Construction site risks can come from many directions. A worker twists his back while unloading a dolly of sheetrock. A new employee misses a briefing on PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and cuts his finger. A site supervisor rushes his crew to meet a deadline, taking shortcuts with fall protection procedures.
The construction industry has one of the highest rates of injuries and fatalities among all industries. Building a strong safety program that provides clear recommendations and procedures can help identify and mitigate potential risks.
While Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations set standards, construction firms can go above and beyond these requirements to strengthen safe practices. The benefits include fewer at-risk behaviors, lower accident rates, less turnover, lower absenteeism, and high productivity. Many accidents and injuries lead to recuperation away from work, transfer to another job, restricted duties or a combination of these actions – sometimes resulting in lost wages or reduced income for workers and their families. Read more »
How do we overcome the stereotypes that many younger students have about the construction industry? There is definitely an image issue that the construction industry is dealing with. When picturing a construction worker, many people envision a guy with a tool belt hanging low, someone who's not very bright, who maybe didn't graduate from high school or even get a GED, who took a job in construction because that was the best job that he could get; however the stereotype-versus-reality is totally out of line. 
