Ridiculously high lumber prices and untrained skilled workers can be a direct hit to your bottom line. In this article for Construction Executive, Deb Hilmerson commented on these financial and safety obstacles, and offered her experienced insights so you can be better prepared the next time something like this happens.
While you may be cautious about spending right now, consider what Hilmerson had to say about wood safety rails versus construction-grade engineered safety systems. “With the skyrocketing cost of lumber, the cost per linear foot of steel safety rail systems is almost equivalent to the cost of building two-by-four safety rails.
“Even better: Once contractors pay for the galvanized steel safety rail system, they make money reusing/re-renting them for subsequent jobs—and the project lifespan of the safety rail is 15 or more years.”
She continued, “Building two-by-four guardrails is time and labor intensive, and requires skilled labor. On the contrary, if contractors invest in an OSHA-compliant system that is easy to install with minimal components, they can assign the task to someone just learning the trade while the experienced workers can be used more efficiently.”
The bottom line is risks go down and profits go up.
About Hilmerson Safety
Hilmerson Safety® is a full-service safety product design and manufacturing company serving the construction industry. Since 2001 Hilmerson Safety® has been working with construction industry leaders and contractors to develop safe, lean, construction-grade™ products and solutions that add to the company’s bottom line.
For more information email us or call (952) 239-0125
