Is workplace safety important? “Of course!,” you answer immediately. It’s a no-brainer. Subcontractors agree that workplace safety should always be the number one priority in all types of businesses. However, there is more to construction safety than you might think. Here are some of the reasons why workplace safety is important. 

Why is Workplace Safety Important? 

1. Safety reduces the risk of injury and death.  

All industries have a safety risk, but construction is one of the most dangerous. According to the latest data from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), there were a total of 971 construction fatalities recorded in the United States in 2017, amounting to 20.7% of the total worker deaths during the year.  

OSHA cites four leading causes of fatality in the industry—falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, and being caught-in/between hazards. According to the agency, eliminating the risk brought by these “fatal four” will save 582 workers’ lives in America every year. 

More than your employees’ importance to your bottom line, they are first and foremost human. Human lives are priceless. Injuries and death affect more than a single person and the impact is devastating to their families, their colleagues, and the community. You owe it to your employees to provide a safe working environment. 

2. Safety increases employee engagement. 

Employee engagement is one of the pressing issues in the construction industry today. The dynamics of working in the field are different from those of working in an office. Employee absenteeism and attrition will severely hamper your operation if not addressed immediately.  

One way to improve engagement and increase employee satisfaction is by prioritizing workplace safety. For instance, you can involve employees in the creation of safety measures through walk-throughs and incident reports. As they are the ones facing dangers each day, your employees have valuable insight into how to improve safety.  

By actively making safety improvements in the workplace, you can build the trust and loyalty of employees. Employees will be more likely to show pride in their job and increase their productivity. 

3. Safety improves your reputation in the community. 

News of accidents and injuries caused by employers falling short of safety standards can spread like wildfire in the industry. This can severely impact your reputation among clients and stakeholders. Nobody wants to do business with a company with a bad safety reputation.  

On the other side of the coin, a safe work environment demonstrates a company’s social responsibility. It helps promote the company’s brand and attract new customers and helps it retain existing clients. A good safety reputation also attracts new employees. Especially now that there is a persisting labor shortage in the industry, prioritizing safety in the workplace can go a long way in attracting better talent.  

How to Prioritize Workplace Safety 

Now that we have established the reasons to improve workplace safety, it is now time to take proactive steps to reach this goal. Here are some of the ways you can create safe working conditions for your employees. 

1. Conduct regular workplace safety checks 

Nothing beats conducting safety checks to identify and assess the hazards present in the workplace. The data collected from this analysis will be the basis to create or improve your own safety programs.  

You need to check three areas when conducting a safety analysis: 

• Environmental hazards. These are the conditions on the site that may cause accidents, such as uneven floor surfaces, dust, and poor lighting. 
• Equipment. All pieces of equipment, especially heavy machinery, have their own associated risk. Lack of maintenance further increases this danger. 
• Employee behavior. How employees go about their day-to-day tasks, such as handling chemicals and using work tools, may also cause unnecessary hazards.  

Site walk-throughs and interviewing employees will give you important insight into the current state of your workplace safety. However, you should also conduct surprise checks to ensure that your findings are accurate.  

2. Invest in personal protective equipment. 

Another important part of workplace safety is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE is specialized equipment that protects individual employees from different safety risks present in the construction workplace.  

Different working conditions require different protective equipment. Before investing in PPE, identify the dangers present in the workplace and pick the pieces of equipment that address them. For example, construction workers that are in danger of being hit by falling objects should get hard hats, while those that are in dusty conditions should have breathing masks.  

3. Develop a workplace safety program. 

Workplace safety is a continuing process and requires team effort to be effective. Developing a company-wide program dedicated to safety lets your company have a firm foundation to educate both new and existing employees on safety procedures.  

A good workplace safety program includes tools and resources that help employees address different scenarios. For example, employees can be trained to provide basic first aid and administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Safety trainings should also be a focus from day one. The initial employee orientation should provide in-depth training on safety practices and the uses of PPE.  

4. Maintain an open-door policy to employees 

A huge part of establishing trust between you and your employees is creating free and open communication. Your employees should be comfortable enough to tell you different job concerns, including safety issues in their workplace. Without this open-door policy, the dangers present in the job rise and the risk of costly cover-ups increases. Unforeseen incidents can have devastating results for your business. 

When creating an open-door policy, start by establishing a schedule where you or your managers are accessible. Listen intently to your employees to identify the root cause of the issue. Remember that the way you respond to these issues can have a lasting effect on your employees and the rest of your workforce. 

Workplace safety is an ongoing collaboration between management and employees. Prioritizing safety allows you to protect your most valuable and priceless asset—your employees. By working together, leadership and employees will be able to identify the dangers present on the job and take the necessary steps to eliminate them.  

Patrick Hogan is the CEO of Handle.com, where they build software that helps contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers secure their lien rights and get paid faster by automating the collection process for unpaid construction invoices.