Author: Richard Bunk

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Safety Pole Wins Award – Top Construction Safety Solution Provider in 2022

The top Construction Safety Solutions for 2022 have been announced by Construction Tech Review.  And Safety Pole has come out on top!

Each year Construction Tech Review, a leading construction trade publication, considers numerous solution providers in various aspects of the construction industry.  Their October edition focuses on construction safety products and services.  The emphasis every year is on companies that offer “best-in-class” construction safety solutions for their clients.

In response to the award, Jase Franke, Chief Operating Officer of Safety Pole said, “Safety Pole is extremely honored to receive this prestigious award.  We work hard every day to get framing contractors workers home safe tonight and back on the job tomorrow.  It is gratifying to see our work recognized as a benefit to the framing industry”.

The editors at Construction Tech Review stated, “Safety Pole is defining a new paradigm in the construction safety place that meets OSHA’s requirements for fall arrest and protects workers during all phases of the framing process.”

Jase added, “the tie-off point of the system is over the user’s head, preventing the Safety Pole system from interfering with a framer’s mobility in the workplace.  Essentially the system is working with the framer rather than against them. If you have a tie point toward your fee, you’re likely to trip over the cable.”

Besides getting framing workers home safe tonight and back on the job tomorrow, another key fact is that the Safety Pole system is virtually free.

Between tax deductions, lower Workers Comp premiums, reduction of OSHA fines and state grants, Safety Pole basically pays for itself (see: How Much Does Safety Pole Cost”).

Jase added, “These are troubling times for framing contractors.  Inflation, lower building permits, etc.  We get that.

But if we can help reduce a framing contractor’s costs by reducing their Workers Comp premiums, point them towards tax deductions, state grants and more, it makes the industry stonger.

After all, we’re framers also”.

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Value of the Safety Pole

As a framing contractor, providing a safe workplace is always a good investment.  Between tax deductions, lower workers comp insurance premiums, reduction of OSHA fines and even state grants, utilizing the Safety Pole fall arrest system on your job sites will essentially cover the entire cost.

The Grim Statistics

According to the Bureau of Labor in 2019 there were more than 14,000 falls to a lower level in the construction industry.  Of these, more than 400 resulted in death.  Those workers who did not die however lost an average of 28 work days recovering from their fall.

That’s a lot of lost productivity and hefty workers comp claims!

Mitigating The Cost Factors of Fall Protection

Tax Incentives

Section 179 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was enacted in 2018 and made significant changes in the way that companies can write off capital expenditures. In the past, it was necessary to depreciate the cost of an asset over a number of years. With the recent change, businesses can now write off the entire cost of the capital expenditure in the year that the purchase was made.

In 2025 a business can claim the deductions of up to $1,160,000.  This can be equipment that you purchase, lease or finance.  But you must put the equipment into service by December 31, 2025.  As of now, this tax cut is scheduled to expire after this year.

Lower Workers Comp Premium

Workers Compensation insurance premiums are directly related to the number of claims submitted.  Like any other type of insurance (auto, home, etc.), the more claims you file the higher your premium. 

The insurance company, Liberty Mutual, releases an annual report ranking the top 10 workplace injuries by their direct costs to businesses in the USA.  Their 2018 report shows over $17 Billion in direct workers compensation costs were due to non-fatal falls on construction sites.

Many builders that employ the Safety Pole fall protection system have seen an almost immediate decrease in their Workers Comp insurance premiums.  This cost reduction has a positive effect on their bottom line and overall profitability of their business.

OSHA

Nothing can ruin a framer’s day faster than seeing OSHA arrive on a job site.  Because of the overwhelming number of fall related injuries, the first place they tend to inspect is for a compliant fall protection system.  If that is not up to snuff, the penalties can amount to thousands of dollars.

For framers that employ the Safety Pole system, it’s been known to happen when an OSHA inspector sees the Safety Pole in use and drives away without even getting out of their car.  Suddenly, that framer’s day is bright and sunny again!

Grants

Many states offer grants to construction companies that purchase workplace safety equipment including fall protection systems like the Safety Pole.  These are grants and do not need to be repaid. 

As an example, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry currently offers employers a $10,000 grant for the projects designed to reduce the risk of injuries on the job.  Projects like the Safety Pole.

Indirect Benefits

Better Employee Morale

Numerous studies over the years have proven that employees that feel safe at their place of work are more productive.  They do a better job and they do it faster knowing that they are safe from injury.

Better Productivity

The average amount of lost time to a worker falling on the job is 28 days!  The job still needs to be completed though now with fewer workers.  Typically, the job completion is delayed or the contractor scrambles to replace that worker and train them.  All of this, and more, reduces overall productivity which reduces profitability.

Conclusion

For framing contractors, investing in the Safety Pole is a no-brainer.  The direct financial benefits are numerous.  And the indirect benefits are good for business and its bottom line.

Contact Safety Pole today for your free estimate at no obligation.

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ICG Wins National Award For Using The Safety Pole

The National Framers Council recently hosted a photo contest to support OSHA’s 2021 National Safety Stand Down initiative.  This was the 8th annual national event aimed at stopping preventable construction fall-related fatalities across the country.  Building framers were encouraged to participate in safety-focused activities and send in photographic proof of their practices.

Safety Pole’s long-time customer, Innovative Construction Group in Florida was announced the winner for their use of the Safety Pole’s fall-arrest system while installing their roof trusses.  As they stated on their website, “Taking less than an hour, with a two-worker crew, to set up; the fall arrest system, is extremely durable, and satisfies OSHA fall protection requirements for residential construction. Providing fall arrest protection for workers during all phases of framing including the installation of exterior walls, setting roof trusses, sheathing the roof, or installing fascia, the Safety Pole System is an investment ICG is proud to have made.”

What is a Safety Stand Down?  

A Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to focus on “Fall Hazards” and reinforcing the importance of “Fall Prevention”. Employers of companies not exposed to fall hazards, can also use this opportunity to have a conversation with employees about the other job hazards they face, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies and goals. It can also be an opportunity for employees to talk to management about fall and other job hazards they see.

Safety Pole congratulates ICG for winning this prestigious award.  We are proud to have been a part of it!