Culture of

SAfety

MISSION FIRST

People Always

Odin is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its employees through our Ground Zero3 program – where the boots hit the ground in the workplace – on every project, in every office, and at every work location. We value the people that we work with and that we work for. The success of our projects is measured not only by deadlines and budgets, but also by the level of safety achieved within our organization and the positive impacts we have on local communities. By making safety a core value through comprehensive training, modeling, and accountability, we’ve made it possible to prevent injuries, property damage, and adverse environmental impacts.  

Our dedicated safety managers empower our teams, including our subcontractors, with behavior-based safety training that is adaptable to specific client and agency requirements. This training is intentionally crafted to meet or exceed applicable state and federal requirements. We equip our field crews with the tools to anticipate, identify, and eliminate or mitigate health and safety risks. Each team member acknowledges and supports the idea that “stopping work” when something isn’t right is both their obligation and authority.

At Odin, accountability starts at the top. We demonstrate this through active executive participation in safety audits, site visits, team engagements, and toolbox talks. Our safety stewardship is led by a safety steering committee, which is firmly seated at the helm of our company and led by a corporate Health and Safety Manager. This team leads by example and drives every facet of our safety program, including the associated investments, initiatives, celebrations, incident debriefs, and corrective actions.

Safety Accreditation

Damage Prevention Institute

Odin is a certified contractor with DPI, reinforcing our dedication to safe excavation practices, damage prevention, and accountability in underground construction activities.

Avetta Safety

Odin maintains an active profile on Avetta to streamline prequalification and demonstrate our commitment to safety, compliance, and contractor standards for clients across various industries.

Veriforce

We participate in Veriforce to ensure real-time transparency and compliance with client-specific safety, insurance, and training requirements.

ISNetworld

Odin is a registered contractor with ISNetworld to meet rigorous prequalification standards and give clients confidence in our safety performance, documentation, and reliability.

Key Safety Rules

All rules and regulations provided by OSHA are taught and followed strictly. Based on Odin’s most common operations, we have determined the following activities best represent our top 12 Key Safety Rules.

Key Safety rule 1

Team Commitment. Every Day, Every Task

Key Safety rule 2

Stop Work Authority and Responsibility

Key Safety rule 3

Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace

Key Safety rule 4

Pre-task Planning and Worker Mentoring

Key Safety rule 5

Personal Protective Equipment

Key Safety rule 6

Safety
Zones

Key Safety rule 7

Heavy Equipment Operation & Training

Key Safety rule 8

Excavation Safety &
Utility Protection

Key Safety rule 9

Lifting &
Rigging

Key Safety rule 10

Hand &
Power Tools

Key Safety rule 11

Fall Protection &
Prevention

Key Safety rule 12

Confined
Spaces

Key Safety Rules

All rules and regulations provided by OSHA are taught and followed strictly. Based on Odin’s most common operations, we have determined the following activities best represent our top 12 Key Safety Rules.

Key Safety rule 1

Team Commitment. Every Day, Every Task

Key Safety rule 2

Stop Work Authority and Responsibility

Key Safety rule 3

Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace

Key Safety rule 4

Pre-task Planning and Worker Mentoring

Key Safety rule 5

Personal Protective Equipment

Key Safety rule 6

Safety
Zones

Key Safety rule 7

Heavy Equipment Operation & Training

Key Safety rule 8

Excavation Safety &
Utility Protection

Key Safety rule 9

Lifting &
Rigging

Key Safety rule 10

Hand &
Power Tools

Key Safety rule 11

Fall Protection &
Prevention

Key Safety rule 12

Confined
Spaces

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Team Commitment. Every Day, Every Task

  • The beginning of each shift is a new opportunity for all employees to re-commit themselves to being dedicated Odin team members.
  • Each employee is responsible to be physically and mentally present on the job every shift. Don’t allow distractions to interfere with your ability to perform your job safely.
  • It is each employee’s responsibility to inform his/her Supervisor if they are not up to the task of being physically and mentally present.
  • Every project will be supervised by a designated Competent Person. Always use a “buddy system” to ensure no one works alone.

Odin's Core Values

Safety

We have a thorough understanding of regulatory requirements.

Quality

Our team has an award-winning portfolio, successfully completing more than 400 projects over the past 20-years.

Productivity

We consistently deliver impactful projects on time and on budget.

Community

We support the Alfred Golze scholarship fund, local schools and universities, various charities and food banks, etc.

Stop Work Authority and Responsibility

  • Every employee has both the authority and responsibility to decline any work directives that are unclear or unsafe. Don’t take chances!
  • Likewise, each employee has both the authority and responsibility to promptly STOP any active work activities that they believe could present an immediate danger to life or health (IDLH).
  • No Odin Supervisor shall subject employees to disciplinary action, retaliation or retribution of any kind for implementing a Stop Work action for something they genuinely believe is unsafe.
  • This Authority goes beyond simply stopping work – it embraces our company culture of reaching a “Ground Zero3” workplace: Zero Incidents, Zero Injuries & Zero Illnesses.

Stop Work

1. Stop

Every employee is authorized and expected to decline any work directive from a Supervisor that is unclear or believed to be unsafe in any way. Likewise, every employee is authorized and responsible to promptly speak up and STOP any active work task that they believe is being performed unsafely or has the potential to cause immediate injury to people, damage to equipment or harm the environment. Employees can fully stop a job, or just part of a job or work task.
 

2. Talk

Once the work has been safely stopped, the employee who implemented the stoppage will Talk to the involved workers and explain his/her observations and concerns about the activity. This discussion must always be conducted in a professional manner between the parties. Use of profanity or inflammatory remarks is counter-productive and not permitted. Courtesy is universally appreciated.
 

3. Accept

Acceptance does not always mean complete agreement. It’s natural for co-workers to have differing viewpoints about work methods. Reaching 100% agreement may not always be possible, but it is imperative to achieve a mutual consensus about how to proceed. We thank one another gratefully, and without resentment, for stopping an unsafe situation that may have prevented someone from getting hurt.

4. Revise

Work may not proceed until corrective actions are developed and the work plan is Revised. Formal revisions involve significant changes to the means or methods how the work will be performed, or changes to the types of safety devices that will used. Formal changes are incorporated into the written work plan or noted on the AHA (“dirty-up” the AHA). Informal revisions are simple corrections, such as a co-worker donning a PPE item that was forgotten or stepping a few feet back from a perimeter hazard.

5. Resume

Work may resume after the unsafe situation has been satisfactorily corrected. All workers directly involved in the activity are informed of the required corrections before resumption. Other workers who are not directly involved but operating nearby and may be affected by the resumption of work will also be notified. The Supervisor and/or Competent Person overseeing the activity will reassess the activity after work resumption to confirm the prescribed corrections have resolved the safety concern.

Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace

  • Every employee is personally responsible to come to work fit for duty each shift.
  • Our Drug & Alcohol policy is zero tolerance. Coming to work or being on the job under the influence of drugs or alcohol will result in immediate removal from the worksite and termination of employment.
  • Employees must comply with all drug and alcohol testing requirements. Refusal to submit to required testing will result in immediate termination.
  • Understand the dangers to yourself and others when working around someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  • Genuinely care for one another by promptly informing your Supervisor if you believe a fellow employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work. Help your co-worker seek help!

Frequently Asked Questions

When are drug and alcohol tests required?

Drug and alcohol tests are required most often for: pre-employment, re-employment after 90-days absence, post-incident, random, reasonable suspicion and project-wide as part of a customer or contract requirement.

Who schedules drug & alcohol tests?

Typically all drug and alcohol tests required for any reason as listed in the policy are scheduled through Odin’s Human Resources Division during normal business hours. However, any Health & Safety Division staff member can also assist after-hours, during post-incident situations and other special circumstances.

What if an employee refuses to take a drug or alcohol test?

Refusal to comply with the company’s drug and alcohol testing requirements is grounds for immediate termination of employment. The employee will be referred to the Human Resources Division.

Marijuana is now legal in many states; will I still be tested for it?

Yes, you will still be tested. Marijuana and all THC products are still considered illegal substances by the Federal government and Odin’s policy prohibits its use. Like alcohol, which is legal, even small intakes of marijuana can have a dangerous effect on employee safety.

What are the rules on prescription medications?

Workers may be taking medication prescribed by their physician, which in many cases will not impair job safety. However, any medication (prescribed or over-the-counter) which may cause drowsiness, dizziness, or otherwise impair your ability to perform your job in a safe manner must be reported immediately to your supervisor.

What kind of drug test do we use?

Odin uses the OralTox® rapid-results 10-panel drug test that produces a highly dependable result usually within 5-10 minutes, or depending on the locality and availability of testing equipment the employee may be sent to a designated clinic or laboratory facility for collection of a urine sample for the same 10-panel test.

Pre-task Planning and Worker Mentoring

  •  Pre-task planning and risk assessment is a basic work requirement for every employee in every work setting – whether in the field, at the office, or while in transit between work locations.
  •  Ask yourself “What could go wrong?” before starting each major new task, then identify ways to eliminate or reduce the risk as much as possible before continuing. Do not take chances!
  •  If the risk cannot be eliminated or reduced substantially  – STOP. Find another way to do the task or seek counsel from a Supervisor.
  •  Employees who are new to the Company, or new to a particular task, must be assigned an experienced co-worker to mentor them until they are proficient to safely work on their own.

Building the AHA

Developing AHAs is accomplished through four (4) key pre-planning steps:

  1. Outlining the principle sequence of steps of the activity to be performed
  2. Identifying the specific hazards associated with each step
  3. Development of control measures to eliminate or reduce each hazard to the greatest extent practicable
  4. Determining the level and severity of any residual risk that may still be present even after implementing the control measures. This is known as the residual Risk Assessment Code (RAC)

AHAs are intended to be developed in the field with the involved crew members in advance of performing each major activity. Completed AHAs are retained on each jobsite, reviewed periodically, and updated as the project evolves.

Pre-task Planning and Worker Mentoring

The minimum PPE required on every Odin project worksite includes:

  • Hard hat that meets ANSI Z-89.1 standards (Class-1; Type E or G).
  • High visibility outer safety apparel that meets ANSI/ISEA 107; Class-2 standards.
  • Protective eyewear that meets ANSI Z-87.1 standards, including prescription eyeglasses.
  • Safety toe work boots that meet ASTM F2413 standards.
  • Gloves matched to the specific type of hand hazards.
  • Hearing protection when noise levels exceed 85-dBA (earplugs or muffs).

Many tasks require additional PPE adjuncts. Workers must comply with all other PPE requirements specified in each project HASP and Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA).

Employee-Provided PPE

OSHA regulations permit employees to provide their own PPE as long as the employer ensures it is compliant with all applicable ANSI/ASTM safety standards and maintained in good condition. Employees who choose to provide their own PPE do so voluntarily at their own discretion and personal expense. The Company is not responsible for the cost of any employee-provided PPE items. Any employee-provided PPE that becomes damaged or lost in the workplace will be replaced with a basic company-issued type and grade.

Safety Zones

  • All workers have the responsibility to establish and maintain safety zones around themselves, heavy equipment and hazardous activities.
  • Install barricades and/or warning systems around the perimeter of the safety zones to alert people about the dangers and to prevent them from entering the area.
  • Ground personnel must stay out of Operators’ blind spots and must never turn their backs to heavy equipment that is in motion.
  • Before approaching equipment, workers are required to make direct visual (or verbal) contact with the Operator and wait for positive response. Equipment must be fully stopped & grounded and visualize the Operator’s hands are off the controls before approaching,
  • Supervisors will discuss and reinforce all established safety zones with their crew members during every pre-shift safety meeting.

Workers are responsible to establish and enforce one or more “virtual” safety zones around their immediate work area – essentially encapsulating themselves in a virtual 360º buffer zone where they permit nothing to enter. This zone casts both horizontally and vertically to account for hazards that could come from any direction; front & back, left & right, up & down.

The primary purpose of a heavy equipment Safety Zone is to restrict ground personnel from entering the designated area to ensure that no one is run over or struck by any moving component. Therefore, it is beneficial to set the outer perimeter of the zone at least 50-feet back from the equipment, or as far away as practical based on the geographical limitations of the jobsite.

The zone must encompass 360º around the equipment to account for the swing radius of the superstructure, any counterweights and reverse travel direction.

Heavy Equipment Operation and Training

  • Heavy Equipment Operators must be trained and authorized by an Odin Supervisor for each specific type of equipment they will operate. Records must be on file in HCSSTM.
  • Operators must inspect their assigned equipment prior to use each shift. Pre-shift inspections will be documented on the designated form and submitted to the PM team everyday.
  • Operators must ensure their assigned equipment is in safe working condition. Never operate equipment with broken or missing safety devices or any component that would jeopardize safety.
  • Operators must report all damages and mechanical issues to their Supervisor as soon as practical but not later than end of shift.
  • All equipment must be operated within the manufacturer specifications without exceeding capacities and load limits.

Heavy Equipment

  • Seatbelts must be fastened at all times when equipment and vehicles are in motion.
  • Adjust seating as necessary to avoid hard impacts to the body from bouncing and jarring during equipment movement. Consider donning a lumbar brace during extended operations.
  • No one is permitted to ride on any component of mobile equipment (including the back of pickup trucks) unless seated in a designated passenger seat equipped with a safety belt.
  • Operators are prohibited from using any distracting devices (wireless telephones, texting, music players, video players, etc.) except for 2-way radios provided and approved by Odin for tactical communication between the site Supervisor, other Operators and site workers.
  • Smoking is strictly prohibited inside or aboard mobile equipment.
  • Smoking is also strictly prohibited while fueling equipment & within 50-feet of all fueling areas.

 

 

Excavation Safety and Utility Protection

  • The Excavation Competent Person (CP) must ensure all required permits and regulatory notifications have been completed.
  • An underground utility locate service must be completed, a valid One-Call ticket must be on-hand, and visible markings for underground utilities must be clearly visible prior to beginning any excavation activity.
  • Excavations and trenches must be inspected by the CP each shift prior to any personnel entry, after every rain storm, and after any other hazard increasing event.
  • Use potholing, vacuuming or hand digging methods whenever excavating within 24-inches of any buried utility to prevent damage.
  • Always maintain a minimum 20-feet distance from any overhead powerline when the voltage is unknown. Higher voltage powerlines will require greater clearance distances.

All overhead power lines on Odin projects must be identified with signs on all sides of the line where it can be approached. Install signs approximately 20-feet before the power lines so they are clearly visible. Signs must provide a DANGER warning of the overhead lines. Assign a spotter whenever operating near or traveling beneath powerlines.

Lifting and Rigging

  • No “free-rigging” is permitted at any time.
  • All employees performing rigging and signaling must be “Qualified” through documented training and authorized by a Supervisor.
  • All rigging equipment and connecting components must be inspected by a Qualified Rigger prior to each use.
  • All rigging equipment must be used within the manufacturer specifications without exceeding capacity or load limits.
  • All rigging components must be labeled or stamped with the rated capacity clearly visible.
  • Never use any damaged rigging equipment. Promptly remove from service any defective equipment – Destroy or discard.
  • Never stand or travel beneath a suspended load. Operators must never swing a suspended load over people.

Standard Lifts

A Standard Lift Plan (SLP) is required for every lift or series of lifts (if repetitive routine lifts are being performed). At a minimum, the following items must be addressed:

Critical Lifts

Critical lifts require a more comprehensive plan. Any vertical lift is classified as “Critical” if any of the following conditions are present:

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  • Roles, responsibilities and qualifications of all personnel involved in the lift including the Lift Supervisor, Qualified Operator, Qualified Rigger and Qualified Signalperson.
  • Area assessment and preparation including ground stability, overhead powerlines, path of travel, any obstructions, suitability of the load’s destination, blocking/cribbing requirements, etc.
  • Crane or other load handling equipment (LHE) considerations including capacity, configuration, limitations, valid inspection, etc.
  • Load parameters including weight, center of gravity, radii, and configuration/dimensions.
  • Rigging requirements including type, load limits, pre-use inspection and need for softeners.
  • Environmental considerations including visibility, wind speed, lightning in the area and storm forecasting.
  • Safety zone and traffic control requirements around the lift area.

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  • The use of more than one crane, or more than one piece of load handling equipment (LHE), is required to lift, stabilize or support the load during movement, assembly or installation of the load.
  • The maximum anticipated load is at or above 75% of the rated capacity according to the lifting equipment’s load chart.
  • Personnel are being lifted.
  • Lifting submerged loads.
  • The load item is unique and, if damaged, would be irreplaceable or irreparable.
  • The load item, if damaged or upset, would result in a release of a hazardous material into the environment.

Hand & Power Tools

  • Workers must be trained on each type of hand and power tool prior to use. Seek assistance from your Supervisor if you need training or mentorship on a specific tool.
  • Inspect all tools before and after each use. Tag-out and remove from service any damaged or defective tools and inform your Supervisor.
  • Use the right tool for the task. Only use tools and equipment in accordance with manufacturer instructions and intended purpose. Do not exceed capacity or load limits. Never disable or modify safety guards/devices.
  • Never use job-made or modified tools or equipment.
  • Wear a minimum Level-D PPE ensemble including hardhat, eye protection,  cut resistive gloves, safety toe boots and hearing protection for noise >85 dBA. Don a full face shield whenever conditions warrant.

Knives

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  • Inherently dangerous by design due to sharp edges and points; commonly cause cuts & lacerations if used incorrectly.
  • Puncture wounds—most knives have sharp points. Never carry an open or uncovered knife in your pocket; merely sitting down could cause a puncture wound.
  • Brittle failure and shattering—Knife blades are usually made from hardened steel so they stay sharp longer. But hardened steel can shatter if it is bent or over-stressed. Never use a knife blade as a prying tool.
  • Always cut away from any part of your body and make sure no one else is in the “line of fire”.
  • Always store knives with the blade in a sheath or properly folded or retracted.
  • Never throw a knife to someone.
  • Wear cut & puncture resistive gloves when using a knife.

Electrical Tools

Because electrical tools increase the severity of accidents and the speed which they occur, we must practice a greater level of caution.

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  • Know how to use the tool safely. Read the user’s manual. Learn what the tool is designed to do, its limitations, and the potential hazards and required control measures to prevent an accident.
  • Inspect the tool before each use. Look for cracks in the case, missing or damaged guards, and worn or damaged plugs or couplings. Also look for frayed or damaged insulation on the power cord.
  • Extension cords must be gauged at least 12/3 AWG and rated for outdoor construction use; extension cords must be the shortest run possible to the power source.
  • All electrical devices must be fully grounded or double insulated. 100% use of ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) connected as close as possible to the power source is required.
  • Do not drag cords over sharp edges or run them across aisles where they can be damaged or cause someone to trip. Protect with cable-cord bridges when cross traffic is unavoidable.

Fall Protection and Prevention

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  • Training is required prior to using personal fall protection equipment.
  • 100% fall protection is required for all work performed at heights 6-feet or greater.
  • Personal fall protection equipment must be inspected, used, maintained and stored according to manufacturer instructions. Load labels or stamps must be intact and clearly visible on all fall protection equipment.
  • Never use any damaged fall protection equipment. Promptly remove from service any defective equipment – Destroy or discard.
  • Personal fall protection must be worn in all aerial lift devices. The length of the lanyard must be short enough to prevent the wearer from being ejected from the platform.
  • Workers must use 3-points of contact whenever climbing ladders and climbing on/off tall equipment.

Fall Protection During Excavation

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  • Fall Prevention and Protection during open excavations and trenches 6-feet and greater in depth varies depending on site specifics.
  • If the excavation site is sloped according to OSHA standards, the use of fall prevention systems at the edge of the trench or excavation are not mandatory.
  • However, when an open trench or excavation of 6-feet or deeper has a leading edge, it must have an awareness barrier installed at least 6-feet back from the open edge of the excavation. This barrier can be high-visibility orange safety fence attached to T-posts, warning lines or a similar method.
  • Trenches and excavations that have a straight drop off, such as in sheeting operations or with trench shields, will require a fall prevention or protection system. Standard guardrails, warning line systems, or PFAS may be used in any effective combination.

Rescue Plan

All projects and tasks where the use of PFAS are required must complete an analysis on how an individual will be rescued if suspended in the air after a fall and the PFAS has deployed. The rescue plan must be added to the Fall Protection AHA and project HASP.

Methods of rescue may include the following:

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  • PFAS accessory equipment that enables the worker to perform self-rescue.
  • A system for rescue by co-workers – typically an aerial device or extension ladder, if this can be done safely.
  • A way of calling a qualified rescue squad and/or Fire/EMS agency with suspended rescue capability.

Odin requires all full body harnesses to be equipped with trauma suspension straps to prevent orthostatic intolerance caused by the pinching effects of the harness on the femoral arteries.

Confined Spaces

  • Workers must be trained and authorized before entering Confined Spaces.
  • A Competent Person (CP) must supervise all permit-required C/S operations. The CP must complete & sign a C/S Entry Permit.
  • All hazards inside the space must be eliminated or reduced to lowest levels possible prior to personnel entry.
  • Atmospheres inside the space must be tested and verified safe prior to entry. Continuous or periodic air monitoring must be performed while workers remain inside all permit-required confined spaces.
  • A mechanical retrieval device must be attached to workers making vertical entries.

A confined space is defined as:

  • Large enough to permit bodily entry
  • Has limited or restricted access/egress
  • Not designed for continuous human occupancy

 

A “Permit-Required” confined space is one that also contains:

  • Atmospheric hazards
  • Engulfment or entrapment hazards
  • Other hazards determined by the Confined Space Competent Person

Acceptable Atmosphere

Stable atmospheric conditions must be present and maintained throughout the duration of all C/S entries. This Table represents the order in which elements will be tested and the required values that must be maintained.

Rescue Plan

A designated Rescue Team equipped with non-entry retrieval/rescue equipment must be on stand-by during all permit-required C/S entries.