May 1, 2023

'Care for Life' builds a culture of safety, empowerment

Photos from Skanska [enlarge]

Skanska uses Minuendo, a smart hearing protection device that monitors noise levels and alerts individual employees to excessive sound exposure.

At Skanska, every decision we make impacts our communities and the people who call it home — whether it’s innovations on jobsites, conversations with our teams, new technology we test, infrastructure we build or safety standards we set. This innate understanding that our choices not only shape, but also uplift, our society is at the heart of Skanska’s purpose and values.

The value at the top of the list is “Care for Life.” Simply put, it is a basic understanding that the protection of our people, the public and our planet is the utmost priority. This takes form in a deep understanding that in situations that are physically or psychologically unsafe, we will refuse to be bystanders, rather, we will be changemakers and action takers. Care for Life means that every day we hold ourselves accountable for the legacy we’ll leave for future generations. To do this, we put humanity at the core of everything we do.

Last month, furthering our dedication to implementing transformative safety initiatives, Skanska launched the Care for Life 5 program, a holistic framework designed to influence laser-focused behavior around existing safety standards. It will help spur consistent planning, foster a culture of responsibility where team members understand the critical role everyone plays in executing safe work, and ensure everyone feels empowered to step in, speak up and take action.

Care for Life 5 focuses on five areas in which a staggering 93% of all serious incidents on construction jobsites occur:

• Human-machine interface.

• Energized systems.

• Line of fire.

• Falls.

• Lifting operations.

With the recent launch of Care for Life 5 and the start of Construction Safety Week, we’ve been discussing how Skanska will continue its commitment to safety and find new ways to improve safety practices on jobsites and in work zones.

Here are five lessons learned that have helped us foster an empowering, forward-thinking safety culture. Perhaps they can do the same for others in the construction industry across all teams.

[enlarge]

The Minuendo device includes this neck band and earplugs.

CREATE ACCESSIBLE COMMUNICATION MATERIALS

Having policies and procedures only goes so far. Staff on and off jobsites must be familiar with them. With the recent launch of Care for Life 5, our focus has been creating new methods of communication to increase accessibility to safety protocols, including ensuring they are input into the construction work plan and daily hazard analysis. We’ve also been thinking of inventive ways to share information including toolbox talks, QR codes, quick cards, and more. Additionally, we have found increased comprehension by relating these protocols back to why they are important to our workers personally.

Rather than simply regurgitating corporate jargon, we encourage all safety professionals to explore communication that is accessible and interactive.

EMPOWER EVERYONE TO SPEAK UP

Giving everyone on our jobsites “stop work authority” is a big element of Skanska’s values. This protocol allows anyone to stop any work that presents a danger to any employee, the public or the environment. Additionally, employees are encouraged to get involved, question, and rectify situations that are identified as not complying with established environmental, health and safety policies.

INVEST IN INNOVATION

We pride ourselves on our being industry pioneers. A large part of building a safety culture involves immersing ourselves in new innovations that could better our efforts. Most recently, our team has been testing and/or rolling out new safety tools on the Lynnwood Link light rail extension jobsite including:

• Minuendo, a smart hearing protection device that allows us to monitor noise levels and alert individual employees to excessive sound exposure, lessening the risk of future occupational noise-induced hearing loss.

• Arrowsight, on-site cameras that allow for a third party to review footage for safety audits. Additionally, Skanska will be implementing body cameras on traffic control personnel.

Implementing new safety tools and technologies can be expensive and requires a time commitment from many people to test new gear, so it’s important to go into this with eyes wide open as to the time and financial investment that proper safety requires.

PRIORITIZE CULTURE AND COMPLIANCE

Environmental health and safety experts are instrumental in empowering workers with safety resources such as protective gear, specialized training and knowledge to ensure safety is embedded in everyone’s actions. With leadership’s active support and participation, we prioritize building a culture of safety, rather than just focusing on complying with standards. When leadership makes safety a priority across the company, the culture begins to change, transforming into a more transparent and supportive environment.

LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE

It is imperative to always look for areas of improvement when it comes to safety. Two areas we are prioritizing are mental health awareness (which team members are training on during Safety Week) and technology innovation.

It’s crucial to prioritize the mental health of employees on and off the jobsite. To aid our efforts, we do comprehensive mental health training and look for advanced ways to provide support. Most recently, we’ve been beta testing a software called All Cylinders, which tests cognitive function, helping ensure that our workers are operating at the mental capacity they need to avoid incidents.

Additionally, technology innovation is revolutionizing safety through day-to-day operations, data collection, efficiency, safety and more. There is great opportunity for groundbreaking tools to help support our safety goals and improve our company.

Care for Life 5 and these safety efforts are just a few ways we are driving the safety evolution at Skanska. Most importantly, when it comes to transforming safety across the industry, we must have passion — every day ensuring our standards are not only met, but talked about, understood, and implemented. It’s vital because our people are our strongest and most precious asset, and we intend to prove that every single day.

Maria Inlow serves as environmental, health and safety director for Skanska USA Building in Seattle. Todd Sutton III serves as environmental, health and safety director for Skanska USA Civil in Seattle.

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