Home builders

across the country are implementing job site safety and health programs

in order to eliminate needless construction accidents and protect their

most valuable assets their workers.

Policies that

mandate a safe work site at all times can not only help to eliminate these

accidents, but can lower workers' compensation costs and increase company

profitability as well. An effective safety program helps ensure the construction

site operates in a manner that ensures the safety of all workers.

The reasons

for a builder to start a safety program are clear. Developing a safety

program, while perhaps intimidating at first, is not a terribly difficult

or time-consuming endeavor. The National Association of Home Builders

(NAHB) suggests the following steps to help you on your way to a safe

work site. Besides, once you've made the commitment to provide a safe

workplace, you're already halfway to reaching your goal.

One of the

first steps is to define your needs. Just ask yourself, "What safety

hazards are created by the everyday operations within my company?"

that is specific to your company. When thinking of these hazards, remember

that subcontractors must also consider if the general contractor has any

special safety requirements.

The next step

is to define your goals. This is important in any company. In home building,

your goals may be to protect your workers, be in compliance with OSHA

regulations, reduce workers' compensation rates and avoid lawsuits from

injured workers. These will vary from company to company, depending on

your particular needs. The key is to identify the safety goals of your

organization.

Now that these

first steps are complete, you can now begin developing your program. In

general, your program should contain policies and procedures that describe

how you will enforce your program. Your written program should also cover

topics such areas as record keeping methods, accident investigation procedures,

OSHA compliance programs, training programs, job site inspections, and

filing workers' compensation and accident reports.

You will also

need to establish a budget. Yes, a safety program will require an investment

of funds; however, keep in mind that the money you set aside will provide

a substantial return in the long run through reduced insurance costs and

increased productivity. Budgets should also be prepared for purchasing

items such as personal protective equipment (PPE), first aid kits and

fire extinguishers.

You are now

ready to appoint a safety director or someone to be in charge of implementing

the program. It doesn't have to be a safety professional, but it does

need to be someone responsible and knowledgeable enough to carry out the

duties of the program. Your safety program also needs a set of rules for

employee and management accountability and disciplinary actions. You must

be committed to following through on disciplinary action against employees

who break the rules. Some employees will take chances that they should

not take. Following through on disciplinary actions sends the message

that your company is serious about safety.

Once the written

program is complete, distribute the document to all of your employees.

You may want to have them sign for it so that you have written documentation

that they did receive it and are responsible for its contents. To further

ensure that your employees understand correct work procedures, safety

training must be conducted. Training is perhaps the most essential aspect

of your safety program. The safety supervisor should conduct an orientation

for new employees on the policies and procedures of your safety program.

Also, any new processes or procedures that are added to your program should

be forwarded and discussed with all employees. It's important to keep

a written record of all training so that it can be periodically evaluated

and improvements can be made. Also, if OSHA shows up at your work site,

you have documentation that your employees have received safety training.

The next step

in carrying out your safety program is to actually implement the program.

In other words, don't let it just collect dust on a shelf once you have

put all of the effort into developing it. For example, if the written

program says that the safety supervisor will inspect job sites on a regular

basis, make sure it gets done. Be sure to also periodically evaluate the

program's effectiveness by conducting routine audits of the program. Remember

that safety programs are not stagnant; they continuously change.

There is no

magic formula for an effective safety program. It will take some work

and money to implement a good program, but the benefits far outweigh the

costs. The program will require management, just as you would manage productivity,

quality control or scheduling. You can't simply create a safety program

and expect it to work wonders by itself. Your company must be committed

to your safety program and stick with it over time. Reshaping the views

of your employees will take place over a period of weeks, months and perhaps

years. However, the rewards will be worth the effort.

There are many

resources to help you create an effective safety program for your company.

There are safety consultants who can visit your work site and recommend

a program tailored to your needs. Your insurance carrier may have materials

to help you get started, or you can consult the Internet. What better

way is there to invest in your business and the safety of your employees

at the same time: implement a company safety and health program today!

(Eddie Lusher,

who is with Jerry Ballard Homes, is president of the Home Builders Association

of Midwest Georgia, which serves a membership of approximately 460 builders

and associate members in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Heard and Meriwether

counties.)

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