Hull Listens to Subcontractors to Improve Jobsites

The number of subcontractors subscribing to NFC’s FrameSAFE program has grown steadily, especially since the rollout of Version 4 last summer. This is a realization of one of the Council’s primary goals for creating the program: to make available an affordable, graphical, bilingual, third-party safety program for that is specific to framers.

But the success of a program like FrameSAFE is about more than just getting subcontractors to subscribe, it’s about ongoing communication. For example, David Klatzkin, safety director for Hull Associates in Grand Prairie, Texas, makes an effort to “keep it in front of them,” using quarterly subcontractor safety lunches as an opportunity to connect on what is and isn’t going well on the jobsite from a safety perspective.

“We want them to be aware of the resources in FrameSAFE and how the program can benefit them,” says David. He says they do this primarily by focusing on the accidents and safety fines that occurred in the previous quarter and how to reduce them. Hull issues fines to their subs for a variety of things, “mostly excessive fall protection abuses, not using safety glasses, etc.,” says David. At $150 per fine, it gets the subcontractor’s attention and provides an important point for discussion at the safety meetings.

“We use that money from the fines to buy t-shirts for the safest crews,” David explains. That crew is rewarded and gets their photo in the next company newsletter. “It does wake them up,” he says.

In addition to recognizing the safest crew, providing a meal and giving out some new tools as door prizes, Hull also uses this time to listen. “Our owner and operations manager attend each meeting,” says David. “We take the time to discuss new safety processes and to hear any ideas our subs have to improve safety on our jobsites.”

“As we have more of these they will be more vocal,” says David. “We’re not trying to preach to them, we’re just trying to help them keep people safe, almost like a stand-down meeting every quarter. Let’s all be on the same page.”

For more information about the benefits of using FrameSAFE, NFC’s bilingual safety program based on OSHA 1926, or to get your subcontractors involved, visit framerscouncil.org.