Safety From a Contractors
>
Perspective
Chris Tschida, Safety Director, Mortenson Construction
Construction Industry Facts
>7,790,000 people employed in construction (6-8% of the
overall U.S. workforce)
Construction industry accounts for
• 21% of all work-related deaths
• 16% of all workers compensation cases
Approximately 1,178 construction workers are killed each year
• 4 people each working day!!
OSHA fines total millions of dollars
Worker Compensation claims total billions of dollars
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Zero Injuries
Why Do You Work Safely?
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Participant Feedback
• What do you think ZERO Injury is really
about?
• Are Zero Injuries actually possible?
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Zero Injury Defined

Zero is not a Goal or Target.
-Such words simply imply it is OK to fail.

Zero has to be a commitment!

There is a difference!!!
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ZERO Injury Concept
“Every injury is avoidable.”
Philosophy was developed through:
• Best management practices
• CII published Zero Injury Techniques
Not owned by a single entity
Can be Achieved by the Willing
if they are Committed
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Zero Injuries – Safety
• Zero Injuries Mindset
 What does this mean? How do we attain it?
 Choice vs. Compliance
 Obligation vs. Empowerment
• Safety Expectations
 All Levels of Management / Craft
 Obtaining Commitment
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Zero Injury Best Practices
1. Management Commitment
2. Staffing for Safety
3. Safety Planning – Pre-project / Pre-task
4. Safety Training and Education
5. Worker Involvement and Education
6. Recognition and Rewards
7. Subcontractor Management
8. Incident Reporting and Investigation
9. Substance Abuse Testing
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Zero Injuries – Next Step
• Safety Climate
 Employee Involvement
 “Soft Side of Safety”
 Measurements
 How are we Really doing?
 From Who’s perspective?
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Culture vs. Climate
Safety Culture
“The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that
characterizes a company or corporation.”
What We Have
What People Do
How People Feel
Rules and Procedures
Actions and Behaviors
SAFETY CLIMATE
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Safety Climate
Perceptions are reality They dictate OUR safety climate
• Active Leadership – What does this
mean? How do you participate?
• Active Visibility – Changes mind
sets – creates the climate we MUST
HAVE
Consistency between the safety
climate of projects will bring about a
stronger safety culture
Where are we?
Climate Maturity
Model
Continually
Improving
Level 5
Cooperating
Level 4
Involving
Level 3
Managing
Level 2
Emerging
Level 1
Develop
Management
Commitment
Realize the
importance of
frontline staff
and develop
personal
responsibility
Engage all
staff to
develop
cooperation
and
commitment to
improving
safety
Develop
consistency
and fight
complacency
Company Assessment
Ask yourself these questions:
• Where are we?
• Where do we want to get to this year?
• What are we willing to do to obtain this – is the
commitment truly there?
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Craft Climate Survey
• Anonymous questionnaire
• Designed to gauge the safety perception from the
craft’s perspective
• Aids in discovering underlying “issues”
• Helps build trust and relationships
• Process (description)
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First Round of Surveys
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2012 Results
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Mortenson’s Expectations
What You Must Do:
• Commit to a Zero Injury project
• Develop a Zero Injury culture
• Model pro-safety attitudes
• Communicate Your safety expectations
• Demonstrate Your Obligation, Your Commitment and
Your Accountability
• Be willing to go above and beyond
• Be an Active Leader
• Instill Trust in all You Lead
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Next Steps
• Changing attitudes each and every day
• Communicating expectations
• Personal and Professional Accountability
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Personal Choices – Personal Culture
Did the following people think of the
consequences of their actions?
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Personal Choices – Personal Culture
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Personal Choices – Personal Culture
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Personal Choices – Personal Culture
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Personal Choices – Personal Culture
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Relationships
The relationship in a Zero Injury Environment is
one of Caring and Concern for each other.
What is your biggest reason to work safe?
Why would you want to take chances?
How would your loved ones react if you were injured?
How would you feel if your fellow worker were to get
injured?
CARE & CONCERN
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