Member Update
2022 Safety Initiative
“What can AGC do to help GC and SC members enhance safety performance? The same contractors work together project after project; everyone has the same goal of going home safe and sound at end of each day; then why shouldn’t we all work together to help all contractors strive for a common goal and a minimum standard?”
From the initial discussions, we’ve narrowed the topic area to fall protection, electrical safety, and silica safety. This may change based on what we hear from members over time.
The Board adopted the Safety Initiative as a major service/education focus. They also created the Safety Management Team to develop and implement a plan for the Initiative.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT TEAM
- Casey Lenners, Sampson Construction Company, Co-Chair
- Josh Weekly, Cheever Construction Company
- Chris Mischnick, Walter Mischnick Contractors & Builders
- Pat Ramaekers, Kiewit Building Group
- Josh Fricke, The Waldinger Corporation
- Gary Burruss, Hampton Commercial Construction
- Dennis McFadden, Paulson, Inc.
- Don Davids, ABC Electric Company, Inc.
- Denny Ackerson, Stephens & Smith Construction Co., Inc.
- BJ Wilkinson, Beckenhauer Construction
MISSION OF THE SAFETY INITIATIVE
Help each other enforce safety rules to ensure that every person on construction sites goes home safe and healthy at the end of the workday.
EMPHASIS
The three most common safety violations that we see every day on jobsites:
- Fall Protection violations
- Electrical Safety violations
- Silica Enforcement
The three major obstacles to safety enforcement or safety training on the jobsite are:
- Inconsistency between jobsites, people, and companies on how to enforce safety policies/rules/standards.
- Complacency and "old habits".
- Lack of qualified people to conduct training (especially in rural areas of state).
The Nebraska Building Chapter's leadership has adopted a major initiative to work towards a common goal and a minimum standard for safety on all jobsites. The vision is for general contractors and specialty contractors to work together and help each other enforce safety rules and ensure that everyone goes home safe!
The realty means everyone enforcing the minimum standard, OSHA, which is the law. The reality means trying to reach the goal of 100% of all employees having OSHA-10 cards. Lastly, all companies always raising the bar on their own safety goals.
GOALS OF SAFETY INITIATIVE
- By end of 2022 have 100% of all AGC members and other contractors on AGC jobsites enforcing OSHA enforcing OSHA standards as they apply to falls, electrical safety and possible another topic.
- By the end of 2022, 100% of all AGC members will have set their own company goals to improve safety in their firm and have a way to measure progress towards the goal.
- By the end of 2022, 100% of all AGC members will encourage and support all contractors on their jobsites to set their own company goals for improving safety.
ACTION ITEMS
- The Safety Initiative focuses on three areas, for effectiveness and efficiency emphasis may be placed on one annually.
- Research "best practices" in specific areas for compliance training, compliance motivation programs, etc. and resources available.
- Develop a "Safety Initiative Improvement Goal" planning document and commitment form to be used in individual companies.
- Bring resources and planning tools together into an easy to distribute, usable document package.
- Develop promotional piece on Safety Initiative; communicate and distribute information, gain buy-in for Initiative from management above superintendent level, with hopes that top management will drive the Initiative down to superintendent and jobsite worker in all member firms.
- Plan Roundtable Discussions with specialty contractors and GCs, likely hosted by the SC Forum and Safety Committee.
- Provide a package of resources that current AGC members could offer to subcontractors that need help with their safety program starting at the "101" level (could tie the resource package into a membership incentive). Referred to as "Safety Starter Kit."
- Support a state-wide Stand Down for Fall Safety held annually in the spring.
