Our Good Catch Program: A Proactive Safety Approach

Can a simple piece of paper save lives? 

We believe so. 

Every team member can contribute to and significantly impact our organization's overall safety. At the heart of this belief is our Good Catch Program, a unique initiative that empowers every team member to play a vital role in maintaining a safe work environment.  

Safety isn't just a box to check; it's a fundamental standard that fuels our every action.  

Why "Good Catch" and Not "Near Miss" 

The traditional "Near Miss" approach to safety focuses on identifying and reporting instances where an accident or injury was narrowly avoided. While this approach has its merits, it often leads to a reactive mindset, where safety measures are implemented after a close call has occurred. We believe a proactive approach is far more effective in creating a safe work environment. 

Our "Good Catch" program shifts the focus from near misses to actively identifying and addressing potential hazards before they can lead to incidents. We empower every team member to report good catches, safe behaviors, practices, or conditions that prevent accidents. Our approach helps mitigate risks and fosters a positive mindset, where safety is seen as an integral part of the job, not just a set of rules to follow. By celebrating good catches, we reinforce the idea that safety is everyone's responsibility and that everyone can make a meaningful contribution to creating a safer workplace.   

The Good Catch Program: Empowering Employees to Prioritize Safety  

The construction landscape is ever-evolving, and safety is a paramount concern. We're taking a proactive approach to ensuring the well-being of every team member because every member has a voice in what they consider a safe working environment. Safety is not the sole responsibility of a designated member but a shared commitment among all team members. Our Good Catch Program encourages employees to identify and report potential hazards or unsafe conditions they observe on the job site.  

This information is vital to keeping every construction worker safe, and that's why we're giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what we've implemented to change the construction safety landscape. Our Good Catch Cards allow our workers to identify the good their teammates are doing, not just the hazards they identify while at work. We want to enable everyone to acknowledge our team's excellent work and share it with our safety team. It's like a service review to ensure we give the best information to keep each other safe. 

Our Good Catch Cards cover the following, with an additional 22 sub-category behaviors: 

• Personal Protective Equipment 

• Tool/Equipment 

• Body Position/Protection   

• Housekeeping 

• Policies/Procedures 

Every person, employee, or outside contractor who goes through our safety orientation is given Good Catch Cards to fill out as they work on our sites.  

"Good Catches demonstrates the ability of a company of people to identify hazards in their midst, no matter where they are. By being open to these Good Catches, we can do amazing things as every employee becomes a safety representative", Says Skip Parry, Our Construction Risk Manager.  

We're empowering our teams to be proactive in their safety practices, bolstering a culture where everyone feels heard and appreciated for their contributions. 

The Proactive Approach: Leading Indicators and Lagging Indicators  

Our approach to safety focuses on "leading indicators," which are early warning signs that can help prevent accidents before they happen. This approach gets us in front of and starkly contrasts with a lagging approach that uses indicators such as near misses or incidents that have already occurred. 

"Leading indicators are all around us and can come from multiple sources if we develop that instinct. Getting us out in front of unwanted lagging indicators such as 'near misses' shows we have the ability, knowledge, and feel the responsibility to ourselves, our teams,' our projects, communities, and families." explains Skip.  

We can mitigate risks and create a safer work environment by actively seeking out and addressing these leading indicators. The safety and well-being of our team members will always be at the forefront of everything we do. 

"Good catches cost us nothing, yet one near miss could cost us something major. If we let a condition or behavior expose us to risk, eventually, it will cost us substantially," explains Skip. Our forward-thinking mindset ensures everyone remains safe on the job and, most importantly, returns home each day. 

The Evolution of Safety in the Construction Industry 

The construction industry has significantly transformed its approach to safety over the years. One of the most notable improvements has been the increased collaboration between safety personnel and our craft workers. We go beyond toolbox talks and all-hands meetings and implement a Safety Committee that works with on-site safety managers, superintendents, and all team members. Through this collaboration, we are working to bridge any gaps in communication and our safety programs.  

"We have improved greatly in understanding how our teams can work together to achieve better ends from a safety, quality, and performance standpoint. We shouldn't have to fight for a better approach, and the construction industry has seen this come to fruition," says Skip. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), established in 1970, played a crucial role in triggering improvements in construction safety over the last 55 years. OSHA's mission is to ensure workers' safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.[1] 

Empowering Employees to Achieve "Project Zero" 

Our Good Catch program is one of the many testaments to our commitment to safety. We believe in our people and actively engage them to prioritize their safety and those around them. This is one way of ensuring someone always has your back and gets us one step closer to our ultimate goal of "Project Zero, " a workplace with zero incidents or accidents.  

"Project Zero" is our vision of a construction site where every worker goes home safely at the end of the day, every day. It's an ambitious goal, but one we believe is achievable through proactive safety measures, employee empowerment, and a culture of continuous improvement. "If people feel heard and appreciated regarding the little things as much as the big things, then our safety culture can achieve 'Project Zero,'" states Skip.  

Our holistic approach to safety, exemplified by our Good Catch Program, is just one example of how construction companies can prioritize the well-being of their employees and the success of their projects. We're empowering our employees to be champions for safety to create a safer work environment and a culture of collaboration, responsibility, and continuous improvement that can ultimately save lives.   

Join us in our mission to make "Project Zero" a reality. Embrace a proactive approach to safety, empower your employees, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Together, we can transform the construction industry and ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of each day. 

Resources: 

• Want to join our team, check out our open positions.

• Interested in learning more about our Environmental, Safety, and Quality, check out our ESQ page.

• [1] https://www.osha.gov/aboutosha