Why Should You Hire a Safety Consultant?
Every employer in the United States has to provide a safe work environment to employees. If you are in a high-risk industry, like construction, you are required to have a very robust safety program.
The Problem
Ideally, you would have your own internal safety director whose sole responsibility is to develop internal policies, do all the training and site audits, and navigate the complicated ocean of regulations, standards, and best practices.
But most companies don’t have that kind of room in their budget, so they assign that role to an administrative assistant, project manager, or, worse, the owner.
All these positions have so much on their plate and wear so many hats, in almost every single case, safety is the last hat to go on. That is not to say that those in this position can’t ever do the job effectively, it just will never be done optimally.
The CSA Solution
You need someone who can take the reins, cut through the clutter, identify the strengths and weaknesses, and take swift action.
A third-party consultant can offer more detailed and effective training while conducting site audits to make sure your team is following through.
A safety consultant can also refine your safety goals and be an additional voice to communicate your values and expectations to your team.
Of course, you can also think of a safety consultant as your on-call legal counsel to chaperone compliance officers on your site and, if necessary, appeal citations.
When should you hire a safety consultant?
NOW.
Don’t wait until you have a slew of citations (best case) or a serious injury or death (worst case) because your safety program collected dust.
Think of your safety consultant as an insurance policy.
Except this policy actually MAKES you money.
Consultant services are tax-deductible and line items in your bids can cover the cost upfront. You would be surprised how cost-effective it is to have a safety consultant on board.