It’s everyone’s responsibility on a job-site to keep all workers and visitors safe. But who exactly is everyone?
Contractors, crews, safety inspectors – of course. But what about the people who design and manufacture the equipment workers use to keep safe?
The answer is a resounding yes. Builders Mutual spoke with leaders of three manufacturers of construction tools and gear to find out how they build safety into their products, and why a culture of safety from the top down is crucial to bringing everybody home safe.
Listen to the full discussion between the three manufacturers on our Building Progress podcast.
Taking a different approach to safety
As job-site staples for decades, tool belts, ladders, and roof anchors wouldn’t seem to be ideal candidates for innovative safety design. But some manufacturers looked at this stodgy group and saw possibilities to protect more workers in new ways.
Diamondback Tool
Workers have traditionally carried tools on a belt slung around their waists. Probably very few of them understood what damage this practice was doing to their back, hips, and knees – or that the number-one workers compensation claim is for back injuries.
That’s where Diamondback Tool stepped in. Recognizing the need for a more ergonomic way to carry tools, Diamondback designs its belts and vests – which have been favored by police and the military for many years – to work better, while helping workers to avoid injuries to the body’s soft tissues. Its vests can even fit over safety harnesses.
“These gear options may make workers look a little different,” said Connor Crook, Diamondback Tool owner and CEO, “but they will not ruin your body.”
In the future, the company is pursuing a range of ideas, such as cooling vests – including those with air conditioning – to address the growing problem of heat control, and helmets that offer a more comprehensive way to protect against accidents compared with hard hats.
Little Giant Ladder Systems
Whether workers are hauling around an eight-foot A-frame ladder or 24-foot extension ladder, they are most likely carrying equipment that looks and feels exactly like what their grandparents used: heavy and unwieldly.
And that’s why ladders contribute so much to worker injuries. Not simply because they are the source of falls, but because their heft and uneven distribution of weight make them hard to carry – resulting in muscle strains and sprains.
At Little Giant Ladder Systems, ladders have been redesigned with a proprietary fiberglass material to significantly reduce their weight. “On some models, that means taking a 70-pound ladder down to below 50 pounds,” said Dave Francis, National Safety Director for Little Giant Ladder Systems.
One more safety advance: Little Giant removed the top step from its ladders – the one workers aren’t supposed to use anyway – and made the second step wider, enabling workers to center themselves and feel more comfortable as they move higher.
Francis said that the company continues to develop stronger and lighter materials and is focused on enabling their ladders to securely attach to a wider range of surfaces, including scaffolding, crossbars, cables, and even new wood construction.
Super Anchor Safety
Decades ago, when the founders of Super Anchor Safety – who began as residential contractors themselves – wanted to purchase fall protection equipment for their workers, their only options were the bulky gear made for crews that built skyscrapers and other large commercial buildings.
They knew there was a better way, so they created a line of safety harnesses that were more comfortable and easier to wear.
Ease of use, in fact, is perhaps the most important factor in effective fall protection equipment, said Paul Lagerstedt, East Coast Vice President of Sales for Super Anchor Safety. That’s because everyone knows they should be wearing harnesses and tying themselves off to roof anchors, but many fail to do so because they complain the gear gets in their way and prevents them from doing their job.
Harnesses that are easy to put on and wear throughout the day – in addition to Super Anchor Safety anchors that can be installed with two screws instead of 12 – can help workers overcome their reluctance to follow safety best practices.
Gear is only as good as the safety culture
What else besides innovative tools can promote safety? Regulation, of course – although many contractors view OSHA rules as burdensome costs, not as ways to protect workers.
What’s more important, said Crook, Francis, and Lagerstedt, is a culture of safety that comes from the top down.
As an example, Francis cites the difference in workplace fatalities between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Even though the countries have similar levels of technology and regulation, the workplace fatality rate in the U.S. is about 3 people per 1,000, while in the U.K., it’s only 0.3 per 1,000.
According to Francis, the difference can be attributed to attitudes around safety. In the U.K., he said, it’s understood there’s a right way to do a job, and cutting corners is not accepted. Where do these higher standards come from? They are established by management teams that prioritize safety above all else.
Instead of thinking about safety protocols and equipment as costs, contractors should conduct an actual cost-benefit analysis, said the three product leaders. Then employers would see that the benefits – higher productivity, fewer insurance claims, and healthier employees – far outweigh their expenses.
Some parting safety advice
To conduct this type of profitability analysis, Builders Mutual risk management consultants are ready to help. We can assist contractors in understanding the true costs of their safety decisions and then help them choose the gear, safety plans, and training that will get everyone home at the end of the day.
As veteran leaders, Crook, Francis, and Lagerstedt have plenty of insights into what contributes to a safer job-site. Here’s some parting advice:
- “Ask yourself: What’s the value of my body? Consider that answer when purchasing new safety equipment.” (Crook)
- “If you can’t reach something with your ladder, don’t lean over. Just move the ladder!” (Francis)
- “Would you put someone you love on a roof without a proper harness or tying them off? Of course not. Be the ‘safety person’ and start the conversation around safer job-sites.” (Lagerstedt)
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