Avoiding Scary Jobsite Situations
When on-the-job safety issues arise, the pros at CMSWillowbrook are always quick to get them under control – because scary scenarios belong in Halloween horror movies, not on construction sites.
The Specter of Complacency
It’s easy to get comfortable cutting corners and doing things the wrong way. Some people think because something bad has never happened to them in the past, it won’t happen in the future. But don’t be a lazy bones – complacency doesn’t belong on the job site.
Our goal is to educate workers on the importance of safety so they can develop feasible solutions for their teams. We had a rooftop fall protection issue just the other day that resulted in a serious on-site meeting and follow-up correspondence. Everybody on the job site had been through a safety orientation and signed documentation, but when the guys got up on the roof, they didn’t follow every detail. Luckily, safety coordinator Mitch Ohmann and I just happened to show up on-site and saw what was going on. We immediately shut work down.
But rather than discontinuing working with that team, we took the time to help them come up with solutions to fix the problem. They were thankful for the collaboration, and it was a treat to turn the frightful situation around.
Be Prepared, Pumpkin
When our estimating department evaluates a job, they’ll contact me if something monstrous jumps out as being a potential safety risk. In certain occasions, we’ll even put wording into contracts requiring special attention be given to specific areas. When the team gets to the job site, we’ll give an orientation on that particular activity, and nobody will be able to partake in it without signing off on the training. It’s like reminding kids about stranger danger before trick-or-treating.
Seasonal Safety Scaries
It’s important to be mindful of frost and walkable work services. In the fall, it could be warm during the day and drop a couple dozen degrees at night. Frost can form on a roof or elevated surface, and the likelihood of falling increases significantly.
Toward the end of the season, there might be especially cold days when we need to bring in temporary propane heaters. Like a jack-o’-lantern with a loose candle, improperly installed heaters can easily turn into fire hazards, so knowing how to use them the right way is essential.
Don’t Lose Your Head
At CMSWillowbrook, we preach the idea of thinking before acting. We tell workers whenever they’re about to do something, they should take a few seconds, pause, and ask themselves if they’re going about the task in the right way. Do they have the proper equipment? Can they perform the task safely? If not, what do they need to make that possible?
I tell coworkers that if they’re ever asked to do something they deem unsafe, they should speak up and respectfully refuse to do it until they know it can be done correctly. Nobody on our team is intentionally going to ask someone to put their safety at risk, but sometimes we get stuck in our own worlds and we may not understand all the circumstances surrounding the situation. In these nightmare cases, communication is key.
To avoid construction-related spookiness, talk to the pros at CMSWillowbrook. We’ll keep you safe when it matters most.
Kent Dalrymple is the Director of Safety and Risk Management for CMSWillowbrook.