ConDig (23-Jan-18). Leaders of the homebuilding industry have rolled out a safety initiative aimed at raising awareness in a bid to help reduce accidents on construction sites.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) said the Safety 365 campaign is designed to ensure that building industry professionals have the information and resources to help keep construction workers safe and minimize injuries and death.
“Our members realize the importance of jobsite safety because we know that our employees have families to return home to. We want to keep these workers safe from accidents and injuries,” said NAHB chairman Randy Noel.
“Safety 365 is an important initiative that will keep these efforts at the forefront of our industry.”
The safety initiative is a joint effort of the NAHB Construction Safety Committee and Builders Mutual Insurance Co., which has supported NAHB’s workplace safety efforts since it worked with the association in 2006 to launch the SAFE awards.
Posts on NAHBNow, the association’s blog, as well as newsletter stories; tweets and other platforms, will be used to flag different aspects of construction workplace safety each month and also promote safety off the job, including materials to help keep home owners safe when they’re working on DIY projects.
In December, a 2016 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that the rate of fatal injuries in the construction industry increased 6% in 2016 to 991 worker deaths compared with 937 in 2015.
“Builders Mutual is thrilled to be a part of such a critical initiative that looks to protect the health and well-being of the employees that build the American dream each and every day,” said Mike Gerber, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Builders Mutual Insurance Co.
“If the building industry continues to work together to raise the awareness of safety on the job-site, then home builders and their employees are better positioned for long-term success.”
The campaign will align with NAHB’s educational resources, safety training materials, and news updates in a bid to help educate employers and workers on the various safety and health hazards the industry faces on the jobsite, and to better understand and comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.