What Are Common Mistakes To Avoid When Managing Site Safety Or Logistics?

Avoid These Common Mistakes in Site Safety and Logistics Management

What are the common mistakes to avoid when managing site safety and logistics? I was recently asked this question, and I’m taking this opportunity—right here in this blog—to answer it. If you have questions like this, feel free to send them my way. I’ll continue to answer them here in blog format.

In this post, I’ll share some of the biggest mistakes I see when teams attempt to create a remarkable safety culture and a clean, organized work environment. I’ll also introduce a framework that works on any site where it’s applied consistently. If you’re aiming for excellence in safety and logistics, read on.

The Non-Negotiables: Clean, Safe, Organized

Every project must be clean, safe, and organized. Cleanliness enables visibility and control over safety. Organization sets trades up for success. Safety is a value, a priority—it’s everything. These are non-negotiables.

Here’s how I think about it: when it comes to people, we’re like Brene Brown or Simon Sinek—empathetic, respectful, supportive. But when it comes to the environment and expectations, we’re like General Patton—demanding, disciplined, and precise. A clean, safe, and organized site is the ultimate sign of respect and care for people.

Daily Worker Huddles: The Heart of Communication

One of the biggest mistakes I see is skipping the worker huddle. Here’s how the flow should go:

• Day 1 afternoon: Plan the next day in a huddle.
• Day 2 morning: Hold a worker huddle to communicate the plan, train, connect, and listen.

When done right, and led by a superintendent who genuinely connects with people, this daily huddle builds a safe, logistically stable site. Without it, your site will suffer. You’ll end up with separate crews working in isolation—like rival gangs—with no shared direction or teamwork.

Following Jocko Willink’s laws of combat helps here:

1. Build the team – starts with the huddle.
2. Simplify – use visual tools to communicate.
3. Prioritize and execute – know what matters most.
4. Decentralize command – empower foremen and workers through clear plans.

Teaming: Everyone on the Same Page

Many leaders stop at teaming with the foreman. But without a worker huddle, the foreman might not pass along key communication, and the workers aren’t part of the team.

Everyone must be connected: project leaders, foremen, and workers. Without that connection, safety and logistics fall apart. A unified team requires unified meetings. If you want one team, you have to meet as one team.

Zero Tolerance: It’s About Respect, Not Punishment

Here’s the deal on implementation: if a crew isn’t working safely on a Jason Schroeder project—or any site using this system—they are sent home. Not as punishment, but as care. We’re saying: go get the training, the tools, the mindset you need. We’ll help you get there.

Same goes for cleanliness. If an area isn’t clean, the crew stops and cleans it immediately. That’s in the contract—no composite crews, no end-of-day cleanup. It’s clean all the time. If logistics are off, they’re fixed on the spot.

This system is applied through a Standard Operating System:

• We plan for safety with specific protocols.
• We assign cleanliness targets.
• We plan for logistics: what materials are arriving, where they go, and how they’ll be placed using cranes, forklifts, or hoists—based on a logistics map made the day before.

Enforcement: Respectful Systems That Work

Enforcement doesn’t mean punishment. It means having respectful systems that uphold the rules. We don’t tolerate deviations, not out of control or authority, but out of love and respect for our teams.

When someone is sent home, it’s not because they’re in trouble—it’s because we believe they deserve the support and structure to succeed. Clean bathrooms? That’s respect. A clean site? That’s respect. It all comes from the same place.

Final Thoughts:

To achieve excellence in site safety and logistics, follow three principles:

1. Build the team – including every worker.
2. Establish a standard operating method – for safety, cleanliness, and logistics.
3. Enforce the rules – with respect and consistency.

Everyone can rise to the occasion when the system supports them.