Metal Construction News, July 2019

Ongoing Training Safety training for construction companies goes beyond an initial basic safety program There are daily weekly monthly and quarterly opportunities to continually discuss and train employees in safety related matters A t Fairchance Construction Co Fairchance Pa vice president Brian D Gaudiano says the company typically has a one hour training session per month that covers general topics As OSHA issues new regulations we have training specific to those We also conduct equipment specific training as required and first aid training every two years All of our management personnel have OSHA 10 hour training at minimum We also do weekly toolbox talks on all job sites D aily toolbox meetings at Metal Building Erectors include walking the job site In addition to talking about whats going on that day what hazards might be faced what equipment is on site what other contractors are on site we provide ideas for short safety topics for the foreman to start or finish the talk with Havely explains I n recent years KRSM joined the North American Roofers Insurance NARI captive program and restructured its safety program and standard safety operating procedures They want to be and are held to a higher standard of safety Part of the process included increasing the number of full time safety personnel to expand coverage on active jobsites and increase the frequency of on site safety training Every project the company undertakes has a site specific safety plan which is developed and reviewed with employees prior to the start date A Job Hazard Analysis form is also completed and submitted to the safety department by the foreman at each jobsite on a daily basis All foremen are also required to have OSHA 30 hour certification while apprentices must have OSHA 10 hour certification K RSM management personnel are required to attend weekly company wide safety production meetings in which safety inspection results and safety related incidents or violations are reviewed and directly addressed K RSM also holds company wide mandatory quarterly safety meetings which include the proper use of personal protective equipment PPE safety rules and regulations fire prevention fall protection blood borne pathogens and hazard communication The company also has a safety committee composed of managers and field personnel that meets monthly to discuss further development of current and future safety policies and procedures In House vs Outsourcing For a company with multiple geographic locations such as KRSM which has five offices 9 Simple Steps to Get Your Safety Program Started 1 Always Set Safety and Health as the Top Priority Tell your workers that making sure they finish the day and go home safely is the way you do business Assure them that you will work with them to find and fix any hazards that could injure them or make them sick 2 Lead By Example Practice safe behaviors yourself and make safety part of your daily conversations with workers 3 Implement A Reporting System Develop and communicate a simple procedure for workers to report any injuries illnesses incidents including near misses close calls hazards or safety and health concerns without fear of retaliation Include an option for reporting hazards or concerns anonymously 4 Provide Training Train workers on how to identify and control hazards using for example OSHAs Hazard Identification Training Tool 5 Conduct Inspections Inspect the job site with workers and ask them to identify any activity piece of equipment or material that concerns them Use checklists and other resources such as OSHAs Construction Industry Digest to help identify problems 6 Collect Hazard Control Ideas Talk with workers about ideas on safety improvements throughout the project 7 Implement Hazard Controls Assign workers the task of choosing implementing and evaluating the solutions 8 Address Emergencies Identify foreseeable emergency scenarios and develop instructions on what to do in each case Meet to discuss these procedures and post them in a visible location at the job site 9 Make Improvements Set aside a regular time to discuss safety and health issues with the goal of identifying ways to improve the program Information from OSHAs Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs in Construction October 2016 across five states Abraham says there is safety personnel in each office along with a corporate safety director based out of the companys corporate headquarters At the end of the day safety is everyones job Our employees deserve it our customers expect it and the industry demands it says KRSM safety manager Jeremy Dvorcek S maller companies such as Fairchance Construction may opt to outsource all of their safety management and training Our consultant assesses all company activity and provides training based on our projects and the time of year says Gaudiano The company also has a safety committee that meets monthly to monitor its safety program We empower all employees to police safety he says We have a safety incentive program to encourage safety The incentive program rewards employees with paid time off for working safely T yler Lukart is a senior safety consultant at East Coast Risk Management North Huntingdon Pa the company hired by Fairchance to manage its safety program Construction companies that have between 25 and 50 employees dont need a full time safety professional on staff because of salary and benefits but they still need someone dedicated to safety part time he explains Thats why companies like East Coast Risk Management are beneficial L ukart is the dedicated safety professional for approximately 10 companies at a time What he does for each company depends on their needs For Fairchance hes working with them two or three days a month What I do for Fairchance in particular is I participate and manage their monthly safety committee meetings he says We talk about hazards out in the field what training they may need completed such as fall protection scaffolding aerial lifts scissor lifts etc Other things that Ill do out in the field is air monitoring for silica dust excavating and trenching training and just acting like a third party support system to be there for any questions that need to be answered A dditionally Fairchance will reach out to Lukart to go out and inspect job sites and make sure theyre in compliance with OSHA or evaluate job site activity for compliance The ultimate goal is to protect and improve our clients bottom line by taking a proactive approach by applying strategic risk management practices he adds We are very serious about the safety of our job sites Gaudiano says This translates into safe employees and safety of the public We have successfully kept our Mod Rate under 08 for the last 10 years since implementing a safety culture within the organization July 2019 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS 31 www metalconstruct ionnews com