Masonry Magazine May 2010 Page. 24
Image courtesy of DEWALT
The Business of
Incorporating Safety
By Jennifer Morrell
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS INCUR THE MOST FATALITIES OF ANY INDUSTRY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary findings. The number of deaths on the jobsite has decreased slightly, but only due to the enormous loss of jobs in the construction industry.
Keeping employees safe is a daily struggle. Aside from the billions spent in association with injuries, the cost of a human life cannot be measured. The good news is that most work-related injuries and illnesses are preventable. Safety training, the use of fall protection, and the incorporation of hazard communication are paramount on the jobsite. You want your workers to be productive, but also you need them healthy.
Masonry spoke to three key players in our industry to measure the importance of safety to varying companies, and to learn how their approaches are alike and different. Eric Bernstein, director of commercial products, DEWALT; Mark Michaels, director of product management, Husqvarna Construction Products North America; and Michael D. Solomon, national sales manager, PREMIER SCAFFOLD SOLUTIONS and TNT Equipment Co. gave us the following insight to the effect of safety issues on masonry industry companies.