search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
SAFETY CORNER


Lessons Learned Continued from page 19


Because I was working with owners who wore many hats, many of them knew nothing about workers’ comp – other than they were paying too much. I explained to them that wages, employee benefits and other fringes were the same, material costs were similar and overhead could vary. Te big difference was the companies’ ex mod. I used the example of one company’s costs with an 80 percent ex mod versus one with a 120 percent ex mod. Te cost savings could mean the difference of getting a job or the profit margin on the project. Tis got their attention and was the spark to improve their safety programs. EBI enrolled me in many online


programs, had me tag along with their senior consultant and had me join the American Society of Safety Engineers. I had the opportunity to get to know many of the “older experienced” safety professionals who were willing to share


Correction


CSEA Safety Awards Judges


The 2018 Construction Safety


Excellence Awards (CSEA) judges were listed incorrectly in the print version of California Constructor magazine’s January/February 2019 issue. California Constructor regrets the error. AGC of California’s 31st


Annual


CSEA Awards were judged by a panel of three individuals repre- senting diverse areas of the construction safety industry. They included:  Lisa Prince, Walter & Prince, LLP


 Kevin Thompson, Cal-OSHA Reporter


 Robert Pinney, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.


AGC thanks them for their service!


“I believe safety is an attitude. You want to instill in employees a positive attitude to do things safely all the time, not just when the safety person or management is on-site. Do it because it’s the right thing to do.”


– Dan Schuetz


their knowledge and experiences. It didn’t matter if you worked for another contractor or insurance company. Te goal was to make a safe work environment for all workers. AGC’s Safety & Health Committee shares this same philosophy.


What was the biggest obstacle to safety at your organization, and how do you work to overcome it?


Dan Schuetz: When I joined


Independent in 2000, their ex mod was sky high. Business was booming. Our crews were working 12 hours days and 8 hours on Saturdays. Like today, available qualified workers were hard to come by. Te theme was to just get the job done. As a result, more accidents occurred. Management needed to re-evaluate


their safety efforts. Tey made a stronger commitment to the safety program, reviewed established safety rules and policies/procedures and put more responsibility on superintendents and foremen for safety on their jobsites. Tere was higher visibility and more interaction with the crews from the safety department (me). Tis took time as old habits are


hard to break. Tere was resistance to the changes especially from the old-timers. Over time these changes made for a positive result.


20 March/April 2019


How do you instill a sense of safety in employees on an ongoing basis?


Dan Schuetz: My approach


has always been “safety is a people business.” You need to get employees to believe in the concept that safety is for their benefit. You do this by getting to know them, let them know that you care and are there to help. Explain that the safety rules and proce- dures are there for their protection. Establish safety rules that apply to your operations. I also believe safety is an attitude.


You want to instill in employees a positive attitude to do things safely all the time, not just when the safety person or management is on-site. Do it because it’s the right thing to do. How do you do this? Positive


reinforcement, talk to the crew and share common experiences. Discuss other contractor incidents and learn from it, tell them we don’t want something like this to happen to you. Most importantly, a positive word


will go a long way. Tank an employee for wearing the appropriate safety gear, tying off their ladder or using three points of contact when climbing on or off equipment.


What program or policy has had the biggest effect on safety at your company?


Dan Schuetz: I feel the biggest


impact on Independent safety efforts was when all facets of the organization realized that safety had an impact on the bottom line as well as better efficiency in the field. Management supported the safety


program and the message was loud and clear in the field. Many of the super- intendents and foremen today came up through the ranks hearing and seeing how the early implementation of the safety program resulted in positive results. Tey bought into the program back then and have continued to make it work. 


California Constructor


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24