Rodney Greenup, President, Greenup Industries
There is no way to predict the full impact of COVID-19 and how it will affect businesses across the U.S. However, it is safe to assume there will be substantial delays and cost implications. Many contractors may not be feeling the effects yet because they were considered “essential” during government work restrictions. But it is possible and likely that every business will be affected in some way eventually. As we navigate this uncharted territory, keeping these five points in mind may help you keep yourself, your employees and your company safe.
Safety first
The first step is to ensure your business takes proper precautions to protect employees and their families. Although most construction work cannot be done remotely or correctly performed with social distancing, steps can be taken to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
Provide your teams with the proper PPE and training to support better hygiene and reduce the possibility of future virus transmissions from asymptomatic employees or unknown carriers.
Consider staggering shifts and sequencing work areas to avoid unnecessary groupings of workers. Utilize video teleconferences for your toolbox talks and safety meetings. Most importantly, work diligently to ensure that, despite the change in structure, safety measures remain robust, including proper supervision, safety inspections and accountability.
Prevention
Hygiene, situational awareness and due diligence are operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They should be embedded in all your processes, encouraged and rewarded. Lead from the top down, empowering your teams to do what’s right and supporting proper habits on the ground.
Call a meeting of minds
Bring your staff together virtually to share their best thoughts, ideas and practices regarding hygiene and safety. Focus on prevention and what is working. If you allow your teams to report on unsafe practices without fear of repercussions, you will surely prevent more injuries, illnesses and disruptions to your workflow.
Touchless
Provide safer jobsites for your workers by implementing touchless registration, virtual orientations, virtual training and automated health checklists.
This moment in history should be a catalyst for our industry; it’s the beginning of a long-term shift in the way we work. Companies that evolve their processes instead of merely adjusting and implementing minor changes will emerge as the leaders of our industry. Embrace change, analyze your processes, find areas for improvement and then search for the best possible solutions. Safety and good hygiene are not to be negotiated; they should instead lay the foundation of our future success.