workplace safety

In a time when more and more workplace injuries are occurring, it is important for managers and leaders to improve safety in the workplace, particularly in areas where there is a higher risk of injury. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,  the Construction and Manufacturing industries make up 10 of the top 15 fields where injuries occur in the workplace. 

                      Safety incidents don’t even solely affect the workers involved. They also have a strong trickle-up effect, as a result of fines, litigation, and replacement training. In 2022, Dollar General was struck with a 1.3 million dollar fine by the Department of Labor for staggeringly dangerous work environments, including but not limited to obstructed exit routes, missing sprinklers, and inaccessible electrical panels. 

                      With all of this in mind, managers should not only care about their profit line but about the safety of their direct reports. But how can these leaders improve safety in the workplace while still maintaining their profits? 

                      The first cost that a manager should recognize is one of the steepest scaling costs in the manufacturing industry- the EMR, or experience modifier rate. This is a number that insurance agencies will use to determine premiums and compensation rates. EMRs are determined based on a specific company’s historical cost of injuries and future risk chances. This number is then compared with the average losses other companies accrue in a specific state. 

                      The average EMR tends to gravitate around 1.0. The lower an EMR is, the lower the compensation amounts are, which also applies vice versa as well. In addition, the higher an EMR is, the higher the insurance premiums are. EMRs are considered to be very accurate due to a concept known as Experience Rating, which states that history tends to repeat itself. Losses in the future will probably be similar to those of the past. 

                      EMRs are extremely important in the Manufacturing and Construction Industry for one sole reason. Every business in these industries is required by State and Federal Law to have the following insurance coverages: 

·        General Liability Insurance

·        Professional Liability Insurance

·        Vehicle and Auto Insurance

·        Inland Marine Insurance (Refers to any equipment that is towed)

·        Contractor License Bonds

·        Workers Compensation Insurance

              Some states may even require further insurance. All of these insurances have periodic costs known as premiums, which can be increased depending on how often the insurance was used. Imagine how quickly this can add up. Insurance can be extremely expensive. It is important to note that insurance does not always cover negligent activity.

              Businesses should also account for costs associated with OSHA requirements. OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and is the federal board charged with “ensuring safe and healthy working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance”. They can also audit workplaces, and determine if they are in violation of safety protocol. 

              OSHA also mandates that workers receive a certain amount of company-funded training. This is required to be kept up to date and does get checked frequently as well, so it can’t be completed in-house and under the radar. For example, when I worked as a lifeguard, I was required to receive training in managing bloodborne exposure, basic and advanced first aid, bodily waste management, and hazardous chemical management. 

              The first step in adding safety to the workplace is to conduct very thorough examinations of your personnel, equipment, and workspace. 

                      Personnel examination refers to checking any of their personal certifications and doing a thorough background check. Managers should also contact prior employers. User error is a common bane in the construction industry, and 86% of contractors admit to having made an error in the field. The severity of an error can make a very big difference, however. In addition to that, a common sanction placed on dangerous employees is for certifications to be voided. Checking into the history of a certification can make a big difference. While some managers believe that people may improve, it is important to remember that in the construction industry, safety should always be the number one priority. Background checks are important to read over due to potential liability. If a worker has been sued in the past for negligent behavior, bringing them onto staff could prove to be dangerous, and if a mistake is repeated, litigious. 

                      Equipment examination should be something that a manager not only trains workers on but should be proficient with themselves. Heavy machinery such as forklifts, cranes, and bulldozers, along with their associated equipment such as ratchets, braces, and supports should always be examined before any use. In addition to this, managers should frequently bring in experts and mechanics to determine the safety and longevity of their specialized equipment. While yes, these machines are expensive and built to last, nothing can be left up to chance with them, due to the inherent danger that they pose. 

                      Workplace examination is something that an outside entity or inspector should assess. The ideal goal of this is to ensure OSHA Compliance, as well as to ensure that the workplace is a safe area to be within.  OSHA will also conduct this examination, for a fee. 

                      The next step in adding safety to the workplace is to create a proper education program. Managers should facilitate a space in which it is not only okay but welcomed for workers to ask questions about safety compliance and regulations. The environment should be designed in a way to offer as many educational opportunities as possible for this. In my experience as a paramedic, I was also required to attend monthly in-services, where we would have our squad leader going over every safety feature and regulation in not only the house but also on our ambulances.  This not only gave us refreshers on the safety tools already present but ones that were brand new as well. This actually ended up saving one of my coworkers’ lives. In our in-service, we were taught about the C02 Fire Suppression System within the AIRTIGHT server room connecting us to 9-1-1 Dispatchers and our radio systems. One very important thing that was noted was the fire axe planted next to the door. C02 Fire Suppression Systems are designed to be waterless and can extinguish a fire without creating a mess or damaging electronics. However, the C02 removes the oxygen from the room, strangling the fire. Naturally, this is incredibly dangerous for individuals in the room.  This system ended up triggering while a technician was working in the room. If he didn’t know where the axe was to break the window and allow oxygen to come into the room, he would’ve most likely suffocated to death. Thanks to his safety training, he was able to escape with his life. 

                      Another thing managers in the manufacturing industry can do to increase safety is to implement AIM Insights. AIM Insights and the subsequent AIM Insights People Leader Certification can help companies improve their safety by deploying a bottom-up approach to helping employees identify innovative solutions to improving safety and communication guidance from executive coaches on how to handle difficult situations when a manager has an employee not abiding by safety rules. 

                      Safety is a product of tolerance. The more we tolerate bad behavior, the more likely accidents will occur. AIM Insights helps managers bridge a gap between the inconvenience of following safety procedures with the discomfort of confronting somebody in a manner that drives mutual understanding and compliance.

                      This should assist managers with starting to improve safety within their workplaces. It is important to note that incidents will always happen within the work sites. However, with proper management, this number should go down and enable a safer area.  

Construction managers often face several challenges in the workplace, as well as outside of it. Whether it’s pulling permits or workplace injuries, there is almost always some form of challenge that they face. However, the following tools are what every construction manager should have to ensure that their day gets easier.

1)     AIM Insights

Human Resources Information Systems are often one of the most useful tools by a manager for a few reasons, including tracking employee data, retaining demographics, and automation of tasks for HR staff.  AIM Insights integrates seamlessly into this, allowing managers to set goals, determine completion, as well as monitor the status of training. AIM Insights is particularly beneficial in the construction space as it leverages a bottom-up approach to helping front-line employees set goals that are safety-focused. Early studies have shown that when employees set their own goals focused on safety, they are much more likely to partake in safety activities.

For example, on a mining site, employees frequently wouldn’t wear goggles because they would fog up, blurring their vision, which is dangerous when drilling. So many employees wouldn’t wear their goggles or only temporarily wear them to appease their boss or senior leadership. Once they started implementing AIM Insights, different employees started proposing safety goals and solutions, and eventually, they were able to find a pair of goggles that were similar to pool goggles where they were close to their eyeballs and they didn’t fog up while still providing safety for their eyes. When the employees participated in the solution versus being told what to do, they were much more likely to follow the safety protocols.

In an industry marked by injury and litigation, tracking the status of training can help prevent both of these. Along with this, managers can earn a people leader certification to help improve their skills. This certification would include executive coaching as well. 

2)     Estimation Software

Contractors will always be asked for one number upfront by a client- how much a project will cost them.  This number is often devised by calculating the cost of all required materials, the cost of pulling permits, and the cost of labor.  The company’s own profit margin may be taken into account as well. Sometimes, creating a quote requires contacting multiple vendors to determine costs. However, this software can automatically request multiple quotes from different vendors at once. Using software can save an estimator hours of time that could then be better served elsewhere. Estimation software also has a lower margin of error than an individual. In addition to this, this type of software can also find where to cut costs as well. Software such as this can evaluate subcontractor bids and compare them to each other, and then to the schedule of the clients. It can then automatically find the most efficient and inexpensive option. Estimation software can also determine procurement timeframes as well, which is much harder to do by hand. 

3)     Cloud Storage

There are a lot of moving parts in creating a project. The two most important individuals in a project are often the Owner and the Manager. These two often have several important decisions to make regarding purchasing materials, assigning staff, and other logistical details. Having this information easily accessible to multiple people at once for both asynchronous and synchronous work can make a massive difference for users.  In addition to that, when determining budgets and expenditures, having multiple people working on a document at the same time can dramatically improve efficiency. Imagine using an online version of a database as opposed to Microsoft Access. Access databases are a great choice, but are limited to only one user being able to access them at a time. An online, cloud-stored database has no such weakness. 

4)     Construction Accounting Software (And an accountant)

The most common practice for accounting is to operate around a period of time. For example, most companies tend to release quarterly or yearly, or maybe even monthly statements. The problem with this for contractors though, is that most jobs have some form of unique input or requirement. They are also perpetually opening and closing projects during the year. 

Consequently, contractors have their own methods of accounting, known as Construction Accounting. This is centered around each project, as opposed to a period of time. Construction Accounting software is better designed to assist with contractors’ specific timelines and schedules, and as such, is a much better fit for them.  This will allow the average project manager to be able to track budgets, assets, and liabilities, while still receiving information pertinent to their industry.  It is important to note that this is not a substitute for finding a CPA. However, it may assist a manager in checking their finances. 

5)     Insurance

All state laws, and some federal laws, require contractors to have a certain amount of insurance.  The following are just examples of what most areas require.

·        General Liability Insurance- This covers bodily injury claims, medical payments, covers any property damage, as well as copyright infringement.

·        Professional Liability Insurance- This covers any financial damages from the services you provide. For example, if a web developer makes a mistake on an e-commerce site, he could be sued for missed sales opportunities. With professional liability, this would be covered.

·        Vehicle and Auto Insurance- This is insurance needed in order to drive or operate vehicles as a form of transportation. This would protect a contractor in the event of a car accident while driving to a site.

·        Inland Marine Insurance – Funnily enough, this does not in fact have anything to do with the sea or ocean. Inland Marine Insurance refers to covering any product, materials, or equipment when transported over land, or warehoused by a third party. This is especially important for project managers who are transporting heavy equipment or materials. Auto Insurance does not cover damage caused to these. However, Inland Marine Insurance will in fact do so.

·        Contractor License Bonds- These are purchased from state licensing boards and are often necessary in order to comply with building codes and are a condition for permits or licensure. 

·        Workers Compensation Insurance- This insurance is similar to General Liability Insurance but can cover gross damages on the worksite. It is far more specialized than general insurance, and typically has higher amounts of coverage.

6)     A Network

                      This is more often the case within construction, rather than general contracting, but most project managers have a network of subcontractors that they will use for each project. This network includes civil engineers, carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians, and often quite a few other trades. 

                      A powerful network enables managers to have a quality talent pool for any of their upcoming projects and eliminates the need to have to hire and file checks on every contractor they have, saving time down the line. Managers can often get preferred vendor rates from subcontractors in exchange for having them on retainer as well, cutting costs dramatically.  

                      With all of this in hand, a good manager should be able to make the most out of their projects, and will easily be able to succeed at their job. 

High-achieving employees sometimes find themselves doubting their capabilities even though they are more than qualified. 

Imposter syndrome can be defined as “a behavioral health phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals.” Those who possess imposter syndrome cannot internalize their successes and subsequently feel fraudulent despite verifiable evidence that they are successful. 

In order to combat imposter syndrome it can be helpful to identify how the imposter syndrome is presenting itself. 

While attention to detail is important, it can become detrimental when it reaches the point of perfectionism. Individuals who strive to create flawless deliverables at all times may possess imposter syndrome. Since they doubt their intellect, they want to ensure that everything is entirely correct before finalizing anything. These individuals tend to be overly self-critical and hold themselves to higher standards than the standards they set for those around them. This pursuit of unattainable standards cannot be sustained in the long run and may ultimately lead to self-sabotaging.   

2. Super-heroism 

This frequently presents as over-preparing for tasks to appear capable of completing them. Individuals may feel compelled to be the best at everything and that overpreparation will allow them to achieve this. Oftentimes, super-heroism leads people to overwork themselves and can cause serious mental health implications. 

3. Fear of Failure 

Individuals with imposter syndrome may fear being shamed if they fail to properly complete a task. They fear being exposed as an imposter in the event that they were to fail. This can lead to avoidance of certain tasks altogether because it is believed that not trying at all is favorable to underperforming. 

Although fear of failure is commonly perceived to be related to externally imposed tasks, however, it can occur with self-imposed achievement-related tasks as well. Ultimately, avoidance of self-imposed tasks out of fear of failure can prevent progress toward personal career goals.

4. Denial of Capability 

Discounting one's intelligence, experiences, and skills is another manifestation of imposter syndrome. People who have imposter syndrome may attribute their successes to external factors or even random chance. Even if evidence can be provided to validate their contributions, individuals may continue to discredit their influence in their achievements. 

5. Fear of Success 

Although contrary to the previously discussed fear of failure, imposter syndrome may lead to fear of success. This occurs because an individual perceives failure as a positive feedback mechanism. They may have difficulty recognizing their successes as success can lead to high future expectations or additional workloads. 

Multiple of these characteristics of imposter syndrome can appear simultaneously and amplify the negative implications of imposter syndrome. Characteristics may present differently depending on the person and their workplace environment. 

If the previously discussed characteristics of imposter syndrome are present, there are some ways to decrease the fraudulent feelings that arise. 

Imposter syndrome often leads individuals to emphasize their weaknesses. It is imperative that individuals struggling with imposter syndrome focus on their strengths as much as they are considering their weaknesses. If there is a particular area that is difficult, consider exploring a skill that feels more natural. Making a list of individual successes or even analyzing data of successful past initiatives may allow for the recognition of personal accomplishments. 

2. Talk to someone 

Reaching out to peers or mentors is a beneficial way to combat imposter syndrome. Having an open dialogue about doubts and struggles in the workplace can work to diminish the sense of incompetence. Groups such as horizontal mentor groups can serve as a great resource for those struggling with imposter syndrome. Peers within these horizontal groups likely have had similar experiences and can provide strategies they used to overcome their self-doubts. 

3. Counseling

Speaking with a counselor about imposter syndrome can bring awareness to what is contributing to feelings of imposter syndrome. Specifically, compassion-focused therapy can be a helpful tool in combating imposter syndrome. Compassion-focused therapy is designed for patients who are highly self-critical and works to manage those behaviors. 

Most importantly, it is important to recognize that there are others who struggle with imposter syndrome. Taking active steps to counteract feelings of imposter syndrome will provide immense career benefits. 

Combating imposter syndrome can also be influenced by management. Managers must recognize the impact that they can make on imposter syndrome in the workplace and take action to limit it. Although counteracting imposter syndrome is largely a personal journey, external factors may also have implications. Here are some approaches managers can take to improve the workplace experience for individuals who have imposter syndrome. 

What provokes imposter syndrome varies on an individual basis, however, managers can take note of situations or responsibilities that contribute to employees' imposter syndrome. For example, on a team with many experienced employees, a younger team member may feel uncomfortable leading an initiative despite their qualifications. This situation may potentially contribute to imposter syndrome and a manager can help by reassuring the team member of their capabilities. 

Individuals dealing with imposter syndrome may have difficulties recognizing their own achievements. As a manager, it is important to help acknowledge when employees have successes. This helps validate that they are capable and a valuable contributor to the team. 

Managers should foster an environment that celebrates all individuals and that isn’t limited to solely embracing successes. Encourage employees to experiment in the workplace and do things for the sake of learning rather than only for accomplishments. Developing a strong sense of psychological safety will help ensure everyone that it is acceptable to make mistakes. 

Another method to increase psychological safety while reducing feelings of imposter syndrome is to encourage open dialogue between team members. Ensuring that all team members feel comfortable discussing their experiences within the workplace with their manager is a crucial aspect of counteracting imposter syndrome. 

Underrepresented groups may experience amplified effects from imposter syndrome. Recognize that these individuals may need additional support ensuring that there is a sense of belonging within the workplace. It is also important to be conscious of how personal biases may alter the treatment of individuals from underrepresented groups because this can contribute to their imposter syndrome characteristics. 

Imposter syndrome can be very prevalent among individuals who have achieved great success. Recognize that some characteristics of imposter syndrome such as self-doubt are natural and occur among everyone on occasion. If characteristics of imposter syndrome persist for extended periods of time, it should be explored since it can limit one's ability to succeed.