Businesses must keep up with safety and risk management practices, especially when relating to the construction industry. While the construction industry is still rebounding from the recession, temporary employees and an aging workforce put businesses at risk. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), out of 4,779 worker fatalities in 2018, 21.1% were in construction. The multiple reports of workplace fatalities have raised safety issues that construction companies must focus on due to the aging workforce.
“The increase in new construction activity is bringing an influx of new, inexperienced workers, ” reported Risk and Insurance Magazine. “In this environment, some contractors are stretching their hiring standards to meet project demands.”
Rise of unskilled employees a concern
Many unskilled employees are going into managerial roles quicker than usual. It creates a problem because several new supervisors aren’t familiar with the construction industry’s shifting views and safety management policies. According to the report, the problem has changed from necessary evils to core business principles fundamental to a businesses’ success, reported Risk and Insurance Magazine.
One of the best solutions is to focus on management training and ensure effective leadership in the workforce. According to the report, maintaining a leadership culture in the workplace does not need to be complex. Still, it should shift toward building leadership skills, and the industry’s existing knowledge is crucial.
“Some managers, whether new to the task or seasoned veterans, may need to learn basic leadership principles while others in a different stage of leadership development may benefit from a higher level of skill-building,” according to Risk and Insurance Magazine.
According to the OSHA, nearly 5,250 employees were killed on the job in 2018, which is the equivalent of 3.5 per 100,000 full-time workers. In 2018, 21.1 percent of all fatal work injuries involved construction businesses.
Companies that employ effective leaders will likely avoid more safety-related issues. These companies do so by ensuring that workers are mindful of core construction business principles. Employees should contact their HR department to see what safety and risk management practices are in practice at their workforce.