Viewing Construction Safety from a “Value Platform”

Many senior executives in the business world of the 21st Century have firmly embraced the notion that the most important aspects of creating a successful enterprise is in ensuring the corporation “values” the right things.

 

Identifying Sought After Values

Scanning seven construction company web sites I found the following 18 “corporate values” cited. I list alphabetically:

Caring, client service, commitment, do the right thing, excellence, fair return, honesty, innovation, integrity, progressive, quality, respect for others, responsible, safety, service, stewardship, teamwork, trust.

 

Viewing Values

Allegorically we can imagine these listed “values present in the image” corporate leaders want their company to consistently reflect; today and tomorrow! Further imagine, if you will, that each “value” has a corresponding “window” on a “value platform” through which the top corporate leaders view the company’s operational success in establishing the corporate presence in the marketplace.  Ensuring the company operates with and reflects to employees, customers and community this “platform of values” provides the leaders an ever present “foundational purpose” from which to operate.  From this “value platform” top corporate leaders are reminded of the desired underlying crucial determinants they collectively feel must be satisfactorily met to reach success.  

 

On the Above Value Order

The reader will soon think as I move forward with the planned theme of this article that I purposely chose the above values to ensure “Caring” was “front and center” but that is not true. Honestly I listed the values as I found them then alphabetized them and “caring” came out first. I mention this because the whole purpose in writing this article was to highlight the importance of my next point.

 

In the realm of safety nothing is more important than “appropriate demonstrated caring.”

 

Indeed, it is because we care, that we pay so much attention to safety. “Caring” is the reason we apply so much safety emphasis and have so many legislated safety compliance requirements.  Collectively as citizens, as corporate leaders, as employees, as children of parents who go to work each day and even as uninvolved bystanders, we “care.”

 

So if we care so much and so completely why is it we still find so much injury in our workplaces?

 

An Answer is Found in a Value Review

In a play on words; I believe it is “safe” to say “that everyone cares about safety.”

Among the seven web sites viewed “safety” was most often listed, with integrity and honesty next.

Most readers will likely agree with me when I state “each value” on the above list when realized will be found to be a product of the properly structured application of the first on the list, “caring.”

• When we care enough about the welfare of our client and we apply “teamwork” it is then we can see “client service” in action.

• When we care enough about the task at hand it is then we can see our “commitment” revealed.

• When we care enough about our “honesty and integrity” it is then we can be “trusted” to “do the right thing.”

• When we care enough about being “innovative and progressive in ensuring the quality” of our effort it is then we can rise to the performance level known as “excellence.” 

• When we care enough about our “stewardship” it is then we can realize corporate financial health with a “fair return.”

• When we “care” enough about being “respectful and responsible” in our “service” to our fellow employee, to our client and to the public it is then we can truly realize “safe” outcomes in our lives.

 

Yes, for success, safety has to be more than just a “value” in how we view things at work; safety has to be built in our life style, valued in all our activities, in our communities, at home, on the way to and from work and on the job.

 

There is no greater value than “safety” and there is no better value than “caring” to ensure our “safety” success.