It’s no secret, being a contractor is a dangerous job. Day-in and day-out we climb ladders and roofs, scale homes and use hazardous tools that are volatile at the flip of the switch. Falling off roofs and self-inflicted nail gun wounds are just a couple injuries we frequently see on the job, while smashed thumbs and bodily scrapes are an everyday occurrence.
While the job is quite risky, it doesn’t have to be scary. With the properly implemented safety program, contractor companies can help themselves in the long run.
Most contractors should have safety programs put into place. The important element is that our workers actually follow the laid out safety steps. If they don’t, we as business owners can find ourselves losing money due to workers compensation claims.
Lead By Example
As the owners, we need to start by setting good examples for our employees. Everyone should ALWAYS wear safety gear in compliance with each specific job. As your crew arrives to the work site each day, safety precautions should be in place before ANY work starts. We also advise that your crew lead take a moment to survey the surroundings as to avoid any possible accidents.
Now, of course, not all owners can be available to visit all work sites each day. But, something they can do, however, is make a surprise visit to the site from time to time to ensure all safety measures are being met.
Another considerable measure owners need to be aware of is the quality of their tools. Sure, all tools have a measure of danger, but different tools have more safety precautions than others. Each week, have your employees talk about a different tool and outline the best and safest way to use them. Not only will this tactic help with knowledge of the tool, it will create good habits within your company.
Reward Your Employees
It’s been 23 days since one of your employees had an accident at work. You should reward them for using safe practices on the job. Create a fun reward program and culture that helps motivate your employees to focus on your contractor safety program ALL the time. You can implement certain benchmarks employees will need to hit before they can receive their award.
To help you along even further, we are granting access to our normally, members-only audio series known as our “Time Out” discussions. Take a listen to our helpful tips for all kinds of contractor experiences.
Don’t forget, safety first!
Building the best,
Scott
