Squeezed By The Tight Labor Crunch
March 2001

The following are good business practices you can use to keep your operations safe during a tight labor market.

Identify – High-hazard areas at each job site. Start with OSHA’s "big four"– electrical, fall, struck by and caught in between.

Limit overtime – Productivity will begin to fall after 4 to 6 hours of overtime. The greater amount of overtime each week, the faster productivity will fall. Try to limit workers to 60 hours per week, with a maximum of 2 or 3 weeks in a row.

Realize the safe benefits of basic craft training – Craftsmen should fully understand the proper way to use their tools and equipment, and only use them according to proper procedures. Every accident can be traced back to a failure in basic training regarding use of tools and equipment.

Know what workers want – Recent studies of skilled laborers reveal what it takes to attract and retain workers. In order of importance they are: competitive wages/benefits; employment that is uninterrupted by seasonal or market dips; a safe job site; good working conditions, e.g., fresh drinking water, clean restrooms; and fair treatment from supervisors.

Invest in safety training – Avoid using "canned" programs for your training program. Instead, develop site-specific training plans for your operation. Implement safety training based upon the hazards to which your employees will be exposed.

Verify that training is working – Most contractors provide safety training but few bother to verify that the training is translating into better performance. To determine if the training program is fulfilling its objectives, you should have a system of checks and measures.

Increase time devoted to pre-job training – With new employees on board, supervisors must make sure that everyone understands the day’s requirements. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to know precisely which employees are experienced with which tools and equipment. Work to create an environment where the workers are not embarrassed to ask for help or instruction.

Pair rookies with veterans – On-the-job mentoring helps bring new employees up to speed.

Provide more supervision – When new workers are added to the workforce, management should adjust the ratio of crew members to supervisors. For example, a crew that had 8 laborers for every 1 supervisor might want to consider a 5-to-1 ratio when new employees are added.

Overcome the image obstacle – Unfortunately, many job candidates have a poor view of the construction industry. One recent study indicated that young adults, when given a list of 200 professions, rank construction second to last in terms of job desirability. We need to sell the industry as a good occupation for young workers.

Sell the good points of the industry – We need to sell the satisfying results of a good day’s work, the physical challenges and accomplishments involved in the job and the opportunity for career advancement. These bright spots need to be associated with a career in construction.

If you have any questions on this or any other safety and health issue, please call your local area representative or the Lovell Safety Office at 212/709-8600.

J. Cary, CSP