Managing compliance is an ongoing process, and it takes years to build up a company’s product portfolio, customer base, and reputation. Losing it all can take much less time because of non-compliance issues.

Safety officers oversee entire construction teams and must communicate effectively, build relationships, and ensure everyone is buying the correct safety precautions. They also must monitor regulations and update policies as needed.

Safety Training

Safety management programs provide a foundation for safe equipment usage and worker protection from hazards. These programs satisfy regional safety and health regulations and reduce the number of accidents incurred on construction sites, which damage a company’s reputation among industry professionals and regulators and can incur substantial financial costs.

The first step in implementing a successful construction safety program is educating employees on adequately performing their duties. It involves teaching new employees and periodically providing refresher training for experienced workers. Additionally, it’s important to remind workers of the safety risks associated with specific tasks and to encourage them to communicate with each other and the project manager about any potential dangers they notice.

It’s also important to recognize that construction is a dynamic environment, and the worksite can change from one moment to another. As a result, the safety team needs to monitor the site continuously and address any changes in conditions.

Inspections

The safety industry takes many precautions to prevent accidents from occurring. It includes proper protective equipment such as hard hats and rigorous health and safety regulations to ensure employees know all potential risks. As a result, injury and fatality rates have decreased drastically since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed in 1970.

Construction safety services also provide inspections on job sites to ensure all safety measures are in place and being followed. It includes checking that all required documentation, such as permits and insurance certificates, has been provided. Additionally, they perform a walk-through of the facility, taking notes and photos as necessary to ensure no potential hazards.

Safety solutions help clients prepare for inspections by ensuring all necessary documents have been filed and training their employees on what to expect during an OSHA visit. They also set up all policies and procedures, checklists, new hire orientation protocols, and anything else the OSHA inspector requests.

Subcontractor Management

When managing construction projects, contractors must consider their extended network of subcontractors. It often includes tier 2 and tier 3 contractors. These subcontractors can be susceptible to compliance issues due to a lack of adherence to safety standards and procedures.

It is essential to fully understand the project scope and identify potential hazards throughout all project phases. Once hazards are identified, appropriate controls can be developed and implemented to mitigate risk.

Contractors need to develop and communicate hazard mitigation methods with their workers. It can include toolbox talks, which are 10- to 15-minute informational sessions for workers before a shift that address the risks associated with their duties and how to mitigate them.

Additionally, construction safety services can help with equipment inspections, moving equipment inspections (e.g., cranes), and LOLER inspections (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations). These types of inspections must be performed to ensure safe equipment use. Construction safety services also help with document management. It allows contractors and other stakeholders to stay on top of critical workflows that span multiple parties from a single system versus jumping back and forth between Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, and email.

Documentation

Construction safety services provide documentation relating to project planning and management aspects. It can include hazard assessments, inspection reports, contractor safety plans, and worker qualifications and credentials documentation.

In addition, safety services can help with other regulatory issues. For example, a company may need to perform an asbestos risk assessment as the use of asbestos is prohibited in many countries, and it is the cause of many diseases, such as mesothelioma.

As an alternative to hiring a safety consultant, a construction firm can use digital tools to monitor site safety and keep all inspections in one place. For example, a mobile app such as SafetyCulture can track and record safety inspections and other critical project data in one place. It helps to reduce project delays and improves the safety of workers on the construction site. It also reduces the cost of implementing and maintaining safety programs. In addition, it enables companies to comply with local regulations and meet customer requirements.