Creating a positive safety culture is at the forefront of the construction industry’s priorities. With many people working at the same time on a jobsite, it can be challenging to blend multiple safety philosophies. A strong safety program from a general contractor puts everyone on the same page.
Sundt’s safety program, Safety by Choice—which includes Stop the STCKY (the sh*t that can kill you)—is intent on creating a culture where craft employees are not afraid to point out potential safety hazards. At the end of the day, our goal is to send everyone home safe.
To create a jobsite where everyone knows their opinion matters, Sundt requires every crew to run a craft voices in safety program (CVIS). “It’s actually in our contract language that each contractor is required to send a representative to monthly CVIS walks and meetings,” said Reese Fortin, Sundt District HS&E manager.
The contract language states, “Craft voices in safety is a project-based health and safety committee designed to maximize craftworker involvement and feedback, and is structured to encourage respect, collaboration, integrity, and innovation.”
Let’s hear your voice!
Each month on every Sundt jobsite, representatives from all stakeholders on site complete a CVIS walk or meeting, led by Sundt safety managers. The topics of the walk or meeting vary depending on what each specific jobsite or the workers on site need.
“The needs of our jobsite determine what kind of CVIS activity is needed,” said Sundt safety manager Thomas Crouch. “Some months we discuss upcoming scopes or we take a walk and ensure we’re all engaging in best practices. Other months, we may be more focused in education around STCKY’s fatal eight.”
“At the end of the day, the CVIS walks create a comfortable environment. We are instilling a safety culture that allows everyone to have a voice and feel safe pointing something out.” -Mike Gomez, HS&E Manager
In addition to recognizing hazards, our CVIS program encourages innovative solutions. “I’ve personally been able to see light bulbs turn on from our craft workforce and subcontractors as they’re learning more about safety protocols on a walk.”
The other crucial part of CVIS is that it is proactive, rather than reactive. The discussions may also revolve around upcoming work, and how the team can navigate each step safely, and together. “The fact that our leadership is engaged and taking the time to facilitate these meetings speaks volumes of our safety program,” Reese said. “It gives everyone a chance to be a leader and recognize that their voice matters.”
Visit Sundt’s Stop the STCKY site to learn more about our innovative safety program.