From January to September 2023, AAA Northeast’s Northeast Nine (NE9) Program: Safety in Action Series aimed to provide nine action items that would help reinforce employee safety for the roadside services company’s fleet technicians. More than 18.2 percent of the company’s workforce has been trained in this program.
Program Details
Beginning in January 2023, AAA Northeast’s Safety Training Team distributed a monthly training bulletin and an interactive training video covering one of nine specific safety actions learners can use daily. This program finished in September 2023, when the ninth point was released.
Beyond the monthly introduction to the Northeast Nine (NE9), current employees attended a NE9 in-person instructor-led session during AAA Northeast’s fifth annual Safety Summit.
New hires receive an introduction to the NE9 during their new hire training. AAA Northeast’s Health and Safety specialists facilitate the new hire sessions. After training, learners are evaluated through behavioral observations by their manager and coached on NE9 practices in one-on-one sessions.
The fleet senior leadership team cascaded talking points on each month’s NE9 topic to the drivers in their location. These weekly talking points assisted leaders in applying the topics and reminding the technicians of NE9 best practices.
Animated videos designed with Powtoon video generator were another integral part of reinforcing the vital actions of the NE9 with learners. And the Safety Training Team conducted monthly NE9-focused visits to each fleet location. During these visits, the Safety Training Team reinforced the monthly NE9 topic through discussion and providing ad hoc instruction to learners.
In the post six-month period, the fleet senior leadership team continued to cascade communications, while the Safety Training Team shared additional Powtoon video content, and leaders used NE9 talking points in coaching with technicians. Extra monthly safety bulletins are distributed to the fleet and automotive teams when weather conditions or other unfavorable roadside conditions are anticipated.
Results
Within six months of the program’s launch, crash/accident rates decreased by 18.2 percent, surpassing the company’s goal.
