Collaborative Safety Approaches: How Safety Consulting Works with Project Management 

Construction sites have a lot of moving pieces, from subcontractors to schedules shifting due to weather, strict safety regulations to unexpected finds. These conditions put a lot of pressure on the project manager, who must keep track of every piece of the construction project and ensure things are moving forward at the right pace. 

Partnering with a safety consultant is key to safeguarding the overall safety of your project and the wellbeing of your workers. Discover how a safety consultant can work hand-in-hand with your project manager for a secure, profitable construction project. 

What Is Safety Consulting? 

A safety consultant is a skilled professional who has undergone years of hands-on experienced and taken a variety of safety-focused training. They typically have degrees and credentials in various safety areas, such as construction health and safety technician, certified safety professional and certified safety and health manager. 

When you receive safety consulting services, these professionals can help you by conducting OSHA safety training, confined space training and more. They also provide safety inspections and audits and may be able to provide specific safety staffing services for more niche site requirements. 

They become a valued member of your construction team, helping all your workers identify and mitigate potential hazards, understand basic safety protocols and create a culture of safety on your worksite. Safety consulting helps you create a safe and healthy work environment for your workers while simultaneously maintaining compliance with even the strictest industry safety standards. 

How Safety Consultants Collaborate with Project Managers 

Safety consultants work closely with project managers to understand the unique needs and characteristics of your worksite. This partnership allows the safety consultant to tailor their work to your team, helping them stay safe and healthy and helping you avoid potential accidents and violations. 

The goal of safety consulting is to present a proactive approach to accident avoidance, rather than a reactive approach to fixing something when it goes wrong. This allows your team to keep primary safety principles in mind from day one, with the hopes of keeping accident rates low. 

Your safety consultant will use three main strategies in partnering with your project manager: 

Risk Assessment and Hazard Identification 

First, the safety consultant walks through your whole jobsite, taking note of how equipment is stored and used, what safety precautions your workers currently utilize and any characteristics that may pose safety risks. They also conduct interviews with key members of your team to get a handle on how your worksite operates and determine if there are specific concerns they would like addressed. 

Any hazards or concerns they note in their initial risk assessment will be addressed in either the safety protocols they develop or the training they provide your team, perhaps even both.  

When working with a safety consultant, it’s important to be upfront about any concerns you or your employees have regarding safety procedures at your jobsite, and to encourage your workers to answer any questions the consultant may have. This allows the safety consultant to create the most comprehensive safety training and plans possible and helps you better safeguard against hazards. 

Development and Implementation of Safety Protocols 

Once the safety consultant understands the hazards associated with your project, they will develop targeted safety protocols that address concerns your team has brought forward. This process will include the input of your project manager, whose feedback on key personnel, resources and procedures that need to be included in the safety protocols is essential. 

These safety protocols will adhere to all OSHA and industry requirements, so you can feel confident your worksite will be free of violations if the procedures are followed correctly. Written copies of your worksite safety protocols will be provided to your project manager for distribution to members of your team. 

Team Training and Education 

After your new worksite safety plan is completed, your safety consultant will conduct training for your workers, depending on needs. This may include formalized training modules for more industry-specific training, or training sessions where your team is shown things like the proper use of PPE, proper equipment storage or evacuation procedures.  

Your safety consultant may conduct this training themselves, or they may suggest you bring in a specialized safety training team. The goal of safety training is to empower every worker with the knowledge and skills to respond properly in emergency situations, and to continually foster a culture of safety with the goal of avoiding accidents and injuries. 

Your Partner for Construction Safety Consulting 

Keeping your worksite safe is essential to keeping your work-related healthcare costs lower. At Medcor, we offer specialized safety consulting services to help your team get the knowledge and training they need to stay safer and keep your project running smoothly. Give your workers the skills they need to promote workplace safety. Speak with an advocate today.