Masonry Magazine August 1995 Page. 32
Take Stock in America
SAVINGS USS BONDSS policy takes, keep some record of the corrections and worker advisories you make. It doesn't have to be an avoid verbal orders notice or a lengthy document. It should be initialed by another person familiar with the circumstances for purposes of corroboration. Foremen keep a daily lob of job activities. Brief notations on hazard corrections can be made as well.
Your company's system of enforcement may begin with a verbal warning, followed by a written notice, then suspension, or dismissal, or similar combination(s).
It is vital that your enforcement mechanism be administered uniformly. If your brother-in-law gets different treatment than any other worker, your safety program has lost its effectiveness. In the majority of cases, no worker, however valued, goes out the door.
What does happen if you take substantive action is that word spreads fast: "This Company really is serious about safety." In most cases, the success of a progressive disciplinary action program hinges on how and under what circumstances you tell a worker that he or she isn't working safe.
Considering the downtime associated with injuries, the ensuing paperwork, litigation and full range of other indirect job costs, it may be appropriate to take a step back and consider that:
If our employee's receive clear signals that we're serious about their safety, they'll be on our side in pointing out hazards and correcting them before they cause an injury.
If we take a few minutes before every shift to plan our safety strategy and ask employees what they've seen used on other jobsites to correct hazards, they'll have a stake in the process and won't want it to fail;
If we follow through and immediately correct what employees point out as hazardous, or unsafe acts being performed, they'll believe we're serious about safety and not just blowing smoke.
Completion of the job in a timely fashion can only be realized when workers are involved and receive a distinct signal that the company is going to listen to and, most important, act on their recommendations.
Because the construction industry is fiercely competitive, and its workforce so transient, contractors are often reticent to make investments of time and money on safety training and oversight. Down the pike, when those same contractors are asked for information about their injury experience or OSHA citation history before they're allowed to bid, those small investments will mean their failure or success.
PHILIP COLLERAN, on OSHA Compliance Officer for 17 years, is now a private consultant specializing in construction safety and health issues. He is the author of numerous articles on workplace safety and health.
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Glashaus Inc.
415 West Golf Road
Suite 13
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
708/640-6910 FAX: 708/640-6955