August 15, 2024

7 Safety Steps Your Commercial Contractor Should Be Taking

When it comes to officially choosing a commercial contractor for your Lehigh Valley construction project, you’ll want to have one that’s well-suited for your project and that has a comprehensive vetting process to follow. You’ll want to look at the commercial contractor’s past projects to gauge the quality of work. You might connect with past commercial building clients to check references and see what others say about their project experiences. And you’ll verify that any new commercial contractor has all the necessary credentials, licensing, and insurance coverages before signing over your project partnership. 

But there’s another element to consider before choosing a contractor for your retail, nonprofit, office, healthcare, or faith-based building project. Verifying the company’s position and processes regarding safety is another key consideration. A reputable commercial contractor will be able to share these safety steps and standards with you as dedicated guidelines to ensure job site safety.

1. The Firm Has Comprehensive Safety Guidelines for Workers

When you begin evaluating various commercial contractors for your build, inquire about their methods and guidelines for worker safety. Reputable firms will be readily able to share information about comprehensive safety guidelines. These guidelines will usually include directives like:

  • Precautions and procedures governing the following:
    • Heights, ladder safety, and fall prevention
    • Electrical safety
    • Heavy machinery and equipment
    • Welding safety
    • Confined space safety
    • Falling objects
    • Fire and chemical safety

Your chosen construction team should be open and willing to share safety initiatives and OSHA safety records in addition to standard proof of insurance requirements. Its in-house workers and subcontractors alike should be expected to adhere to any outlined safety procedures.

2. Workers Are Thoroughly and Routinely Trained

Every company will say their job sites focus on safety. But you can inquire further to verify their claims. Another sign that your commercial contractor prioritizes safety is the level and frequency of worker training they enforce. Firms that focus on safety will have regular training for workers about operating and maneuvering safely on the job site. Training initiatives might include the following topics:

  • Basic on-the-job safety training
  • Proper equipment training
  • PPE training
  • Lifting, carrying, and handling training
  • Slip and fall prevention training
  • Checklists and hazard review
  • Near miss reporting
  • Accident reporting

Ask potential commercial construction firms about their training efforts with regard to safety enforcement. If they’re not training their teams regularly to adhere to safety guidelines, they’re not prioritizing job site safety.

3. There are Safety Protocols for Job Site Visitors

Companies that prioritize safety will also have dedicated and transparent guidelines for commercial job site visitors. Inquire about these guidelines so you know what to expect when visiting your job site. Know ahead of time what safety regulations are in place for visiting stakeholders. And if there aren’t safety measures or requirements in place that might include PPE for visitors, it’s a sign such protocols may not exist. Other examples of guest or visitor-related protocols might include:

  • Restrictions regarding access to certain areas of the job site.
  • Restrictions regarding heights.
  • Guidelines for safe passage throughout the site.
  • Introduction to safety best practices for each visit.

Verify, too, if your construction partner will have the required PPE and guidelines available as a reminder to any and all who tour the site during the various phases of construction. You can buy your own safety goggles, but hard hats might be made available by the firm for touring guests.

4. There Is a Full Roster of Required PPE

One of the most important safety efforts a commercial construction company can enforce involves PPE or personal protective equipment. PPE is required for anyone involved in the project to reduce the risks of injury on the job site. Some examples of these essential protective wearables might include the following:

  • Hard hats and bump caps
  • Gloves and hand protection
  • Eye protection glasses and goggles
  • Steel-toed shoes
  • Hearing protection
  • Dust masks
  • Face shields
  • Coveralls or aprons
  • High-visibility vests 

Depending on your particular commercial construction project, you might be required to wear all of the above and properly endorsed PPE when visiting or touring your site.

5. The Company Abides by OSHA Safety Standards

OSHA provides regulatory guidance for commercial construction companies to follow. There are comprehensive requirements you can explore further online to educate yourself and your teams about what safety measures are outlined. You’ll want to ensure you choose a commercial construction firm that has a robust commitment to OSHA compliance. Some of these safety standards include requirements that govern the following:

  • Fall protection efforts and equipment, including harnesses
  • Trip protection efforts, including guardrails
  • Proper PPE enforcement for all workers and site visitors
  • Electrical, welding, heavy equipment operation, and chemical safety
  • Proper reporting of incidents and safety failures

The four most common critical injuries that occur in the construction industry include accidental falls, being struck by falling objects, being caught in between objects, and electrocution. Make sure the commercial contracting team you choose has all the regulatory safety practices in place to reduce these common risks.

6. The Team Conducts Regular Site Inspections

Look to see if your chosen commercial contractors perform regular or even daily site inspections. These are essential in confirming and preserving safety best practices. It’s the method that allows your construction partner to spot potential hazards and make ongoing improvements to safety procedures. A site inspection might include the following steps:

  • Recording of site details and activities 
  • Monitoring of control practices
  • Verifying accessibility and tidiness
  • Confirming proper use of PPE
  • Evaluating equipment or operational hazards
  • Verifying proper first aid resources are available
  • Examination and standard reviews of electrical equipment
  • Identifying potential fall hazards

7. The Commercial Construction Firm Holds Safety Meetings

Another routine step commercial construction companies will take to further improve safety on the job is regular training at safety meetings. Project leaders will assemble crews, teams, and subcontractors throughout the build journey to review safety best practices and share potential safety concerns. Other topics of discussion during these regular safety meetings include:

  • Review and confirmation of PPE
  • Review of the day’s hazards and potential risks
  • Lockout/tagout procedures
  • Discussion of functional tools and equipment 
  • Review of fire or chemical safety
  • Reminders about reporting safety issues and near misses
  • Reminders about first aid procedures and resources

Before you embark on your commercial construction project journey, make sure you have a thorough vetting process in place for selecting the right construction firm. Verify past projects, licensing, and references before committing to any project. Ask all your pertinent questions regarding the potential partnership and project details. And don’t forget to follow up regarding these steps your chosen firm should be taking to reinforce safety. Safety on the construction site should always be a priority in any commercial building project. 

Or, instead of interviewing and meeting with multiple contractors and conducting lengthy pre-screening efforts, you could rely on the decades of commercial construction experience by choosing Jerdon Construction! Not only do we serve as your trusted commercial building partner, but our team checks all the boxes on your vetting list and we prioritize safety for everyone involved in our projects. We’ll show you every safety precaution we take to reduce job site risks for everyone involved. Our safety-first approach extends to all our commercial build projects in general contracting, construction management, building maintenance, and emergency commercial repairs.

Explore our past commercial construction projects, including Lehigh Valley churches, office spaces, retail buildings, healthcare facilities, and more. Connect with our team today, and let’s discuss your Lehigh Valley building project!