Due to the inherent risks on a construction site, safety cannot simply be a goal – it has to be a condition of employment.
Therefore, construction companies that take safety seriously must create a bottom-up approach to a healthful workplace. This includes making safety an integral part of the workplace culture, which is easier when there is a clear and comprehensive safety policy in place.
Schnabel Geostructural Design & Construction is one of the industry’s leading earth retention and specialty foundation contractors, and it has retained its stellar reputation by working hard to ensure that every team member fully embraces its safety policy and motto:
“Don’t hurt yourself, don’t hurt anyone else, and don’t let anyone hurt you.”
This is a simple philosophy, but it’s one that each employee and subcontractor lives by and it helps ensure a safe workplace for all.
To build a safe and reliable workplace that enables the entire team to do its best and produce the most successful outcome for the client, Schnabel continually seeks better safety methods. The company rewards employees who actively contribute to the growth of the company by committing to safety and looking for ways to improve.
Schnabel’s leadership and management team have a passion for safety that permeates throughout the organization. They have successfully empowered team members to stop unsafe conditions and address risky behaviors directly.
To help others in the construction industry create a culture of safety, Schnabel shares the following tips for practicing a bottom-up safety approach:
Safety in Construction is not a ‘Safety Department’ Responsibility
To create a culture of safety on a construction job, keeping the team safe can never be solely a ‘safety department’ responsibility. Each employee, whether on-site or in an office – must actively practice safe work habits at all times. And, every team member should have the authority to call out unsafe behaviors.
A bottom-up approach to safety in construction builds from respect among employees and positive feedback at every level of the company. Leadership must have an unyielding commitment to safety, but that dedication needs to be present in every employee and subcontractor as well.
Develop Construction Equipment and Work Task Training Videos
Technology assets like equipment and work task training videos should be a standard part of creating a culture of safety in construction. By using tech to drive and monitor a healthful workplace, each team member will have tangible and straightforward safety reference materials that can be easily updated as the job requires.
In-house training videos and safety lessons that are available to every employee will help prevent the occurrence of many injuries and the reoccurrence of risky behaviors.
Commit to Regular Reassessment of Construction Safety Policies
If there is a safer way for the team to work, leadership and management should always be on top of it. And, if there are equipment modifications or upgrades that will create a stronger culture of safety, a construction company must find a way to include these modifications and upgrades as part of its standard operating procedures.
Perfecting processes and even developing patented methods that reduce risk across the company are actions that a ‘safety first’ organization takes. 
Schnabel Geostructural Design & Construction is at the forefront of job site safety just as it is with construction equipment innovation and design. Over the past 60 years, across more than 5,000 projects throughout the United States, Schnabel has had an impressive safety record because safety drives each of its employees and the company as a whole.
About Schnabel Geostructural Design & Construction
Schnabel Geostructural Design & Construction was founded in 1959, in Washington, D.C. Today, the company has a national footprint and it still prioritizes operational efficiency, safety, and innovation as a pathway to success. Schnabel leverages decades of expertise and experience to continuously deliver positive outcomes for its team and clients.