At a recent OSHA training course, multiple construction workers expressed that their biggest concern regarding safety was associated with how their employer respected their own safety at a job site. If their employer respected safety over rushing a project and cutting corners, the construction workers expressed that they noticed fewer worker-related injuries.
While the construction employer may believe they are saving costs by completing a project quickly, this could cost more in the long run as rushing comes with a higher risk of injuries. As we all know, with injuries comes the cost of workers’ compensation claims.
Accidents can occur even when safety is prioritized over efficiency. When workplace accidents happen, that is the time to evaluate how the injury occurred and assess how to prevent injuries in the future.
Invest the time to have tool box meetings discussing safety on a daily basis. Work to adapt your tool box topics to focus on how to prevent the next injury. Increase involvement of the employees in both topic selection and the actual education itself to make more of a lasting impact. Construction workers, and employees across any industry, respond better to engagement in a program than a one-sided lecture.
Most importantly, make it clear to your workers that their safety is the number one priority for the job site. In turn, you will invest in your company and may have fewer workers’ compensation claims.