MOVING MOUNTAINS


Mental Health and Safety in the Spotlight


BY DINA KIMBLE, PRESIDENT, AGC OF CALIFORNIA C


onstruction Safety Week 2023 is here! During the week of May 1-5, social media will be filled


with pictures of safe practices, job sites, and reminders of our amazing industry. But it wasn’t always this way, and only through being intentional and contin- ually transforming have we created the industry we know today. We all see decades-old photos of con-


struction sites and shudder at the “safety protocol.” However, it’s not fair to judge the past by current standards. As we’ve learned, more of our industry has improved. It may have started with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations that forced the industry to change. Com- panies created trainings and checklists, holding people accountable, until these rules that once seemed ridiculous or insur- mountable became second nature. Com- pliance became non-negotiable, and we wonder how we ever did work the old way. Now, we are going through an additional


transformation, from one of compliance to culture. Where safety isn’t about checking the box, it’s about creating a space where crew members feel safe to speak up about concerns, ideas, and challenges, and remind each other before mistakes are made. We’re also focusing on mental health in our industry. With suicide rates higher in construction than other industries, we’ve taken notice and started discussions to impact change. We start with the checklist of items: the employee assistance program, posters on walls, toolbox topics. But to truly create change, we also must continue to transform the culture of our industry, creating a space where crew members


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CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR MAY/JUNE 2023


can speak up about concerns, ideas, and challenges, and ask for help when they don’t know where to turn. Part of this culture transformation is our


continued emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion. Tis isn’t just a discussion about gender, race, or socio-economic backgrounds, it’s also about creating a culture where we promote differences in perspective, where people from all back- grounds can speak up about concerns, ideas, and challenges, to impact change and grow in their influence within the industry. You see the pattern? It is culture that


drives the changes we need, and the chang- es that will additionally attract young people into construction. Te team at AGC of Cali- fornia is collaborating with our members to help us achieve this culture as an industry, through programs like Project Engage, the Inclusive Leaders Institute and DEI/ HR Forums, the Safety & Health Council, and more. Tey are building the tools to accelerate the industry’s transformation. It isn’t only about production any-


more. It’s now a holistic view of the person, the technical and soft skills needed, and creating environments at our sites and offices that bring out the best ideas and collaboration. Focus on the people, and the production, innovation, reduced turnover, and ultimately success for our employees and our companies will follow. Tis is the industry we are creating for tomorrow!


Published bi-monthly for members of the Associated General Contractors of California 3095 Beacon Boulevard West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 371-2422 www.agc-ca.org


PUBLISHER Al Rickard Association Vision (703) 402-9713 arickard@assocvision.com www.associationvision.com


EDITOR Carol A. Eaton Eaton Communications (707) 789-9520 carol@eaton communications.com


ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Carolyn Ward Association Vision (704) 677-3051 cward@associationvision.com


DESIGNER THOR Design Studio Washington D.C.


| Austin


info@thor-studio.com www.thor.design


CORRESPONDENCE Address editorial and circulation correspondence to: California Constructor AGC of California 3095 Beacon Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 371-2422 or call Carol Eaton at (707) 789-9520 or eatonc@comcast.net


Kindest regards, Dina Kimble, President


COPYRIGHT 2023


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