OneLife: Safety in Real Time

When the term “company culture” comes up in conversation, safety is not often top of mind. However in the commercial construction industry, when one considers the reasons we must work safely, it’s evident why a powerful safety approach is integral to Choate Construction’s culture.

We are reminded of our safety motto every day, through signs on each jobsite, stickers on hardhats, and logos on our safety vests: OneLife. To learn how to protect  that one life we are given, the Choate project teams partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) during National Safety Stand-Down Week (May 3-7) to review the latest strategies in safety training and fall-prevention strategies.

Safety Stand-Down Week was established in 2014 to raise awareness of the accidents and fatalities that occur every year in the construction industry. The majority of these incidents can be contributed to falls, which are some of the most preventable accidents on a jobsite, according to OSHA. Every year, this week is dedicated to learning fall prevention.

Through demonstrations of protective methods, review of our safety policies and goals, and open discussions about potential safety hazardsthose out in the field have seen or experienced, Safety “Stand-Downs” allow jobsite teams to pause, come together, and be reminded of who they work safely for (family, friends, selves). During these meetings, the teams learn and practice the best ways to ensure each project team minimizes safety risks, including proper harness training, jobsite risk analysis, correct use of construction tools and equipment, and more.

When it came time to lead the in-person training and demonstrations, we were honored to have a mixture of both external guests and internal team members available with a wide breadth of safety knowledge and experience. Guests included representatives from 3M, Fastenal, Gwinnett County Fire Department, HexArmor, Ashley Sling, Inc., Safewaze, and Dillon Supply to name just a few of those who came out to help our project teams make the most of their Safety Stand-Down events. Thank you for making this year a success and helping keep our teams safe!

OneLife Mission: Serving Others

At Choate, our focus has always been on building impactful relationships – whether that be with clients, our trade partners, or employee-owners – and a big part of those relationships is looking out for one another to ensure we all go home safely at the end of the day. As an embodiment of this OneLife mission, Atlanta Superintendent Clint Womack won the Safety Leadership Award, given by the AGC of Georgia. Womack received this award for his supervisory work during the 2020 calendar year.

The Safety Leadership Award is given to those who successfully manage a construction project with:

• No lost-time accidents or recordable incidents
• Demonstrates a commitment to providing a safe work environment
• Builds a culture of safety
• Exhibits uncompromising leadership in caring for and respecting fellow workers

Womack has gone above and beyond to exemplify the OneLife mission at Choate, and we are so proud to have him on our team as we recognize Safety Stand-Down Week!