According to safety consultant Emmitt Nelson, when everyone is on board with a zero-injury approach, the high costs of worker injury can be reduced to sums that previously existed "only in the dreams" of safety professionals.

Emmitt Nelson is a safety consultant (www.nelsonconsulting.com) and pioneer of the zero-accident approach. He chaired the first Construction Industry Institute (CII) taskforce that conducted research into contractors with few or no injuries.

Nelson is also the author of articles and books on "zero" and other safety subjects. Most recently he has also become associated with a new organization, the Zero Injury Institute (www.zeroinjuryinstitute.com), a training, certification, and consulting group.

Zero Injury Frequently Misunderstood

According to Nelson, the zero-injury concept is frequently misunderstood. "Many say that it is unreasonable to expect workers to go uninjured; therefore 'zero injury' is a misnomer," he explains. "In this sense it might be, but like all words there is frequently more than one meaning."

For Nelson, the term also represents a management position that states, "Zero injury is the desired end product. Any injury is unacceptable on its face. We are committed to eliminate injury from the workplace."

Once such a position is established, everyone from the CEO on down must know that the company’s highest priority is completing work without injury.

According to Nelson, the record for hours worked without a recordable injury using the zero-injury concept stands at 33 million hours, achieved by S&B Engineers & Constructors of Houston.

Nelson acknowledges that it costs employers like S&B considerable sums of money in safety awareness and education. However, the investment increases profit margins that can drastically shrink when companies are saddled with the enormous costs of injuries.

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Check Out the Checklist

CII has followed up with more recent research. Based on its studies of "zero injury" organizations, the institute has published an evaluation checklist. Although the list is oriented to a construction workplace, the components have wide applicability to other industries.

  • The president/senior company management reviews safety reports.
  • Top management is involved in injury/incident investigations.
  • Management and supervision are evaluated on safety performance.
  • Project safety representatives report directly to senior management.
  • The company maintains a minimum of one safety representative for every 50 workers.
  • Projects have site-specific safety plans.
  • Before each task, a task safety analysis/pretask planning meeting is held with the foreman’s crew.
  • Safety training is a line item in the project budget.
  • Every worker on the project attends a standard orientation training session.
  • Safety orientation is formal.
  • Workers receive an average of at least 4 hours of safety training each month.
  • Superintendents and project managers attend mandatory safety-training sessions.
  • All levels of management and supervision receive training in behavior-based safety.
  • A structured worker-to-worker safety observation program is in place.
  • The company/project supports and maintains an effective, formal near-miss reporting process.
  • Workers are encouraged to report near misses.
  • Safety recognition/rewards are given to workers at least monthly.
  • Family members are included in safety recognition dinners.
  • Workers are evaluated on safety performance.
  • Subcontractors are required to submit project-specific safety plans.
  • Sanctions are imposed when subcontractors do not comply with safety requirements.
  • Employee safety perception surveys are conducted.
  • Off-site company personnel perform frequent audits.

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