Efficient job sites

Safety first, always

Construction worker adding roofing to frame work.

Even though most are aware that the construction industry has a reputation of generating some of the most hazardous work environments, there are still business owners and site managers who attempt to save on time and money by avoiding safety inspections and training. Workplaces that get professionally reviewed in regards to safety protocols tend to have fewer injury claims than those that do not get inspected … so it’s in any company’s best interest to put safety first at all times.

Best place to start? If you haven’t done so already, consulting with some experts to create specific safety protocols for your company would be a great first step. That way, these specific, company-wide protocols can be in place at all times, at every jobsite. It’s not enough to simply tell your employees or print out a list of what to do and what not to do on a jobsite. The alternative to this is dire since on-site injuries negatively impact a company and its bottom line in many different ways. Whether it’s employee days lost due to recuperation, damage to a company’s reputation, disruption of cash low or even legal fees … these things will all have an extremely negative impact.

It’s important to remember that each jobsite is unique, so each jobsite needs to be assessed separately for particular problems or challenges that workers might face and could cause injury. And of course, the most logical place to start in reducing your chances of workplace injuries on each specific jobsite is by creating awareness. So after assessment and before a project starts, it’s necessary to meet with your employees to go over the rules and guidelines for preventing accidents.

There’s never a bad time to review the current procedures and guidelines you have in place. Ask yourself and your employees this question, “what procedures have been working for us and what could still be improved?” Getting feedback from the group can greatly contribute to your company’s jobsite safety efforts.

It’s also important to remember that jobsite safety is the responsibility of the entire team, not just the person that is in charge of safety protocol. During safety meetings, keep your workers fully engaged by creating activities, asking questions and providing hands-on exercises such as, worksite walk arounds, equipment checks, etc. Whether it’s asking your workers about the potential hazards they’ve noticed, personal experiences they’ve had or witnessed or discussing recent news stories involving jobsite accidents, all of these things can not only help with reducing jobsite accidents but they can also help with retention.

Lastly, be sure to keep the ball rolling. Meetings before a job start are meant to highlight the importance of safety on each specific jobsite but efforts shouldn’t just end when the week is over or when a specific project is finished. Meetings regarding each jobsite are extremely helpful but they should be in addition to regular trainings, as these trainings will highlight the importance of general safety at all times. No matter how many times you’ve gone over the guidelines, you never know what meeting might make the difference.

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Buildertrend Staff

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