Pulse

Safety and risk management in the construction industry - one that is notoriously ranked among the most dangerous to work in - comes with inherent challenges.

Anyone tasked with these important responsibilities wants to avoid being labeled “The Safety Police” - an omnipresent, always over-the-shoulder presence whose existence hinges on pointing out wrongdoings and hindering productivity. After all, the goal is not to police, but rather to serve as a resource that helps the overall team get jobs done safely and efficiently.

Project safety audits present opportunities to identify deficiencies onsite and potential red flags. The objective is not to tell a seasoned, 30 year Union journeyman how to do his job; it’s about bringing suggestions and encouraging engagement amongst professionals in the field -  blending a Health and Safety perspective with experience and knowledge of the trades.

Becoming familiar with the opportunities and constraints on any job site is a multi-pronged approach. The first step - the linchpin of all effective health and safety endeavors - revolves around earning and sustaining respect from the hardworking individuals on the ground, letting them know that you aren’t afraid of getting down in the trenches with them. Getting to know the staff is a major contributing factor to dodging that “Safety Police'' label, reinforcing the fact that everyone is on the same team and that any findings or recommendations are all about supporting the jobsite and making sure the team gets home safe.

At Loureiro, we are shifting towards a more comprehensive approach, emphasizing proactive safety management in the field. We strive for close collaboration with leadership and project personnel to offer a range of options for determining the optimal approach to hazard mitigation. Instead of simply identifying tasks as 'wrong' or 'unsafe,' we will empower teams by guiding them towards the safest and most effective practices.

An indispensable facet of a safety professional's responsibilities revolves around the art of subcontractor management. Given that subcontractors generally operate within the contractual sphere of Loureiro, it is imperative that we enhance our internal procedures concerning the selection and oversight of the companies we enlist to deliver alongside our team members. This entails a multi-faceted, forward-thinking process that encompasses various stages, including rigorous prequalification and evaluation of subcontractors, meticulous development and review of agreements, supervision of work performance, and diligent on-site audits.

The process also involves looking inward, and being clear about what Loureiro is requiring from our subcontractors to truly evaluate their ability to perform the work, looking at quantitative factors like OSHA records and EMR as well as safety culture, financial performance, and reputation.

“We need to be clear about what we’re requiring from our subcontractors to truly evaluate their ability to do the work, and to hold them accountable,” says James Prescott, a Senior Project Manager in our Industrial Services group. “There’s always room for improvement with vetting the firms we hire. LBC fully relies on subcontractors to perform 100% of their work, so it’s important that we take a good look at not only quantitative factors like OSHA records and EMR, but also safety culture, financial performance, and reputation.”

In the spirit of being proactive, subcontractors currently attend a Health and Safety kick off meeting in order to communicate expectations. Individual subcontractors will have unique requirements that are specific to each job site. The meetings are a time to review the schedule, order of operations, site specific constraints, and high hazard tasks, and also serve as a time to determine the level of support needed from Loureiro Project Managers or Site Superintendents – those who are typically responsible for on-site safety management. 

At the end of the day, the responsibilities of a safety professional extend far beyond Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) usage by employees. While undeniably a crucial element in construction health and safety management, PPE should not be the primary focus of hazard mitigation efforts. Safety gear, such as safety glasses, vests, and hard hats, are really the final line of defense.

In the future, we see opportunities for the collective project, including subcontractors, to gather post-project for an After Action Review, pulling all internal, external partners to discuss the project, lessons learned, and how everyone can improve moving forward.

“It’s all in the spirit of finding ways to keep doing it better next time. Health and safety is an important part of gauging our performance as a company - not only on a per project basis, but in terms of making it part of our culture," says James. “A lot of people that work for Loureiro or with us have young kids. At the end of the day, we want to work safely for our children, families, and loved ones.”

Prioritizing safety isn't just a periodic checkmark for our company; it's ingrained in our DNA. Our commitment extends beyond individual projects, shaping the core of our organizational culture.  At the end of the day, working safely for our children, families, and loved ones is what’s most important.