Why Do Some Contractors Still Choose Not to Follow the Rules, Even When They Know The Risks?

By NICOLE LURZ

It’s something I see all the time. Safety gets treated like a cost instead of an investment.

Bringing a safety professional onsite is often seen as “extra overhead” rather than what it really is – protection against fines, delays and tragedies.

And yet, when an incident happens, those same people who didn’t want to spend a dime on safety are the first to call the safety person and expect him or her to save their butts. By that point, it’s usually too late.

I’ve seen plenty of companies talk a big game about safety culture and looking out for their crews. But when you get onsite, it’s a completely different story.
Deadlines take priority. Budgets get tighter. Corners get cut.

Let’s be real. When you put production ahead of people, it’s only a matter of time before something goes wrong.

Safety isn’t there to slow you down. It’s there to keep you in business, and to make sure everyone goes home at the end of the day.

It’s time to stop preaching safety and start practicing it.

Nicole Lurz is founder & principal safety consultant at Illuminate Safety Training and Consulting Ltd.