Jorge Castanon, Safety Consultant, FRSA Self Insurer's Fund
A commitment to safety requires that jobsite safety is placed above everything else. That means before profitability, costs, productivity, timelines, etc. Your employees are your number one asset, so by committing to safety, you are proving to them that their safety is your top concern on every project, which in turn instills confidence and builds trust. Putting safety first can actually help reduce costs and improve productivity on the job site. Accidents lead to cost overruns and project delays and can impact profits as well.
Improving safety will mean fewer days lost due to accident and injuries. A strong safety record can also help reduce insurance costs. Most work comp carriers will offer you a discount if you have a safety program in place. You will also save with a lower experience mod rating when you have fewer or no claims.
Properly training your workers is the easiest way to improve your company’s safety culture and should not be a one-time event. Safety training should be a continual effort to help reinforce best practices. Ongoing training will help your workers better retain what they are taught and keeps safety at the top of their minds. It will also show your workers that you are committed to keeping them safe and healthy.
Put together a Safety Committee that includes employees from all levels of your company. Get them involved in reviewing and updating your company’s safety program, crafting job site-specific safety plans during the preconstruction phase of each project and helping identify potential hazards and safety concerns. Workers who participate in the process of building and improving safety culture will feel invested and are more likely to take safety seriously. They are also more likely to communicate their concerns if they feel their input is valued.
Hopefully, your company already has a good safety culture, but there’s always room for improvement. Having a rock-solid safety culture means making the commitment to put safety first. Instituting programs and procedures that reinforce that commitment takes time, employee engagement and continual adjustments to improve.
Remember, safety training is key to preventing accidents and injuries.
The FRSA Self Insurer’s Fund (FRSA-SIF) has professional safety consultants throughout the state who are willing to provide SIF members with safety training at no additional cost. To find out if you qualify for FRSASIF membership, please contact us at 800-767-3772 ext. 206, or email us at alexis@frsasif.com. To learn more about the FRSA Self Insurers Fund, please visit www.frsasif.com.