist you.