Photo courtesy of BNBuilders Russ Youngstrom discusses a construction accident that left him paralyzed during a safety presentation for BNBuilders.

BNBuilders recently revised its subcontract to include safety best practices in the subcontractors’ scopes of work.

This increases the cost of bidding the work by some subcontractors but it has made BNB’s projects safer. At BNB all members of senior management have completed an OSHA 30- or 10-hour class, and now subcontractors’ supervisors are required to take the same training.

BNB developed the ACT accountability program, which makes supervisors as accountable for safety as they are for schedule and budget. Each year they are required to improve their safety knowledge. Foremen also must remain up-to-date on safety and are required to complete the OSHA 30-hour class as they advance their careers.

AGC Safety Team member BNB pays for all employees who wish to take safety classes, as it believes a safety program is effective when it is prepared to deal with the hazards of construction.