The following content is sponsored by Foundation. Construction jobsites pose some unique safety challenges for construction companies — in 2020 more than 174,000 construction workers were nonfatally injured on the job, out of which 74,500 had to take time off work to recover. Construction employees are often interacting with common dangers like falls, being struck by an object, getting caught-in/between equipment and electrocutions. All of these threats, and more, can simultaneously coexist on a jobsite, making construction safety management both more necessary to prioritize and more time-consuming to track.
Ask any construction company owner, foreman, project manager, stakeholder or worker and they’ll agree that safety is essential. But the challenges aren’t in convincing everyone that safety should be a priority. The difficulty is actually implementing and enforcing the practices necessary to sustain a safe work environment. Why? Everyone in a company has different priorities vying for their attention. Stakeholders have to keep an eye on budget and profit margins; workers want to go home on time; managers need to hit deadlines. These end-goals can equate to cut corners which potentially lead to mistakes that cause injuries or fatalities.
Consider the following scenario, where safety isn’t regularly enforced: an employee for a small construction company — whose project is already suffering from delays — is about to handle a chemical solution they’re unfamiliar with. They face a few options:
- Postpone work (and therefore progress) to track down the jobsite safety binder for the Safety Data Sheets to search for, read and learn all about proper protocols for handling the chemical.
Or - Do the job immediately and get it done by any means necessary.
For the sake of the business, money has to be made and projects need to be completed. But workers can and do get hurt in construction — and far too frequently. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that one in every five workplace fatalities occur at a construction site. In 2020, more than 1000 construction jobsite-related deaths were recorded.
Making safety a habit at every jobsite gives workers the tools they need to make better-informed decisions. Thoroughly trained workers, who naturally view safety as essential, will know they should stop and review protocols for handling chemicals and it’s both imperative and permissible to do so.
The process of creating or revamping a safety program will be two-fold. Introducing a system of conduct built to support a safer work environment is key. As is making sure that safety becomes a natural part of the life cycle of a construction site.
Why Safety as A Culture Matters
A construction company’s safety program is only as strong as its safety culture. The program itself is the compilation of rules, regulations and routines that enforce safety practices, whereas the culture is the mindset which influences workers to respect and abide by these regulations without being constantly coerced.
Safety is all-encompassing. Everyone is impacted from the top down — which means everyone is going to be involved in developing and sustaining a safe jobsite. The rules are outlined to everybody as well as expected of everybody. It involves keeping people trained, informed and, especially, accountable.
You can have access to the most robust safety app and purchase the latest in safety technology but if no one in the company finds it pertinent enough to use the data to create safer solutions, then the money is ill-invested. Furthermore, if the workers aren’t willing to perform the necessary safety actions or if the foreman or safety director doesn’t enforce repercussions for failed safety performances then there is no safety culture.
If you want to enhance workers’ safety, be compliant with OSHA regulations and keep insurance premiums at a minimum, then you must first set the foundation. Safety is a priority only when the entire company treats it as such. Habits have to be built, a new mindset needs to be established and safety has to become part of the fabric of the company.
The Basic Elements of a Safety Program
An effective construction safety program is one that detects and prevents unsuitable behavior that could cause accidents. Building a competent safety program doesn’t have to involve a company overextending past their capabilities, but there are a few key elements necessary to include, like:
- Company-wide Training — Keeping the entire team educated and appropriately certified is key. By using programs such as Toolbox Talks workers can stay consistently up to date with the required procedures necessary to perform the tasks assigned to them at the jobsite.
Additionally, from company owners to new hires, everyone needs to be aware of the regulations and protocols to keep jobsite conduct cohesive. - Worksite Inspections — Time and space have to be given to assess the operability of a jobsite on a recurring basis. Getting foremen and workers accustomed to performing hazard assessments allow preventative actions to become the norm.
- Patience — As a company evolves their safety practices there needs to be a willingness among the entire team to give each other the ability to do the fundamentals. Allow workers to take the extra time to perform their duties safely and correctly.
Once the basics of a construction safety program are laid out it becomes easier for companies to customize and develop other safety initiatives — basing everything on the demands of the jobsites.
How to Develop Effective Safety Methods
Effective safety methods aren’t dependent on the size of a company, nor do they rely on profit margins. What does matter is deciding what’s important, then committing to the necessary steps to fully implement new procedures. Engraining safety into a construction company’s lifestyle will involve a few approaches, such as:
Commitment from the Top Down
Developing or re-vamping a strong safety program depends on everyone in a construction company. But to create momentum, the initial push usually comes from the top. Owners, stakeholders and managers need to really emphasize the high-level of dedication being put into implementing these new safety developments. A good way to demonstrate this full commitment is by making some of the following gestures:
- Sign a letter of intention
- Host a/multiple townhall(s)
- Assemble a safety committee that includes people from all ranks of the company
The more transparent upper management is regarding their attentiveness to strengthening the construction company’s safety program, the more likely everyone else is to take it seriously too.
Establish Accountability
Accountability in regard to safety management has a few meanings.
First, once management declares their commitment to safety, the next step is to drive-home the message to the whole company. The team needs to be aware that their safety is valued individually and as a collective. Promote the concept of ‘everyone is a safety manager’ to really have it become a mindset, engraining safety into every future decision made.
Second, as procedures are developed and enforced, laborers need to be aware of the penalties that will be administered if safety protocols aren’t adhered to. Carry out repercussions consistently so that everyone knows the seriousness with which the safety guidelines are being imposed.
Third, hold whoever is in charge of running the safety program accountable for doing their job appropriately. Not only are they expected to educate the workers on the safety regulations but they also need to ensure that all pieces of safety content are accessible to everyone working at a jobsite.
It’s important to set the tone. Establish behavioral expectations for the jobsite and execute follow-through with consistent rewards or disciplinary actions so that everyone quickly gets accustomed to safety as a mainstay.
Research
There are some universal safety procedures that are relevant to the construction industry as a whole. For example, in every trade there is the need to have a first-aid kit as well as accurately know where it is located at all times. Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is required in some capacity at every construction job. But there are also those procedures and regulations that are trade specific — electricians, for example, won’t have the same checklist as a roofer.
This is why it’s important to research. Determine what regulations are relevant to a company’s field by capitalizing on available resources, such as:
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website
- Local trade organizations
- Union halls
The more information a company has regarding their trades’ specific safety requirements, the better the workers can be trained.
Allocate Resources
Recognize now that resources need to be invested to have a strong, complete safety program. And by resources that doesn’t just mean money — time, attention and equipment are also involved. Some labor hours will have to be allocated for trainings, inspections and daily pre-work meetings. Workers need to be allowed to focus on running through procedural checklists before operating tools and vehicles. The machinery has to be test driven on occasion to check its operability.
Allocating for safety is important when creating a yearly budget. A company should calculate their absolute needs and start with satisfying those first. Purchasing safety apps to keep trainings, certifications and reporting internal can also help curve some of the bigger spending.
Having to allocate resources for a safety program can be daunting especially for companies who are already operating on a tight budget. But considering the spiking prices of OSHA penalties as well as the intimidating presence of workers compensation premiums, there is a definitive return on investment.
Assign Safety-Related Responsibilities
Maintaining a strong safety program involves accountability and responsibility. Everyone in the company needs to recognize their role in keeping the jobsite safe and understand that repercussions will be given for misconduct. To really ensure that the safety program is being awarded the proper attention and prioritization needed to make it effective, it’s beneficial to make safety someone’s job.
Creating either an official safety director position or assigning safety coordinator duties to an employee assures that trainings are being properly implemented and consequences are appropriately issued. For example, a safety director can monitor workers’ progress with their Toolbox Talks and issue strikes for anyone not showing up in time for pre-shift meeting. Performance reports can become part of the culture of the company, further legitimizing the safety program to the workers.
Having a specific person managing safety also streamlines any audits or inspections. The safety director can provide answers quickly and is aware of where all needed information is stored. They can also easily identify and correct hazards on a jobsite. With a dedicated role in safety, their focus isn’t being pulled in many directions — instead they make sure all safety protocols are being followed.
Automate Processes
Accessibility in construction safety means that anyone on a jobsite with a question or a concern can receive information quickly. The safety director is in charge of coordinating all the reports but everyone on the jobsite needs to know how to get to them. Automating information through technology is an efficient way to give workers access to safety checklists and emergency procedures because they’ll no longer need to search through paper stacks — all documents are digital and available with the click of a button.
Investing in a safety app or just reworking data into a spreadsheet cleans up organization, making all certifications and Safety Data Sheets easier to access. If, for example, OSHA or any other local construction inspection board comes by it’ll be easy to pull up all necessary forms without having to spend extra time searching around the cabinet files.
By digitizing protocols through applications, workers won’t have to worry about delaying tasks to find the hazard prevention paperwork. They can pull it up on a mobile device right where they stand. Automating the safety program also gives whoever is in charge of safety the ability to track trainings more efficiently — no more accidently skipping or repeating a lesson. The labor hours used to automate the safety program are eventually made up — there’s minimal data entry and less time is spent filing, compiling and assembling paperwork.
Creating space where workers feel comfortable asking questions is also important in a strong safety program. They need to know they can come to the safety director or talk in a pre-shift meeting without ridicule. Workers who are confused or afraid to ask questions and still proceed with their tasks can create dangerous situations for themselves and others.
The Impacts of Having Safety Practices
Keeping construction workers alive, healthy and working are the primary goals of a safety program. But effective safety methods provide plenty of supplemental benefits, including:
Keeping Jobsites Productive
When a worker gets injured both the project and the team are affected. Production slows down because there is one less set of hands available to complete tasks. The worker isn’t able to earn their paycheck while they heal. Colleagues have to do double-duty if there isn’t any back-up. Timelines get delayed, putting extra pressure on foremen and managers.
By investing in a safety program, workers are better equipped to handle the daily challenges of operating a jobsite. They’re more aware of how to address certain situations which ultimately leads to safer behavior, diminished number of accidents and unimpeded productivity.
Regulate Compliance
OSHA and other regulatory agencies exist to set and maintain workplace safety standards at both the state and federal level. If a construction company doesn’t adhere to mandated regulations, they could face citations and other financial penalties — with some of these reaching tens-of-thousands of dollars and rising. Having a strong safety program helps a company stay compliant with OSHA regulations and provides better tracking methods for all training certifications and inspection evaluations, both of which are used as proof of compliance during a safety audit.
Lower Insurance Premiums
Workers’ compensation insurance is important to protect companies against injuries and incidents. Premium rates in the construction industry depend on the Experience Modification Rating, or EMR, of a company. The EMR is a rating given to companies to indicate their cost range for insurance premiums. An EMR is determined by using a company’s safety history as an indication of future risk. The higher the EMR the higher the premium, the lower the EMR the lower the premium.
One way to lower the EMR — and keep it at a minimum — is passing inspections with top marks. As a company curtails their signs of risk from year to year, the EMR is reduced, lowering premiums. By making safety part of company culture, inspections can run much smoother since the jobsite is already optimized for hazard prevention, reports are organized and easily obtainable and workers’ certifications are up to date.
A safe jobsite with well-trained workers reduces the chances for incidents. Even a company with a history of citations can take the time to revamp their safety program and start lowering the EMR one inspection at a time.
Retain and Attract Talent
At the beginning of 2022, experts predicted that the construction industry needed to attract nearly 650,000 additional workers to meet the demand for labor. Additionally, over the past decade, there has been an 8% decrease in construction workers between the ages 25-54 and a 40% increase in low-skilled laborers. It’s a competitive field right now to attract experienced talent and retain them. Boasting a compliant, safety- conscious jobsite gets workers’ attention and encourages them to stay because they feel safe, heard and protected.
Secure Jobs
In a competitive industry like construction, it helps to have an edge. A positive safety rating and a low EMR shows well for a company. Well-structured safety programs are appealing to project owners because there are less risks of project delays or potential damage to the property.
Legal Protection
The truth is, even when a safety program is enforced with rigidity, not everyone is going to follow protocol. Accidents do happen, and it's paramount — legally and financially — for a company to be able to defend themselves.
Employers can use an employee’s safety training records as evidence against a regulation citation. By proving that an employee was exposed to all necessary safety information, had access to PPE and had a history of participating in the instructional exercises, companies can claim “Unpreventable Employee Misconduct,” and challenge penalties on grounds that the company properly prepared the employee.
Conclusion
Building a strong safety program doesn’t have to be overly complicated. It all starts with recognizing that safety matters — once that commitment is made everything else can fall into place.
Make sure safety becomes everyone’s responsibility. Be open to spending labor hours on training courses, kick-off meetings and inspections that keep workers well-informed and jobsites safely operated. Invest in tools, apps, software and technology that streamline reporting and certification tracking. Create a culture where everyone is comfortable asking questions. Encourage workers to take those extra moments to review hazard prevention checklists. By even taking a few of these steps at a time, lives can be saved, costs can be reduced and injuries can be less frequent.