Construction safety regulations are very complex, but they exist for a very good reason. Besides keeping workers safe on the job, proper safety techniques help prevent project interruptions, reduce insurance liabilities and even protect budgets.
When you work with Northern Construction, safety will always be our priority. We include thorough preventive planning as an integral part of our process. Employees and leadership are well-versed in risk management and compliance, and we’ve worked to perfect our engineering methods to maximize incident prevention. These best practices ensure the project execution and final product have the best chances of experiencing no issues.
The Importance of Construction Safety
It’s no secret that construction sites contain many safety risks. Fall hazards, heavy machinery and environmental exposures are just a few of these. As part of our commitment to ensuring safety across all of our projects, Northern Construction has implemented a substantial safety program across all jobs.
Core features include:
- Pre-planning and site hazard assessments: We identify site-specific hazards early, which helps us engineer potential risks out of the process.
- Job Safety Analyses (JSAs): Every day during active projects, we conduct a detailed review of each job’s specific risks and potential mitigation strategies.
- Morning huddle meetings: Each workday begins with a team review of daily safety goals and responsibilities.
- Toolbox Talks: These safety discussions cover safety needs relevant to current site conditions.
- Site safety inspections: Regular site inspections are conducted by Northern Construction’s Safety Director, Safety Inspector and an independent, third-party inspector from New England Safety Consultants.
- Fleet safety: All commercial vehicles and drivers are subject to comprehensive risk controls.
Along with other safety practices, these procedures form our comprehensive construction risk management program, ensuring the job meets Northern Construction’s quality standards.
Northern Construction’s Safety Record
Because Northern Construction strives to uphold the highest safety standards in every aspect of our work, we’re trusted to complete even the most high-sensitivity projects. We’ve successfully tackled emergency safety work, gas compressor projects and other tasks that require high levels of skill, training and attention to safety protocols. In fact, we’ve consistently achieved a Workers’ Compensation MOD Safety Rating (Experience Modification Rating) of 0.7 or lower*, demonstrating our commitment to a low-liability business model.
*An Experience Modification Rating of < 1.0 indicates a better-than-average safety record, while > 1.0 indicates a higher-than-average, riskier record.
Northern Construction’s Personal Safety Protocols
The safety of our teams remains paramount on every project. Northern Construction has implemented extensive personal safety protocols that comply with or exceed all applicable regulations.
Adherence to OSHA Guidelines
Northern Construction is fully compliant with all applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. The required regulations fall under OSHA rule CFR 1926, which outline specific standards for the construction industry. We employ two full-time safety professionals to help oversee OSHA compliance and other construction risk controls.
We also leverage various technologies to track and document incident reporting and compliance. Through our Safety Reports Plus app, we’re able to:
- Complete and document daily site safety inspections
- Document all onsite safety trainings and track employee participation
- Compile incident reports
- Track and monitor injury trends
- Track and monitor completion
This adherence to OSHA guidelines and careful documentation helps us continuously monitor employee safety and make improvements where necessary.
Safety Gear Requirements
Our personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements include:
- OSHA Level 4 construction boots
- High-visibility clothing
- Hard hats
- Cut-resistant gloves
- Eye protection
- Respirators
- Fall protection harnesses
Safety Trainings and Certifications
We also offer a variety of safety training certifications for our crews, including:
- Confined space safety
- On-site fall protection
- Fire protection
- Respiratory protection (including medical evaluations & fit testing)
- Scaffolding use
- Crane signal and rigging
- Aerial lift (scissor and boom)
- CPR and defibrillator (AED)
- First responder
- Emergency response and reporting
All superintendents are required to attend annual first responder, CPR and AED training. We also train our teams on proper monitoring and reporting practices within the Safety Reports Plus app. Alongside our regular morning huddles, JSA meetings and Toolbox Talks, this continuing education and training helps our teams anticipate risks and work with confidence.
Proven Construction Techniques for Safety and Efficiency
Our construction methodologies are also optimized to ensure site safety while maintaining the quality of the final product.
Innovative Construction Methods
Northern Construction has implemented a variety of on-site practices that reduce risks to employees and improve efficiency. For example:
- Portions of many jobs are completed off-site using modular construction in controlled environments. This helps us avoid performing many high-risk tasks on-site.
- We routinely use drones for site inspections where appropriate. We can still easily ensure the integrity of our work, but we don’t have to expose our teams to any additional risks.
- Advanced scaffolding and fall protection systems are used alongside PPE gear to mitigate accident risks.
Sustainable Construction Practices
We’ve also incorporated a variety of sustainable construction practices into our workflows. Besides their environmental benefits, these methods help make construction more efficient and safer for employees.
| Technique | Safety and Sustainability Benefit |
| Eco-friendly materials | Reduces environmental hazards |
| Energy-efficient machinery | Minimizes on-site emissions |
| Waste reduction strategies | Less debris, safer worksite |
Gaining Your Trust Through Safety
Our commitment to safety is something we’re proud to focus on every day, in every aspect of our work. This dedication to doing things the right way helps Northern Construction provide the best possible end result for our clients, with as little risk of disruption as possible.
If you want to learn more about how we integrate safety into civil construction processes, we’re here to provide transparent, honest answers. Contact us today.