Originally published on July 24, 2024, by Ethan Harris for NAIOP.
From design/build condos to built-to-suit warehouses, one factor remains the highest priority regardless of the project type: the approach to upholding the highest level of safety. Although safety exists as a core value across all areas of the construction industry, the increased risk of serious injuries or fatalities persists. Construction workers are ranked number four on the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics list of occupations with the most fatality rates.
Considering this heightened risk, it’s important for every team member, from subcontractors to superintendents, to take responsibility for safety compliance, empowering others to take responsibility for not only their own actions but the actions of those around them. To help enhance safety efforts for the project from start to finish, safety leaders are focusing on ways to implement safety standards within each component of the building’s design. Although this approach requires comprehensive planning and strategizing on the front end, it is intended to reduce and mitigate hazards before they become issues. Keeping this idea in mind, the following are a few actionable methods for managing projects designed around safety compliance.