Construction companies are encouraged to implement proactive programs that address and manage safety and health issues involving the employers, workers and worker representatives. An effective program emphasizes top-level ownership, participation by employees, and a “find and fix” approach to workplace hazards. A good program will see improvements in production and quality, better employee morale and improved employee recruiting and retention.
Recommended practices for OSH programs in the construction industry include:
- Management leadership – Providing the leadership, vision and resources needed to implement an effective program and creating a culture of safety, facilitating trust, and reinforcing the core elements.
- Worker participation – Participation of workers in establishing, operating, evaluating and improving the safety and health programs.
- Hazard identification and assessment –Identifies/recognizes and documents all known and suspected hazards.
- Hazard prevention and control – Preventing injuries using hierarchy of controls: engineering, work practices, administrative, and personal protective equipment.
- Education and training – Ensuring that all workers are familiar with hazards and understand safe work practices and control measures
- Program evaluation and improvement – Assessing program effectiveness and modifications needed and identifying opportunities to improve the program.
- Communication and coordination for employers on multi-employer worksites – Ensuring communication and coordination to protect all workers onsite.
- Site review meeting: Review meetings are the forums in which the status of the project is discussed against the Plan.
- Why do we have them?
- It is important to know the status of the project against Plan and if there is a delay, to identify the causes and correct them.
- In a Project situation since many agencies are involved the delay can be due to any one or some of the agencies.
- The review meeting provides us the opportunity to address the issues affecting our progress and get them resolved.
- Who should attend the meetings?
- The site engineer/project manager should attend.
- It is also important incase of a TAKE CARE customer that the Sales engineer attends the meetings for an issue which was not discussed during Order Negotiation or not in the Contract or Verbally agreed.
- It is the responsibilty of the site engineer/project manager to decide who should be taken along.
- Installation manager/Branch manager /General manager can be called if it is required.
- How do we address issues affecting us?
- Have a Plan for our scope of work (Installation, Minor builders work).
- High light the interface requirements before start of our work.
- Record the actual Status before the meeting (1 or 2 days in advance) and indicate the interface requirements and have them circulated to various relevant agencies.
- Be Positive in communication.
- Be open
- It is Management resposibility to ensure customer delight and to get repeat orders with positive.
- Be involved in the solution.
- Be demanding.
- Be flexible. (to the extent company’s interest is protected.)
- Be helpful
- Commit and stick to commitments.
- Do not only project the problem; also try to give solutions.
- Do not be political.
- How do we know the corrective actions?
- The discussions are normally minuted. Please ensure the required actions that are needed for our work are recorded.
- What should be the frequency of the meetings?
- The frequency is normally decided by the complexity of the project.
- Normally the frequency is one-week/two weeks.
- If you have an important issue in-between you can address it to the concerned agency or call for a meeting.
A safe workplace is sound business
The Recommended Practices are designed to be used in a wide variety of small and medium-sized business settings. The Recommended Practices present a step-by-step approach to implementing a safety and health program, built around seven core elements that make up a successful program.
The main goal of safety and health programs is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as well as the suffering and financial hardship these events can cause for workers, their families, and employers.
The recommended practices use a proactive approach to managing workplace safety and health. Traditional approaches are often reactive –that is, problems are addressed only after a worker is injured or becomes sick, a new standard or regulation is published, or an outside inspection finds a problem that must be fixed.
These recommended practices recognize that finding and fixing hazards before they cause injury or illness is a far more effective approach.
The idea is to begin with a basic program and simple goals and grow from there. If you focus on achieving goals, monitoring performance, and evaluating outcomes, your workplace can progress along the path to higher levels of safety and health achievement.
Employers will find that implementing these recommended practices also brings other benefits. Safety and health programs help businesses:
- Prevent workplace injuries and illnesses
- Improve compliance with laws and regulations
- Reduce costs, including significant reductions in workers' compensation premiums
- Engage workers
- Enhance their social responsibility goals
- Increase productivity and enhance overall business operations
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