Orange County started off the month of March with one of the most successful tournaments in Champion Tour history—The Toshiba Classic. The tournament was held March 1^st through the 7^th in Newport Beach and Minuteman was happy to be a part of the event by providing complimentary off-site shuttles for the seven days. Over the past twelve years, the Toshiba Classic has raised $12 million for its primary beneficiary, Hoag Memorial Hospital, as well as other charities around Orange County.

This year, the Toshiba Classic went “green on the green” and offered the community an easy way to dispose of their e-waste. Guests were able to bring their outdated electronic equipment over the weekend in exchange for two complimentary tickets good for any one day of the tournament. This “Swing for the Green” event has given Orange County residents a responsible way to recycle their old and outdated electronics.

Another fun filled event that was held during the week was the Charles Schwab Family Day on Saturday March 6^th. Golf tour legends Fuzzy Zoeller and Andy Bean provided complimentary golf lessons at the Newport Beach Country Club driving range. Underprivileged children from various Orange County community organizations were given the opportunity to participate in the golf clinic. The event was a great way for children and their families to enjoy the weekend and participate in the game of golf.

This month we are going to review Slips, Trips and Falls. Over the last couple of months the majority of our Worker Compensation Claims have been due to a slip, trip or a fall. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, slips, trips and falls make up the majority of general industry accidents. 25% of all reported claims for the fiscal year are due to slips, trips and falls and over 17% of all disabling work injuries are a results of a fall while at work. 

The definition of a Slip: When there is too little friction or traction between or feet and the walking or working surface, and you loose your balance.

The definition of a Trip: When your foot hits and object and your upper body continues moving forward or backwards, throwing you off balance. A Trip can also be when you are stepping down unexpectedly to a lower surface and loose your step. Like when you step off a curb.

The definition of a Fall: Occurs when you are too far off your center of balance. This generally happens when you have a misstep going down a stairwell or when you get out a vehicle too quickly.

The most common injuries that happen due to a Slip, Trip or a Fall are:

o       Sprains and Strains

o       Bruises and Contusions

o       Fractures

o       Abrasions and Lacerations

Commonly affected Body Parts in Slip, Trip or Fall injury:

o       Knee, Ankle and Foot

o       Wrist and Elbow

o       Back

o       Shoulder

o       Hip

o       Head

So how can you protect yourself form a Slip, Trip or a Fall?

o       Make sure you are paying attention where you are walking or running.

o       Make sure that the driveways are always free of clutter.

o       Make sure you are following the proper lifting and carrying methods outlined in your Job Safety Agreement.

o       Report any hazards to your Manager or Driveway Ambassador

o       Make sure that you are using a lighted pathway

o       Make sure that you are using the Safe Path of Travel that was outlined to you in your Safety Checklist.

o       Be aware of your surroundings.

o       Have the proper Footwear for running and walking fast

            Take your time, watch your step and stay safe!!

Minuteman Parking Fan Page on Facebook

We are pleased to announce that Minuteman Parking Company is now on Facebook and Twitter!

In addition to our blog posts, our Facebook and Twitter will provide the latest and greatest news from Minuteman, as well as up-to-date information in the world of valet parking. Our Facebook page allows visitors to view picture albums that are dedicated to what we know best: hotels, hospitals and special events.

Facebook was founded by a small group of Harvard students and it is one of the fastest growing internet sites for both social and business contacts. The site currently has over 350 million active users worldwide and is the second most-visited site in the world, falling behind Google.

Twitter is another social networking site that allows its users to send and read messages known as tweets. The site was founded in 2006 and allows followers to keep up with what is happening right now.

Even if you are not currently using Facebook or Twitter, you can still visit our pages and see our updates. And if you are already part of the latest social phenomenon, we would love for you to become a fan and follow us!

You can access our accounts using the following links:

Minuteman Parking Facebook Fan Page

Minuteman Parking on Twitter

Last month we discussed what your responsibilities are as employee with Minuteman Parking Company to stay safe while working. More than 65,000 work related injuries each year are due to unsafe work practices or short cuts that people take while performing there job. Many employees believe that if they can do the job faster they are doing the job better; sometimes fast is not safe and we want to be safe at all times.

Minuteman Parking Company has policies and procedures in place to help keep you safe while you are at work. Still many of our employees do not always follow our safe work practices.

Two things can add to an employee getting injured at work. The first thing is an unsafe act or practice. The second thing is an unsafe condition. Studies have shown that 9 out of 10 accidents are the results of unsafe acts, or things we do when we know better. Why do employees deliberately expose themselves to injuries? Most employees have one of the two following thoughts running through their heads when they do their jobs unsafely.

·        It won’t happen to me.

·        We all take short cuts while we are working.

It won’t happen to me.

Most of us probably have had this thought run through our head at one time or another while working. This thought is a form of rationalization of the risk of getting injured while working. We think that we have done this job over and over and nothing has ever happened to me; therefore nothing bad will happen to me.  You know the right way to do it, you realize that it is hazardous to do your job this way, but you really believe that “it won’t happen to me.”

We all take short cuts.

Some employees are very meticulous about following safe work practices. Because we do our jobs day in and day out we become comfortable; our jobs become routine.  When your job becomes routine you have a higher chance of using an unsafe method of doing your job like jumping over a fence or skipping a couple of steps in the stairwell.  The time you save is not worth the potential injury to yourself. 

One out of ten unsafe acts lead to a workplace injury.  We all know better, we know the safe way of doing our jobs from the training we all have received.  Don’t be a statistic.  Be Safe and Happy.

Minuteman Parking had another successful year and revenues grew by almost 20% in 2009 even as the hotel and hospitality business slumped due to the economy.  We were able to grow our business and add shuttle operations in a year when our competitors were scrambling to survive.  Making up the difference was our recent focus on parking services for the Medical Facilities business where we added four new accounts in 2009.  Our goals for 2010 are to continue our strong growth, focus on the customer and improve all of our customer encounters.

I am proud to announce that Tu Sam was selected as Minuteman Manager of the year for 2009.  Tu is the manager of the Seattle Airport Marriott site and has worked for Minuteman for almost six years.  Tu started as a Driveway Ambassador and worked his way up to manager.  Tu was the highest scoring manager in our location audit and had superior guest satisfaction scores.   The bonus was that his facility had zero accident claims for 2009 which is amazing because it happened at an airport property.

Minuteman Parking President Chris Fox Presenting 2009 Manager of the Year Award to Tu Sam from the Seattle Airport Marriott

Some of the other awards handed out include:

• The Revolving Door won by Dawn Harper at Hoag Hospital for hiring the most employees during the year
• Most Appreciated Manager won by Ron Machon at Torrance Marriott for hiring just 1 new employee all year
• Mr. Discipline won by Gary & John at St Joseph Hospital for handing out the most written warnings
• Follows the Rules by Kennedy Maringa at St Bernadine for having the highest score on the location audit
• Just Focus and Do It by Bryan Kramer at Tower Hotel for accomplishing all of his goals during the year
• Knows What Time It Is by Kennedy Maringa at St Bernadine for having the lowest overall lunch punches
• Knows What Time It Is by Ian Wilson at Manhattan Marriott, Tu Sam at Seattle Airport Marriott, Aaron Rosen at Fantasy Springs and Derek Coffinger at the W Hotel for great improvement in reducing lunch punches
• Zero Tolerance awards to Tu Sam at Seattle Airport Marriott, Ron Maachon at Torrance Marriott and Kennedy Maringa at St. Bernadine for having $0 (ZERO) claims in 2009
• Mr. Safety for the best improved claims to Walter Avelar at Marina Marriott, Rico Saavedra at the Huntley Hotel and Ian Wilson at the Manhattan Marriott
• The Closer Award for successfully closing the Monterey Plaza Hotel by Aidan Gabriel at the Monterey Plaza Hotel
• Mr. Service Award to Walter Avelar at Marina Marriott for improving the overall guest satisfaction score

Our team building activity this year was bowling at the Lucky Strike Lanes in Torrance.  Dawn Harper and Ron Machon surprised the rest of the managers with their bowling prowess by each bowling well in excess of 150.

Minuteman President Chris Fox Thowing Yet Another Gutter Ball

I would also like to thank Crecenciano Moreno who created our lovely balloon centerpieces.  Creceniano is one of our shuttle drivers at CHOC and he makes balloons all day long for the visiting children.  We value his extra efforts and dedication to bringing his version of happiness and joy to the CHOC facility.

Balloon Arrangements Created by Crecenciano Moreno, Shuttle Driver for CHOC

New ICQ1000 Biometric Time Clock from Timeforce

Minuteman Parking is going biometric!

As announced at the annual Managers Meeting last week, Minuteman Parking will be rolling out new time clocks to all locations over the next month or so.  Gone are the old days of using actual punch cards and the more recent innovation of using electronic swipe cards.  The new time clocks from Timeforce have built-in state-of-the-art biometrics which will actually read fingerprints to positively identify an employee.

There are several great reasons for Minuteman Parking to make the switch to the new clocks:

• Improved accuracy
• Real time punches
• Better management of lunch punch compliance rules
• Real time reporting for the management team
• Excellent software which will scale with our growth

This is yet another investment in technology which will help us to continue a high level of service to all of our customers.

As we go into the New Year Minuteman Parking Company would like to remind our employees what their responsibilities are to insure that we are all safe while at work. As the year progresses Minuteman Parking Company will be rolling out some new Accident Prevention Programs. These programs will define responsibilities for Management, Driveway Ambassadors, Drivers and Attendants.  Management has a responsibility for the safety and health of all employees and to provide a safe work environment.

Everyone is expected to be responsible!

We all must get to work on time, work safely throughout the day, help our fellow teammates and guests and address any concerns to our Manager, Human Resources or the Training and Safety Manager.

We all are responsible to:

·        Listen and learn

·        Be an active participant in learning a new skill or safety issue.

·        Ask for assistance if the training or instruction is not clear or your do not feel comfortable in performing the task assigned to you correctly and safely.

·        Report ALL unsafe acts and nears misses immediately to a Manager.  

·        Address all problems with Management ASAP.

·        Give your Management Team solutions to issues

·        Continue to address issues with your Management Team and Human Resources if issues are unresolved.

·        Be an active member in the safety of the workplace.

·        Participate in Safety Discussions at your location.

·        WORK SAFE

Minuteman Parking Company would like you to take an active part in making your location safe for you, your fellow teammates and our guests.

Keep open communication with your Team Members. Lack of communication is one of the biggest roadblocks to a safe work environment. Do not let this happen at your location. Be responsible and we will all stay safe.

As we approach the holidays I thought it would be nice to revisit the December 2007 Safety Topic that Gary Barnett came up with.   As the holidays get underway many factors come into play that leads people to abuse both drugs and alcohol.  Below is what Gary posted in 2007 about this topic.

Drug use and alcohol consumption are normally considered personal issues. They only become an employer’s concern when they affect safety and worker performance. Drug and alcohol abuse cost employers through absenteeism.   Abusers hurt themselves and their families if they lose their job as a result of their actions.  If they are fired or cannot function on the job, the company loses the services of an experienced worker.  Those under the influence of drugs or alcohol cause friction in the work group, lower morale and work efficiency, use poor judgment that result in bad decisions, and give the company a poor public image.

Certain times of the year individuals should be especially aware of their alcohol and drug consumption; In the winter months when the days are dark and dreary some people experience a sense of depression or seasonal affected disorder (SAD). They may turn to drugs or alcohol in the mistaken belief it will relieve the symptoms of the disorder.

The holiday season, with increased social gatherings and added financial stress, leads some people to use alcohol or drugs to help them cope.  When workers are tired, hung over and still trying to recover, they may not give all their attention to the safety aspects of their job. Their judgment and safety performance becomes impaired and the likelihood of an accident or injury to themselves or coworkers increases.

Sometimes a personal or health problem persists. In most cases, the problem gets resolved. But if it is not resolved some people turn to alcohol or drugs. Even some prescription drugs can interfere with job performance. The individual cannot think clearly or becomes distracted. This can lead to accidents. Irresponsible consumption of drugs or alcohol not only jeopardizes the safety and health of the worker and coworkers but can impact the employer’s business and affect the future of all families involved.

Be Safe, Be Smart and think of others..

Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center

The Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley becomes our 4th new medical facility customer this year on November 9th.  We are delighted to begin partnering with Orange Coast as they are the only not-for-profit hospital in Fountain Valley and its surrounding communities.   And the hospital was voted “Best Place to Work” and “Best Companies to Work for” by the readers of the Orange County Register and OC Metro Magazine.

We will start with a valet station at the front door of their new Orange Coast Patient Care Pavilion which is opening this month.  Connected by a sky bridge to the main hospital, the 6-story, 162,500 square-foot structure will be home to some of the most advanced medical treatments and highly-regarded specialists in the region.  We are also adding a brand new Gem golf cart to ferry visitors and patients from the self-parking lot to the hospital entrance.  Over the next few months, we plan to add other valet and Door Ambassador positions throughout the Medical Center campus.

Orange Coast Patient Care Pavilion Opens in November 2009

Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center is the latest member in the family of medical facilities served by Minuteman Parking.  We also added St. Jude Medical Center in August, Little Company of Mary Medical Center in June and Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in April.  In addition,  we also provide parking services at Hoag Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital of Orange and Newport Lido Medical Center in Orange County, the Loma Linda Medical Center in Loma Linda and St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino.

 As you are working do you know the difference between a hazard and an accident?

A Hazard is defined as a condition or changing set of circumstance that presents a potential for injury, illness or property damage. A Hazard is the potential or inherent characteristic of an activity, condition, or circumstance which can produce adverse or harmful consequences.

An Accident is defined as an unfortunate event often the result of carelessness or ignorance. An Accident is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance usually resulting in an unfavorable outcome.

As you can see in the definitions there are some key words: Unplanned; Unforeseen; Unfortunate; Unfavorable and most importantly the word: Potential.

The only way an accident is going to happen is there has to be a hazard or pure carelessness of the driver.  Daily routines can become mundane and robotic. This is when we start taking things for granted. Once you start taking things for granted you begin to take shortcuts. These shortcuts lead to doing your work unsafely. Complacency and taking things for granted are causes of a large number of work injuries each year. As you go through your daily routines you need to be aware of hazards and you need to be able to recognize them. Remember recognizing hazards and doing something about is everyone’s responsibility.  Inform your manager or supervisor of any hazard you see.

So while you are at work you should be asking yourself these simple questions:

Ø      Do I have the right shoes on today?

Ø      Are my shoes in good repair?

Ø      Is my work area safe? 

Ø      Has anything changed for your previous shift?

Ø      Is there a safer way for me to accomplish my task?

Ø      Am I taking a shortcut because the driveway is busy?

Everyday you need to make the right choices while you are at work. One wrong choice can lead to an accident.

BE SAFE!!!