Todd Jerome Jenkins, MS, CSP, SMS, CHST, STSC

Safety Aficionado & Ph.D. Student

A Case for Pretask Planning

When I was in my 20’s working as a carpenter, I was sent out to a project to hang the drywall. All the materials were on site, but not all the tools I needed. I needed a way to reach the top of the board to screw it off, but the PM did not send out a ladder or a utility scaffolding. Like any resourceful young carpenter, I found a pallet leaned it against the wall and used it as a ladder. Years later, I realized how dangerous that was and what could have happened if I had fallen, mainly because I was working alone. Why do tradespeople decide to take risks? In my case, 1) the correct tools were not provided, and at the time, 2) I did not recognize, or maybe I just accepted the risk. I think this is the same for most tradespeople.

The first part of the answer, the correct tools are not provided, can be addressed by preplanning the work before the tradesperson is assigned to the project. I’ve talked in the past about using the schedule to help select which toolbox talk to give. The schedule can also identify which employees will use tools and materials for the project. Most construction professionals know the importance of preplanning but often fail to incorporate safety into the planning process. When planning a task like patching and grouting precast, you should ask how we will safely reach the top of the columns and, at relative height, patches the exterior of the structure.

Planning can be accomplished in many ways; some everyday preplanning activities include a Job Hazard or Safety Analysis or a Daily Task Plan. Both of which are a topic for another discussion. We need to include input from the people that do the work when planning the work. Unless you have done the work, you may not know which questions to ask. There is a lot to be said about having firsthand experience. That is why it is crucial to make an experienced foreman or superintendent part of the planning process. If you want to know more about the Job Hazard or Safety Analysis, check out OSHA’s pamphlet on conducting a JSA or leave a comment below. I will answer any questions you have.

In the images, you can see that the company provided ladders but not the correct ladders. When I asked the foreman how many extension ladders he had on-site, he stated that his company only sent one. The crew had been on-site for more than a week. I do not know how many times they needed an extension ladder before I observed them leaning a step (self-supporting) ladder against a column or precast spandrel. This is where the second part of the answer can be addressed. My first question to both individuals and the foreman was if the activity had been addressed on the crew’s daily task plan. I knew they had given a toolbox talk about ladders, but it didn’t reach them. I asked if they had been trained in ladder use and conducted the daily task plan. Of course, they said yes to the questions, but when I asked if they addressed which ladder to use when, they said no. 

Employee leaning step ladder against precast.

Preplanning and training are only effective when tradespeople and field managers engage in the process. Checking the box or using a task plan as a sign-in sheet is not as effective as requiring each person on the crew to participate in identifying hazards and controls. Toolbox talks for training paired with task planning and demonstration that include a team member’s participation are more likely to garner the outcome we want. To be effective, supervisors need to be held accountable, but only after being trained in effective preplanning and training techniques. In the example above, the PM and Foreman should be coached on the importance of providing the correct ladders. The two tradespeople who misused the ladder should also plan the rest of the work to help identify the tools and equipment they need. What are your thoughts on the matter? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

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