Managing Your Business Construction Safety Programs
Written safety programs are the foundation of a comprehensive safety program for employers in the construction industry.
Specialized
trade contractors, general trade contractors and construction managers
should all have effective safety programs in place to control the many
hazards employees face during a construction project.
All
companies want to keep their workers safe and prevent accidents and
incidents. Many contractors are required to submit a copy of their
construction safety program, along with job-specific proposals, before
working for municipalities, schools, government agencies or large
companies. In some cases, written safety programs are also required by
OSHA standards.
What is included in a construction safety program?
A
typical construction safety program should be comprehensive, address
the hazards workers may encounter during normal activities and identify
potential emergencies. Ideally, the program begins with a safety policy
statement from a senior executive of the company, clearly stating the
expectations of and support for the safety program. The safety program
also includes specific modules that address various aspects of the work
or specific hazards the workers may encounter. Most companies will have
a general safety program for the general types of hazards, and then
develop site-specific safety programs to address the anticipated
hazards on a specific job site.
How do I implement a safety program?
A
needs assessment based on potential hazards is the first step in
determining what programs must be developed. Next, the safety director
or safety consultant should write the programs. Before writing the
programs, it is important to obtain input and feedback from the workers
who will actually be doing the jobs covered by the program. It is also
important to schedule training for workers in the requirements of the
program, and to provide reinforcement of those requirements through
daily job briefings and weekly safety meetings. In addition, regularly
follow up and audit the activities in the workplace to ensure that the
programs are being followed and to learn how the programs may be able
to be improved.
What are the benefits of a safety program?
There are many benefits of having a written, comprehensive construction safety program. They include
- Improved safe work performance, with better efficiency and productivity
- Lower direct and indirect costs associated with injuries
- Access to more bid opportunities
- Better control of safety of your subcontractors
- Improved ability to keep the project on schedule
For
further discussion of your specific needs and information on a
construction safety program, please contact Dan Bruun, CIH, Vice
President, at 888-873-9983, ext. 17, or email.
Reduce Your Workers’ Compensation Insurance Cost
For
most companies, the cost of workers’ compensation insurance is a major
expense. However, there is a way to reduce that expense. Forming a
safety committee can provide real savings for your company. A
well-designed and administered safety committee can help to reduce the
burden of running a safety program and increase the return on the
investment.
The benefits to forming an effective safety committee include
- Increased employee involvement
- Increased productivity
- Increased morale
- Decreased injuries and illnesses
- Decreased waste of materials
- Decreased cost of insurance coverage
In
reviewing the benefits, let’s begin at the bottom and work our way up.
Pennsylvania provides a 5 percent reduction in your workers’
compensation premium if you have an effective safety committee that
meets the state’s criteria. Pennsylvania offers this savings in
recognition that having an effective safety committee typically reduces
workers’ compensation costs by much more than the 5 percent. If an
employer has an effective committee, both the employer and the state
win. It’s a good return on investment for both parties.
Both
material waste and injury and illness rates are reduced. Morale is
increased through the improvement in both the ability to be involved in
decision-making and improvement in workplace conditions. Productivity
is improved as people are working smarter and safer. The burden of
running the safety program is reduced as the responsibility for safety
is switched from a selected few to all employees served by the safety
committee.
The safety committee can serve as the
H.E.A.R.T. (Hazard Evaluation Accident Review Team) of your safety and
health program. It can help to strengthen the body of the program by
detecting conditions that could or have caused harm, and then pumping
information into the program to protect it from that harm or to repair
the harm that has occurred. Using the heart and body analogy, if one
hazard that you have is chemical use and your program to address
hazardous chemicals is weak, you need to strengthen that “muscle” by
having the H.E.A.R.T. remove the weak parts of the program, and then
rebuild it.
How do you establish an effective safety committee?
Why is a committee needed?
Who should be involved?
What should their responsibilities be?
When should they meet?
Where should they meet?
For answers to these and other questions, or for assistance in
establishing or revitalizing a safety committee, please contact Colin
J. Brigham, CIH, CSP, CPE, CPEA, Vice President, at 888-873-9983, ext.
24, or email.
Legionella and Legionnaires’ Disease
What
should you do if an employee or occupant at your facility is diagnosed
with Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac fever? How would you respond? Who
should be involved? A methodical approach to this situation is crucial.
If there is a confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease, or worse, a
death, it is essential to have a plan that addresses all of the issues.
It
is best to have a written, well-thought-out plan in advance of any
health-related issue; however, with Legionnaires’ disease it is
critical. Whenever there is a case of Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac
fever, the essential steps to reduce the potential for additional cases
and to respond to the immediate issues include the following:
- Shut off drinking-water supplies; use bottled water
- Shutdown outdoor air intakes if there are cooling towers
- Consult
with a physician to assess specific risk factors in other occupants
such as the elderly, smokers and immuno-compromised individuals
- Consult with an industrial hygienist with significant expertise in Legionella assessments
- Have
the industrial hygienist conduct a walk-through survey to identify
potential Legionella bacteria reservoirs and pathways for potential
exposure
- Develop a sampling plan and collect water samples for Legionella analysis using PCR and culturable methodologies
- Address human resource needs and facility-related issues
- Evaluate hot water temperatures
- Evaluate the current treatment and maintenance procedures for cooling towers and for water distribution and storage systems
- Have the industrial hygienist review laboratory data with medical and facilities components
- Design and implement treatment options based on laboratory results and
water sources found to be positive for the Legionella bacteria
- Conduct follow-up sampling after treatment and following any plumbing modifications
- Develop a Legionella control plan
- Conduct annual audits of the plan’s effectiveness
Here are a few facts worth remembering:
- Legionella bacteria are naturally occurring and can be found in outdoor water sources
- Legionella bacteria grow best in warm water, typically 95 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit
- Just one colony of Legionella pneumophila bacteria in a drinking water system is a concern
- There is no validated air sampling method for the Legionella bacteria
- Treatment of water systems is not always effective due to slime layers, corrosion and sediment.
Remember,
Legionella outbreaks can be prevented with the development and
implementation of an effective Legionella control plan. For more
information, please contact Harry M. Neill, CIH at 888-873-9983, ext.
15, or email.