7 minute read
Construction Safety & Compliance
Construction Safety & Compliance: An Interview with John Neil
Construction Outlook magazine Editors recently caught up with John Neil at a busy construction site in Allston, MA. John is the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Manager for New England operations at UCANE member firm Skanska USA - Boston. We were able to get a few minutes of John’s time to speak with him about the importance of Safety in today’s heavy civil construction industry.
Will you please tell us a little about your background, why and how you chose to get into the field of Construction Safety, and how you arrived at Skanska USA-Boston?
After graduating from UMass-Lowell with a BS in Industrial Engineering, I began my construction safety career more than 35 years ago at Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance. While at Liberty Mutual I earned my MBA from Clark University. I spent over 19 years at Liberty Mutual primarily serving our largest contracting clients and became their Managing Director of Construction & Transportation. Their mission of “Helping people live safer, more secure lives” has stuck with me to this day. In 2007, I made the switch to the construction industry with stops at Shawmut Design & Construction and then The Walsh Group focusing on heavy civil construction.
In 2017, I was fortunate to join Skanska USA-Civil in our Boston office as Area EHS Manager for New England. I am so proud to be a part of the Skanska organization where their “Care for Life” core value is all about the health and safety of people and our environment. It truly makes you feel good about waking up everyday to go to work. Our parent company in Sweden, Skanska-AB, established in 1887, has grown into one of the largest contractors in the world with 30,000 employees working worldwide and generating revenues exceeding $17B/year. The USA subsidiary started in 1971. It consists of three main divisions, Building Operations, Commercial Development, and Civil Projects. Skanska-USA now employs about 7,500 people and had billings of over $6B in 2021.
Skanska USA-Boston is part of the Civil Projects division and as such our office concentrates on bidding
Can you tell us a little about Skanska, and as one of 30 Skanska offices operating throughout the USA, what type of projects does Skanska-Boston pursue and construct?
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heavy civil works and large infrastructure jobs both private and public. We will pursue roads, bridges, rail/subways, airports, power plants, etc. throughout New England. We most recently completed projects for MassDOT at Chelsea Viaduct, MBTA at Ruggles Station, Northeastern University’s Pedestrian Bridge, and are currently working on the Harvard University-Allston Campus, the RIDOT I-95 NB Providence Viaduct, and the South Coast Rail Commuter Line Project in Fall River
As EHS Manager for Skanska-Boston, what
are your daily duties, and how many sites Boston Area and workers might be active in an average week? Locations
2 Dexter Street Everett, MA 02149
Boston Area Boston Area
Locat431 Sec ionsond Street Locations 2 Dexte Everett r , Street MA 021 2 49 Dexter Street Everett, MA 021 Eve49 rett, MA 02149 431 Second Stre 43et 1 Second Street Everett, MA 021 Eve49 rett, MA 02149 Skanska-Boston will typically have 5-10 large heavy civil projects actively working. That means multiple subs and anywhere from 50 to 300+ skilled craft workers in the field on a daily basis. As the Area EHS Manager, I’ll be communicating daily with our five EHS Managers and Coordinators, serving our project teams, our skilled craft trades, and subcontractors implementing our Environmental Health and Safety system.
Our EHS staff are my eyes and ears in the field and I’m so fortunate to have a very talented and experienced team. Together with our project teams we are committed to a Plan>Do>Check>Act process and continuous improvement. Our comprehensive program has several key elements and leading indicators that guide our projects towards our goal of an Injury Free Workplace. Construction Work Plans, Daily Hazard Analysis, EHS Inspections, Crew Reviews, Project Safety Committees, Internal and External Safety Audits are just some of those key elements driving our program.
Additionally, Skanska emphasizes Executive Site Safety Visits (ESSV) to all of our projects. Corporate wants all workers to know that the entire project team is involved and engaged in Safety.
BOSTON AREA LOCATIONS 2 Dexter Street Everett, MA 02149
100 Fremont Street Worcester, MA 01603 431 Second Street Everett, MA 02149
Serves over 2500 customers a week and is one New England's largest buyers, Serves over 2500 customers a week and is one of New England’s largest sellers and processors of scrap metal. For over 60 years our goal has remainedbuyers, sellers, and processors of scrap metal. For over 60 years our goal the same - to provide the best prices in the industry along with top notch has remained the same - to provide the best prices in the industry along with customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 top notch customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505
Can you describe the safety culture that exists at Skanska-Boston, and how safety programs and performances are coordinated between the home office (Skanska-AB in Stockholm, Sweden), Skanska USA (New York), and SkanskaBoston?
The safety culture at all the Skanska subsidiaries starts at the very top, Skanska-AB in Serves over 2500 customers a week and is one New England's largest buyers, Sweden. Every manager, supersellers and Servesprocessors of over 2500 customers a week and is one New England'sscrap metal. For over 60 years our goal has remained visor, and skilled craft must make largest buyers, the same - to sellersprovide the and best processors prices in theof scrap industry metal. along For over 60 yearswith top notch our goal safety part of their daily routine. has remained customer service! the same - to provide the best pricesCall Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 in the industry along with top Skanska considers their employnotch customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 ees to be their most valuable asset and that attitude must be transmitted by every level of Skanska leadTurn your metal into money today! ership to the skilled trades in the Turn your metal into money today! Minichiello Bros. Inc.,/Scrap-It Inc. Minichiello Bros. Inc./Scrap-It Inc. field. continued on page 27
All the Skanska offices place safety above cost and schedule and any employee has the ability to question any field procedure that he/she thinks would compromise safety without fear of reprisal. Every single individual on a Skanska project has Stop Work Authority.
At Skanska-Boston we operate every day following the corporate value known as “Care for Life.” We truly care about the health and well-being of every employee as well as the environment. Skanska USA builds projects for a better society and every office is committed to doing it while providing an injury-free and transparent workplace and, at the same time, while protecting the environment to the fullest extent possible.
Our Safety, Health and Environmental Management System (SHEMS) is the program we implement to address risk and to carry out operations and activities. This management system is designed to make safety, health, and environmental care an integral part of all projects and a responsibility of all that work on our projects.
The construction industry continues to struggle with staffing issues for most trades as well as many professional positions. Has Skanska-Boston been able to recruit new safety talent? As a Safety Professional what is your advice to others who are considering a career in Construction Safety?
There is no question we are facing a challenge when it comes to a shortage of trades in this industry, but that also means this industry is thriving and there is no shortage of work. We have been able to recruit not only talented professionals in key operational and safety positions, but thanks to our union partnerships we are able to attract and retain skilled craft in key leadership and supervisory roles. People want to come to work for Skanska for many of the reasons I have stated above.
My advice to anyone considering a career as a Safety Professional is if you enjoy helping people there is no more exciting, challenging, gratifying and rewarding career than the Construction Safety Industry; and there is a lot of work left to be done. n
