Deb Hilmerson

Human Behaviors in Construction

We don’t “do” safety because it’s regulatory; we do it because we care for our people. We don’t want anyone to get hurt. Safety is not just for compliance or because OSHA says to do it. Safety makes sense. Most importantly, it saves lives. But, it also saves money on insurance premiums and reduces downtime.

We know human and behavioral factors play significant roles in contributing to accidents in various industries, including construction. Understanding these factors is crucial for developing effective safety strategies and preventing accidents. Here are some ways in which human and behavioral factors can contribute to accidents:

Complacency

Routine tasks can lead to a false sense of security and contribute to the sneaky nature of complacency.

“Many workers in construction do repetitive jobs.” says Deb Hilmerson, President and CEO of Hilmerson, “If you’ve been doing something over and over for years, and nothing bad has ever happened before, you start to lose the attention you would keep if you were doing something new. If you get a new tool you are focused. The danger comes with the feeling of ‘I’ve done this so many times, I can do it with my eyes closed.’ then suddenly you’re not paying attention.”

Implementing safety incentives, conducting regular safety inspections, rotating job assignments and setting clear safety expectations are great steps to combatting complacency on the job site.

Lack of Training

Lack of training plays a huge role in safety outcomes. You don’t know what you don’t know. Many in the industry avoid extra training because they assume it takes away from their ability to make money and meet the schedule. But on the contrary there is a huge return on investment in training. The more we learn, the more efficient we are.

Beyond scheduling and investing in training programs, there are many non-traditional ways to get creative with training like pairing less experienced workers with seasoned workers, promoting cross training and conducting skills assessments.

Manager Mindset & Organizational Culture

An optimal safety culture does not endanger people. Organizational leaders need to plan the work, provide the right tools, and establish realistic timelines to complete tasks. If workers are unsure or do not know how to perform their job, they need to know they have the right to stop and say, “I don’t understand this,” without fear of punishment. Creating a culture where workers are confident that they can halt the job and ask important questions is critical. Empowering workers to prioritize safety over speed is also crucial.

“There’s less time to get a job done than ever before,” says Hilmerson. “Encouraging open communication and empowering workers to take ownership of safety and involving them in safety planning are great first steps to a healthy safety culture.”