F E AT U R E Five Ways to Ensure the Safety of Your Workers Without Breaking the Bank by Michael Zalle, YellowBird
Safety is a critical challenge for employers across the country and construction remains heavily regulated. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in 2020 alone, the three main general safety and health inspections totaled more than 1,300 recorded violations¹. Each of these violations can cost between $14k and $135k, a hefty expense for subcontractors. The citations, along with potential injuries and fatalities, can be avoided by following safety programs, implementing training sessions, and seeking out environmental, health and safety (EHS) expertise. As the
construction industry intensifies recruiting efforts, you should consider safety a valuable recruiting factor, implementing simple steps, and leveraging new tech solutions. Here are five ways you can ensure your subcontracting company is compliant, keeps workers safe, and saves thousands of dollars.
1. Make Safety One of Your Company’s Top Values Due to the amount of physical labor required in construction jobs, it’s imperative that the workforce be properly trained. To avoid incidents, fatalities, and fines from various
government agencies, compliance should be a top priority. This should be a sincere effort and a constant reminder for workers of all ages, sexual orientations, and genders.
2. Host Safety Sessions Mandatory to All Workers Your employees will do what they see management do. Training sessions are no exception. Your company management team can set an example and show that safety is for everyone, not just for frontline workers. Demonstrate that the entire company is invested in the safety and health of all employees.
¹ https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/MFC_Construction_FY20.pdf
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