Communicating safety

With my demolition consulting company, I receive calls or emails asking, “What does it take to start or operate a demolition company?”

I try to explain the basics, including insurance/bonding, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, licensing, employee training and personal liability.

After I complete my list, the person on the other end inevitably says, “I did not realize the number of laws that govern the industry and the training that is required.”

As a demolition company owner, you have a responsibility to protect your employees and the public from harm during demolition operations. You must provide a safe workplace overseen by competent managers and supervisors who are knowledgeable enough to achieve compliance with the laws governing your industry in your operating area.
 

No shortage of regulations

Owners must comply with a number of regulations, laws, licenses, permits, certifications, notifications and inspections as well as recordkeeping and training requirements for hazardous materials, which include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), asbestos-containing materials (ACM), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead.

At the federal level, your demolition business is being monitored by agencies such as U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

At the state level, agencies responsible for health, air quality, disposal licensing, hazardous material handling and underground storage tank/above ground storage tank (UST/AST) removal and disposal are watching your operation.

At the local level, officials are watching for adherence to licenses and permits and for issues with site security, traffic control, utilities, dust control, work hours and inspections.

Additionally, your company’s clients may require work site employee drug testing. Tobacco use also may be forbidden by customers, and they may impose specific safety rules, site admittance policies, employee permitting policies and parking restrictions. Your customers also may have language requirements for signage at the job site and have the authority to ask your company to stop work at any time.

Federal, state, local and customer regulations and rules must be communicated clearly to employees within all levels of your company to ensure their compliance at all times.
 

Get the word out

To improve safety-related communication, demolition firms may find it helpful to employ a full-time safety/compliance training officer. An individual in this position will conduct site safety meetings, site safety inspections and work site employee safety training in addition to ensuring compliance with required licenses, permits, notifications and recordkeeping related to work site safety.

Whether a company is demolishing a one-story house or a 20-story building, in the eyes of the regulators, the same laws and regulations apply.

Investing in a full-time safety/compliance officer who is responsible for communicating this safety and compliance information to company owners, managers, site supervisors and field employees is important.

During my consulting career, I have mentored four demolition companies and startups and 100-plus owners, managers and estimators. Most startups fail to understand the headaches and costs associated with achieving compliance with laws, regulations and rules and the communication that must occur in these areas with employees.

During my conversations with prospective owners, I emphasize:

1. committing to safety;
2. owner-employee communication; and
3. rewarding excellence.
    

To establish communication in your organization, you will need to implement and support:

• written company policies;
• a written safety plan; and
• an employee training program.
   

Communication is the key to a successfully run organization. For company owners and managers, failing to communicate safety and regulatory requirements to employees will lead to costly mistakes and, in some cases, tragedies.

The first step in keeping communication open among owners, managers and employees is a top-down commitment to safety. Safety and training meetings should be conducted in person with employees, and owners and safety/compliance officers should be open to employee feedback resulting from these sessions.

Conduct a weekly (one-hour) status meeting with owners and managers and safety/compliance, equipment dispatch, maintenance and estimating personnel in attendance. A separate meeting (30 minutes) should include the owners, managers and estimators.

Work site safety training provides demolition companies with the forum to communicate a company’s policies, the scope of work and the rules, regulations and laws that affect the particular job site.

As owners and managers, it is important to clearly communicate all necessary information to all employees. Communication is not limited to work-site employees but also should include office and support staff and all other departments within your company.

In addition to weekly safety meetings that emphasize the corporate safety culture of the company, other successful ways to emphasize safety in a company include mailing monthly safety newsletters with employee paychecks; hosting annual all-day safety meetings for all employees; and presenting safety awards certificates and cash bonuses for safety excellence.

Company owners or safety compliance personnel also may consider:

• establishing a written safety plan;
• establishing written job duties and responsibilities for all employees;
• creating a job site safety checklist and audit and inspection program;
• demonstrating the proper use of safety equipment; and
• displaying a safety board with to-date recordable and first-aid cases.
   

Put it in writing

Owners and managers of demolition companies must develop a company safety and policy manual that outlines employees’ responsibilities in the area of safety, including the consequences that apply for failing to comply with company policies and procedures.

Owners also may want to establish a corporate organizational chart, delineating lines of communication and authority for implementing written company policies that cover all employees. Too often, owners hesitate to delegate and empower key employees in this area, leading to misunderstandings and confusion.

Failing to communicate a company’s safety policies and procedures, whether through a written manual or through regular safety meetings, can lead to poor employee performance and to profit loss for the company.

Demolition company owners and managers must understand that the cost of communicating these messages to employees is an investment in the success of their businesses; employees are more productive when they perceive the company owners’ commitment to safety.

Clear communication is the gateway to safety and compliance for an operation, and company owners must acknowledge the importance of investing in this area of their businesses.

William Gumbiner is president of Demolition Industry Consultants (DIC), based in Noblesville, Indiana, and a 50-year veteran of the demolition industry as a senior corporate officer. More information about DIC is available at www.demolitionhelp.com.