Construction firm keeps 14-year safety record going

The construction industry is all about risk taking, but one company has mitigated one of the most daunting risks that consistently haunts the industry.

Holland-based EV Construction is celebrating more than 5,000 days of no lost time to injuries, which is equivalent to almost 14 years.

“Achieving this milestone was not an easy accomplishment,” said Mike Novakoski, president and CEO of EV Construction. “Our team has put thousands of hours into training and safety programs to keep our employees healthy. While we are a construction company dedicated to delivering quality projects to our clients, our foundation is the safety and wellness of our team members.”

The milestone is unprecedented because, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the American construction industry experienced 79,660 incidents that resulted in time away from work in 2019. The average duration of time away was 13 days; more than one-third of the total cases resulted in 31 days, or more, of time away from work.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction incidents can include cuts from materials and tools, fatal and nonfatal falls from ladders and scaffolding, and burns from chemicals or equipment. Some jobs expose workers to harmful materials, fumes, or odors, or dangerous machinery. Workers also may experience muscle fatigue and injuries related to lifting and carrying heavy materials.

Read the rest of the article from the Grand Rapids Business Journal here.