Quality is the first expression in Ivey Mechanical's Mission Statement and it is the lasting impression that Ivey Mechanical strives to leave its customers.
Never Satisfied
For Ivey Mechanical, quality equals performance -- performance to both the customer's expectations and to Ivey Mechanical's own exacting standards. Most importantly, Ivey Mechanical is never satisfied with its performance, but constantly seeks improvement. The Ivey Mechanical quality performance process concentrates on results which benefit the customer, co-workers, and the company.Quality Begins with CommitmentIvey Mechanical began a formal quest for continuous improvement by introducing its Construction Superiority Program in 1983. This initiative recognized that quality is inseparably bound with productivity, safety, training, and measurement. Since that introduction, the company's approach to quality has matured to recognize that quality begins with a commitment to meet the customer's performance expectations. This commitment is translated into concrete action through an in-depth planning process.Partnering, Understanding, CommunicationThe initial stage of that process begins when Ivey Mechanical receives a project commitment. At that time, the Ivey project team arrives at a thorough understanding of all project requirements and develops a detailed plan to respond to these requirements. At various stages throughout the project, the project team evaluates, revises, and recommits to the plan.
To completely measure Ivey Mechanical's success in meeting customer expectations and to determine ways to improve project delivery, Ivey senior corporate executives meet with customer executives at the end of each project to formally review Ivey Mechanical's performance.
Partnering is a significant aspect of Ivey Mechanical's approach to quality performance. Ivey engages in partnering sessions with its customer to better understand project goals, open good lines of communication, and determine the best way to overcome any obstacles which may arise during the project.Task ForceAlso, Ivey Mechanical partners with a national vendor and a select group of local vendors to supply commodity items such as pipe, valves, and fittings. These partnering arrangements add value to the commodity purchases by securing just-in-time delivery, uniform pricing, and excellent returns policy.
Ivey Mechanical benchmarks its performance with both its customers and co-workers. As this benchmarking effort shows areas which can be improved, Ivey convenes a task force to address these areas. For instance, an Ivey co-worker task force manages the entire health insurance program for the company. This plan now offers more flexible benefits and is competitive with other plans in the industry. This is simply one example among many that shows the value of co-worker involvement in improving Ivey Mechanical.Immediate Quality AssuranceNot only does Ivey Mechanical's approach to quality emphasize ever-improving performance, it also requires ongoing, immediate Quality Assurance. A technically competent craftsman performs each Ivey procedure. An inspection and testing checklist ensures that each procedure has been performed correctly and that each system is properly installed. This extensive inspection process is another step in guaranteeing Ivey Mechanical meets each customer's requirements.In summary, Ivey Mechanical Company's approach to quality is dynamic and results-oriented. It involves a process which ensures superior performance today and even better performance tomorrow.
At Ivey Mechanical Company, LLC, a commitment to Zero Accidents is the only acceptable attitude..... There can be no substitutes.
Zero Accidents
In all its operations, Ivey Mechanical is guided by an established Accident Prevention Policy. The construction management personnel, including Division Managers, Project Managers, Superintendents, Foremen, Safety Officers, and lead people will not assume or relieve any co-worker or subcontractor of his or her direct responsibility for co-worker and public safety.ResponsibilityThe safety program includes a well-defined description of safety responsibilities for all co-workers: The Corporate Safety Director is responsible for establishing annual goals, monitoring and publicizing statistical data, providing updates on safety rules and policies, determining special programs for projects, and reviewing all accident reports. Each company division has a Safety and Health Officer to monitor divisional projects, conduct safety audits, and coordinate orientation and training.Jobsite Improvement TeamsEach project has a site safety officer who conducts orientation and training, coordinates drug and alcohol testing, and enforces safety rules and procedures.
Project Managers conduct safety inspections at the project and follow up on site violations to ensure corrective actions are taken.
Superintendents and Foremen are directly responsible for their co-workers, including seeing that all injuries are treated promptly, inspecting work areas daily, taking immediate corrective actions whenever unsafe conditions exist, and setting an example by following all safety regulations. Each co-worker is responsible to read, listen, and understand all safety rules, perform duties in a safe manner, and report all unsafe conditions.
Ivey Mechanical's Safety Program provides for jobsite improvement teams made up of co-workers from each craft. These teams make suggestions, assist in keeping their fellow co-workers informed of safety, and provide input on incentives and goals.OrientationA two-part orientation is used on Ivey projects. On the first day of hire, the new co-worker attends a general orientation presented by the Site Safety Officer, which includes site safety rules, Ivey Mechanical safety rules, hazards communication, fall protection, protective equipment and clothing, equipment safety and return-to-work programs.Safety MeetingsDuring the second week of employment, the Ivey Foreman covers specific safety information relating to the co-workers' craft.
Safety meetings are held at least once a week with all co-workers and subcontractors. Each co-worker signs the safety meeting form.Mandatory Protective EquipmentAll Ivey co-workers are provided with personal protective equipment including but not limited to hardhats, backbraces, eye protection, fall protection equipment, gloves, and respiratory equipment.Hazard AwarenessAll Ivey Mechanical project locations enforce 100% fall protection above six feet. The Ivey safety program includes specific procedures for the maintenance and use of ladders, hand tools, and power tools. Each Ivey project is required to provide ground fault circuit interrupters or participate in an assured grounding conductor program. The Ivey safety program provides guidelines to ensure the safety of all co-workers who work in and around excavations.
Planning safety into a project is just as important as setting production schedules and planning for the delivery of materials and equipment. The Task Hazards Analysis ensures that Ivey Mechanical projects provide for a systematic review of the project or task at hand, focusing on the identification of hazards, toxic/hazardous materials, or special needs for training.Drugs and AlcoholThe Ivey site safety officer is responsible for conducting weekly inspections of the project site, documenting violations, and communicating them to site supervision.
Foremen are responsible for daily safety inspections of their work areas.
Each Ivey project site maintains a Hazards Communication Program and provides training for each co-worker in these procedures.
Ivey Mechanical maintains a strict prohibition on drug and alcohol use, so that all co-workers enjoy a safe, healthy environment. Drug tests are administered at pre-employment, anytime medical treatment is required, when reasonable suspicion exists, and as a part of a random testing program.Return to Work ProgramsReturn to work programs are designed to protect the safety and promote the health of all co-workers. Ivey supervision works with our insurance company and medical providers to define jobs or functions that can be performed by a person with some degree of work disability.Continual ImprovementThe charts below show safety performance rates relative to total hours worked each year. The trend in each of these rates indicates that the safety program has had an improving effect on Ivey Mechanical's safety record. This improvement is even more impressive considering the increase in total hours worked during the last few years.
Ivey Mechanical's safety performance is a true reflection of the ability of all Ivey co-workers to manage themselves and others under challenging circumstances, and to do so in a manner that is beneficial to each individual and the company. Over the past few years, Ivey co-workers have continued to set standards each year only to raise them the next year.
Ivey Mechanical has entered its projects at several different development stages, from the initial idea to completed drawings.
Value Engineering
This experience enables Ivey Mechanical to review the completed drawings of a project and to assist through value engineering, developing the most efficient and appropriate approach to the mechanical installation of the project.Design AssistanceOn partially developed projects, depending on the specific project needs, Ivey Mechanical can provide full design/build services or fill in the gaps. Ivey often teams with a design professional to carry the project drawings to completion. Years of experience in this process has afforded Ivey Mechanical with the ability to understand the design side of projects, which enhances the communication between Ivey Mechanical and a design professional.Most Appropriate ApproachAs a whole, Ivey Mechanical's knowledge of mechanical systems and relationships with design professionals provide Ivey Mechanical with the ability to envision a project at any stage of development and to foresee complications in order to determine the most appropriate approach to the project. This ability can add value to a project, greatly reduce the risk of future complications, and ensure optimal performance.
