From Worst to First: Construction Firm Revolutionizes Safety Program

Client Profile

Our client, a construction management and design firm, was hired to oversee the expansion of a manufacturing facility.

Market Overview

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, work injuries rose 7.5% in 2022 and the number of work-related fatalities surpassed a ten-year high.

Construction injuries accounted for greater than 1 in 5 work fatalities, the most among all industries.

The total economic cost of all work-related injuries was $167 billion in 2021, according to estimates by the National Safety Council (NSC).

Thus, amidst an ongoing boom in manufacturing construction, those statistics are a stark reminder that the vital importance of prioritizing safety can never be reinforced enough.

The Challenge

The client’s safety program was not meeting their customer’s requirements. In danger of losing the project, the client turned to Actalent for help.

The Actalent Approach

Actalent quickly deployed an expert safety manager to oversee the project’s safety program onsite.

Immediately, he began establishing a safety culture from the ground up.

First, he implemented weekly check-ins with every contractor on site, asking them to identify, define, and never forget their “why” for safety.

Next, he held monthly lunches to recognize contractors that practiced safety excellence, which in turn raised awareness of, and instilled a broader appreciation for, such efforts.

It didn’t take long for the contractors to buy in. They have since made safety a priority, accepting and acting on constructive feedback and making necessary corrections immediately.

The Results

Before Actalent, the client’s safety audit score was 51.

Today, with the help of our safety manager, that score has risen to 85.

What’s more, the client’s customer made the new safety program its benchmark for all locations, a transformation that has seen our client’s safety culture go from near the bottom to the top in a matter of months.

In short, guided by Actalent’s safety expertise, the client not only saved the project but turned a potential failure into a crowning achievement.