Each task on Kenny Construction Co.’s to-do list, regardless of its size, begins each day with a “Take 5 for Safety” meeting. The schedule and scope of work anticipated for the day is carefully outlined, and hazards inherent to these activities are itemized and discussed.
The meetings are one way that Kenny Construction showed it was a winner when it came to safety. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association, together with CNA, recognized their efforts with the ARTBA-CNA Contractor Safety Award, which honors those with strong safety programs.
Kenny Construction was the top winner of the award, which was developed to promote the concept that worker safety and health is a core value of the transportation design and construction industry.
Through a PowerPoint presentation, finalists explained their safety programs based on seven key criteria: management commitment, employee participation, incident investigation, audit procedures, safety planning, management review/implementation and risk assessment.
Kenny Construction, a family-owned general contractor founded in 1927, proved itself to be the best of the best. Kenny’s daily jobsite exposures include energized power transmission and distribution work to 765 KV; tunnels and shafts to depths of 350 ft; high-rise, residential construction to heights of 400 ft; and road, bridge and infrastructure construction in both rural and urban areas throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
“Kenny Construction faces complex and highly hazardous risks every day, and we continue to lead the industry with our safety results and new benchmarks of success,” Kenny said in its PowerPoint presentation. “Kenny’s effect on our enrolled subcontractors has empowered them to surpass all previous benchmarks of safety, while positively impacting the entire construction industry. More than 200 subcontractors, such as electrical, carpentry, masonry, HVAC and steel erectors, are included.”
Kenny Construction Vice President of Safety Dan Zarletti believes two key factors contributed to their achievement: one, total buy-in—senior management dedicating time and resources to a corporate-wide cause, so everyone in the company is aware of what is happening; and two—dedicated, qualified personnel.
“There are many contractors that have safety personnel, but they’re not necessarily dedicated to safety. They do other things,” Zarletti told Roads & Bridges. “In this case, these people are safety professionals assigned full-time to administration of safety culture—they have no outside responsibilities.”
In 1997, Kenny Construction’s Corporate Safety Program received an “extreme makeover.” First, employees made an assessment as to having the right controls in place to achieve their goal of performing all work incident-free. Every aspect of the program was renewed, including a complete revision of the corporate safety manual, job descriptions and measures for personal accountability. They emphasized interactive participation at all operational levels in the development of job hazard analyses and regulatory compliance control and enforced the Take 5 meetings.
Since that time, Kenny has reduced its incident rate by 90% and its lost-time incident rate by 95% while increasing its self-performed man-hours by 300%.
“This is the direct result of the relentless pursuit of perfection while maintaining nearly supernatural patience through the pangs of radical change,” Zarletti said. “This is an ongoing, day-to-day, 24-hour effort—not for the lighthearted. People don’t take well to change, but if the way they’ve been doing something is unsafe, change or leave. We have zero tolerance—everyone has to actively participate in the change.”
Part of the revamped safety protocol includes drug tests and safety orientation for every employee and subcontractor employee.
An intensive supervisory safety education matrix has been initiated for over 200 first-line supervisors, project managers and executives.
Kenny has invested nearly $2 million to “raise the proficiency level” of all key personnel through job analysis and hazard-specific programs over the past decade.
“We retooled the entire safety effort,” Zarletti said. “During that process, we redeveloped a safety culture that is now company-wide. Before, we had a program that had been in place for a number of years, and no problems seemed to come with it, but when the company started growing, it started showing signs of being outdated, so that’s why we did a complete restructuring.”
As a result of Kenny’s safety activities, they have designed an aggressive safety culture throughout all six operating groups in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, which gives them a wall-to-wall look at what they’ve done, Zarletti said.
Since 2001, Kenny Construction’s safety program has improved the overall safety performance of over 200 insured subcontractors by more than 70%. “Results like these cannot be achieved single-handedly,” Zarletti said.
Kenny Construction has been awarded for their efforts in the past as well. In 2003, they received the Green Cross for Safety Medal from the National Safety Council. The medal honors an organization that has distinguished itself over a period of years for outstanding achievements in workplace and off-the-job safety and health, community service, environmental stewardship and responsible citizenship. Kenny was the first contractor in America to receive this coveted award.
Kenny received the Contractor of the Year Award from the Associated Subcontractors of America in 2005 and has received numerous Build America Awards from the Associated General Contractors of America.
The meetings are one way that Kenny Construction showed it was a winner when it came to safety. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association, together with CNA, recognized their efforts with the ARTBA-CNA Contractor Safety Award, which honors those with strong safety programs.
Kenny Construction was the top winner of the award, which was developed to promote the concept that worker safety and health is a core value of the transportation design and construction industry.
Through a PowerPoint presentation, finalists explained their safety programs based on seven key criteria: management commitment, employee participation, incident investigation, audit procedures, safety planning, management review/implementation and risk assessment.
Kenny Construction, a family-owned general contractor founded in 1927, proved itself to be the best of the best. Kenny’s daily jobsite exposures include energized power transmission and distribution work to 765 KV; tunnels and shafts to depths of 350 ft; high-rise, residential construction to heights of 400 ft; and road, bridge and infrastructure construction in both rural and urban areas throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
“Kenny Construction faces complex and highly hazardous risks every day, and we continue to lead the industry with our safety results and new benchmarks of success,” Kenny said in its PowerPoint presentation. “Kenny’s effect on our enrolled subcontractors has empowered them to surpass all previous benchmarks of safety, while positively impacting the entire construction industry. More than 200 subcontractors, such as electrical, carpentry, masonry, HVAC and steel erectors, are included.”
Kenny Construction Vice President of Safety Dan Zarletti believes two key factors contributed to their achievement: one, total buy-in—senior management dedicating time and resources to a corporate-wide cause, so everyone in the company is aware of what is happening; and two—dedicated, qualified personnel.
“There are many contractors that have safety personnel, but they’re not necessarily dedicated to safety. They do other things,” Zarletti told Roads & Bridges. “In this case, these people are safety professionals assigned full-time to administration of safety culture—they have no outside responsibilities.”
In 1997, Kenny Construction’s Corporate Safety Program received an “extreme makeover.” First, employees made an assessment as to having the right controls in place to achieve their goal of performing all work incident-free. Every aspect of the program was renewed, including a complete revision of the corporate safety manual, job descriptions and measures for personal accountability. They emphasized interactive participation at all operational levels in the development of job hazard analyses and regulatory compliance control and enforced the Take 5 meetings.
Since that time, Kenny has reduced its incident rate by 90% and its lost-time incident rate by 95% while increasing its self-performed man-hours by 300%.
“This is the direct result of the relentless pursuit of perfection while maintaining nearly supernatural patience through the pangs of radical change,” Zarletti said. “This is an ongoing, day-to-day, 24-hour effort—not for the lighthearted. People don’t take well to change, but if the way they’ve been doing something is unsafe, change or leave. We have zero tolerance—everyone has to actively participate in the change.”
Part of the revamped safety protocol includes drug tests and safety orientation for every employee and subcontractor employee.
An intensive supervisory safety education matrix has been initiated for over 200 first-line supervisors, project managers and executives.
Kenny has invested nearly $2 million to “raise the proficiency level” of all key personnel through job analysis and hazard-specific programs over the past decade.
“We retooled the entire safety effort,” Zarletti said. “During that process, we redeveloped a safety culture that is now company-wide. Before, we had a program that had been in place for a number of years, and no problems seemed to come with it, but when the company started growing, it started showing signs of being outdated, so that’s why we did a complete restructuring.”
As a result of Kenny’s safety activities, they have designed an aggressive safety culture throughout all six operating groups in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, which gives them a wall-to-wall look at what they’ve done, Zarletti said.
Since 2001, Kenny Construction’s safety program has improved the overall safety performance of over 200 insured subcontractors by more than 70%. “Results like these cannot be achieved single-handedly,” Zarletti said.
Kenny Construction has been awarded for their efforts in the past as well. In 2003, they received the Green Cross for Safety Medal from the National Safety Council. The medal honors an organization that has distinguished itself over a period of years for outstanding achievements in workplace and off-the-job safety and health, community service, environmental stewardship and responsible citizenship. Kenny was the first contractor in America to receive this coveted award.
Kenny received the Contractor of the Year Award from the Associated Subcontractors of America in 2005 and has received numerous Build America Awards from the Associated General Contractors of America.
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