Tag: safety
These items have all been tagged with the tag "safety", You can see other tags in the Tag CloudConstruction Business Owner, May 2008
At a recent speaking engagement for business owners addressing how to implement effective safety programs, I had a question from a member of the audience-we'll call him Bob. Bob asked why he should invest in safety. He told me he has insurance if an employee gets injured, he has a safety manual, OSHA has never bothered him and the only employee injuries so far have been minor. Why should he do more if what he's doing now is working?
Construction Business Owner, May 2008
The single largest cause of safety non-compliance is inattention to safety details on the part of the individual worker. This inattention generally results from the repetitive nature of most work performed by the worker and the natural comfort that comes from repetitive action. Even for the experienced worker, such comfort is false at best, as each new project and each new day on the same project bring different challenges. The best way to combat this laxity which comes with the repetitive action is through constant daily reminders about safety through a team approach. Following is a basic outline of daily safety meetings and suggestions for project safety and a demonstration of how they will help prevent on-the-job injury.
Construction Business Owner, May 2008
Personal safety training is needed on every job, although some job categories, by definition, require more detailed safety precautions than others. Employers, who are responsible for implementing most job training, may wonder which type of training is better: traditional hands-on or electronic.
Both types of training offer distinct advantages for employees, business owners and safety directors. Using both, people benefit from subject variety, use of time, course customization, training consistency, organized recordkeeping and best use of training personnel.
Construction Business Owner, May 2008
As many of us in the construction industry, I was fortunate to learn the business from the ground up. Growing up on a farm in central Virginia, I had been running equipment of some sort since I was twelve years old, so naturally becoming an operator was my calling.
While I was working in Kansas City, MO, in the mid-1980s I jumped off my 4100 onto a patch of ice and, you can guess the rest of the story. I ended up with a bulge at the L4-L5 vertebrae. I was lucky enough to work for a contractor who, even in the 1980s, had a strong return-to-work program. During the four weeks I was in therapy, the contractor had me come into the office and do paperwork, help in the bidding process by calling subcontractors and suppliers and perform various other duties.
Q:
Where do I get assistance for writing an effective safety program?
A:
First of all, I would like to say how important it is to have an effective, written safety program specific to your company. All too often, businesses go on the Internet and purchase a safety plan that claims to be "plug-and-play" where someone plugs in some names, clicks a few buttons and "poof," an effective safety plan appears on-screen ready to print out. If you have ever heard the saying it's too good to be true, then that's probably the case.
Q:
We have stackable trench boxes rated for 25 feet total. Do I need to use a Registered Professional Engineer (RPE) to design our protective system for our 22-foot deep trench? Could you also give me a brief overview of trenching and excavation safety facts?
Construction Business Owner, January 2008
Tell the truth. What are your real expectations for your safety management program? “Let’s be honest,” said one exasperated construction business owner. “I’d be happy if it only got my workers to do what they’re supposed to do in the first place.”
Construction Business Owner, December 2007
Since the early twentieth century, the United States has had a massive building boom, both for residential homes and commercial properties. This increase in property value and material goods can be seen as beneficial to America’s overall economy and has permitted property ownership to become one of the safest and most reliable investments available. However, the benefits of this thriving building economy have also collaterally brought upon an unfortunate variable—a dramatic rise in construction injuries.Construction Business Owner, November 2007
Since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) first began to regulate safety practices among employers in 1971, some construction business owners have worried that training and compliance programs might impose an unnecessary financial burden on their operations. Employers have also discovered that keeping pace with OSHA regulations can be confusing and time-consuming. These concerns are especially common among the owners of small to medium-sized businesses who believe they have the least amount of time and resources to spare for safety training. Unfortunately, smaller firms have the highest rate of accidents in the construction industry. For these companies, weighing the costs versus the benefits of safety programs is a crucial matter.
Construction Business Owner, September 2007
People manage risk in a variety of ways—some do so in a highly structured manner, while others take a much more laissez-faire approach. Some people think that since you cannot know what will happen, don't worry about it; just deal with it when it happens. Unfortunately, those who manage risk this way will most likely be managing the risk of losing their job.
