ForConstructionPros.com

Does safety pay - silly question, isn't it? Of course it pays. The real questions should be: "Do you have a formal safety program, do you follow it, do you lead by example and do you monitor results?" If you can answer "yes" in each case, you likely have more profits and cash to show for it due to lower insurance costs, reduced maintenance expense and less downtime.

All in all, a safety program should be a win-win for both you and your employees. But having a safety program and making sure it is used properly are two different things.

A safety program means having a formal document for all employees to follow. You will probably have at least an annual program, with additional programs added as new types of equipment are utilized or new projects attempted.

It also means enforcing the program, and making sure employees who violate safety policies hear about it. Any compliance issues with the program should be documented in the employee's service record.

You can't get away from the fact that certain employees will try to push the envelope. Give them an inch and they will take a mile. Consequently, employees must be educated as to the benefits of safety programs, and encouraged to work as a team to make safety a priority. Hopefully, this approach will have employees police themselves and even stop unsafe acts before they are committed. After all, it is in each employee's best interest to reduce the risk of injury to personnel or damage to equipment.