A great quote by Heraclitus relates directly to construction: “The only thing that is constant is change”. Change happens every day on a construction site and the best laid plans for an operation or a day will most likely be impacted by change. When change occurs in construction – whether it is an unexpected delivery or a change in weather – the likelihood of injuries occurring increases.
One of the best tools to combat safety risks associated with a change is to bring the team together to analyze the impact. This provides opportunities for the team to express their concerns and develop a revised plan to mitigate the hazards associated with a changed condition. Our teams utilize the PC SAFE Book (Stop, Assess the hazard, Form a plan, Execute the plan), a pocket-sized notebook that helps identify and mitigate these hazards to ensure people go home safe every day. This simple tool reinforces the importance of reevaluating work tasks as conditions change and promotes a team-based safety culture.
A great day on a construction site is when everyone returns home safe to their families, all while meeting or exceeding production goals. To make this happen, our teams are empowered to speak up and contribute to the solution. It takes more than one voice to have true impact.
We are excited to again be part of Construction Safety Week. This is a great time for our industry to continue to reinforce the importance of safety on our construction sites. We have great events planned for the week and our project teams are looking forward to learning and sharing while continuing to carry this commitment to safety forward every day.