How a Loss Prevention Strategy Can Help Plumbing and Hydronic Heating Contractors

According to Bloomberg, the United States will be short of approximately 550,000 plumbers by 2027. Amid this labor shortage, skilled trade professionals now have more employment flexibility than ever before. To keep up with this change, business owners are finding it necessary to prioritize employee retention efforts. While fair compensation is an important piece of retaining top talent, it is likely not the only factor employees are considering when choosing to stay or leave. Prioritizing an environment focused on safety can signal to employees that they are cared for and valued. 

Loss prevention, a risk management method, is the process of identifying, assessing and controlling a business’s risks, including factors that impact workplace safety, profitability and a business’s reputation. Through your insurance provider, you most likely have access to loss prevention resources that may come in the form of a person, department or resources to help you reduce your risk. 

In my experience in loss control over the last 30 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of contractors with the purpose of improving business’s processes so they can work safer, have fewer incidents and meet their loss prevention goals. Following a loss control process can help you make informed decisions about where to focus your resources to reduce the frequency of exposure, the likelihood of an incident when an exposure can’t be avoided and the severity of the outcome if an incident occurs. 

Potential Areas of Improvement 

When it comes to plumbing and hydronic heating professionals, the areas of interests to help increase safety include falls, vehicle safety, ergonomics and tool safety. Here are a few reasons why:

• Falls are the most frequent cause of fatalities in the construction industry, and fall protection, 29 CRF 1926.501, was the most frequently cited Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard. Some areas to audit may be in walking on wet or slick surfaces, ladder safety, clearing walking areas, and covering holes. 
  
  
• Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do. In addition to training on safe driving practices and reducing distractions, it may be worthwhile to check in on what you’re carrying in your vehicle. In those situations where you may need to stop suddenly, or turn quickly, your cargo items may end up feeling more like missiles. Load securement efforts may be able to help in this area.
  
  
• Working with plumbing and piping often requires workers to put themselves in awkward positions, lift heavy items and use a wide variety of tools. Training on ergonomics and tool safety can help with these concerns.

When developing your loss prevention plan, consider your employees, procedures and tools. Loss prevention plans are not a one-size-fits-all item!

Communicating Safety   

No matter what risks you’re trying to mitigate, communication will likely be at the core of your loss prevention efforts. Through clear communications, contractors can set expectations and guidelines that not only can help keep their employees safe but also may reduce operational setbacks that impact the bottom line. A few communication touch points to consider include:

• Daily prework planning meetings — These can come in the form of safety talks, or daily huddles may look different based on the work being done, the team involved and the work environment. Some questions to consider when planning for these meetings are: Is there anything new or different about the site being worked on compared with others? What are the risks of the job being done that day? Have you had turnover since the last time a critical topic was discussed? Safety is an ongoing process. These conversations can be tailored to the work the team will be completing that day, but they are also a good opportunity to revisit evergreen safety topics. 
  
  
• Intentional two-way communication — Establishing a culture of listening and sharing can strengthen collaboration, facilitate feedback loops and improve information exchange. It also can help build transparent relationships between leaders and their skilled workforce. Hydronic heating is specialized work, and your employees may be uniquely qualified to identify issues in the course of their work. Their feedback may be able to be incorporated to improve processes and safety. Making employees feel heard and valued can improve morale and lead to better retention.

Accidents Can Still Happen

Some risk is unable to be fully eliminated or controlled. In the unfortunate cases where incidents happen, it’s best to have a plan in place to respond. Your insurance company may be able to provide you a detailed incident reporting guide to follow, but some elements to consider incorporating are as follows:

• Sometimes the difference between an accident and a near miss comes down to fractions of an inch. These near misses can sometimes provide as many takeaways as an accident without as much lost in the process. Taking account of these and treating them with care can provide valuable information to employees and supervisors about their duties and responsibilities and how to respond. 
  
  
• Investigate as soon as possible after an accident. Being timely in your investigation means better and more accurate information may be available, as conditions surrounding the accident may be able to be observed. It also shows concern for the safety and well-being of employees and supervisors. 
  
  
• Investigate the who, what, when, where, why and how of each incident. Learning the specifics of the incident can help identify the root cause(s) of the accident and may provide insight into how to avoid this happening in the future. 
  
  
• Use what you learned to take action. The appropriate action may be different in each incident. Some examples of actions you could take after an accident are: discuss the accident and corrective action at the next safety meeting; develop a new or modified safety rule to address the cause; retrain employees on necessary information; include the hazard in a routine inspection checklist; and add a new procedure to your training or orientation program.
  
  
• Avoid placing blame during the investigation. That may encourage employees to react defensively or hide information to avoid being blamed. 

Check for Partnerships

While a well-developed, quality, loss prevention strategy may help you reduce costly setbacks, insurance coverage can provide an additional layer of protection if things go wrong. Some insurance companies go a step further to provide services with the goal of proactively creating your safety programs, reducing claims and letting you focus on your work. If you’re interested in implementing a loss prevention program but unsure where to start, it may benefit you to contact your insurance company’s loss prevention department. This can help you identify risks and best practices that can reduce risk in your business.

A. J. Gajdosik is a senior loss control representative at Acuity Insurance. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), and he earned the Associate in Risk Management and Associate in Risk Management for Public Entities designations from the Insurance Institute of America. AJ is an OSHA-authorized outreach trainer for construction and general industry and teaches classes for the Great Plains OSHA Education Center.