In honor of May being “National Safety Month,” it’s only natural that we stepped up our coverage of electrical safety. Check out articles in this month’s issue on exposure awareness, a forensic investigation of a power line electrocution, when to use safety labels vs. signs, how to change a safety culture for good, and a special report on the debate surrounding the use of alternative technologies over traditional lockout/tagout strategies. Although we cover safety topics each and every month, there’s something about the month of May that reminds electrical professionals to be more mindful: taking stock of their own safety scorecards; reviewing safety procedures, protocols, and training; reflecting on the past year’s safety records and/or near misses, and pledging a renewed and uncompromised commitment to making this industry safer.
According to the latest National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 5,147 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2017, down slightly from the 5,190 fatal injuries reported in 2016. Although the fatal injury rate decreased to 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers from 3.6 in 2016, some categories are on the rise, such as “fatal falls,” which were at their highest level in the 26-year history of the CFOI (accounting for 887 or 17% of worker deaths). Another persistent problem that plagues the construction industry relates to drug overdoses. This was the fifth consecutive year in which unintentional workplace overdose deaths increased by at least 25%. A recent infographic released by Graphic Products breaks down the Top 10 most dangerous occupations in America. Not surprisingly, the electrical profession made the list, with electrical power line installers and repairers coming in at No. 10 with 18.7 deaths per 100,000 workers.
Most industry experts would argue that preparation is paramount to a successful safety program. The 2019 Safety Performance Report from the Associated Builders and Contractors, which outlines how to achieve world-class safety through its STEP Safety Management System, does just that. It documents the dramatic impact of using proactive safety practices to reduce recordable incidents by up to 85%, making the best-performing companies 680% safer than the industry average. But are the stats of these success stories based strictly on adherence to stringent safety protocols? I’m betting there’s a lot more to it than that. The 2019 AGC/FMI Risk Management Survey from FMI brings up a uniquely relevant point. For the third year in a row, a lack of qualified talent was the top “risk” for study participants, with the limited supply of skilled craftworkers being the biggest challenge for 80% of respondents. Although our industry’s labor shortage does not necessarily have a direct impact on safety, who’s to say it doesn’t play a contributing role.
“What other industry turns over hundreds of millions of dollars of work to guys that they do not prepare adequately for the job? Only in construction,” writes Mark Breslin, CEO of United Contractors in the FMI report’s executive summary. “More importantly, how much longer can we fool ourselves around the crucial conclusion that field leaders in this critical profit leadership position need new skills, tools and strategies?” To summarize the report, talk of an economic downturn is starting to make company leaders uneasy, as many are overwhelmed with keeping up with current workloads rather than thinking about contingency planning. “The constrained labor situation, coupled with material price increases, compressed project schedules, increased complexity and ongoing margin compression, is generating more risk for engineering and construction firms today — and right when they find themselves in a market with more opportunities than capacity to perform the work,” reads the report. I believe the ultimate outcome will depend on whether electrical professionals can think outside the box (beyond old-school safety strategies) and come up with new approaches that fit today’s ever-changing electrical environment. Many are already doing so, and the momentum is definitely in our favor.
