Safety is an important aspect of any business but especially in construction, where a little accident can have serious impacts to those involved; the trades people on site, the owner, and the contractor. First and foremost, it is our concern to keep all of our workers healthy, so they can go home to their family each night and be a consistent provider both physically and financially, as well as a reliable contributor to our team. That’s why it’s important to have a General Contractor who is not only following the codes and regulations, but has incorporated a culture of safety into their operations.
Furthermore, an accident when using equipment would cause a delay in progress if that machinery was important for the next phase and an new unit has to be ordered and delivered beyond any site damage needing repair. An example would be improper hoisting and installation of an HVAC unit. Perhaps, the unit swings into a wall, or worse yet, falls to the ground. Barring no injuries, there would be the time and additional material to repair where the building was struck, plus the damage of the HVAC unit, which would incur further costs to the project and delays as the unit can no longer be installed. In many instances, work would be put on hold because that equipment or material had to be in place to move forward with the schedule.
All work sites are subject to OSHA and governmental inspections. Non-compliance issues because of a lax attitude on safety can lead to work slowdowns, stoppages, and fines because safety was not the first priority of everyone on the job. If a physical injury accident or, insufferably, death occurs, then that same lax attitude on safety can come back to devastate the workers, their family, prime- or sub-contractor, General Contractor, or owner as fines, lack of proper insurance coverage, and possibly even criminal charges are heaped onto those involved. An investigation alone will stop work on the project and if the contractor or General Contractor is put out of business, you then have to find someone who is willing to take the place of the contractor that was shut down. This will likely be at a premium and again cause additional costs and scheduling issues.
That is why it’s important to have a General Contractor like Wolgast Corporation on your team. Wolgast not only focuses on working safe and following regulations (for both themselves and subcontractors) but Wolgast also factors in the extra time to do a job safely. This makes for a more realistic delivery schedule and expectations for all involved and less stress for the owner who now knows that safety is an important part of everything being done.