According to research from the National Safety Council’s Journal of Safety Research, construction workers often fail to report injuries and OSHA violations that they see on the job site. A staggering 72% of workers surveyed admitted to hiding an injury or violation from their supervisors. A construction site can be an incredibly dangerous place, filled with heavy machinery ranging from new bulldozers to used hydraulic breakers that can cause serious injury or even death in the event that safety standards are not adhered to. But why do employees wait to report unsafe conditions? Some common responses include:
A lack of influence. One of the most common reasons why employees failed to report a safety violation was a perceived lack of influence over the job site. Newer and younger employees especially may be hesitant to report that they’ve been injured or bring a malfunctioning used hydraulic hammer to their supervisor’s attention because they believe that their voice isn’t as valuable as the voices of more experienced employees.
Loss of safety incentives. Many construction sites offer incentives for prolonged periods of safety. Some employees reported that they failed to bring an OSHA violation or injury to their supervisor because they did not want their team to lose out on safety rewards.
Not wanting to be labeled “whiny.” Everyone wants to feel valuable and like they’re a contributing and important member of their team. Construction environments who tease or poke fun at employees for “complaining,” even if they are joking, can encourage employees to avoid bringing safety violations or injuries to the attention of their managers because they don’t want to be made fun of.
You can help keep your employees safe by creating an environment in which all communication is safe and valued, employees feel empowered, and tools are up-to-date and functioning. To learn more about how you can keep your job site safer or how you can get OSHA-compliant hydraulic hammers on your job site, give Hydraulic Breaker Services, LLC a call today at 800-940-8517.
