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Increase Production, Reduce Injuries!: Construction Foreman

This document provides 9 keys for construction foremen to increase safety, productivity and reduce injuries on job sites: 1) Commit to health and safety by caring about workers and enforcing safe practices. 2) Encourage positive safety attitudes. 3) Plan and organize jobs in advance. 4) Schedule enough workers to avoid overwork and fatigue. 5) Train workers on processes, tools and changing conditions. 6) Provide equipment assistance when possible. 7) Learn from past accidents to prevent future injuries. 8) Encourage rest breaks and hydration. 9) Promote worker health and fitness. Following these ergonomic approaches can help complete jobs on time and within budget while reducing injury costs.

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22 views

Increase Production, Reduce Injuries!: Construction Foreman

This document provides 9 keys for construction foremen to increase safety, productivity and reduce injuries on job sites: 1) Commit to health and safety by caring about workers and enforcing safe practices. 2) Encourage positive safety attitudes. 3) Plan and organize jobs in advance. 4) Schedule enough workers to avoid overwork and fatigue. 5) Train workers on processes, tools and changing conditions. 6) Provide equipment assistance when possible. 7) Learn from past accidents to prevent future injuries. 8) Encourage rest breaks and hydration. 9) Promote worker health and fitness. Following these ergonomic approaches can help complete jobs on time and within budget while reducing injury costs.

Uploaded by

vhlactaotao
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Keys to Success and Safety for the

CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN
An Ergonomic Approach to Cost Reduction
You can save company profits by:
Increasing production and meeting deadlines
Finishing the job within budget
Reducing injuries
Increasing worker morale and work quality

Increase
Production,
Reduce
Injuries!

Evaluate jobs in
advance so that the
hazards are
identified.
Think ahead and plan
for the next task.

1. Commitment to health and safety


To get workers to care about safety, management
must show that they care about them:
Let your workers know that safety is not an
option or convenience. It is a company value
and a requirement.
Expect your workers to use safe work
practices.
Schedule regular weekly site safety meetings
with all workers.
Invite Cal/OSHA Consultation Service to
walk your site(s) for free safety advice (you
will not get fined for safety violations from
the Consultation Service).
Walk your site(s) daily. Correct any hazads
you can. Report hazards you cannot correct
to the superintendent.

Unexpected production costs and missed deadlines


can cut into your company's profits.
Injured workers are not as productive as
healthy workers.
When you reduce injury rates, you
automatically increase productivity.
Healthy workers are more likely to meet
job requirements and project deadlines.

Arrange for materials and equipment to be at


the job site on time.
Teach your workers to rotate their heavy
and light tasks to prevent overexertion.

4. Schedule enough workers to do the job


When the schedule is tight, workers tend to take
shortcuts and get careless. Be careful not to
overwork your crew:
Schedule a full work crew. When there
are enough workers to help each other
with heavy tasks, your chances of losing
crew members to injuries will be
reduced.
Look for signs of fatigue, especially in
workers who work extended hours or
unusual schedules.
5. Train workers in job processes and tool use

2. Encourage employee attitudes toward safety


Most Frequent Injuries in Construction Trades
State Compensation Insurance Fund, 1998
Body Part
BACK
FINGER(S)
KNEE
HAND(S)

Percentage of
Total Injuries
21%
10%
7%
5%

Average Direct
Cost *
$33,874 per claim
$10,503 per claim
$26,655 per claim
$14,417 per claim

*Includes total incurred medical, total incurred compensation


and total incurred loss expenses. Indirect costs can be 2 to 4
times this amount.

How much more work will you need to do to pay


for the cost of just one injury?

Workers with positive safety attitudes are the


keys to the success of your company:
Let your workers know that safety policies
and procedures are not just rules, but are
there to protect them from losing work time
and wages.
3. Plan and organize jobs
Pre-planning and organizing each phase of a job
can help in meeting schedules while making work
safer and smoother:

Although workers might have done the same job


before, every work environment is somewhat
different:
Train new workers on your companys
safety policies and procedures before they
start work.
Encourage the
buddy system by
having new workers
learn from
experienced
workers.

Train workers to

select and use the right tool for the job, and
correct them when
necessary.
Be sure that workers do
not use broken or
defective tools. Replace
and maintain tools.
Alert workers to changing working
conditions, such as extreme heat, rain or
slippery surfaces.

6. Consider your options


Work may involve heavy lifting, awkward
postures and
repetition:

Provide mechanical
equipment or co-worker
assistance when possible.

Rotate individual job


tasks among workers
within the same job and
skill level when machines,
tools or equipment are not available to do
the work. By sharing jobs, workers are less
likely to get injured.
7. Learn from your past accidents and
near-misses
You can prevent future
injuries if you understand
what caused an accident or a
near miss:
Investigate accidents
and near misses to
find their causes.
Brainstorm with
your workers to discuss
how the job can be improved.
Make changes and then follow-up to make

sure they are effective.


Shut down that part of the job where
life- threatening conditions are present.
Recognize individual workers who use safe
work practices and serve as an example to
other workers.

8. Encourage rest breaks and frequent hydration


Workers who feel healthy and energized tend to
be more productive with better work quality,
particularly in the afternoon hours:
Be aware of fast-paced schedules, especially
during the summer heat. Allow a few more
rest breaks. This will reduce fatigue and may
prevent costly re-work.
Encourage your workers to
take short walks
to pick up tools. This
provides a few minutes
of rest.
Provide plenty of water and
encourage your workers
to drink frequently.
Remember, heat illness can
kill in less than one hour of exposure to
extreme heat and humidity.
9. Promote health and fitness
Workers who are fit are less likely to be injured.
If they do get injured they heal faster:
Working in a physical job is not a substitute
for doing exercises that can help to increase
strength and flexibility.
Encourage your workers to incorporate
personal fitness by working out, doing
stretching exercises, eating a balanced diet,
and getting plenty of sleep.

As a foreman, you are in a key position to help


increase your company`s work production while
reducing on-the-job injuries.

Cal/OSHA Consultation Service


WRITERS AND EDITORS
Zin Cheung, Rick Hight, Fran Hurley, Kristy McKoon-Schultz
PAGE LAYOUT AND DESIGN
Jitan Patel
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Our thanks are extended to the following for their support and
assistance in the research and development of this document.
Liz Arioto - Wentz Group
Bo Bradley - Harbison Mahony Higgins
Ed Calderon - Shea Homes
Doug Day - Precision General Commercial Contractors, INC
Kim DeRuyter - Helix Electric, INC.
Bill Hopkins - Carpenters` Local 46
Dorothy Ormsby - ICS Group, INC.
Bert Mazeau - Rosendin Electric
Scott Schneider - Laborers` Health and Safety Fund of N. America
Corey Strack - Carpenters` Local 152
Marti Stroup - Associated General Contractors of California
Samantha Turner - Swinerton, INC
Cal/OSHA Consultation Programs
Toll-Free 1-800-963-9424
Internet: www.dir.ca.gov/dosh
FRESNO CENTRAL VALLEY
1901 N Gateway Blvd., #102
Fresno, CA 93727
(559) 454-1295
OAKLAND SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
1515 Clay Street, #1103
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 622-2891
SACRAMENTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
2424 Arden Way, #410
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 263-0704
SAN BERNARDINO - INLAND EMPIRE & ORANGE CO.
464 W 4TH Street, #339
San Bernardino, CA 92401
(909) 383-4567
SAN DIEGO
7575 Metropolitan Drive, #204
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 767-2060
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
SANTA BARBARA & NORTH WEST L.A. CO.
6150 Van Nuys Blvd., #307
Van Nuys, CA 91401
(818) 901-5754
SANTA FE SPRINGS L.A. METRO AREA
10350 Heritage Park Drive, #201
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
(562) 944-9366

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