What is CREW360?
CREW360 is you. It empowers every person, on every job, to take safety in their own hands. A strong safety culture starts in the field, and we trust everybody we work with to have each other's backs. We encourage you to speak up, look out for one another, and lead every task with a safety-first mindset. CREW360 starts with boots on the ground—yours.
We’re all part of CREW360. Its success depends on you speaking up, staying alert, and committing to safety in every task you perform.
What’s in a Name
Our first CREW360 group came up with the name and logo for this initiative.
- CREW: We’re all in. Together.
- Collaborate: Safety is a team effort.
- Recognize: Identify hazards, and the efforts our crewmates make.
- Empower: Equip employees with what they need to be safe and successful.
- Win: Together, we win by getting home safe.
- 360: Safety excellence is a never-ending cycle of improvement.
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Previous All Stars
Billy Astleford
Pablo Gonzalez
Joe Bunch
Rafael Llamas
Mitch Schwab
Bob Hintz
Michael Mitchell, CREW360 All Star
After working on Stacy Witbeck projects for several years as a subcontractor employee — including the R200 Downtown Redmond Link Extension and Rapid Ride I projects — Michael joined our team and quickly established himself as an excellent safety leader, a quality that fits naturally with his role as a Foreperson.
What others say about Michael:
“Not all heroes wear capes; sometimes they wear safety vests and steel-toed boots. Michael has not only stepped into the leadership position as our Traffic Control Supervisor but has also been a great addition to the team. He has made it his mission to maintain a safe working environment not only for his colleagues but also for anyone in the general vicinity. Recently, he performed CPR on a pedestrian until EMS arrived. Prior to that, he received a letter of recognition from a local law enforcement agency after jumping into action by helping direct morning rush hour traffic around a threatening scenario involving an individual having a mental health crisis in the middle of the road.” – Joe Grijalva, SW Traffic Manager
Q&A With Michael
Why do you work safely?
I work safely because I have a girlfriend and a 5-year-old son waiting for me at home, but I also work safely because I care about the people I work with. Every person on my crew has someone waiting for them, too. If I can help create an environment where everyone goes home safely every day, then I’ve done my job.
What does safety mean to you?
Safety is about taking care of one another. It’s building a culture where everyone feels comfortable speaking up, asking questions, and looking out for each other. When people know you’ve got their back, everyone works better together.
How do you promote safety?
I believe the best way to promote safety is to lead by example. As a supervisor, I know people are always watching how I handle situations. I hold myself to a high standard, encourage open communication, and make it a priority to coach my team — not just on how to do the job, but why we do it safely. If I can help someone become a better, safer employee, that’s a win for all of us.
What is something you learned that you still teach others?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about setting the example. I remind my team that there’s no shame in asking questions, taking your time, or speaking up if something doesn’t seem right. The goal isn’t just to finish the job; it’s to finish it the right way and make sure everyone goes home safely.
What has been your most memorable moment at work?
The most memorable moments have been watching people grow. Seeing someone gain confidence, develop new skills, and take pride in their work is one of the most rewarding parts of being a supervisor. Watching a team come together to overcome challenges and succeed is something I’ll always remember.
Michael Being Amazing
On the morning of August 5, Michael called 911 after witnessing a member of the public near the Rapid Ride project go from being in distress to falling over, losing consciousness, and not breathing. With guidance from EMS dispatch, he performed chest compressions until EMS arrived and took over. After EMS personnel provided additional aid, including the use of Narcan, the person began breathing again and regained consciousness. EMS later confirmed that Michael’s quick action as a Good Samaritan saved the person’s life.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Resources
Utilization of the EAP through HealthJoy is sponsored by Stacy Witbeck and Modern Railway Systems. This assistance program is available to dependents and those in the same household of employee (i.e. Spouse, Child, Unmarried Significant Other).
As part of our commitment to safety and well-being, it is important that we understand the mental health resources available to all employees and their families. By equipping our employees with these resources, we help create strong, supportive workplaces where people can speak freely about support they may need. We want to reinforce this effort to support our employees health and safety at work, as well as at home with their families.
Safety Steering Team (SST)
Once a month, personnel from projects across the country meet to talk about our safety culture. The team is made up of a combination of craft and staff employees in various roles throughout the company, with members rotated in and out to continuously bring fresh ideas and perspectives.
Continuous Improvement Teams (CIT)
Our safety journey is never done. We create Continuous Improvement Teams, CITs, to identify and address areas we can improve our safety behaviors.
CIT #1: Safety Assessment Walks (SAWs)
SAW walks should be seen positively, as a way for the entire team to come together and identify safety concerns on site—they are NOT an inspection or audit. By proactively identifying safety concerns as a team, we’re able to prevent injuries by implementing controls and awareness. The SST also uses this information to share best practices with other project teams across the country.
CIT #2: Morning Briefings Update
The key to CREW360’s success is participation, so we reworked how morning briefings were run to generate more engagement from the crews. Held at the start of each shift, when an employee joins later, or a significant change occurs, these should have active participation from the entire team. Now, briefings get into more specifics, including scopes, tasks, assigned duties, and time requirement. Speak up!
CIT #3: From Hard Hats to Helmets
Our third team helped the company transition from hard hats to the safer helmets, staying ahead of where the industry is headed. The decision was based on a significant amount of research proving helmets to be a superior option for keeping our crews safe, and began its rollout in 2023. All crews on new jobs from this point on are required to wear an approved helmet.
CIT #4: Risk Tolerance and Hazard Recognition Training
An internal survey found 38% of employees agreed that "risks are overlooked to get the work done." To address this, the team created a training to reinforce the expectation of a safety-first mentality. The goal is to instill proactive and preventive thinking, recognizing hazards early and ensuring everyone participates in critical safety processes.
Stop the STCKY!
While not directly a part of the CREW360 program, it’s good to familiarize yourself with the STCKY (Sh!t That Can Kill You) wheel. The goal is to identify the most extreme hazards on site to ensure controls are in place and prevent serious injuries or death. When we all work together, we can stop the STCKY.
CREW360 Ambassadors
There’s always somebody nearby who has participated in an SST. Don’t hesitate to reach out for project support.
