With over 160,000 non-fatal injuries in 2023 alone in the United States, it’s no secret that the construction industry is one of the most accident-prone sectors. Especially young workers are at risk. Research shows that injury rates for construction workers under 25 rise steadily during their first four years on the job before starting to decline.
Accepting minor injuries as just “part of the job” is a common theme, and many young workers feel they have little to no power to reduce them. Unfortunately, this plays into the broader perception of the industry. Described by students as “dirty, dangerous, noisy, damaging to health, and male-dominated,” it struggles to attract new talent.
With reducing SIFs (Serious Injuries and Fatalities) being the top priority of 2024 for EHS professionals, the time has come to make construction sites safer and more appealing to the next generation of workers.
I’m not about to suggest you start making TikToks (although, it might not hurt!). Instead, in this article, we’ll explore how you can make safety “cool” and more engaging, with a focus on the following topics:
- What Makes Gen Z Construction Site Workers Different?
- Integrate Safety into Everyday Apps
- Mobile, Mobile, Mobile
- Make Safety Available Offline
First, let’s define what we mean by the Gen Z of construction workers.
What Makes Gen Z Construction Workers Different?
Generation Z (Gen Z) is the first generation of construction workers to grow up with smartphones, social media, and instant access to information. This tech-savvy generation, born between 1997 and 2012, knows digital solutions inside out.
As a result, traditional paper-based safety forms and tedious training sessions often feel like relics of the past to them.
Instead, tech-driven solutions that offer convenience, and real-time data submission are the way to go when you want to approach younger workers.
That’s where Pro-Sapien’s Construction Safety Software comes into play. Let’s have a look at how it helps the young generation of construction workers.
1. Integrate Safety into Everyday Apps
If you want to engage Gen Z, you need to bring safety to the workplace apps they are already using. That way, you don’t add new platforms and passwords to their daily routine.
For example, you can utilize Microsoft Teams. As digital natives, young workers are highly comfortable with messaging platforms like Teams, and may be using them every day.
With Pro-Sapien, you can leverage that familiarity. The software seamlessly integrates common forms important in construction safety, such as Near Misses and Observations, into Teams channels.
This integration simplifies safety processes. It also aligns with Gen Z’s preference for efficiency and familiarity, making safety a natural and engaging part of their work routine.
2. Mobile, Mobile, Mobile
As part of our research for this article, we spoke to different construction workers to find out how they document safety information.
In one company, workers use a standalone app to submit safety information, while in another company workers use both paper and digital forms.
However, with Gen Z it’s no secret that having EHS on smartphones is key. When looking at the reviews of different health and safety mobile apps, you can see that a lot of them seem to get negative comments about “taking half an hour to download everything everyday”.
Therefore, we kept Pro-Sapien’s mobile app as simple as possible so that it’s quick and easy to use. It’s available on iOS and Android and is delivered through Microsoft Power Apps. No need for separate authentication or security—employees are good to go as soon as they’re in Microsoft.
3. Make Safety Available Offline
Imagine you’re out and about and something reminds you of a funny situation with a friend. You take a picture and want to share it with them over WhatsApp. However, for whatever reason you don’t have phone signal, and the message comes up with “not delivered”. Chances are, you’ll forget about it.
While safety observations are nothing that should be forgotten about, it’s equally frustrating to young workers if they see an unsafe situation but can’t report it because of connection issues.
In construction, this can be a common scenario. Workers are potentially on remote sites with little or no internet for periods of time.
Pro-Sapien’s Power App solves that problem. It works even without internet access or on intrinsically safe devices, so employees can still report issues when offline. It’s part of the software that we recommend particularly for the construction industry. We know how unreliable signal in some of the locations can be.
Boosting Engagement and Safety Awareness in Construction
Admittedly, while we can’t guarantee that young workers will find health and safety significantly “cooler” with our tips, they will definitely find it easier to engage. (I’ll stop short of calling safety ‘mindful’, ‘cutesy’ or ‘demure’…)
Moreover, studies show that when workers receive strong support from their peers, they’re more likely to speak up about safety concerns. Especially for young workers who’re just starting in the industry, it’s vital to foster a supportive work environment, so that they’re comfortable enough raising safety issues.
Therefore, with Pro-Sapien, you’re doing the step into the right direction to a safer workplace. Want to find out more about Pro-Sapien’s Construction Safety Software? Then watch a demo today:
