Safe + Sound Week, organized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is an annual event that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America’s workers safe. This year’s Safe + Sound Week took place from August 12-18, providing an excellent opportunity for businesses to focus on improving their safety protocols and engaging employees in safety management.
Questions? Contact Joey Baker | jbaker@ieci.org
Participating in Safe + Sound Week helps businesses demonstrate their commitment to safety, which can foster a culture of safety within the organization. A strong safety culture not only protects employees but also enhances productivity and morale.
By emphasizing the importance of health and safety programs, Safe + Sound Week encourages companies to identify and mitigate risks, reducing the likelihood of workplace injuries and illnesses. This proactive approach can lead to fewer incidents and a safer working environment.
Engaging in safety initiatives aligns with OSHA’s regulations and guidelines, ensuring compliance with safety standards. Additionally, businesses that prioritize safety are often viewed more favorably by clients, partners, and employees, enhancing their reputation and credibility.
The rewards of implementing a safety focus within your organization are immeasurable. Not only will your employees feel more confident about their personal safety on the job, but your business will realize more profit due to a decrease in insurance costs.
Available to IEC members only, the IEC Safety Manual is a must-have resource that provides basic information on maintaining a safe work environment on the jobsite. You may use this valuable professional advice as a guideline, or in addition to your own company specific safety manual.
This manual covers the topics of incident investigations, equipment safety, excavation and trenching, fleet safety, emergency preparedness, drug free workplace issues, safety audits, confined space protocols, and much more.
The IEC Safety Manual is not intended to replace OSHA standards. IEC assumes no responsibility for any omissions or errors in this manual. The resource offers safety program suggestions and does not set industry standards. Each IEC member should determine the portions of this manual that may be helpful in achieving a safer work environment and modify it to address the issues and hazards in their workplaces.
The 8th edition of IEC’s Jobsite Safety Handbook is a pocket-sized, 120-page reference manual that clearly defines and explains current safety regulations and best practices. With sections reviewing OSHA inspections, arc flash protection, lockout procedures, fire prevention, and much more, the IEC Jobsite Safety Handbook is an invaluable resource for your team. Written in English with Spanish translations, the handbook will assist supervisors in conveying the importance of safety, and how to achieve it, to their workers.
Contact communications@ieci.org to order copies!
IEC strives to be a leader in safety in the electrical and systems contracting industry, and our efforts have been recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) through an IEC-OSHA Alliance partnership.
Through the Alliance, IEC and OSHA work together to provide members and industry leaders with valuable information and access to training resources that will help protect employees’ health and safety, with the goal of reducing and preventing exposure to fall and arc flash hazards, which are major areas of concern in the electrical and systems contracting industry.
Explore the many resources available on the OSHA website including information on safety programs, quick cards, one-pagers, and more.
During an OSHA inspection of non-union worksites, employees can be represented by anyone they select, including outside union agents.
IEC has worked with IES to provide a procedure your company may adopt to ensure that you pass all inspections. It also informs you of your rights and responsibilities during OSHA’s visit. The procedure contains a checklist to follow during an OSHA inspection as well as guidelines to follow during and after.
OSHA may enter any workplace for the purpose of determining if violations of OSHA standards exist there. However, OSHA may only do so with the consent of the employer or by authority of a search warrant issued by a U.S. District Judge or Magistrate. Inspections by OSHA Compliance Officers may be initiated for many reasons including employee complaints, serious or fatal accidents, special emphasis programs, or planned audits.
Do you know how to prevent the “Focus Four Hazards” in your workplace? Falls, Struck-by, Electrocutions, and Caught-in/Between account for 60% of construction fatalities. In 2023, IEC is renewing its commitment to helping members, their employees, and their businesses stay healthy and safe by providing members with resources from reputable public sources and IEC safety leaders. IEC strives to make these accident prevention resources more accessible to members and stress the importance of implementing a safety focus within their organizations.
Struck-by incidents are a leading cause of death among construction workers and the leading cause of nonfatal injuries in the construction industry. CPWR has created resources to increase awareness of struck-by hazards and ways to prevent struck-by incidents.
Types of “struck by object” accidents include:
Employers are routinely cited for failing to adequately secure and guard heavy machinery that is common to construction sites.
Caught-in/between injuries result when a worker gets squeezed, caught, crushed, pinched, or compressed between two or more objects or parts of an object. One of the Focus Four Hazards, fatalities and injuries are due to insufficient safety measures when working around or in excavation sites. In 2019, caught-in/between incidents accounted for 5.4% of all fatalities within the construction industry. These types of accidents can largely be prevented with adherence to safety procedures and regulation.
Examples of caught-in/between accidents include:
Preventing Caught-in/Between Accidents Before They Happen
Resources from the CPWR and OSHA lay out in-depth solutions for preventing caught-in/between injuries among contractors. Some tips for handling these hazards include:
Preventing hearing loss is critical for workers in the construction industry. Constant exposure to loud noise on job sites is a major risk, with 75% of construction workers experiencing dangerous levels of noise. Over time, this can lead to permanent hearing damage.
Hearing loss not only affects your ability to work safely but also impacts your overall quality of life. Once hearing is damaged, it can’t be restored, which is why it’s essential to protect it from the start. Using proper hearing protection and receiving regular training on noise hazards can significantly reduce the risk.
The construction industry faces a significant mental health challenge, with workers being at a higher risk of suicide than in many other professions. High-stress environments, physically demanding work, and the stigma associated with seeking help contribute to this alarming trend. By raising awareness and fostering a supportive community, we can help reduce these risks and ensure that our colleagues feel safe, valued, and empowered to seek assistance when needed. Promoting mental health is not just a priority—it is a necessity for ensuring the safety and well-being of our industry.
Visit the Center for Construction Research and Training to get resources.
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