Strategies for Maintaining Safety Standards Amid a Labor Shortage
Why contractor assessment and safety monitoring matter more than ever.
The construction industry faces a critical labor shortage, with over three-quarters of contractors struggling to fill open positions. Approximately 80 percent of these contractors cite the lack of skilled, experienced workers as a significant safety and health risk to their employees.
The sector’s safety challenges are underscored by government data identifying construction as the industry with the highest number of workplace fatalities. In 2022 alone, the U.S. construction industry experienced 1,069 worker fatalities, the highest of any sector, with a fatality rate of 9.6 per 100,000 full-time workers. This troubling safety record exacerbates the labor shortage by making the field less appealing to potential workers. Improving safety practices is crucial not only for protecting current employees but also for attracting new talent.
Labor shortages create intense pressure on construction teams. With fewer workers, crews must rush to meet deadlines, often at the expense of robust safety programs and training. Additionally, the urgent need to onboard inexperienced workers increases the likelihood of safety incidents.
General contractors (GCs) and project owners must focus on improving safety despite the ongoing staffing challenges. Implementing comprehensive contractor risk assessments and safety monitoring can help identify and mitigate risks proactively. A robust prequalification process combined with consistent on-site evaluations promotes continuous safety improvements, saving time, money and, most importantly, lives.
How Labor Shortages Escalate Safety Risks
Typically, contractors under pressure from labor shortages realize increased safety risk as a result of:
? Pressure to take shortcuts. With fewer workers, project teams face heavier workloads and tighter deadlines. This pressure often leads to cutting corners, increasing the likelihood of accidents.
? Inexperienced or unqualified workers. Contractors frequently resort to hiring less experienced workers due to a lack of candidates. A study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health revealed that first-year employees accounted for nearly half of all construction injuries.
? Neglected training. Understaffing often forces contractors to shorten or skip training sessions, leaving workers ill-prepared to handle job-specific hazards. The risks are especially pronounced when new hires lack foundational knowledge.
? Reduced supervision. Supervisors may divide their attention between operational and oversight tasks, leading to lapses in safety monitoring. Inexperienced managers may also fail to identify and address hazards effectively.
? Increased use of new subcontractors. GCs and project owners often work with unfamiliar subcontractors during shortages. Without a history of shared safety protocols, these partnerships require additional vetting and oversight to ensure compliance.
