Railroad Construction Co. places a great emphasis on safety and safety training.  Throughout the year, the Safety Department conducts generalized instruction as well as specialized sessions on job specific topics.  With a goal of zero lost time accidents, this training strives to demonstrate that the right equipment, the right training and the right attitude will ultimately prevent accidents on the job.

Recently, in conjunction with the Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey (ACCNJ), Safety Week events were held at all jobsites.  This collaboration requires that both management and craftworkers participate in safety training.  Each day of the week a different “Focus Four” topic was discussed based on the four leading causes of injury and fatality, as determined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): falls, struck-by, electrocution and caught-in/ between.  At the conclusion of the week, each worker was given a tee shirt and hard hat sticker as further reminders of the training.

In 2014, the union contractors represented by ACCNJ and the basic trades construction unions (bricklayers,   carpenters, ironworkers, building and heavy highway laborers and operating engineers) collectively invested more than $24.5 million for safety training and education programs.  This joint effort benefited more than 23,000 workers.  The results are quantified:  in 2012, the last year for which data is available, New Jersey recorded fifteen construction worker fatalities, the lowest on record since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began compiling data under the North American Industry Classification System in 2003.  (Of course, even one fatality is one too many.)

Railroad Construction Co. is committed to making safety the first priority for all our co-workers.  More instructional sessions are already scheduled for 2016 and beyond as our Safety Department continues to develop new and innovative ways to impart their message:  safety is no accident!