Every month should be Construction Safety Month for your organization. In October 2021, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) released its big losers in 3Q OSHA fines for safety violations.
One injury; one loss of life is too many. There’s never been a price tag on construction safety violations. But there are ethical and financial penalties:
- $1,256,092 – Atlantic Coast Utilities/Laurence Moloney after 12 “serious, seven willful,” and 1 repeat” safety violations. Two workers were killed.
- $253,556 – Grand Valley Carpentry/Neal J. Weaver “endangering himself and one of his employees by failing to have adequate fall protection.”
- $168,039 – America 1st Roofing “seven safety violations including 3 willful violations for workers not using fall protection, not wearing eye protection while using a nail gun, and for not having fall protection for the specific worksite.” One employee was hospitalized from a fall in 2021.
- $151,746 – CG Plumbing & Underground Utilities “five violations, 4 serious and one willful” for failure to have protective equipment, lack of excavation safety and equipment.
- $136,453 – JMH Roofing/Jonas Hershberger “two serious, 2 repeat and 2 willful violations” for workers operating 24´ off the ground without using safety equipment.
- $132,740 – A&E Carpentry “four serious, 1 willful, one repeat, and 2 ‘other’ violations” for failure to provide fall protection.
Make Construction Safety Everyone’s Business
A homeless girl was wandering a local neighborhood, obviously on drugs and lost. No one reported it. Instead, they locked their doors. She was hit by a car and killed hours later. Police said she had been a victim of trafficking and escaped.
No one reported it.
If you don’t already, begin promoting proactive construction safety. We have a hard time with “ratting-out” a co-worker. But if that co-worker’s emotional or physical detriments result in your best friend’s death, was ignoring it worth it?
If you see something that may be dangerous, say something to a manager or team lead. It’s worth it.
Do more for construction safety in your organization. And if we’re “preaching to the choir” because you have an effective construction safety program within your business, share your strategy with others. (Email or contact Construction Monitor to share construction safety tips.)