By KERRY SMITH BUCK

While some owners and builders may share the perception that safety impedes construction productivity, the reality is that with proper safety protocols and safeguards in place, a safe jobsite actually fuels productivity.

A study initiated by The American Society of Safety Engineers found that proper safety training reduced jobsite accidents by 67 percent and lost workdays by 72 percent.

Another study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that companies prioritizing safety have better overall performance, including higher profit margins and better project outcomes.

And a Lockheed Martin study showed that when the company developed a stronger safety culture, the productivity increased by 24 percent and factory costs went down. This was attributed to employees focusing reducing errors that lead to accidents.

Safety directors attest that it’s a misconception that a safe jobsite is a slower one because safety incidents cause major, unpredictable delays that far outweigh the time spent on proper safety protocols. Accidents halt work for investigations and medical treatment, lead to lost productivity from injured workers, cause legal and insurance costs and decrease morale – while a proactive, integrated safety culture leads to smoother, faster operations with fewer disruptions.

How Safety Boosts Productivity

A safe jobsite reduces downtime, safety professionals agree. Accidents and injuries can halt a project for investigations, causing significant delays and lost work hours. A safe site minimizes these stoppages.

A safe jobsite also improves morale and focus. When workers feel safe, they experience less stress and are more engaged. This leads to higher quality work and a greater ability to focus on the task at hand rather than worrying about potential hazards.

Lower costs are another benefit of a safe jobsite. According to United Alliance Services, safety investments provide a significant return on investment, with estimates suggesting a return of $4 to $6 for every $1 spent on safety. Costs are reduced through fewer injury claims, lower insurance premiums and less spending on legal repercussions and fines.

A reputation for being a safe place to work attracts and retains skilled labor, which is crucial for high-quality performance and project success.

Construction safety professionals say a well-organized and safe site ensures materials and equipment are stored and moved efficiently, which saves time and prevents waste.

“We plan for safety at the same time that we plan for everything else,” says Boyd Worsham, president of the National Center for Construction Education and Research. “Safety is not a separate topic. One of the common challenges in safety is when we don’t have what we need to be safe…and then we’re temped to cut corners,” he adds. “But if we plan for what we need and use the equipment properly, it all pays off. It’s all an interconnected process.”

Seeing instead of just looking, he says, is essential with regard to maintaining a safe, productive jobsite. “The average contractor wants to do this – to see rather than just to look – but all too frequently, people don’t recognize the hazard because they’re not being observant enough or it’s just not a skillset they’ve developed. When you take that action, you make a safer jobsite and it becomes more productive.”

Ryan Wehrle is corporate safety director at Tarlton Corp. Wehrle says safety definitely increases the general contractor’s jobsite efficiency.

“Whether a significant or minor incident occurs on a jobsite, there’s always costly downtime,” says Wehrle. “Any incident stops the project’s momentum. But if it’s one where OSHA has to get involved, the downtime could be significant.”

When a jobsite is safe, workers know it and are able to concentrate on the project.

Low absenteeism is another positive byproduct of a safe jobsite, and one that lends to full crews working their hardest and being productive. Related to this is worker morale and correspondingly reduced turnover. “When employees feel that they are safe and well cared for, they are more willing to go the extra mile, work harder and be more productive on the jobsite,” says Wehrle.

Wiegmann Associates safety director Dawn Bridges says it often takes longer to do a job unsafely. An example of this is using a lift rather than a ladder. “It takes way less time to use a lift than it does setting up a ladder,” she says. “And one tiny accident– say you put someone on a ladder when they should be on a lift (at a rental cost of $300/day) and there’s a fall incident, you could be up to half a million dollars in no time.”

Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council safety director Al Jotautas says the Carpenters is the only union within any building trades in North America that has its own full-time, in-house safety department. “When safety is in place, there’s no doubt productivity follows,” Jotautas says. “We’re always going to beat everyone by three months (in terms of project schedule timelines) because of safety…a union job’s safety and quality of work buys it three months of schedule. There are no barriers so it allows workers to move forward with true productivity.”

As Subsurface Constructors’ drilling operations manager, Jamie Brune wears two hats – one as operations, one as safety.

“Safety definitely increases production,” he says. “Clear communication between all parties on the jobsite makes safety and productivity a reality.”

Preconstruction meetings are a mainstay for Subsurface Constructors. “These meetings afford all of us – general contractor, trades and specialty subcontractors – the opportunity to be on the same page, especially with knowing the protective measures that each project partner will be using for the project.”

Implementing Safety to Boost Productivity

• Create a safety-first culture: Emphasize safety from the top down by having a written safety plan that is communicated to all workers.
• Provide proper training and equipment: Ensure all workers are properly trained on safety procedures and have and use the correct personal protective equipment (PPE). Regular, informal safety talks at the start of the day can reinforce best practices.
• Organize the site: Keep the work area clean and organized to shorten travel distances, improve material flow and prevent accidents.
• Implement technology: Use technology like construction management software, AI-powered monitoring and drones to monitor safety, track progress and improve communication.
• Focus on quality: Encourage workers to take pride in their work and do it right the first time to avoid costly rework and delays.