Digital transformation is changing customer experiences, business models, and operations across most industries. In steel construction, contractors can analyze digital data from past accidents to help build a culture that continuously improves safety. That kind of safety culture prevents accidents, saves lives, and reduces the likelihood of lawsuits.

Establishing an effective process for continuous safety improvement requires contractors to transform compliance-based mindsets to a holistic view of safety culture. Companies can use advanced tools like risk analytics to look at the causes of past incidents in order to reduce or eliminate them in future. In a true safety culture, legal compliance is a natural outcome instead of the primary driver.

​Thank you to the SEAA member companies that participated in OSHA’s 2024 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction earlier this month and shared their photos with us!

Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 395 of the 1069 construction fatalities recorded in 2022 (BLS data), and the National Stand-Down aims to raise awareness in an effort to stop fall fatalities and injuries. 

​The Fall Prevention Stand-Down resources page, which includes this year’s printable poster that featured R.A.D. Ideas for Fall Prevention, focused on Research, Awareness, and Delivery, is available year-round for anyone looking for fall prevention resources and training materials.

​The 2024 hard hat sticker will also be available for members to purchase all year.

​SEAA is committed to the cause and works to provide our members with the knowledge and resources to help them keep safety at the top of mind.

View Fall Prevention Resources
View Photos from the 2024 Stand-Down

Over the last few years, SEAA has developed more than 80 Ironworker Training Videos that align with specific learning modules from the SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Custom Curriculum. These videos have been available exclusively through SEAA’s SteelPros Training Portal, but now, five of them can be accessed for free on our YouTube Channel.

“We decided to make a few of the videos publicly available so that members could get an idea of the variety and quality of content that is available in the SteelPros Training Portal,” said Tim Eldridge, President of Education Services Unlimited and SEAA’s Craft Training and Assessment Administrator. “There is a complete list of the ironworker training videos we have developed on the association website under Member Tools.” Click here to see the list.

Each member company is entitled to 1 free user license. Companies can upgrade to an Admin Account and add additional learners for the discounted rate of $35 each.
 
View the sample videos.
​Get more information on SteelPros.

May 8, 2024 (Winston-Salem, N.C.) The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) announces the recipients of its 2024 Safety Excellence and Craft Training Excellence Awards. Member companies received recognition for maintaining good safety records and having a comprehensive training program aligned with long-term career paths.

When you think of a hard hat, what do you picture? Do you picture the shell with a peak, a head band and harness? We have come to know these as the traditional style, or Type 1 hard hat. Type 1 hard hats work well, but what do we see happen when someone falls? We tend to see hard hats come off employees’ heads, especially when there is no chin strap.
​
Based on ANSI standards, Type 1 hard hats are designed to reduce forces as a result of an impact only to the top of the head. Performance requirements are as follows: 

1. Flammability 
2. Force Transmission 
3. Apex Penetration 
4. Electrical Classification (Class G, E, or C) 

Let’s say the hard hat has a chin strap and stays on when the employee falls. Type 1 hard hats are ONLY rated for top impact and do not have side impact ratings. The likelihood of an employee being seriously hurt because of this is much greater. Therefore, those who work at height require more comprehensive head protection than what a traditional hard hat can provide.

In the last three years, SEAA has tripled its benefits programs and doubled in-person networking events. “By offering more opportunities for our members to connect and the chance to tap new hiring, training, and business resources, we are giving contractors the tools they are seeking to better run their businesses,” said R. Pete Gum, Executive Director.

The average membership fee is $1,640, while the value of services available to members is greater than $30,000 annually. “Whether you are already a member, but not taking full advantage of the resources available to you, or you are not yet a member, this information is for you,” said Jack Nix, Chief Operations Officers for Shelby Erectors and Chairman of the Membership Committee.

Shared connections
Every association says the primary benefit of participation is the networking, but members of SEAA say it best themselves. SEAA holds an annual Convention & Trade Show that rotates between east
and west locations. The 2024 event is April 2-5 in Glendale, Arizona. Other opportunities to meet include regional Meet & Greet receptions and Peer Group discussions that take place in conjunction with summer, fall, and winter Board of Directors meetings held at various locations around the country. The Dave Schulz Memorial Golf Tournament is a fundraiser event held every fall. It also alternates between east and west. “Our company is where it is today because of the networking through SEAA. For 25 years, SEAA has contributed to my personal growth as a business owner and the overall improvement of our company. Other members willingly answer questions pertaining to industry standards, OSHA regulations, subcontract language, and more,” said David Deem, President of Deem Structural Services and President of SEAA (2022-2024).

Worker safety is consistently one of the top priorities on any construction project, and with good reason. Since 2008, construction has experienced more total deaths than any other industry, and that figure doesn’t include fatalities from suicide. Our industry also has higher injury rates than most other professions, and unfortunately, safety costs.

The industry loses $5 billion annually due to construction-related deaths. The number is measured by lost productivity, loss of family income, and pain and suffering, according to the Midwest Economic Policy Institute.

However, today’s safety and training leaders recognize the impact of investing in creating a culture of safety. During a panel discussion at the 2023 Convention & Trade Show in St. Augustine, Florida, attendees were able to hear from the 2023 World Class Safety Excellence and Craft Training Excellence Winners.

The Safety Excellence Award went to seven SEAA member companies in three categories. Recipients were selected based on evaluations of their EMR ratings, OSHA 300 statistics, and safety program processes over the last three years.

Scoring was based on points assigned to a multi-criteria analysis, conducted in blind review by members of SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee. Applicants were evaluated on the portability of credentials, availability of apprenticeship programs, training, and recruitment efforts, in comparison to other companies of similar size.

“Good safety records, comprehensive training aligned with long-term career paths, and awards recognitions, are among the criteria that prospective employees consider when deciding where to apply. Beyond the inherent value of being a safe company, it’s also a great marketing tool in a highly competitive market,” said outgoing Safety & Education Committee Chairman Bryan McClure, during the panel. The following are excerpts from the panel discussion.