How do you keep people safe under highly hazardous conditions? Construction and industrial projects form the backbone of modern infrastructure and economic progress—They are also among the most hazardous, with workers exposed to risks such as falls, electrocutions, heavy machinery accidents, and hazardous materials.
The first step in keeping people safe is to understand the issues and consequences, properly set the priorities, and build a safety culture from the top down and bottom up. Next, follow proven best practices and move your organization to zero recordable accidents as the only acceptable outcome.
Insight - Causes and Consequences
So, what are the significant safety issues, causes, and consequences?
Deadlines & Deviance vs. Safety
Safety-related problems can often be traced back to two things:
- A culture that prioritizes deadlines and profit over safeguarding the well-being of the people who make success possible. This misplaced sense of priorities often reveals itself through inadequate planning, insufficient training, and lack of resources allocated to safety.
- Complacency – A sense that “we’ve done it that way for years and been fine.” Also referred to as “Normalization of Deviance” this can have devastating effects. (This was determined to be a root contributing factor in the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger, killing all the crew in 1986 - see https://www.nasa.gov/challenger-sts-51l-accident/).
Costly Consequences
Neglecting worker safety leads to dire human and business outcomes:
- Injuries
- Fatalities
- Project Delays
- Production Delays
- Financial Losses
- Litigation
- Medical Costs
- Reputational Damage
Globally, unsafe practices cost the economy billions of dollars each year, compounded by the difficulty of ensuring compliance with complex regulations and managing the dynamic risks of fast-paced environments.
Background and Historical Context
Worker safety has improved greatly since the Industrial Revolution, a period notorious for unsafe working conditions and high injury rates. The early 20th century saw the establishment of safety standards, unions advocating for worker protections, and government agencies like OSHA in the U.S., created in 1971. These efforts have significantly reduced workplace incidents.
Still in the Woods
However, rapid technological advancements and the increasing complexity of modern projects have introduced new risks. For example, high-rise construction, renewable energy projects, and automation all present unique safety challenges that require innovative solutions.
Despite progress, historical lessons remind us that complacency can lead to preventable tragedies. The collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in 2013 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 underscore the consequences of prioritizing profits over people.
Reports from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and industry-specific safety audits highlight the ongoing urgency of addressing these safety challenges. For example, OSHA’s "Fatal Four" hazards—Falls, Struck-by Objects, Electrocutions, and Caught-in-Between accidents—remain persistent causes of death in construction despite decades of effort to mitigate them.
Solutions and Strategies
What have we done that worked well? HRI’s excellent safety record under extreme conditions is built on two pillars of protection:
- Strong Safety Culture
- Engage Leadership: Management must lead by example, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to safety.
- Prioritize and Empower: Foster a workplace culture where safety is prioritized, and employees feel empowered to report hazards without fear of retaliation.
- Encourage Communication: Open dialogue between workers and supervisors is critical for identifying and addressing risks.
- Invest in Quality Equipment: Substandard tools and PPE increase the likelihood of accidents.
- Best Practices and Processes
- Comprehensive Risk Assessment: Conduct regular site inspections and hazard analyses to identify and mitigate potential risks.
- Robust Training Programs: Provide workers with thorough safety training, including emergency response, equipment handling, and hazard awareness.
- Implementation of Safety Technology: Utilize wearables, drones, and real-time monitoring systems to enhance safety oversight.
- Compliance with Regulations: Ensure adherence to OSHA standards, local laws, and industry-specific guidelines.
- Emergency Preparedness Plans: To minimize harm, develop and rehearse plans for responding to accidents and natural disasters.
- Monitor and Adapt: Continuously review and update safety protocols to reflect evolving risks and lessons learned.
Common Mistakes
- Ignoring Early Warnings: Small incidents or near-misses often precede more significant accidents. Ignoring them can be costly.
- Underestimating Training Needs: Assuming workers already know safety protocols can lead to gaps in knowledge and preparedness.
- Overlooking Site-Specific Risks: Each project has unique challenges that require tailored safety solutions.
- Cutting Corners to Save Time: Rushing work at the expense of safety inevitably leads to accidents and delays.
Conclusion
Protecting people must be a foundational priority, not an afterthought.
Building a sustainable future depends on protecting the world’s most valuable resource: People. By prioritizing safety through thoughtful planning, advanced tools, and a strong cultural commitment, we can all achieve progress without compromising the well-being of workers. Let’s honor their contributions by ensuring every endeavor is a testament to the value we place on human life and dignity.
Everyone goes home safe....every time.
