Staying Focused on Safety Culture
By: Dave Schoonbeck, Chief Operating Officer
At Kent Companies, our guiding principle is safety. It is the first and most important of our Four Hallmarks as we watch out for each other on and off the job. During Construction Safety Week, we are taking part in an industry-wide initiative to focus on safety. This year’s theme is Be Present. Be Focused. Be Safe.
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced one of the biggest job site distractions in our lifetime – forcing the entire industry to double-down on safety and health practices. While the construction industry was better equipped than most industries to react quickly with enhanced safety procedures, we can’t ignore the distraction the pandemic placed on construction professionals as individuals. Safety became an elevated priority at work – and at home.
It makes a lot of sense for our team, and all trade contractors, to prioritize both physical and psychological safety. A clear, focused and distraction-free mind is essential to anticipating and preventing safety incidents.
This week, our Safety Team will equip all our field leaders with toolbox talks and safety programming to enhance our focus, mental clarity and execution on our job sites. A few of the toolbox talks we’ll cover include:
Spring and summer always bring a surge in construction activity – across all regions and nearly all trades. Construction Safety Week is the right time to reflect on both physical and psychological safety. We need both to bring our safest, most productive, best selves to work every day.
