What can you do to reduce the number of accidents at your workplace? Skanska USA, one of the nation’s largest and safest construction companies, has been on a deliberate journey to achieve zero injuries. Their current lost-time incident rate is 0.87, compared with an industry average of about 3.6.

Skanska stresses pretask planning. Managers communicate what needs to be done and how to do it safely. And they use the sessions as an opportunity to engage employees in a dialogue about hazards. Similarly, Skanska leaders take regular walks around jobsites. They observe how work is being done, but also communicate with employees and ask questions. In this way, they gather important information and convey the company’s concern for worker protection.

Employees are encouraged to do their part to eliminate accidents, including:

• Take individual responsibility by watching for risks and stopping any activity that looks unsafe.
• Wear protective gear.
• Keep the work area clean.
• Take part in warm-up exercises to prevent injuries. Skanska’s stretch-and-flex program, launched in 1996, has helped dramatically reduce soft-tissue injuries.