Iglesias says the success of the safety program lies in its proactive approach to safety. "If there's a safety violation on the jobsite, instead of simply writing someone a violation slip we show them what they did wrong to help them avoid it in the future," he explains. There's also accountability in the program, and employees know Iglesias won't shy away from firing workers with a disregard for safety.

The safety changes implemented at Form Works resulted in a new safety culture throughout every level of the company. Jobsites are safer, and so are the workers. Form Works has seen considerable monetary value in the program also. "The safety changes haven't been cheap, but they have been worth it," Marks says. "Insurance costs have dropped a lot. Now we're eligible for insurance programs we weren't previously eligible for."

Marks adds the company's incurred losses have been cut to 25 percent of what they were before the emphasis on safety, helping Form Works drastically improve its experience modification rating (EMR). An average EMR is 1, with anything below 1 above average. In 2003, Form Works had an EMR of 1.8; today that number has dropped to 0.74.

An outstanding safety record has also proved a positive in winning job bids. "General contractors like subcontractors who do safe work," Marks says. "It puts a general contractor at ease to known we're going to take care of safety issues on the jobsite."

The ownership group at Form Works is pleased with the success of its safety initiative and will continue to drive their employees to do safe work. "I feel like we're in control of safety," Marks says. "There's no longer a feeling that we have to accept accidents, and beyond accidents, that control continues with handling any accidents that do happen instead of being at the hands of others. Now everyone knows that all work has to be performed safely, and that's not negotiable."