{"id":2933,"date":"2017-11-02T14:28:57","date_gmt":"2017-11-02T18:28:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=2933"},"modified":"2026-02-12T05:34:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T10:34:17","slug":"9-tips-setting-effective-worker-safety-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/9-tips-setting-effective-worker-safety-program\/","title":{"rendered":"9 tips for setting up an effective construction worker safety program"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/people-leadership\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">People &amp; Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t9 tips for setting up an effective construction worker safety program\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2017-11-02T14:28:57-04:00\">November 2, 2017<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"9 tips for setting up an effective construction worker safety program\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/9-tips-setting-effective-worker-safety-program\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/debcarpenterbeck\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/04\/CRE-Deb-Carpenter-Beck.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"CRE Deb Carpenter-Beck\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Deb Carpenter-Beck<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>They are sobering facts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>More than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osha.gov\/oshstats\/commonstats.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">20%<\/a> of worker fatalities are in the construction industry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/news.release\/pdf\/osh.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">5 incidents<\/a> of nonfatal job-related injuries and illness occur per 100 construction workers, higher than the overall national rate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Many construction companies and groups are working hard to significantly reduce these numbers. But there\u2019s still more work to be done. Despite industry-wide efforts to keep workers safe, a recent <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nsc.org\/Connect\/NSCNewsReleases\/Lists\/Posts\/Post.aspx?ID=195\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">National Safety Council survey<\/a> found 58% of American construction workers feel that safety takes a backseat to productivity and completing tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-safe-from-the-start\">Safe from the start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Construction companies can no longer measure safety success by merely meeting minimum OSHA requirements. Instead, many contractors are embedding a safety-first approach throughout their organizations to reduce incidents and lower injury-related costs. They realize that implementing a successful safety program means creating a culture where safety is always top of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to diligent safety training and added precautions on the job site, some construction companies are beginning to include safety into the planning stage of their projects. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/products\/sage-estimating\/bim\/\">Building Information Modeling (BIM)<\/a> can identify hazards and enable you to build safety measures right into the design (often referred to as \u201csafety by design\u201d). These safety elements can protect the construction crew by determining the ideal location of overhead power lines, identifying potentially dangerous areas for falls, and more. It can also make the building safer for future maintenance workers and tenants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tips-to-create-a-safety-program\">Tips to create a safety program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you have a safety program in place? Could your safety processes be improved? Here are a few tips to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Commit to a safety program at the highest levels of your organization, including active monitoring of safety measurements and sponsorship of ongoing safety initiatives by leaders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Appoint a safety director and\/or committee to champion the safety cause and bring in new ideas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focus on the elimination of at-risk behaviors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure employees are accountable for safety at every level of your organization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have your safety program and procedures audited by third-party advisors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use technology for proactive identification of safety issues and to automate safety processes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create an environment where employees feel comfortable reporting safety issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Celebrate safety successes through employee rewards and recognition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Take advantage of available safety resources, such as the AGC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.agc.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Files\/Communications\/AGC%20Safety%20Training%20Tips_0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201c13 proven steps to improve construction worker safety\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Construction work is booming. That\u2019s great. But an increase in work can also create more opportunities for construction accidents. Doubling down on safety measures can help prevent this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your first priority, of course, is to keep your workers safe. But a solid safety record can also reduce insurance costs, prevent law suits, and make you a good choice for potential customers. In the end, safety is good for both your workers, and your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>They are sobering facts: Many construction companies and groups are working hard to significantly reduce these numbers. But there\u2019s still more work to be done. Despite industry-wide efforts to keep workers safe, a recent National Safety Council survey found 58% of American construction workers feel that safety takes a backseat to productivity and completing tasks. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":2934,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[192,173],"business_type":[40],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[50],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[246],"coauthors":[522],"class_list":["post-2933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-leadership","tag-construction","tag-construction-risk-management","business_type-small-business","industry-construction-and-real-estate"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Deb Carpenter-Beck","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/11\/iStock-513353347.jpg","imagine_tags":{"246":"Construction"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/78"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2933\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/2934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}