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In the construction industry, safety isn’t just a matter of procedure—it’s an entire way of life. Workers must not only look out for themselves on a job site but those around them as well. It is through the development of a collective, safety-conscious mindset that companies can foster a better environment for everyone involved in a project.
Knowing how to improve safety culture in construction is vital to staying saafe and getting your work done without delays. Read on for some tips to improve your work zone safety or facility safety culture.
The first crucial step to making safety a part of your company’s overall culture is to involve the entire team throughout the whole discussion. From the head of management down to the individual workers themselves, everyone must be a part of the process and be on the same page for it to succeed. Involving everyone also allows employees to have more buy-in and thus feel the weight of the responsibility to work savely.
If you choose not to include everyone, you risk vital information getting lost or misunderstood when repeated down the chain of command. You may find that employees also have on-the-job safety tips that they have learned and can share with everyone. If your company is too big to include everyone in safety meetings, you can select members from all levels of the company to be represented in a safety committee. This ensures that everyone stays informed and all levels feel like they’re being heard.
Adequate training for new employees is vital as many safety procedures are specific to your workplace environment and cannot be assumed as knowledge even for an employee with similar job experience. Setting up a training process for each new employee can be a step for your safety committee to work on. You can also allow these training sessions to be open to other employees who might need a refresher on safety.
If you want to maintain the safety aspect of your culture long-term, it is important that you frequently retrain your employees to prioritize the safest practices. Safety steps are often set aside and shortcuts can be taken when deadlines are looming or work must be completed faster. Retraining employees reminds them of the steps that they need to be taking and that their company truly does prioritize their safety.
Retraining also stresses the impact safety has on the working environment and further ensures that your employees always know how to handle certain situations. As jobs shift and the company grows, training may apply differently to new processes. This task also keeps safety at the forefront of everyone’s minds, making them more likely to stick to regulations on the job.
Giving out rewards to those who take safety seriously is another effective method to improve safety culture in construction. Incentive programs make workers feel as though they are working toward a specific goal just by participating in safer job site practices. This is a great way to keep their interest in the subject and to encourage them to go the extra mile.
Safety culture can really take a hit when the conversation about safety turns into a joke in the workplace. Providing rewards for teams and individuals who take safety seriously is a way to help ensure the conversation around safety stays positive. Remember, cultivating a culture of safety not only ensures that your employees are unharmed, but also saves time and money from lost time and workplace accidents.
As you’re working to build a company culture focused on safety, make sure as well that you have all the equipment your workers could ever need. Take advice from your employees at all levels (or directly from your safety committee) on what tools and signage would be helpful to promote safety in your workplace. If you need help getting started, we at Traffic Safety Warehouse are dedicated to providing quality products in a cultivated selection for a wide variety of industries.
From LED road flares to regulation signage and construction traffic cones, our team is committed to providing you the best in safety for less. Listen to your employees and create a culture of openness and prioritized safety. With our help, you can put more of your time back into creating and maintaining safety practices and spend less time worrying about making the right selection in safety equipment.
