Safety Leadership For Field Engineers (How To Influence Job Site Safety In Construction)

Safety Leadership for Field Engineers (How to Influence Job Site Safety in Construction)

Those of us who grew up at companies where there were field engineers learned about safety in the field engineering position. And it’s a mix of awkward, meaning you’re this young punk kid, and a mix of awesomeness because you’re working with crews that you love. And it’s this time to develop some bravery and really go out there and get it done.

And so, I’m going to talk to you about how a field engineer can affect safety because I always talk about field engineers helping with frontline quality and frontline safety.

Field Engineers Keep Track of Inner Office Safety Items

So, this is just the way I think. Let’s say that you have job site trailers. Field engineers are great at keeping track of the inner office items like your AED, making sure that it’s inspected, keeping track of fire extinguishers. I remember my first general superintendent put me in charge of that. I was great at it. I would keep them charged, inspected, order more.

Safety supplies. Probably don’t let me order safety glasses. I’ll get carried away. But I’m just kidding. Help under the direction of the supers and PM with the emergency response plan with any other standard documentation. The right to know area, SDS’s, like the overall office safety items, are a great task for a field engineer to be in charge of. I love it.

OSHA 10 and OSHA 30: Making Sure the Basics Are Implemented

Now the basics of OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 in the United States, when that field engineer goes out, like we are making sure that the basics are implemented. That means everybody on the site should be wearing their hard hats and safety glasses. They should be wearing their vests. They should have their proper clothing, have the right work boots, gloves, when necessary, the whole nine.

Field Engineers Are Our Safety Presence in the Field

And I want to make this point, field engineers and area superintendents or assistant superintendents are our safety presence in the field. In fact, I remember a time before I moved on to do other things, but at Hensel Phelps, where on projects they said they wanted a calendar with your safety presence in the field, and they would time block when they knew folks would be out and about.

So, there was never a time when a project delivery team member wasn’t out on the job site, and if they saw a gap, they were like, “Woo, we can’t do that, we got to make sure that we have safety presence in the field,” and they would identify that so there was always somebody out there. A field engineer is great for safety presence in the field.

Field Engineers Watch for Handrails, Tie-Off Points, Safety Signage

The other thing is it’s very easy for field engineers to look at things like handrail and make sure that that’s in place, that people are using proper tie-off points, that we have proper safety signage throughout the building. And basically, what I’m looking at is like we’re going to be looking at falls, trips, caught between equipment, electrocution, so they can watch for lockout tagout programs. I mean, anything there and above.

So not only are they watching from a supportive standpoint the on-site team and humans, but we’re also looking at the environment and we’re looking at processes and we’re looking at systems.

See It, Fix It, Act: Field Engineers on Field Walks

And so, a field engineer should be OSHA 10, OSHA 30 trained. And when they’re out there doing their walk, they see something, they do something. They see it, they fix it. They see it, they act.

The best way that I’ve seen this done, there’s a couple different ways. They need to get the training. But the other thing is they need to be part of field walks with the supers and sometimes with the safety professionals for training purposes. Through training and field walks, you can teach the field engineers to start to see the key items that we want them to see and be our eyes in the field.

J.W. Bowser Had Runners: Field Engineers Are Your Eyes and Ears

And I remember reading a book called Building the Empire State, and I think the lead superintendent’s name was J.W. Bowser. Oh yeah, I think I got that right. And he had runners. Like, it was such a big project. He couldn’t be everywhere, especially back in those days. And they didn’t have drones. So, they’re your eyes and ears in the field.

And we’ve got to teach these field engineers to be strong when it comes to safety in the field.

The Biggest Mistake in Construction: Weak Supers

And I’ll tell you why. The biggest mistake in construction is weak supers. We cannot have weak supers that are wimpy when it comes to cleanliness, wimpy when it comes to safety, wimpy when it comes to organization.

And if we wire a field engineer’s brain this way from day one, they will be wired and they will be on top of it when they’re a superintendent, when it matters, and they will learn to not tolerate it.

So, the best thing we can do is get field engineers out there helping us to do what they’re capable of doing to enforce, remind, and coach, and hold the line for safety.

Here’s how field engineers ensure frontline safety:

• Office safety items: AED, fire extinguishers, safety supplies, emergency response plan, SDS’s – Field engineers great at keeping track of inner office items like your AED, making sure inspected, keeping track of fire extinguishers. Keep them charged, inspected, order more. Safety supplies. Help under direction of supers and PM with emergency response plan with any other standard documentation. Right to know area, SDS’s, overall office safety items are great task for field engineer to be in charge of.
• OSHA 10 and OSHA 30: everybody wearing hard hats, safety glasses, vests, proper clothing, work boots, gloves – Basics of OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 in United States, when field engineer goes out, making sure basics are implemented. Everybody on site should be wearing their hard hats and safety glasses. Should be wearing their vests. Should have their proper clothing, have right work boots, gloves, when necessary, whole nine.
• Safety presence in the field: calendar time-blocked, never a gap without PDT member on site – Field engineers and area superintendents or assistant superintendents are our safety presence in field. At Hensel Phelps, on projects wanted calendar with your safety presence in field, would time block when knew folks would be out and about. Never time when project delivery team member wasn’t out on job site, if saw gap, “We can’t do that, got to make sure have safety presence in field,” would identify that so always somebody out there. Field engineer great for safety presence in field.
• Handrails, tie-off points, safety signage: watch for falls, trips, caught between, electrocution, lockout tagout – Very easy for field engineers to look at things like handrail and make sure that’s in place, people using proper tie-off points, have proper safety signage throughout building. Going to be looking at falls, trips, caught between equipment, electrocution, watch for lockout tagout programs, anything there and above. Not only watching from supportive standpoint on-site team and humans, also looking at environment and looking at processes and looking at systems.
• See it, fix it, act: OSHA trained, field walks with supers and safety professionals – Field engineer should be OSHA 10, OSHA 30 trained. When out there doing their walk, see something, do something. See it, fix it. See it, act. Best way: need to get training. Other thing: need to be part of field walks with supers and sometimes with safety professionals for training purposes. Through training and field walks, teach field engineers to start to see key items we want them to see and be our eyes in field.

If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

A Challenge for Field Engineers

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Take charge of inner office safety items. Keep track of AED, make sure inspected. Keep track of fire extinguishers, keep them charged, inspected, order more. Help with emergency response plan, right to know area, SDS’s. Make sure basics are implemented on site. Everybody wearing hard hats and safety glasses. Wearing vests. Have proper clothing, right work boots, gloves when necessary.

Be safety presence in field. Time block calendar when you’ll be out and about. Never have gap without project delivery team member on job site. Always somebody out there. Look at handrails, make sure in place. People using proper tie-off points. Have proper safety signage throughout building. Watch for falls, trips, caught between equipment, electrocution, lockout tagout programs. Watch on-site team and humans, also look at environment and processes and systems. Get OSHA 10, OSHA 30 trained. When out there doing walk, see something, do something. See it, fix it. See it, act. Be part of field walks with supers and sometimes with safety professionals for training purposes. Learn to see key items, be eyes and ears in field.

Don’t be weak. Cannot have weak supers that are wimpy when it comes to cleanliness, wimpy when it comes to safety, wimpy when it comes to organization. Wire field engineer’s brain this way from day one, will be wired and on top of it when they’re superintendent, when it matters, learn to not tolerate it. As we say at Elevate, field engineers ensure frontline safety: office items, OSHA compliance, safety presence in field, handrails, tie-off points, signage. See it, fix it, act.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What office safety items should field engineers manage?

AED (make sure inspected), fire extinguishers (keep charged, inspected, order more), safety supplies, help with emergency response plan, right to know area, SDS’s. Overall office safety items are great task for field engineer to be in charge of.

What are the basics field engineers ensure on site?

OSHA 10 and OSHA 30: everybody on site wearing hard hats and safety glasses, wearing vests, have proper clothing, right work boots, gloves when necessary, whole nine. Making sure basics are implemented.

What is safety presence in the field?

Field engineers and area superintendents or assistant superintendents are safety presence in field. At Hensel Phelps, wanted calendar with safety presence, time block when folks would be out. Never time when project delivery team member wasn’t out on job site. If saw gap, identify so always somebody out there.

What safety hazards should field engineers watch for?

Handrails in place, people using proper tie-off points, proper safety signage throughout building. Falls, trips, caught between equipment, electrocution, lockout tagout programs, anything there and above. Watch on-site team and humans, also look at environment and processes and systems.

What’s the biggest mistake in construction?

Weak supers. Cannot have weak supers that are wimpy when it comes to cleanliness, wimpy when it comes to safety, wimpy when it comes to organization. Wire field engineer’s brain this way from day one, will be wired and on top of it when they’re superintendent.