Our Vision of Safety
Safety is the value we place above all others. It is greater than production and profit. No business that sacrifices the health and well-being of its employees can be truly successful. Our safety program is based on friendship and genuine concern for those with whom we live and work each day.
GEM Standards
In the construction
Safety is a responsibility that is shared by all employees of GEM from the top down. The GEM owners and management team place control of safety in the hands of its employees and give them the tools to be successful.
Our safety standards go above and beyond OSHA compliance. GEM’s company safety program is tailored and designed to cover the specific hazards we face as a commercial concrete contractor.
Training
Company-wide annual safety meetings are one of the greatest opportunities for GEM to promote and encourage a safety oriented culture. Once per year, we shut down all jobsites and come together in one location in order to spend an entire day focused on safety. No other company objective is given greater attention.
Several times per year GEM coordinates with other associated contractors to “stand down” in an effort to emphasize especially serious jobsite hazards. In conjunction with our associates in the industry we pause work to discuss fall protection and other OSHA Focus Four topics.
GEM seeks to educate its workers on safety topics as thoroughly and effectively as possible. We believe that knowledge of hazards and proper controls are the best tools we can provide. Our safety training program is:
- Individualized – Safety principles are taught according to the level of experience and understanding of each worker. They are done in person and even on a one-on-one basis when necessary. All safety training is offered in English and Spanish to accommodate our diverse workforce.
- Multi-faceted – We use various methods of instruction to keep the message interesting and accessible to a wide variety of individuals with different backgrounds. These methods include hands on demonstrations, open discussions, written & practical exams, and videos.
- Adaptive – In addition to all required OSHA safety certifications, our workers are given GEM-specific training, corresponding to our scope of work. Topics, such as tilt-up wall construction, finishing equipment safety, and elevated form work receive special attention, as our employees encounter these hazards with great frequency.
- Employee-led – Many of our safety training sessions are led by company veterans. These individuals bring unique perspectives, and the experience they have garnered over the years has a much greater impact than any text book lesson can provide. In turn, employees feel more compelled to live a standard they have participated in promoting.
Results
The combination of GEM’s high safety standards with a highly evolved training program continually
Equally as important as the statistical successes are the opinions of those who are most affected by workplace hazards. One way that GEM provides opportunities for communication is through safety perception surveys. We solicit feedback from our employees so that we can determine where we have been successful and identify the areas in which we need to improve. Employees appreciate the knowledge that they have a