Questions and Answers with our Safety Team and…

… will the Monday mindset be forever changed?

HOUSTON (April 15, 2020) – OSHA 1926 is considered construction’s safety bible. At Arch-Con we go above and beyond that standard, so we sat down with our Safety Team to get some perspective on the every day actions that keep our workers safe. They also gave us some insight from the job site during this global pandemic. This team is a force to enforce with a U.S. Air Force veteran, former police officer, former Southwest Airlines cargo logistics guru and our 2019 Customer Service Award winner.

From a high-level perspective, what are three things that keep a job site safe?

  1. Act with facts not feelings. Everyone has an equal opportunity to get hurt so we have to go by the book, not a feeling. Don’t think you are luckier than the next guy and that will keep you safe.
  2. Training is continuous and vital. All of our job site employees are OSHA 30 trained and all of our safety personnel are certified OSHA trainers.
  3. Think before you act. Preplanning is key to being safe and productive. Every morning, a Task Hazard Analysis is used by every subcontractor on site so every worker will start each day thinking before they act. What do I need to do to be safe today?

From a day-to-day perspective, what should workers do to stay safe?

Wear your PPE. We have all been hearing a lot about the importance of safety gear during the global pandemic and it is an everyday priority in our industry. That means a hard hat, vest, face shield, safety glasses, gloves and work boots are essential. Also, a clean job site is a safe job site and using the right tool for the job will help you every time.

How are the job sites doing during this time with COVID-19?

Everyone is on top of it. They are stepping up their game and taking care of themselves and each other. Our weekly safety reports have been really good; if they keep it up, we will be out of a job.

What are you doing to keep the job site safe?

Social distancing is the number one thing we are doing on the job site. We are also making sure everyone has what they need. Trips to get soap and hand sanitizer has definitely increased. We are also fielding more calls. Communication has increased even more than before.

What is the mindset in the field?

The Monday mindset has definitely changed; everyone now wants to be at work on Monday. And, everyone wants to know how other jobs within Arch-Con are doing. Superintendents are reaching out to each other and everyone is taking care of each other. We are all in this together.

Anything else you want to share? 

Just that “Everything We Do Starts with SAFETY.”