Resources

Wildlife on the jobsite

It is hunting season and most of us are out in the backcountry scouting for game. Since the change in weather in Southern BC, the animals are coming down the hills and are feeding in town.  Urban wild life has always been a problem across BC and can cause problems on your job site.

One of my custom home builder clients had to implement a new housekeeping rule on their jobsite in Naramata, BC. The crew needs to remove all human garbage from the site at the end of the day.  A black bear has been ripping through the neighbours garbage in the development.  The bear was so aggressive that it tore open the top of the neighbour’s jeep and destroyed the doors.  Wildlife conservation has been notified and the community needs to avoid putting out garbage overnight.

Jobsites sometimes get treated like garbage dumps.  Crews toss their chicken bones on the ground.  The site is often littered with Timmies cups, granola bar wrappers and Subway napkins.  The mentality is that the ground will be backfilled soon anyway.  Our miny-landfill at the job site is creating the same problem that we find at our local dumps- bear fodder!

The development in Naramata is rural.  This week there has been wild times on the job in the city as well.  Yesterday, a coyote chased a four point buck right through our large construction site in West Kelowna.  All crew stopped and stared.  It was a remarkable sight.

If I only had my bow.   Keep your high viz vests on to be safe!

Happy hunting!  Have a safe season and enjoy the harvest.

This video is of a black bear on a jobsite in the States.  Watch this and take note of how not to interact with a bear.  It is a simple illustration of how a bear on a jobsite could quickly become a nuisance and a serious problem.  Share your wild stories with us!

Posted on: October 31st, 2021 by Victoria Comments

The Human Factor: Your opinion is important!

I surveyed business owners, employees and contractors to ask them what factors can improve worker happiness.  Happier workers are engaged in their work and will contribute to the overall well being of a workplace.  From our previous posts, it is evident that worker satisfaction has direct impact on productivity.

The comments from the surveys were interesting and similar.

Kyle on the Job at Ritchie Homes

Here are some comments

“I strongly believe that employees need to feel a sense of ownership relative to the goals and objectives of their employers. This can be reflected through staff meetings that have an open door policy of inclusion where employees can freely express their concerns and issues in the workplace.”

 

Dakota on the job at All Elements

 “Have a mechanism to applaud work well done in the workplace by personnel regardless of complexity or difficulty. Logic being that everything is relevant to the overall success of the enterprise.”

“The single biggest factor in my opinion and experience is that each employee needs to feel like their opinion matters. Workers who feel they have input into how the company is run, or how certain tasks are carried out, or even how social events are organized in the workplace are far happier than workers who feel they are just ‘punching a clock’.”
“If workers feel their opinion matters and that their recommendations are implemented, they take more pride in their work, care less about the money, and are overall happier employees. ”
“Workers also need to feel they are treated fairly when it comes to wages, benefits, etc., and that the organization does not simply see them as a number, but most importantly that they are a valued employee above all else. Dictatorships simply don’t work. Not in the workplace nor in politics.”

Josh at Ritchie Homes

 

Posted on: October 26th, 2021 by Victoria Comments

Positive Reinforcement by the Big Bang Theory

Positive reinforcement can influence workers behaviour. Try this approach from Sheldon as he trains Penny.

Posted on: October 5th, 2021 by Victoria Comments

Why do we need to supervise our workers? Bored construction workers video

When I first saw this video I laughed in shock and amazement. Here are some bored construction workers goofing around.

Boredom, carelessness, poor attitude.

We are dealing with people and people are unpredictable.  Employers are responsible for training and supervising workers.  They need to inspect their job sites.

Check this out

Posted on: October 5th, 2021 by Victoria Comments

Safety Calculator: Calculating the cost of an accident

Do you know how much a workplace accident would cost your company? WorkSafe BC has a tool to help you determine accident costs. The costs of an accident extend far beyond direct costs. There are costs to morale, public perception, company reputation, ability to hire and retain employees.

Safety is a shared responsibility.  Everyone suffers with poor safety management.  The cost of taking shortcuts is enormous.  Injuries are painful and may affect someone for the rest of their life.  Injuries affect the family and community.  In addition, injuries affect fellow workers and the company.  It may lead to downtime.  It can result in lost time and lost revenue for everyone.

Posted on: October 2nd, 2021 by Victoria Comments

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