OSHA Defense

4 Safety Questions Every Contractor Should Be Prepared to Answer featured image

4 Safety Questions Every Contractor Should Be Prepared to Answer

If you own a construction business or manage a jobsite, safety and health should always be top of mind. If you fail to properly monitor your workplace, accidents will occur along with costly fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). As a Brandon construction attorney, we encourage you to review the following four questions and evaluate whether or not your construction business is successfully achieving these initiatives.   

1) Are Your Workers Aware?

Contractors should know that even the most experienced workers at their jobsite are prone to making mistakes. During the most challenging of tasks, when awareness is at an extremely high level, the chances of an accident may be reduced because workers are “locked in.” It’s often that the smallest hazards can become the biggest issues for construction companies as workers are desensitized to their work environment and overlook the risks associated with these tasks. Contractors need to always assess their surrounding work environment and ensure that everyone is following strict safety protocols.

2) Can You Adapt to Your Environment?

Construction sites are quite literally a work in progress. From inclement weather to a jobsite that is constantly changing to new challenges presenting themselves, there are many factors that can impact the surrounding environment of a jobsite. It’s important that contractors and their workforce adjust to these conditions as they continue to progress through their work responsibilities. It’s also a good idea to consistently perform risk assessments of your workplace. Our Brandon construction attorneys are happy to help you with this task.

3) Do You Promote Training Initiatives?

With a labor gap, many construction companies have to either take on projects with less qualified workers or settle for delays in order to finish projects effectively and efficiently. Whether it’s hiring green workers or relying on a staffing agency to fill positions, a high turnover rate on your jobsite can present many challenges in regard to safety and health. Although it’s challenging to catch everyone up to speed at the same rate as your construction schedule, success begins with training workers, consistent communication, and continually auditing the work that’s being performed in real time.

4) Are Your Leaders Communicating?

In some cases, a supervisor is excellent at many aspects of their position, but they lack the communication skills necessary to provide the right coaching and training regarding safety issues. If your employees in leadership positions aren’t providing the right guidance, this can greatly increase the chances of an accident occurring. It’s important to not overlook consistent training of not only your workforce but also your supervisors.

If you would like to speak with a Brandon construction lawyer, please contact us today.

 

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.