SAFETY PROTOCOLS
The total cost of work injuries in 2022 was $ 167 billion, which includes wage and productivity losses of more than $ 50 billion, medical expenses of $ 37.6 billion, and administrative expenses topping $ 54 billion. 1
A loss of client trust, difficulty securing future projects, and- if an incident is severe – even negative media coverage can all result from not prioritizing job site safety.
Skilled workers will also try to avoid companies that don’ t care about their safety and well-being, as there is a psychological and emotional toll exacted from job site accidents. Workers may suffer from stress and anxiety after witnessing or experiencing an accident, which also leads to decreased morale among employees, lower efficiency and higher turnover rates.
Prevention on the job site is the most effective way to avoid incidents, but there are some actions to be taken after the fact that may also lessen the impacts of the situation, said Malson.
“ There is an approach that needs to happen right away in terms of conducting an investigation into the incident,” said Malson.“ You have to interview the workers / witnesses and photograph the job site immediately and try to get an understanding of the root cause of the accident.”
Contractors and owners need to manage the incident correctly by determining if someone who has been injured needs to go to the emergency room or receive a prescription.
“ You need to have an emergency evacuation plan in place, which can include determining who will be taking someone to the hospital, a map of how to get to the emergency room, and a notification chart,” he said.“ Just relying on 911 for your emergencies is a bad idea.”
SUMMER 2025 CONTRACTOR TOOLS- 17