In November 2024, a construction worker was rescued in Michigan after 700 pounds of drywall fell on him. He was working alone at the Sault Ste. Marie Post Office.
The story goes like this from the Michigan State Police: "The man was attempting to transport large drywall sheets when they unexpectedly fell, trapping him underneath. He managed to call for help and Trooper Ferraro, who was inside the post at the time, faintly heard the man's cries for help and immediately rushed outside. Thankfully, due to Trooper Ferraro's response, the man did not suffer any major injuries. The man expressed sincere gratitude for Trooper Ferraro's efforts."
In a statement, Ferraro said: "This incident could have had a much more serious outcome. I’m just glad I was nearby to help."
Wouldn’t it be something if every jobsite accident had a State Trooper nearby to help? No! The truth is safety cannot be left to a scenario where someone is looking to be saved instead of striving to anticipate and prevent accidents.
The only way to reduce risk and lower injury rates is with proper training. Crews should understand how to use their tools, equipment and products, as well as how to communicate issues to crew members and supervisors.
To make your safety goals very clear, safety training seminars can be part of new employee orientation, with classroom and hands-on aspects. This will give new employees the opportunity to learn on the job while they discover your company’s safety culture.
Company culture is a huge aspect of safety because workers need to feel that they can report accidents or near misses. If your culture is to mock or shame employees for getting injured, nothing will ever get reported or improve.
When accidents happen, they can be spun into an opportunity. After the incident, think about reviewing:
Was a procedure or rule followed?
Did company pressure jeopardize safety?
Are procedures out of date?
When did training last occur?
Has this incident happened in the past?
If you’re looking for inspiration throughout the year about how to incorporate more safety practices into meetings and morning huddles, check out these events for ideas:
· Ladder Safety Month, March 1-31: www.laddersafetymonth.com
· Safety Week, May 6-9: www.constructionsafetyweek.com
· International Code Council’s Building Safety Month, May 1-31: www.iccsafe.org
We take safety seriously at Flex-Ability Concepts too. This video about safety on our YouTube channel reviews safety points when working with our products. There is nothing unsafe about Flex-C products. It’s simply that a curved piece can pinch your fingers if you do not pick it up properly, for instance, or cutting or trimming Flex-C products can leave sharp edges that can cut your fingers (like cutting all metal products).
If you are starting a project using a Flex-C product, show some of our videos as part of the installation prep. This can double as your morning safety huddle. If you want to take that training to the next level, a local Flex-Ability Concepts’ product representative also can visit for an in-person class.
Learning safety tips is a great way to start each day so safety is on your mind with every task that you do, from the start, during the middle and through the end.
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