Safety Improvement

The construction industry ranks high in the rates of severe and fatal occupational injuries due to complexity and unpredictable nature of the tasks. Decades long efforts to combat occupational accidents by using various safety improvement approaches have reached a plateau. Figures published by Labor Statistics show an improvement in the safety of the construction industry, yet a closer look reveals that it is lagging behind most other industries.

JF Foundation  reported one of their lowest experience modification ratings (EMR) in nine years. EMR is the rating that insurers use to analyze the safety of job sites as well as a construction company’s safety record. The rating compares workers’ compensation claims to other employers of similar size, operating in the same type of business.

Improved safety practices and fewer workplace accidents will tend to decrease an experience modification over time. EMR values fall generally as excellent: 0.40-0.75; good: 0.76-1.00; average to at risk: 1.01-1.25; and at risk to adverse projections: 1.26-2.00. A 1.0 rating is the industry average. In 2007, JF Foundation reported a rating of 0.93. Since then, the company has consistently lowered their rating annually for a total reduction of nearly 30%. A.P. Construction’s most recent rating of 0.65 and its safety improvement trend is a reflection that safety is a core value of the company