In this day and age, more and more emphasis is being placed on workplace culture when it comes to a company’s success and workers’ satisfaction with their jobs. For example, not overworking your employees and providing an all-inclusive environment are two aspects that are beginning to carry more weight when it comes to a skilled worker’s employer of choice.
However, if you’re in charge of an operation in the construction industry, your workplace culture must also stress one specific thing over all else: safety. Of course, this is to appeal to new hires, but it’s also to protect your old ones, prevent PR disaster, and save your company money in the long run. For instance, with safety-focused workplace culture, you won’t need to pay for legal fees, and your workers will most likely be able to get their jobs done more quickly, as they won’t need to clean up after the mishaps that improper safety procedures can cause.
It’s easy to promote safety when you’re working one-on-one with a wayward employee, but a whole entire culture? That’s a little more tricky to influence. Luckily, MC Tool & Safety, a provider of general contractor supplies including power tools and accessories, has some tips for you below.
LOW INCIDENT RATES ARE NOT NECESSARILY AN INDICATOR OF A SAFETY-FOCUSED WORKPLACE CULTURE
Just because your workers haven’t gotten hurt recently doesn’t mean your workplace culture values safety. Incident rates, while they may be an indication that your workplace has been safe lately, say nothing about what you’re doing to keep things that way. Safety must touch each and every single thing your workers do; this is the only way to create the culture you desire and maintain these low incident rates.
● Have you invested in competent person training? | Through a deep knowledge of a particular subject, your competent person can serve as a great resource for promoting safety when you’re not there to directly supervise.
● Focus on making changes, not on assigning blame | A blame-focused workplace culture makes it difficult for your employees to speak out about potential hazards they have seen, or to admit when they have made a mistake. Instead of pointing fingers when a safety hiccup occurs, shift gears and focus on what can be done to prevent such occasions from arising in the future.
● Provide your workers with the right safety equipment | Creating a safety-first mentality is impossible if you don’t give your workers the physical resources to do so. The right tool supplier can advise you on the equipment you need to make safety a priority at your construction site.
CONTACT MC TOOL & SAFETY FOR ALL YOUR SAFETY NEEDS
From personal protective equipment (PPE) to confined space monitors, we sell it all. For personalized and comprehensive safety help, give us a call now at 763-786-5350, or toll-free at 888-206-2569.
