Close Out National Safety Month with a Focus on Your Safety Program

NAHB and its official safety partner, Builders Mutual, have been observing National Safety Month in June with a new focus each week. The theme for the last week is Work Safe, with an emphasis on safety programs.

Creating a culture of safety requires everyone’s commitment at every level of the business. Providing resources that are accessible and easy to understand is critical in having a lasting impact. The best way to ensure all managers, employees and subcontractors are on the same page is through a well-defined and written safety program.

NAHB has created a model Safety & Health Program for small to medium-sized home builders. It contains the materials needed to effortlessly set up a successful, company-wide safety program and can be customized to reflect the particular circumstances of each jobsite.

The safety program focuses on the proper structure a business needs to have a culture of safety. For guidance on working in the safest way possible, NAHB has long published the Jobsite Safety Handbook.

Now in its fourth edition, this popular handbook covers the key safety issues residential builders and trade contractors need to focus on to reduce accidents and injuries. The plain-language explanations in both English and Spanish will help you identify and correct the most common hazards on your construction jobsites.

The content of the handbook is also available in a mobile app. The app also includes video safety content and an interactive quiz to test safety knowledge. The app is free to download in the Apple and Google Play app stores.

Even with the best information available, creating a culture of safety in a home building company requires champions. These are leaders who adopt a safety-first philosophy and hold others accountable. Builders Mutual has a great blog post on safety leadership.