Safety Management: Problems Encountered and Recommended Solutions

The philosophy of safety management is a relatively new method of controlling safety policies, procedures, and practices within a company. This philosophy is currently being implemented by many construction companies to limit their liabilities and costs, thereby making them more competitive in the construction marketplace. While the principles behind safety management are fairly simple in concept, it is during the implementation of such a program that construction companies may encounter their most difficult obstacles. In fact, it is often the workers who present the greatest opposition—the same individuals who benefit the most by improved safety conditions on the site. Safety management is a dynamic process operating in a constant state of change. Therefore, the process must be constantly monitored and adjusted to achieve the desired goals. This paper presents a discussion of the methods of safety management employed on a small-to medium-sized project in the northwestern United States. The discussion will highlight several of the problems encountered and the solutions utilized to overcome these problems.