National Safety Month: 5 Ways to Make Your Workplace Safer

Held each June, National Safety Month is the “annual observance to help keep each other safe from the workplace to anyplace.” The National Safety Council offers a variety of safety tools and tips to help companies and communities keep their workplaces and spaces safer places to work and to be.   

At Alpha & Omega Industries, safety is ingrained in our company culture; it’s not just a checkbox but a fundamental aspect of our daily operations. In each of our three divisions (i.e., Construction Solutions, Electrical Solutions, and Management Solutions), we have skilled teams trained in best safety practices ready to deliver the spaces and power each project needs in the safest way possible.  

5 Ways to Make Your Workplace Safer for National Safety Month  

In honor of National Safety Month, our Safety Director Dennis Waller has tips that can make your workplace safer for your teams. With over 20 years of experience in the construction industry, he has made Alpha & Omega Industries safer for our employees, customers, and community.  

Here are five ways you can make your workplace safer according to our experts. 

1.      Make planning a priority.  

Every project requires an extensive planning phase to be successfully completed. Planning is important because it is the phase of the project that determines the project’s scope and what is needed to complete the project, including tasks, equipment, and teams.

An important aspect of the planning phase is risk mitigation. This is where project managers and safety personnel identify potential safety hazards and make plans to take safety measures to reduce risks associated with the project.  

While delivering the power for the Trinity Lakes Station Project, Alpha & Omega’s Diversified Electrical Solutions (DES) Team identified the risks associated with the project (i.e., working in the intense Texas summer heat, operating in close proximity to active train tracks, and installing and energizing the platform/station infrastructure) and devised a safety plan to make the project a success.  

Without identifying potential hazards, accidents may occur on the job site and safety measures may be taken too late. Identifying safety hazards before starting a project will ensure safety for all parties involved and will help your company to successfully complete your projects for your clients. Because of our team’s proactive approach to safety, we avoided accidents, keeping our workers and our partners’ and client’s workers safe throughout each phase of the project until its completion.  

2.      Have ongoing safety training available.  

After identifying potential risks and hazards in the planning phase, you will need to identify areas in which your team may need safety training. For example, during our project at the Trinity Lakes Station, we discovered we would have to perform work close to active train tracks, which required additional safety training for our team.  

To prepare our team for the Trinity Lakes Station Project, we conducted continuous toolbox talks and awareness sessions to educate our team on the potential hazards associated with moving trains.  

Aside from specific safety training for each project, there are safety courses and certifications that can make your workplace safer. In the construction industry, it is important to have supervisors and managers complete OSHA training.  

Alpha & Omega Industries’ field supervisors hold OSHA 30 certifications to ensure safety on job sites. OSHA 30 courses go over safety topics such as standards for operating construction machinery and equipment, fall and fire prevention and protection, welding and cutting, proper usage of personal protective equipment (PPE), and working in steel structures and confined spaces.  

Finally, since approximately 10,000 cardiac arrests occur in the workplace every year, it is important for supervisors in the field and in the office to be First Aid/CPR certified. Having someone who can administer CPR before help arrives can double or even triple the chances of survival. With this training, you and your team can save lives and provide a safe space for your employees to work.  

For more information on safety training for your workplace, check out the safety courses and certifications available online through the National Safety Council.

 3.      Address environmental hazards.   

In the construction industry, many focus on addressing fall, fire, and electrical hazards, but there can also be other hazards that can affect your team. An environmental hazard that might be overlooked is heat stress.  

According to the CDC, workers who are exposed to extreme heat or work in hot environments may be at risk of heat stress, which can result in occupational illnesses and injuries. Heat stress can result in heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes.

If your team is working in a hotter part of the country such as Texas or during the summer, you need to have a safety plan in place to help your workers beat the heat by making sure they are rested and hydrated throughout the day.  

When working in extreme heat, schedule the most strenuous tasks to be completed earlier in the day to avoid overexertion and overexposure to the sun. Be sure to have a plan to monitor your workers’ well-being. Make adjustments if issues start to arise from the working conditions.  

4.      Conduct testing throughout the project phases.  

When working with electrical components, it is important to follow proper safety procedures and protocols since testing will be required throughout the project. Before testing any electrical component, it is important to verify completion of work. Nothing should be tested if the necessary tasks have not been completed.  

Throughout the project, as work is completed, it is important to conduct continuous testing of electrical circuits to ensure proper functioning and safety compliance. This will inform the team of any additional work, including maintenance and repairs, that needs to be done before moving onto the next phase of the project.  

Learn more about five common electrical safety errors to ensure your construction site is safe every step of the way.  

5.      Keeping open lines of communication is key.  

Communication is key to the success of any project. When working with general contractors or trade partners, it is important to keep open lines of communication open so that all teams are on the same page during each phase of the project. Each team should communicate any potential safety hazards to ensure every team is taking the necessary safety measures.  

It is also important to communicate and collaborate with any employees that work for your client. Sometimes, workers may be onsite while you are working on the job site. They might have expertise in areas in which you might need knowledge to continue working safely with their team and for their company.  

When powering the Trinity Lakes Station, our DES team maintained open communication with other trades working on the platform to coordinate activities and prevent potential hazards. We also worked with the flaggers to ensure all safety protocols were being followed on live train tracks.  

When you are in the planning phase of the project, make sure you have the contact information of all individuals and teams you will be working with to coordinate activities to keep everyone safe at work.  

During National Safety Month, get your safety resources and tips from the National Security Council to create a better working environment. Together, we can make people safer.