AET4243 Ch 14 Conclusions

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How safety is attended to on construction sites depends on individual attitudes toward it. No matter what the attitude, however, safety is required by law. There are also humanitarian and economic reasons for attending to safety. Its no coincidence that safe jobs are productive jobs. Accidents cut down on productivity and increase insurance costs and claims; they can even mean the difference between winning the next job or losing it. Owners are interested in working with contractors who have good safety records. No one wants to attract the negative attention to a job that comes with a serious accident.

There are many ways to prevent accidents. It takes a commitment from top management that then filters down to individual workers in the field. Everyone has a responsibility for safety. It can only be effective if people are framed to spot hazardous conditions and if the hazardous conditions are addressed quickly and consistently.

Even with the best of intentions, however, accidents can happen. When they do, it is important that everyone knows his or her role. First aid kit locations, emergency numbers, procedures for aiding injured workers, protection of the accident scene must be addressed before there is a reason to use them. Finally, the cause of the accident should be determined and, if possible, eliminated so that it does not occur again.