Safety culture has a rather dark past. The term first entered the mainstream when it was used in the 1986 Chernobyl accident report prepared by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The term was used in the context of how the behaviors of those in charge of the nuclear plant resulted in the disaster that unfolded. Ever since then, companies have ensured that they propagate a culture of safety in their workspaces to mitigate injuries and accidents.
The construction industry can involve work that often has high risks associated with it. Therefore, it is important that construction companies incorporate safe practices into their operations to keep their employees safe. Stronghold Engineering, Inc. has been an active member of the construction industry for 30 years. Stronghold prides itself over its safety culture, which is one of the core values of the company. In all the projects that the company has undertaken, it has ensured that the safety of its employees is the topmost priority. Stronghold not only adheres to the basic criteria of safety as set out by the Occupational Health & Safety Regulations but has also implemented these requirements in a manner that has set it apart from its competitors. In 2020, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of California awarded Stronghold Engineering first place for its Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEAs).
AGC of California has been keeping an eye on the construction industry since 1920. The CSEAs were started with the aim of recognizing those construction companies that have excelled in providing a safe working environment. The CSEAs have been divided into four main categories. These include the building division; the heavy, civil and highway division; the specialty contractor division; and CSEA specialized. Stronghold won first place in the Specialty Contractor Division in the “Under 500,000 worker hours” category.
Stronghold’s commitment to its worker’s safety is appreciable. It is not surprising, then, that Stronghold has earned the Top Workplace by the Inland News Group. Moreover, the company has won this award from 2015 to 2019. This award is a testament that the executives at Stronghold take the safety and well-being of their employees seriously. In this article, we will discuss why safety is a big concern at Stronghold Engineering and how they have been able to consistently provide a safe working space for their employees.
Major risks in the construction industry
There is no doubt that working in the construction industry comes with certain risks. That does not, however, mean that one should accept workplace injuries as commonplace. In fact, it is important that steps are taken to mitigate these risks as much as possible. Workplace injuries in the construction industry can be divided into five broad categories:
- falling from heights
- slipping or tripping
- being trapped under something
- being struck by a moving object
- injuries during lifting or carrying
It has been found that falling from heights accounts for 49 per cent of fatalities in the construction industry while being trapped under something results in 18 percent of fatalities. Slipping or tripping accounts for 25 percent of non-fatal injuries.
Mitigating Risks
Though the line of work may be dangerous, steps can be taken to ensure that disaster is averted. When it comes to safety, the role of the leadership in a company goes beyond just creating a safety handbook, it requires a full-time commitment. The executives at Stronghold have taken full responsibility for increasing safety in the workspace as they are the ones that serve as role models for the rest of the employees. Here are some ways Stronghold has made safety an essential feature of its company culture.
Safety Training
At Stronghold, ensuring safety starts even before its employees commence work at the company. When hiring people, Stronghold looks for whether prospective employees embody the core values of the company, of which safety is one. This has given Stronghold the advantage of having like-minded people under one roof. When everyone is on the same page about the importance of safety, workplace injuries become infrequent.
Once a person has been selected by Stronghold, they would still not be allowed on site without mandatory safety training. Complete awareness of any hazards at the site of construction is necessary otherwise employees are at the risk of injuring themselves and those around them. Not only are employees required to understand potential hazards, but they are also expected to always remain vigilant. To facilitate its employees, Stronghold organizes refresher training in-house or sends its employees to formal education institutes. As the company continues to grow and takes on more varied tasks, the safety training of its employees follows suit. This ensures that Stronghold’s employees are always up to date on the latest procedures and practices.
Equipment Inspection
The construction industry utilizes a lot of different equipment. This equipment ranges from the harmless tape measure to the potentially dangerous jackhammer. If, however, the multiple tools being used at the construction site are inspected regularly, the chances of an equipment-related injury are vastly decreased. This responsibility falls on both the employers and the employees to ensure that all equipment is working properly and should there be a defect, it must be reported to the concerned individuals immediately.
All employees at Stronghold are also provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). PPE is designed to withstand rough working conditions and has been known to prevent injuries in multiple situations, such as falling objects, handling sharp items, or slipping and tripping.
Communication
Stronghold Engineering believes in the importance of open communication. If there is a risk on-site, it is important that those who have identified the risk communicate the risk’s existence to other employees and those in charge. Having open communication lines has allowed Stronghold to greatly mitigate workplace injuries and which has made everyone’s job easier and much safer.
Stronghold has been able to achieve open communication between employees by equipping them with walkie-talkies or headsets. This allows for fast communication between team members which has been able to avert danger in the past. This has not only allowed Stronghold to complete projects faster but also has helped keep all team members in the loop.
Documentation
Stronghold makes sure that there is proper documentation for all work that is undertaken on a project site. This ensures that the company is always in regulatory compliance. This means that Stronghold always has the necessary licenses and registrations for the projects they are assigned. Complete documentation is crucial because licenses are proof that the company and its employees possess the necessary training and tasks can be completed safely.
Updating Best Practices
One of the many tasks of the corporate safety team at Stronghold Engineering is to frequently visit project sites and communicate with the team as to how best practices could be incorporated into the work that they are doing. The corporate safety team continues to play an important role at Stronghold by revising and upgrading company regulations in accordance with emerging best practices and then also ensuring implementation. An instance of Stronghold going beyond the bare minimum requirements, especially when it comes to the safety of its employees, is that Federal and State Regulations only require Safety Glasses for tasks that require them. However, the safety team noticed that there had been an increase in eye-related injuries resulting from tasks that did not require Safety Glasses. They, therefore, decided to make Safety Glasses mandatory across the company.
By adopting the practices discussed above, Stronghold has been able to greatly decrease the risk of injury in its workplace. As a result of its continued commitment to safety, Stronghold has completed several projects with zero reported injuries. This is also the reason why Stronghold continues to be a top working place for professionals in the construction industry.