Bernhard Discusses Safety and Readiness in Construction
The construction industry has had to continue business during the coronavirus pandemic, but this has meant reevaluating their safety measures and worker health policies. Bernhard offers its motto on safety, readiness and adjusting to a pandemic.
Jeremy Tucker, the Director of Operational Services at Bernhard, discusses the ways Bernhard approaches safety and readiness in the construction industry—especially during a pandemic. In his article titled “Workplace Safety and Readiness at Bernhard,” he notes the following approaches that Bernhard uses for safety and preparedness:
Like nearly every industry it seems, the construction industry (Bernhard included) has had to pivot the way it does some things. However, their commitment to safety has not changed—and the company continues to influence safe behavior and safe decision-making.
“Our hope is to influence people to draw on S.A.F.E. work goals beyond the workplace and into the community, or ‘See it, Assess it, Fix it, Every day,’” says Tucker. “This phrase is an easy mnemonic to orient us toward a safe and healthy work environment, and safeguard all persons who enter, work or live near our job sites.”
Bernhard has a four-part plan for executing work safely. “Many other activities and emphasis occur along the way,” assures Tucker, “but this cycle provides us with stability to rely on and flexibility to modify our approach when needed.” The four steps are:
1. Planning: High level and task specific plans enlist supervisors and workers to collaborate.
2. Execution: Each worker is called upon to perform their respective role and report progress to the group.
3. Assessment: Team leaders evaluate the group’s performance and provide feedback and direction.
4. Action: Feedback is shared with all levels of the team and areas needing correction are addressed.
Tucker notes that recovery is the next step in the safety process during these trying times. Like most industries and companies, the pandemic has meant resources are short and staff is threatened. However, by using the improvement process, promoting transparent communication with trusted resources, and relying on a safety-first culture, a company can work towards recovery and repair—even with limited resources right now.
You can check out Bernhard’s safety culture here.