By Manny Rodriguez, Kent Companies

Safety in numbers means a group has more protection than an individual. Jobsite safety is the result of all team members – not just individuals – fully committing to safe practices.  

So, how do you motivate a group of people to lead their own safety culture?

I believe a comprehensive safety program has two fundamental tenets: your people and your data. People need to be trained to make smart, informed choices about their work. And, data is our best tool to drive accountability, from the top down and bottom up.

Analyze the Data

Collecting safety data is easy; there are software platforms available at every price point. What comes next? Start tracking the overall trends for your team. At Kent Companies we put a lot of emphasis on tracking our leading indicators to prevent safety incidents. Items like near miss reports, job hazard analyses, and toolbox talks help us identify risks and take action to prevent incidents. 

Lagging indicators clearly point to where your safety program needs additional focus and resources. If you’ve had five incidents this quarter involving hand injuries, now you know where you need to increase training and communication. Make the data work for you. 

I hold our team accountable for their safety numbers, and I watch all external data sources for trends that affect our team. Data from the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association tells us that Hispanic workers face a higher statistical risk for incidents and injury on job sites. That absolutely informs our job site planning, training, and communication. That’s where the people come in. 

Build the Safety Culture

You’ve analyzed the data, and now you need to make people care and act on it. The people on your team are the ones who make safety matter. 

Safety is personal to me. It’s a commitment that extends beyond our field team. Jobsite safety affects their spouses and families too. I will call their family at home if that is what it takes to earn total buy-in on safe practices. It’s our responsibility to send everyone home safely, and that starts with a commitment to all of the people waiting for you at home.

If safety is your first priority, make it the first part of every agenda, every meeting and every job start. Start your day with safety by completing JHAs, do a group stretch and flex, and check the entire team’s PPE. Starting every aspect of the day with safety reinforces the value that this is your first and most important priority. 

Data is an impactful tool to drive the safety programs, but you need to be in the driver’s seat to make safety culture matter to your people. Use the data as a roadmap, and build communication, transparency, and relationships at every turn. 

About the Author

Manny Rodriguez is a 25+ year safety veteran in concrete construction. Currently serving as the National Safety Director for Kent Companies, he is leading and managing an industry, focusing on safety culture through process improvement, training, and data analytics.