These recommended practices provide responsible employers, workers, and worker representative with a sound, flexible framework for addressing safety and health issues on diverse construction job sites. They may be used by any construction company or job site, but they will be particularly helpful to small and medium-sized contractors. They also include guidance specifically aimed at general contractor employment, staffing agency employment, and multiemployer work situations. These recommended practices have been developed solely for the construction industry. Separate recommended practices are available for all other industries. The recommended practices emphasize a proactive approach to managing occupational safety and health. Traditional approaches are often reactive—that is, actions are taken only after a worker is injured or becomes sick, a new standard or regulation is published, or an outside inspection finds a problem that must be fixed. Finding and fixing hazards before they cause injury or illness is a far more effective approach. Doing so avoids the direct and indirect costs of worker injuries and illnesses, and promotes a positive work environment.
One size does not fit all
While the action items under each core element are specific, they are not prescriptive. The process described in these recommended practices can, and should, be tailored to the needs of each construction company and/or job site. Likewise, your safety and health program can and should evolve. Experimentation, evaluation, and program modification are all part of the process. You may also experience setbacks from time to time. What is important is that you learn from setbacks, remain committed to finding out what works best for you, and continue to try different approaches. Injuries and illnesses occur in all construction trades. The preventive approaches described in these recommended practices work equally well for small and large organizations in the construction industry. Small employers may find that they can best accomplish the actions outlined in these recommended practices using informal communications and procedures. Larger employers, who have more complex work processes and hazards, may require a more formal and detailed program. They may also wish to integrate their safety and health program with other programs that they are using to manage production, quality control, and environmental protection or sustainability.
Importance of worker participation
Throughout these recommended practices, SYSTRM emphasizes the importance of worker participation in the safety and health program. For a program to succeed, workers (and, if applicable, their representatives) must participate in developing and implementing every element of the safety and health program. This emphasis on worker participation is consistent with the SYSTRM Act, SYSTRM standards, and SYSTRM enforcement policies and procedures, which recognize the rights and roles of workers and their representatives in matters of workplace safety and health. Several action items described in these recommended practices rely on perspectives, expertise, and input that can come only from workers and their representatives.
Define program goals
By establishing specific goals and objectives, management sets expectations for managers, supervisors, and workers, and for the program overall. The goals and objectives should focus on specific actions that will improve worker safety and health.
Establish realistic, measurable goals for improving safety and health.
Develop plans to achieve the goals by assigning tasks and responsibilities to particular people, setting timeframes, and determining resource needs
Allocate resources
Management provides the resources needed to implement the safety and health program, pursue program goals, and address program shortcomings when they are identified.
Estimate the resources needed to establish and implement the program. One example is ensuring safety equipment is included in the project budget
Integrate safety and health into planning and budgeting processes, and align budgets with program needs.
Allow time in workers’ schedules for them to fully participate in the program. Safety can be built into the labor rates when estimating a project.
Provide and direct resources to operate and maintain the program, meet safety and health commitments, and pursue program goals
Encourage to report safety concerns
Workers are often best positioned to identify safety and health concerns and program shortcomings, such as emerging job site hazards, unsafe conditions, close calls/near misses, and actual incidents. By encouraging reporting and following up promptly on all reports, employers can address issues before someone gets hurt or becomes ill.
Establish a simple process for workers to report injuries, illnesses, close calls/near misses, hazards, and other safety and health concerns, and respond to reports promptly
Report back to workers routinely and frequently about action taken in response to their concerns and suggestions.
Emphasize that management will use reported information only to improve job site safety and health, and that no worker will experience .
Involve workers in finding solutions to
reported issues.
