Const's branch manager Risto Kive's blog text is the third in a series in which company management representatives reflect on what makes a safe and prosperous construction industry.
Occupational safety starts with attitude. It determines how seriously safety instructions and regulations are taken and how they are implemented. Attitudes towards occupational safety are even more emphasized on construction sites that are not completely closed to outsiders during construction. These include, for example, parking garages and shopping centers, as well as renovations of housing associations in particular.
Daily work shapes mental images
In the case of housing associations, a special feature is that we work in people's living spaces and the residents are present throughout the project. While Uudiskehte are strictly fenced and only site workers can enter the gates, in housing estates being renovated, the site area can change even from week to week, and people must always have a safe route to their homes. In addition, there are often children in the vicinity of the construction site, whose attention span and attention span are not the same as those of adults. These factors increase occupational safety risks, and therefore keeping the construction site and residential area separate is even more emphasized.
My job is to put the message of safety attitudes into practice. When a couple of meters away people are walking in shorts and sandals, and on the other side of the fence there is a mandatory helmet, it can raise the question for the employee, why occupational safety issues are discussed so much and addressed.
The marketing imagery of construction and renovation perhaps also reinforces this perception. It often focuses on a good feeling, we are on cottage or detached house construction sites and the sun is shining. However, occupational safety is not always so spectacular. In addition, there is a reason that long sleeves and legs are worn even when the weather is warmer. Even on small sites, safety issues should be treated equally seriously.
That's why I emphasize acting as an example. From the residents' point of view, our employees represent not only the company, but also the entire construction industry. For the employee, the destination may be the fiftieth or hundredth similar, but for the residents of the housing association, it is the first similar experience. The daily work of professionals in our field is therefore also of great importance in creating mental images.
It is also understandable that many residents are interested in the progress of the renovation. A story would be enough, and coffee and a bun are also offered to us now and then. Residents' observations are important and welcome, and residents' participation can be done safely, for example, through an electronic feedback system. The active communication of the site management keeps the residents informed about the progress of the renovation and, among other things, about safe access routes. The most important thing is to create the feeling that it is a joint project that is done for the benefit of the residents.
Open and positive speech brings results
Our unit renovates around 200 properties a year, so these things really matter. When we noticed that the number of minor accidents at housing association construction sites started to rise, we systematically took action to prevent the situation from getting worse. I want each of us to get home from work safe and sound.
I see that attitudes are best shaped through the positive. Fines and sanctions alone did not raise occupational safety to the level we hoped for. Open speech and comprehensive orientation, as well as positive feedback and rewards have proven to be the best working methods.
Work for safety has been done together with our employees, trustees and occupational health and safety representative. We have received many good suggestions from the employees, which we have put into practice. By doing this, we were able to reduce the number of accidents by more than half, while the attitude towards occupational safety is more positive and the manner of speaking more constructive.
We encourage everyone working on the site to bring up occupational safety observations, both positive and negative, and we regularly reward sites where occupational safety is properly maintained. It is important to thank not only for a job well done, but also for actions for safety. Remuneration must also apply to the entire chain, from subcontractors and employees to management, because it is always about cooperation.
We Finns are not always so good at giving positive feedback, but it is definitely worth practicing and putting it into practice. People basically want to do their job well and be successful, so public praise and positive attention is a significant force.
I challenge all users on construction sites and in the vicinity of the construction site to make occupational safety observations and discuss this important matter together. Thus, we are able to create a safe work environment where work proceeds smoothly and efficiently. Positive speech and discussions about work safety have brought me a lot of good mood and their results have been really encouraging.
RT's safety group ended up challenging people working in management positions in the construction industry to share their own vision and experience about why safety must be managed, by what means, and what good it brings. Through the challenge, we want to send a message to the entire construction industry that good management plays a decisive role in promoting occupational safety and well-being.
Const's branch manager Risto Kivi was the third to take up the challenge, who will challenge next, according to YIT.
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