SAFETYWe all deserve to work in a safe place and go home to our families every day. At Barnard, we continually look for ways to enhance our safety program and create an industry-leading safety culture. We uphold our commitment to safety through thorough planning, open communication, and comprehensive training. In all aspects of our safety program, we involve our people and provide opportunities to build a safer, more inclusive workplace.
Knowledge is power–we can only improve if everyone is on the same page. Each week, we send a safety report to all employees, recounting any incidents, near misses, and equipment damage on projects. Our Corporate Safety Director writes a safety message for each incident, asking reflective questions and providing ideas to prevent future recurrence.
Safety is everyone’s job. The Speak Up! Listen Up! Program helps employees give and receive safety-related feedback. We encourage everyone to speak up if they see something unsafe and keep an open mind if they hear suggestions to improve their performance.
At the 10 percent completion stage of a major work activity, we bring in lunch, sit down with the crew, and share ideas to make the task safer, better, and more efficient. This process builds camaraderie among team members and leads to a more positive and productive work environment.
Each May, our projects participate in Safety Week, an industry-wide event focused on improving project safety. We involve clients, subcontractors, and local emergency responders in our practice drills and celebrate our teams’ safe work. Barnard was one of 31 construction companies to initially develop and promote this annual event.
Every quarter, our executive safety team visits a different project to discuss safety stats, trends, issues, and needs for the future. The team includes many voices, from craft to senior management, and encourages open communication among all levels of Barnard.
