“Safety belongs to everyone”: the most valued by construction leaders

Construction Security Week offers the opportunity to reflect on good practices and a renewed commitment to training and compliance.

But it is also an opportunity to explore new approaches and techniques that can help continue improving workplace safety.

Construction Dive asked several environmental, safety and security leaders to work for main players in the industry for areas that companies could pay more attention to improve security. Their answers work with the range, from physical and mental health to the execution of a well thought out plan.

Jeff Palombo, Robins and Morton Vice President of Security: A couple of areas that contractors and security experts should pay more attention to continuing to improve the safety of the workplace are the integration of human performance methodologies and data -based decision -making.

First, focusing on the identification and elimination of errors precursors and latent organizational weaknesses that contribute to human error, contractors can better understand the factors of the operating system that drive human behavior. Contractors use this understanding to reduce the likelihood and severity of workplace incidents with the integration of consequence control strategies, constructing failure resilience.

Secondly, through the collection and analysis of observational data, contractors can create a more accurate image of the conditions that can occur and how to improve security in their projects.

Hannah Waters, Vice President of Jacobs of Health, Security and Environment: In addition to focusing on high-risk and safety activities on the site, our industry could provide more mental health care and well-being. Although physical security is essential, it is important to address the psychological aspects of workers’ health.

Providing support resources, promoting open communication, and fostering a support environment of support can help to mitigate stress, improve the general satisfaction of work and, finally, influence safe and safe decision -making.

In collaboration with global mental health professionals, Jacobs developed a million lives: a free mental health registration tool and resources that allow users to check their mental health and access proactive strategies for personal mental health development.

Todd Friis, Vice President of Clayco, President of Risk Management: Planning. It sounds basic, but the planning is where the safety begins and often where it fails. Obviously, you have to be in the field of audit and observation, but we see great value to establish good plans before the work begins. Too many incidents are the result of precipitated or incomplete planning programs.

We make specific security plans for the site for the project that take into account the requirements of our program, plus the state and client requirements, until even the project begins. In the same way, before any of our subcontractors begins work, they must create their own specific security plan for the site to how they will make their field of work safely.

We have daily coordination meetings and weekly appearance meetings. We also have each crew complete a daily safety analysis of the task, an exercise that incorporates all other considerations, as it is mapped as safely addressing its specific tasks of the day.

We find again and again that projects and contractors that emphasize solid plans give rise to a part of the maximum safety performance.

Shaun Carvalho, Shawmut Design and Construction Security Director: Ensuring that commercial partners have a good safe experience that is based on respect, both physical and psychological, is vital for the future of the industry.

Traders work in various places and for various annual contractors. As construction managers, we must align in providing the best mental and physical health resources and support, creating inclusive environments where everyone can do their best.

Steve Spaulding, Turner Turner Safety, Health and Safety Manager: First, we need to go beyond the idea that security is solely the responsibility of the “security expert”. Security belongs to everyone.

All the people at the workplace must feel empowered to speak, to protect and one another. This is what it means to me (this week’s topic): a culture of shared responsibility and collective care. Proactive planning for high -risk activities must be a maximum priority in all conversations, because it is where the greatest potential of severe injuries or fatalities is found.

We have made real progress to increase the standards of attention and build environments where people feel safe and support. Equally important is to continue to talk openly about mental well -being. Increasing care for psychological security is a positive change and we will continue to expand awareness, resources and support.

Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen a culture where the worker is more important than the work: here security is not a checklist, but a mentality and a mission. These are daily care acts that reflect who we are and what we value.

Thibodeaux Tricia, Vice President of Fluorine Health, Safety and Environment: Contractors and security experts must focus on cultivating a strong culture of security through demonstrated care and management commitment. When workers feel really valued, they are more likely to adopt safe practices, report risks, collaborate in security planning and become security leaders.

Culture can be elevated through regular security meetings, open communication channels and visible involvement of leadership in security initiatives. When focusing on these areas, companies can improve workplace safety and create a safer and more productive work environment for all employees.

Lonnie Schock, member of the Environmental and Security and Leadership Safety Team: DPR: We believe that improvements require an approach beyond the typical “physical security” environment to include holistic/whole health approaches, including the expansion of industry focus on mental health. Recent studies show that construction workers have a high risk of mental health problems, with a suicide rate 3.5 times higher than the national average.

Having a better understanding of personal well -being, nutrition and mental health will help involve teams and lead to safer projects and a safer industry in general. We are working together with our partners and colleagues in the industry to raise awareness of these problems, including recognition when helping, eliminating stigma around having these types of important conversations and “working on the left” to ensure that people are healthy anyway.