While technology and robust safety procedures have helped to decrease the number of workplace accidents in commercial construction, it still remains one of the most dangerous industries. Of the 4,762 workplace deaths in 2020, 27% (1,282) occurred in the construction industry. Therefore, it’s incredibly important for commercial subcontractors to continue to place a strong emphasis on safety training, education, and procedures and strive to not become complacent in the workplace and on the job.
At Unique Building Group (UBG), safety is our number one priority and our largest responsibility. Through our robust training and on-site procedures, we do everything in our power to ensure employees and our partner’s workers are operating in a safe environment. It’s the best thing we can do for our workers and our performance. Below we’ll review why construction safety is so important at UBG as well as what we do to demonstrate our commitment and track record for creating a safety-focused workplace.
Why Safety Matters To UBG
While many commercial subcontractors will say safety matters, at UBG it is the single most important aspect of our jobs. Our safety-first mentality is just one of the reasons why we’ve established such a strong reputation in the industry and a track record for delivering high-quality results time and time again. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons our industry partners rest easy when UBG is on the job. Here are a few of the specific reasons why safety is so important to us.
- We Care About Our Workers – We are responsible for the health and safety of every worker who steps on the job site, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We’re willing to invest in construction safety above all else if it means keeping our employees out of harm’s way. Additionally, we employ some of the industry’s most talented workers, and a safe workplace is a critical component to attracting and retaining laborers with highly specialized skill sets. Nobody wants to work for a firm with a poor safety record.
- General Contractors Trust Us – We’ve established strong partnerships with many of the industry’s top general contractors. These partnerships are built on trust. Our partners trust us to create a safe workplace for everyone and to do everything we can to prevent accidents on the job. General contractors often think twice about partnering with unreliable firms with poor safety standards. When partnering with UBG, safety is one less thing you need to worry about.
- We Keep Projects On-Schedule
In many cases, accidents can setback a project timeline. A large part of UBG’s reputation was built on delivering high-quality results on-time, every time. Construction safety incidents lead to time loss and can hurt productivity. By ensuring issues don’t happen on the job, we can keep projects running along their projected timelines. - Our Work Is Complex
UBG primarily specializes in large-scale projects, which can introduce more risk than your everyday construction job. When installing several hundred thousand square feet of drywall and metal stud framing, it’s even more important that our team shows up 100% prepared every day and follows safety procedures and protocols at all times.
At UBG, trust, integrity, and professionalism are core principles of our daily operations, so the decision to make construction safety our number one priority was an easy one. It’s a large part of who we are.
How UBG Creates A Safe Workplace
Many commercial subcontractors tout a safety-focused culture, but we know saying and doing are two different things. Here are a few examples of how UBG creates a safe workplace for all.
- Education & Training
Construction safety training begins off the work site. We invest in year-round safety training, classroom sessions, daily safety meetings, seminars, and more. We extensively review numerous safety-related topics including OSHA’s fatal four, everyday job site hazards, personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, and the impacts of unforeseen conditions and circumstances.
Additionally, all of our workers go through formal industry training. All UBG foremen are OSHA 30 trained and all project leads are OSHA 10 trained. Additionally, we conduct year-round safety training with M2 training and build strong safety-related habits into our daily workstreams. - Accountability
We create a culture where everyone is responsible for safety. Our company leaders, supervisors, project managers, safety managers, and workers all have a role to play. If a safety incident occurs, we are all accountable. - Procedures
At UBG we have a refined set of safety operating procedures that far exceed OSHA standards. These procedures outline all internal safety requirements including PPE usage as well as identifying and reporting workplace hazards, incidents, and accidents. - Job Site Awareness
We employ some of the industry’s best safety managers who are constantly analyzing and monitoring the job site for potential issues and hazards. Our safety managers do more than just enforce PPE usage, they’re on the lookout for changing environments and constantly communicating with the entire team. - Technology
Technology continues to improve commercial construction safety every year, so we try to remain on top of all of the latest trends and invest in solutions that make sense. Additionally, we use software and communication tools that make it easy to identify and report hazards and accidents on the job. - Equipment Maintenance
Faulty equipment is a common cause of workplace accidents, which is why we have strict protocols around testing and maintaining all equipment and machinery used on the job site so everything works as expected.
Creating a safe workplace isn’t easy, but it’s our responsibility. It takes a long time to build a safety-focused culture, and we’ve spent more than 30 years perfecting it.
Need more proof that UBG is focused on safety first? Our track record speaks for itself. General contractors who are looking for a safe, reliable, commercial subcontractor that specializes in complex construction often turn to Unique Building Group, as we’re an industry leader in building envelope solutions and safety. Call us today at 858-586-1045
