5 Reasons Why Safety is Important for Your Construction Business
There are thousands of construction sites in operation across the country, and each one presents a certain set of hazards that need to be accounted for. The importance of safety cannot be understated, and while I don’t think that is a point of contention, the benefits of having a safe construction site go far beyond the obvious.
Getting Your Workers Home Safe
The single most important reason for safety on a construction site is your workers. Construction sites can be extremely dangerous if precautions aren’t taken, and keeping your employees out of harm’s way is worth taking the extra time to comply to the safety rules. The best construction site is one that thinks about their workers first.
Safety in Construction Equals Fiscal Savings
Something that people might not always consider when investing in safety is the long-term savings that come from it. Insurance is a must for construction companies, and it is something that has no small cost associated with it. Something called an EMR(Experience Modification Rate) is what determines the prices for the construction insurance. Basically this rates the safety of your construction sites based off of how many accidents occur on them, and charges your business accordingly. The lower your EMR rating, the less you are charged for insurance. This also translates to, the safer you are, the more money you have.
Credibility in the Construction Industry
Safety is also a selling point for many of your potential clients, meaning it’s something they look for. Nobody wants to hire a company that is going to have frequent injuries while building their building. This brings up another important point, leveraging your safety to create a better brand. The thing about construction is that when you are hired to do a job, your brand is connected with the company that hires you. This means that companies seeking someone to do their construction work are going to be looking for a brand that they want to be associated with. Safety is typically the brand that is heavily sought after, and something that they don’t want to worry about after they hire you. If safety is done correctly, things like OSHA partnerships can come to fruition, further establishing a positive brand for the future.
Bonding and Working Under Contract
Often times people who do construction work do so after securing a bond for the project. This contractually guarantees that a contractor will perform to a certain set of standards, and exposes themselves to all manner of problems if these standards aren’t upheld. One of the things that appears frequently under these bonds are safety standards. Getting your company used to working under safety standards will also set you up for success when it comes to certain contracts like these bonds. Owners use these bonds to protect themselves, and if you do your work safely, it can be very beneficial to you, and can bring you repeat work in the future. You will save money this way, in addition to the savings in insurance.
Credibility For Your Workers
Getting good workers for your construction sites is something that is extremely important to make sure that each job goes smoothly. This is something that is becoming increasingly more difficult as the construction industry grows. Something that is not always considered is how your brand of safety affects your recruitment. When your workers are going to come to a jobsite for upwards of 8 hours a day, they want to make sure it’s a safe environment to work in.
The construction industry has a common connotation of danger, and setting yourself apart in safety is wildly beneficial for getting great workers on site, especially if you want to appeal to the younger generation. The younger generation recognizes the long-term effects that can occur to those who don’t put safety first, because they have seen what it can do based off of the previous generation. No one wants to exchange their hearing or health for money. If you put your workers first, they will do the same for you.
Safety is extremely important for many reasons, as stated here, and implementing a safety program is truly one of the best things you can do for a construction company. Keeping your workers safe should be at the top of the priority list, and it is key to developing the brand that potential clients want to be around. Taking health seriously, can only bring benefits and wealth for the future.