Safety & Health Magazine – According to a report by the Center of Construction Research and Training, worker fatalities in the construction industry have increased 16% since 2011. Research shows the number one cause of death continues to be from falls, and electrical power-line installers have the greatest risk of death among all construction occupations, with a death rate of 48.6.
This growth in fatalities has outpaced the growth in construction work and construction employment during the same period. As construction jobs increase and companies hire more employees, training falls to the side in favor of cutting corners and cutting costs.
Associated General Contractors of America and Carolinas Associated General Contractors have issued a 12-step plan aimed at reversing the trend of construction worker fatalities. While not all are essential to create a safe working environment, these recommendations can help foster positive attitudes towards workplace safety.
- Establish a ‘buddy system’ for new hires and training.
- Conduct safety orientation sessions for new hires, including temporary workers.
- Ensure managers and supervisors have the appropriate leadership and effective communication skills for instilling safety culture and concepts into the workforce.
- Institute pre-task hazard analysis training programs.
- Host monthly “Lunch and Learn” safety training programs.
- Require foremen and superintendents to attend leadership in safety excellence certification courses.
- Host targeted training to address all safety incidents.
- Make sure training and materials are in a language the workforce understands.
- Train your trainers.
- Create task-specific pocket safety guides.
- Establish craft-specific safety mentoring programs.
- Issue easy-to-read badges to workers indicating their level of training.
For more recommendations on creating a safety oriented environment, feel free to contact The Integrated Group at 425-822-8500 of info@theintegratedgroup.com.
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