In our industry, safety is a value and belief we all share. That’s why more than 70 national and global construction firms join forces for Safety Week with a single aim: to inspire everyone in the industry to be leaders in safety. This effort is conducted to drive safety awareness among the craft professionals who work long and difficult hours in the construction of our facilities. Safety Week is a show of force, an opportunity for people, companies to work together and celebrate the incredibly hard work by people in our industry who make safety the foundation of everything they do.
Because we are all one family
This year we are excited to have Mike McKelvy, Gilbane Building Company President and CEO, as a Safety Week 2020 Executive Committee Co-Chair working alongside Executive Committee Chair Kiewit Corporation. Gilbane Cares is our philosophy built on the belief that everyone — our employees, clients, partners, and the public — deserves a safe, healthy and secure work environment. The safety actions of our employees and co-workers are driven from choice, not just from formal compliance. Like family, we look out for each other each day – at home, in the office and on our construction projects, we are committed to ensuring that everyone returns home safely each night.
Construction Safety Week Schedule
This year, a topic is recommended to focus on for each day of Safety Week that reinforces our commitment as project teams, companies and an entire industry. Although Safety Week may look a little different due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can still safely plan for Construction Safety Week 2020 with the outline below:
- Monday: Built on Safety – Our industry is built on safety. From the moment we step onto a job site, safety is the foundation, the cornerstone of everything we do. We provide and use the tools and training needed to work incident free. We empower every person on every job site to make smart, measured and safe decisions. We speak up when we see something unsafe making a personal commitment to each other.
- Tuesday: Focus on the Fundamentals – In every company, there are core safety programs that drive safety culture. These programs define what’s most important and where we place our focus in terms of safety. Focus on the processes and procedures that are in place on your job sites to ensure everyone goes home safely at the end of the day.
- Wednesday: COVID-19 Safety – The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all industries. While staying committed to preventing the traditional hazards of our construction work, we are now tasked with keeping each other safe from the threats of COVID-19 too. Refresh teams on the actions we are taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Refer to current local, state and federal resources for the most current guidelines in your area. Click here to read Gilbane’s response to COVID-19.
- Thursday: Mental Health Awareness – In construction, we’re tough. But that doesn’t mean we’re not susceptible to struggles with our mental health. Our jobs demand a lot of us, and that combined with financial, family and societal stress can take a toll. Discuss ways your team can prioritize the mental health of all employees and share resources for where help can be found for those who need it.
- Friday: Thank You, Construction Workers – Our industry builds the infrastructure that communities depend on. We safely build the projects that provide clean water, reliable power, safe transportation, accessible health care and much more. Celebrate all that you and your colleagues have safely built and done for the communities where you live and work. Take time to reflect on all you do. Be proud of your accomplishments.
