Building a Culture of Safety: Preventing Injuries on Construction and Industrial Sites

Anyone who has worked in an industrial facility or a construction site knows the basics of safety—wear a body harness if you know you’ll be working on scaffolding, check ladders for integrity before you climb them, and remove all unnecessary equipment from common walkways.

While all these tips for preventing construction site injuries and industrial accidents are valuable, there is another element of safety that often goes unnoticed on the job site. In order to minimize injuries on the site, the best companies create a culture of safety that places responsibility on each and every employee, from the contractor to the bricklayer.

Creating a Culture of Safety

According to “Driving Toward ‘0’: Best Practices in Corporate Safety and Health,” a research report published by The Conference Board, the safest companies not only focus on the day to day regulations associated with safety, but also on working proactively to prevent harmful and costly accidents.

The Conference Board found that the best companies:

• Incorporate safety into daily language. Les Smith, a business development manager for DNV Business Solutions, says that at these companies, there is less talk about doing things the “safe way” and more about doing them the “right way.”
• Focus on prevention, not reaction. Companies that live and breathe safety are always checking on current safety statistics and working to control potential risks.
• Employ executives that lead health and safety initiatives. Like anything else, attitudes toward health and safety come from the top. When senior management operates according to safety regulations and values health over productivity, accidents are less likely to happen.
• Have clear safety standards that apply to all employees. Each worker should know what safety means in his or her position. Without clear guidelines, there can be no evaluation.

Does Your Work Site Foster a Culture of Safety?

Whether you’re on the job site or employed in an industrial position, you should know where your company stands on health and safety standards. If you don’t feel that your safety is valued over productivity, it’s time to reevaluate your place of work.

Industrial Accidents and Construction Site Injuries at Pope & Howard, P.C.

Located at 945 East Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta’s leading personal injury attorneys have extensive experience representing those who were the victims of industrial or construction injuries. The lawyers at Pope & Howard, P.C. investigate each case thoroughly to ensure that you gain the medical attention and compensation for damages that you deserve.

If you would like to know more about Pope & Howard, P.C., call (866) 910-0642 to schedule an initial consultation.

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