Construction is one of the most hazardous industries in the world. All of the safety regulations and best practices that have been established were put in place because of the sheer amount of things that can (and sometimes do) go wrong.
In the past, there were little to no regulations around safety. In fact, this was true for most of human history, even up to just around a hundred years ago. But with new regulations and established best practices, the industry is much safer as a whole.
That’s a good thing for both employees and employers. Because a safe jobsite is a productive one. Following best safety practices not only prevents issues like rework and expensive settlements, but it also protects your most valuable assets—the people who do the important work in the first place.
Why would employees ignore safety?
With all of this in mind, why would employees ignore safety on the jobsite? Sometimes safety practices are treated as a nuisance and unnecessary. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Regardless of its importance, safety often still gets ignored. Let’s explore a few reasons why this may happen.
Cutting corners and taking shortcuts
When employees get in a rush, they may skip over important steps in their work that exist to keep them safe. This can happen for a lot of reasons—they’re either overconfident in their abilities due to several years of experience, or they’re working with a tight deadline. Sometimes both are true.
That’s what makes things like checklists so important. Checklists help employees be more intentional with their work by going through important steps to make sure they’re performing their job safely and leaving the jobsite safe for the next person.
With digital checklists like the ones we provide, you can be even more proactive about safety and quality by monitoring completion. You can also empower employees to notice and submit observations early on so that issues can be addressed quickly and effectively.
Lack of proper PPE
Most tasks on construction sites require a certain level of PPE. Whether it’s a hardhat or safety harness for fall protection, these pieces of equipment keep you and everyone else on the jobsite safe.
When employees don’t have access to the right PPE, though, it creates unsafe conditions on the jobsite. Not only is the individual employee in danger, but others around them are as well. For example, if an employee falls from scaffolding without wearing a safety harness, both they and anyone below them are in danger.
To avoid scenarios like this, it’s important to maintain a consistent inventory of PPE and ensure that employees are wearing them while working. Toolbox talks can also help clarify the specific types of hazards associated with certain tasks, as well as what PPE is needed.
Multitasking
While multitasking is often seen as a sign of competence and expertise, trying to take on too many responsibilities at once can be dangerous on construction sites. Sure, it’s impressive if you can send an email while vacuuming or pressure wash your patio while grilling burgers, but it’s not safe to do multiple things simultaneously in such a hazardous environment. Come to think of it, maybe those last things aren’t safe to do together, either.
It’s important for employees to be fully present when completing tasks at work. By not fully focusing on one task, they’re more likely to make mistakes that can have potentially deadly consequences in some cases.
Mistakes made as a result of multitasking can also result in delayed completion dates due to rework. Make sure employees know how important it is to focus while working and that they don’t feel pressured to do more than one thing simultaneously.
Insufficient training
Sometimes, employees may not actually be ignoring safety—they simply might not know the hazards involved with the task they’re performing. And how could they know without the proper training?
The last thing you need is someone who has never been behind the wheel of a skid steer to be trusted to drive one in an area filled with ditches and precarious scaffolding. The same goes for someone driving a forklift in a warehouse.
That’s why it’s so important to stay on top of training and maintain records of who has and hasn’t completed theirs. An effective workforce management system like ours can help with that. You can make sure workers that hold certain certifications are present in the places where they’re needed with a live labor map and schedule work ahead of time.
Poor enforcement of safety policies
If employees know they can get away with bending the rules, they might continue doing it. That’s why it’s important to lay down the law when it comes to safety best practices and regulations.
It’s not even about punishment or trying to be a “buzzkill.” It’s in the employee’s best interests, regardless of whether or not they realize it at the moment. All it takes is one mistake for an employee's life to be changed forever or worse, ended.
Make sure you protect your company and your employees by making it clear that safety regulations are rules, not suggestions. Detailed documentation of safety measures taken on the jobsite can also help a great deal with your safety goals.
Make jobsite safety a priority
A safe jobsite is an efficient jobsite. A company that prioritizes safety is more likely to retain qualified workers and avoid expensive and time consuming rework. But it takes everyone working together to keep a jobsite safe.
Employees are partners in this effort. When you cultivate a culture of safety, adhering to best practices and OSHA regulations becomes a lot easier. And with digital tools that monitor compliance and analyze trends, you’re putting your best foot forward every day.
Try Raken for free
We simplify jobsite safety so you can spend more time focusing on the hard work you and your employees do. Give us a try to see how we can help optimize your daily operations and safety goals.