Earlier this year, ClickSafety and McGraw Hill Construction
collaborated to conduct a safety management survey on the benefits construction
companies gain by implementing safety training programs. The survey findings, released
in June in the Safety Management in the Construction Industry SmartMarket
Report, reveal that 71% of the companies that implemented safety training
initiatives reported lower injury rates, and 66% reported a greater ability to
contract new work.
The partnership between the two companies grew from a shared
passion to develop a greater understanding of safety in the construction
industry. “It was a perfect alignment, and I think the results speak for
themselves,” says Brian Tonry, the executive vice president and general manager
of ClickSafety.
Two of the most significant findings of the study were that
when companies invested in safety management practices, 43% reported faster
project schedules and 66% reported higher project quality. Michele Russo, LEED
AP, director of content and research communications for McGraw Hill
Construction, attributes these increases in efficiency to the team
communication often encouraged by integrated safety programs. “Having that kind
of ethos leads to increased efficiencies in other areas,” says Russo.
Although safety management practices can viewed as costly,
only 15% of survey respondents indicated that their safety programs cost them
additional funds as compared with 39% who reported a decrease in project budget
after implementing such programs. Furthermore, 51% said they realized increased
return on investment as a result of introducing safety training.
According to Tonry, safety programs benefit a company’s
bottom line by preventing injuries and incidents that can shut down projects temporarily,
resulting in lost time and money. Avoiding incidents and injuries also lowers
insurance premiums and reduces risk of litigation.
The study identified a need for small firms to expand their
use of safety programs. While 92% of firms with more than 500 employees have
safety programs, only 48% of smaller firms implement similar programs. Tonry
and Russo believe this disparity is due in part to the fact that smaller firms
have limited funds to invest in safety training. Russo says online safety
training programs enable small firms to access training without investing in on-site
safety trainers.
“The investment is going to get spent one way or
another,” Tonry says, pointing out that when funds are not invested in safety
programs, they are often used on high insurance premiums or loss as result of
an incident.
ClickSafety and McGraw Hill Construction encourage
construction professionals to continuously train their workers, as the industry
is currently evolving to embrace new technologies such as digital design and
green building that present their own unique hazards.