While it’s true that anything can go wrong in any business, construction is one of those industries where errors can sometimes cause a great amount of harm. The heavy equipment and tools used in the business mean that a slip up can result in significant property damage and, at the worst end of the spectrum, fatalities. Construction, more than any other industry, has the highest rate of loss of life. So keeping things running smoothly in this business isn’t just for efficiency, it’s a matter of safety and reducing risk of harm.
However, you can’t be there all the time to watch over your workers, and in truth, you shouldn’t have to. Keeping things at the job site running smoothly can be much easier if you take a few guidelines into account.
Maintain Safety Guidelines
The most important thing is to have some structure, ensure that workers are aware of it, and follow it. Different situations will require different guidelines, like safety measures for operating heavy construction vehicles, or proper usage of welding equipment.
The key is to make sure the safety guidelines and regulations are clear, they are explained to everyone and, most important of all, they are followed. If you can convince workers to follow the guidelines as laid out, this dramatically reduces the need for direct supervision.
Invest In Training
It’s one thing to tell your workers to be safe, but it’s another thing entirely to know exactly how to go about that. Training and education are valuable for several reasons. Not only does training show everyone the right way to go about working safely on the job site, but this is an investment that you make for your workers that makes them more valuable and productive.
Taking the time to train workers shows that you are concerned about their welfare, and is good professional development to increase their skill and value. It’s one more way that you can improve your quality of work while building up loyalty.
Maintain Equipment & Vehicles
This should be a no brainer, but you’d be surprised at how managers try to cut corners here. A vehicle or a tool that is not working properly, or badly in need in repair, is a variable in your management equation that can go harmfully wrong.
Always make sure that the tools, equipment, and vehicles your workers are using are in good condition, inspected, maintained, and repaired when required. The quality of gear can have an impact on both productivity and profit.
Take Advantage Of Tech
Hammers and nails will always be part of the business, but technology advances, and so should you. Keep things organized and maintain better accuracy when tracking worker activity by using the software available. An employee time clock app, for example, lets you know when people have punched in by letting them use their phone.
This makes it faster for you to see who’s there, who’s not, and, if you need to issue a work-related communication, the app can double as your work messaging system. Send updates, condition or location changes, and other important communications without needing to be there.
