Does your company take a reactive or proactive approach to construction safety? Most companies' safety programs combine the two methods, being proactive in some ways but reactive in other aspects.
Here are some best practices to implement in your safety program to take a proactive approach to safety:
1. Empower everyone on the job site, regardless of position, with the authority to issue a stop-work for any perceived safety concerns. Only allow work to resume once the issue has been adequately addressed.
2. Create a safety plan specific to the project and site. Do this in conjunction with the creation of the construction plan. As you plan how to build and deliver the project, plan how to keep your workers safe as construction progresses through each task and phase.
3. Monitor, evaluate, and adjust. As work progresses, conditions can change drastically from one day to another. Understanding how changing conditions can create new safety hazards is essential. Continuous improvements to safety measures need to be made based on the most up-to-date information on job site conditions.
4. Training should be an ongoing activity for all employees. Train workers on the safe and proper way to operate equipment and select and use personal protective equipment (PPE). Remember, workers don't have to be in an accident to suffer an injury. Be sure to train workers on proper techniques to perform tasks that create the least stress on their bodies.
5. Create a safety committee to review safety performance on all projects. Ensure that employees from all levels of the business are involved, especially craft laborers. They have first-hand experience with how safety measures are being implemented on the site and can provide vital feedback on areas of concern that must be addressed. They should have a voice in helping choose which safety measures to implement to control and mitigate hazards.
6. Fully vet all subcontractors on their safety records and ask them to review their written safety program. Once selected, work with subcontractors to help develop the safety plan, as they can provide valuable insight specific to their trade. Ensure subcontractor agreements cover adhering to your site safety plan so you can hold them accountable.
7. Hold safety meetings each day or before each shift to cover specific tasks, safety measures and protocols, and any areas of concern. Be sure to discuss existing and any new hazards that may arise throughout the day and how to avoid them.
8. Go beyond a compliance-driven approach to safety. Work to identify additional safety measures and precautions you can take to protect your workers better and prevent accidents.
9. Investigate all accidents and near misses to identify the root causes. Focus less on who was responsible and more on how and why the accidents or near misses occurred. Understanding the root cause can better develop solutions to prevent accidents from happening again and better protect your workers.
10. Incentive programs should encourage workers to adopt a proactive approach to construction safety. They should encourage workers to speak up and report unsafe conditions or work behavior. They should promote safe working practices rather than encouraging workers not to report incidents.
11. Conduct routine safety audits. The safety manager can either do these internally or hire an outside third party to review your safety program and practices.
Invest in improving your safety program, such as investing in new equipment or tools to improve your business. Taking a proactive approach to safety can lead to improved productivity and increase the quality of work. Companies with solid safety records tend to have better employee morale and a positive reputation in their field.
For nearly a decade, Greenup Industries has provided a full-range of specialty construction services to our diverse client base. By stressing the importance of integrity, respect, collaboration, trust, and delivery we have built a great team ready to serve you.
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