PENTAL
SURFACES
Safety  for All

Individual  Consulting  Project  

Simran  Pental  
Professor  Frontczak  
February  27,  2018  
  
 
 
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Table of Contents
 
 
 
Executive Summary 3

Introduction 4

Background 5

Proposed Project Description 6-7

Cost Analysis 8

Assessment and Conclusion 9

Appendix 10  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Executive Summary

Many jobs nowadays require individuals to work in high-risk environments, where proper
implementation of safety regulations is important. Occasionally, it can become easy to overlook
a minor regulation put in place for the safety of an employee, increasing the chances of
accidents. Often times, a new job requires new training, however, due to the expenses associated
with quality training, employers have the tendency to cover the basics, while failing to
understand the consequences of improper training. With this in mind, our company will be able
to ensure a properly regulated work environment for all individuals to prevent any life-
threatening accidents, while also maintaining a positive brand image for Pental Surfaces. This
proposal will require a certified Safety Director to be present at all locations for the proper
following of all safety rules and regulations. With a designated individual at each location, safety
of workers is better prioritized, as that is his or her main focus and task. Accidents occur when
employees find it unnecessary to strictly follow all rules; therefore, with the assistance of the
Safety Director, incidents can largely be minimized. With the enforcement of a safe environment
for all individuals, this will result in improved employee morale and positive brand image from
the consumers and supplier point of view.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Footnote
Pental Surfaces is the West Coast’s premier source for stone slab and tile. Founded in 1999 with
just a few selections of granite slabs, the company has grown to become one of the largest
importers and distributors on the West Coast. Pental now carries hundreds of tile and slab
options in stock, including their own line of quartz slabs: PentalQuartz. Pental only sells direct to
the trade, but their showrooms in Seattle, Fife, Portland, Los Angeles, and Denver are open to
the public for selections. Materials are also available through a network of dealers and
fabricators across the Western United States.

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Introduction
Pental Surfaces employs hundreds of individuals throughout the United States. Ensuring each
individuals safety in such rigorous environments is important not only for the company’s
employees, but also for the brand image. This proposal recommends the hiring of an on-site
safety director, who will overlook all rules and ensure that all regulations are being followed
accordingly. If worker safety is prioritized to a greater extent, it will positively impact our
company by reducing employee turnover rates, boosting productivity and profits, and
maintaining the organization’s reputation.

The individuals who work at Pental Surfaces are an integral part of the company and maintaining
their safety will contribute to both an economic and social impact. Despite financial incentives,
the atmosphere in which one works contributes heavily towards one’s productivity and
motivation levels. If the work-place remains high-risk, then employees may feel unmotivated or
unwilling to work in an organization where his or her personal well-being is jeopardized.
Therefore, implementing this plan will benefit the firm with efficient employees, further
contributing to better performance for the operations of the firm.

In addition, the implementation of this proposal will result in enhanced relationships with not
only the company’s suppliers, but also its consumers. Promoting a positive brand image is
essential as it will lead to increased customers and overall profits for Pental Surfaces.

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Background
Prioritizing employee safety throughout the workforce can create immense benefits for a firm.
The department of labor has established OSHA, which stands for Occupational Safety and
Health Administration. OSHA ensures worker safety by setting key standards and providing
proper training and education to all workers. The department of labor requires that all employers
must satisfy the rules and regulations outlined by OSHA. Data released by OSHA shows that in
2016, 4,693 individuals faced a fatality at work and 21.1% of these incidents occurred in the
construction industry. Studies also show that the leading causes of accidents include falls, being
struck by an object, electrocution, and caught-in/between circumstances. An increase of
accidents in the work force not only contribute to higher employee turnover rates, but also
increases costs for the firm. If an accident occurs on-site, the company has six months to follow
up with law enforcement to investigate the incident and cover any costs that may be associated
with the incident.

In order to minimize costs and decrease employee turnover

rates a safety director must be hired to overlook the
operations. Often times, many regulations appear
insignificant and they can be easy to overlook. For example,
at Pental Surfaces, signs are posted saying “Caution: A 10-
foot distance from fork lifts is mandatory to avoid serious
injury.” While this sign is beneficial for the safety of
individuals, there exists a lack of enforcement amongst the
workers. Therefore, the safety director can ensure that all
minor and major regulations are properly followed to
prevent future accidents.

Important benefits:
Supporting employee safety can also boost productivity levels amongst workers and contribute to
an increase of company profits. If a safety director is present to guarantee all operations occur
smoothly, then the employees will become more efficient and productive. When the fear of
injury is eliminated from the work environment, employees will feel more confident in their
tasks, allowing them to become more motivated. Increased employee morale, thus leads to
retained staff members, as individuals are happier and likely to collaborate together.

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Proposed Project Description
On-site Safety Director
For this project, I am proposing the hiring of an on-site safety director. From my observations, I
have found that the warehouse working environment has many flaws, which have largely
contributed to the accidents that have occurred in the past. For example, many cautions signs are
posted throughout the warehouse floors, yet no individual holds the authority to enforce these
regulations. In additions, customers are able to walk out onto the warehouse floors, yet they are
not explained the dangers present prior to entering the warehouse. With the lack of regulations, it
is easy for an accident to occur and cause serious injury on the worker.

I propose that a safety director is hired for the warehouse floor, so that proper attention can be
provided to all individuals present in the warehouse. For employees, the safety director will
ensure that all the equipment is up-to-date and any broken equipment is immediately replaced. In
addition, the safety director must hold monthly training workshops for all employees as a
constant reminder of why following all regulations is important in the warehouse. Currently, the
employees are trained once they are hired, which leads to the fact that there is a failure of
prioritizing worker safety. All regulations must be reminded to employees and properly enforced
by the safety director.

Lastly, although caution signs are present within the warehouse, I propose that the safety director
must curate a five-minute safety instruction presentation for all customers entering the
warehouse to look at the products. While this may appear lengthy, it is important to have an
individual preach the safety of individuals, allowing the idea to become integrated into the
company culture.

Advantages
This proposal will benefit the employees at Pental Surfaces, as it will decrease the risk they face
each day in the warehouse. The decrease in injuries that occur on-site will allow employees to
take on more working hours and minimize employee turnover rates. It is important to note that
retaining staff members will cut costs of searching for new individuals to fill positions. While the
employees of the firm will be benefitted by this proposal, Pental Surfaces will also achieve a
positive brand image. Customers are also able to enter the warehouse in order to pick out the
products they are interested in; therefore, creating a safer environment will allow for more
consumers.

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Triple Bottom Line
With the implementation of this proposal, the profit and people aspects of the triple bottom line
will be satisfied. While major costs will be incurred by the hiring of a safety director, along with
the minor costs of revamping equipment, this project brings many long-term benefits to the firm.
This proposal benefits our employees, creating a positive brand image for our suppliers and
customers. Suppliers will allow our firm to achieve a competitive advantage by allowing us to
sell rare products. Meanwhile, with a positive brand image, customers will be willing to invest
more time and energy into our firm, adding to increased profits.

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Cost Analysis
Costs
Category Description/Price Cost  
Equipment Upgrade •   Steel Toed Boots: $10,500  
$200/pair  
•   Safety Glasses: *Cost  for  42  workers  in  the  
$19.97/pair warehouse.    
•   Gloves: $28.10/pair

Safety Director •   $27/hour $56,160/year      

Total Costs $66,660

Return On Investment
Category Description/Price Total
Turnover Rate •   Average turnover rate •   9,400 * 8 workers=
in industry = 20% $75,200
•   *42 workers X 20% =
8 workers
•   Average worker
salary at Pental
Surfaces = $47,000
•   47000 * 20% = 9,400

*(The above information is based on common rates throughout the private construction industry).
*(Currently, 42 employees work at the smallest branch of Fife, Washington)

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Assessment

Short-Term:
The impact of the implementation of this proposal will be seen through enhanced worker safety.
As previously mentioned, the safety director will be in charge of holding monthly training
seminars to allow for each member of our firm to remain up-to-date on safety policies. During
this time, each member will be requested to fill out an evaluation regarding worker sentiment
towards safety conditions, and individual productivity levels. With these evaluations, we will be
able to gauge the effectiveness of the safety director. In addition, as a firm we will continue to
monitor the number of on-site accidents and further question and encourage employees to
comply with all safety regulations.

Long Term:
While accidents are difficult to predict, our hope is to put in place as many precautions necessary
to avoid such incidents. With this, our company will see a rise in profits, as our employee
turnover rate declines. It is also important to note that with a decrease in accidents, our company
will suffer from lower costs associated with accident investigations or severance pays. This cost
saving tactic can allow the firm to fund necessary resources for other departments. We will also
see a greater number of customers, as our suppliers will be willing to provide us products our
competitors do not carry. With this competitive advantage, we will obtain a positive brand image
and we will continue to see a rise in profits. Regardless of the costs associated with the
implementation of this proposal, this will be beneficial to the company’s brand image, allowing
the firm to take on additional future projects.

Conclusion
In today’s world, meeting the demands of sustainability are important, especially since
sustainability is becoming a driving force for many businesses. At Pental Surfaces, caring for our
employees’ safety will result in immense benefits, not only for the members of our firm but also
the company’s reputation. It is important to note that the new generation places great value in
sustainable practice. How we choose to incorporate sustainable practices within our business
practices add to how others perceive our business. Positive perception of the firm is important, in
order to achieve target profit goals. The goal is to make Pental Surfaces a working environment
in which individuals are aware that they are cared for and are an integral part of the firm. The
implementation of this proposal will result in productive individuals, who enjoy attending work
every day.

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Appendix

Appendix  A:  Email  

From:  Simran  Pental  <spental@pentalonline.com>  
To:  Warehouse  Pental  Employees  
Date:  Tuesday,  February  27,  2018  
Subject:  New  On-­‐Site  Safety  Director  
 
Dear  Pental  Employees,    
 
As  employee  safety  is  upmost  concern  here  at  Pental  Surfaces,  I  wanted  to  bring  the  hiring  of  a  
Safety  Director  to  your  attention.    
 
Beginning  May  2017,  our  firm  will  be  hiring  a  Safety  Director  for  the  purpose  of  overlooking  
proper  implementation  of  rules  and  regulations  surrounding  work  practices  in  our  warehouse.  
Our  company  has  faced  numerous  accidents,  many  which  have  occurred  due  to  failure  of  
proper  safety.  If  you  all  recall,  our  vice  president  was  severely  injured  on-­‐site.  Therefore,  this  
issue  will  be  addressed  with  the  help  of  a  Safety  Director,  who  will  ensure  all  employees  feel  
protected  and  confident  in  their  work  environment  to  achieve  maximum  productivity  levels.    
 
The  value  in  this  implementation  will  not  only  protect  the  members  of  the  firm,  but  it  will  also  
allow  us  to  maintain  a  positive  brand  image  with  our  suppliers  and  customers.    
 
Please  let  me  know  if  any  questions  arise  regarding  the  detailed  information  provided  within  
the  proposal.  I  would  be  happy  to  address  any  questions  that  may  arise  regarding  this  proposal.    
 
Best,    
 
Simran  Pental    
 
Appendix  B:  Works  Cited    
 
 Job  Openings  |  Pental  Surfaces.  17  Feb.  2017.  Web  
“Salary:  Safety  Director.”  Glassdoor,  www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/safety-­‐director-­‐salary  
“Severance  Pay.”  United  States  Department  of  Labor,  6  May  2016,    
www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/severancepay.    
“United  States  Department  of  Labor.”  Occupational  Safety  and  Health  Administration.  16  Feb.    
2017.  Web.    
“United  States  Department  of  Labor.”  United  States  Department  of  Labor.  17  Feb.  2017.  Web.    

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