Safety - collective commitment and shared responsibility

The rain (hopefully) is behind us and the sun is taking its spot high above California as summer quickly approaches.

It is the time of year we welcome warmer weather and increased production at our worksites. It is also a time when we can fall victim to distraction while we work. We all know, however, those distractions can have dire consequences.

Safety has always been an important part of the construction sector. For most companies in our industry, it is the top priority. Each company at CalCIMA, no doubt, has robust safety policies and protocols but it takes more than programs and slogans and incentives to realize a successful program. Workplace safety requires a collective commitment and shared responsibility to have a safety mindset. It is essential that all stakeholders actively engage in safety and participate in training and educating each other. Most importantly, we all need to remain focused on the task at hand while keeping a mindful eye on each other. A good safety culture is not developed through top down communication but rather through peer to peer engagement. We should routinely encourage each other to speak up if we see unsafe practices in our facilities and respectfully challenge our team members on potentially unsafe actions.

As you head into summer, take a moment to shake off the distractions and double down on your commitment to your company’s safety program, the safety of your colleagues and your personal safety. It may just save someone’s life. n

Jamie Polomsky President - Western Division Vulcan Materials Company CalCIMA Chairman