Wednesday, June 10, 2015

From Safety 2015: Best Practices for Ensuring Safety on a Construction Project

In his June 8 session during Safety 2015, “A Case Study: Best Practices to Ensure Safety on a Construction Project,” Kenneth Bogdan discussed methods for reducing incident frequency on large construction projects. His presentation discussed best practices using the example of a 16-month project to construct a 313,000 sq ft casino and 1.25 million sq ft parking garage in Baltimore, MD.

Site safety begins during the bid process, Bogdan says, and involves the input of all parties on the project, including owner, construction manager and insurance carrier. He discussed the importance of creating a site-specific safety manual that details the safety rules of the project so that all contractors understand the requirements.

Another key step is to employ an on-site safety manager who reports directly to the general superintendent. This person’s duties include monitoring site safety, coordinating audits, conducting safety orientations, being involved in claims management, overseeing drug and alcohol testing, and ensuring that only qualified contractors are permitted on site.

By way of the case study project, Bogdan also discussed the importance of having all parties involved in project safety, including owner, claims consultant, subcontractors and workers. From labor to management, when all parties collaborate, he says, the project can result in a win-win.

This session was recorded during Safety 2015 and is available for purchase on http://learn.asse.org