The project team unites to kick-off Safety Week.
The New NY Bridge project team this month participated in one of the construction industry’s largest annual events: Safety Week.
The education and awareness initiative aims to reinforce the responsibility each worker has to themselves, their coworkers and their project.
Project leadership from the New York State Thruway Authority and design-builder Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC) kicked off Safety Week on May 1 with a massive gathering on the new bridge’ main span.
“Safety is the top priority on the New NY Bridge project,” said William VanWart, the Thruway Authority’s project safety specialist. “From management to the skilled trades, everybody working on this project is committed to creating a safe environment for themselves and those around them each and every day.”
Speakers introduced this year’s theme of “Stronger and Safer Together,” and reminded the team of staying safe across the project site.
“The sharing of safe work practices throughout the industry only makes for a safer and more productive workforce,” said TZC Project Safety Manager Daryl Lloyd.
Throughout Safety Week, field engineers and superintendents emphasized daily safety topics and protocols with all crew members. These talks allowed TZC to reinforce safety practices taught in more than 1,000 of the project’s training seminars. TZC’s safety team also placed emphasis on their C3 Initiative: Converse, Correct, and Commend.
- Converse with craft employees at all levels about what they can do to make the project site as safe as possible.
- Correct any potentially unsafe acts or conditions, abating and resolving these issues with the project team.
- Commend all positive health and safety behavior from individuals to help maintain a strong “Safety First” culture on the project site.
Safety Week events were also held at the project’s off-site locations, including Tomkins Cove in Rockland County and the Port of Coeymans in Albany County. Members of the Construction Industry Safety Initiative (CISI) also toured the New NY Bridge project site just prior to the start of the event.
The New NY Bridge project’s total recordable incident rate is well under the national average for a project of this scope and size, as determined by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
Safety Week is sponsored by members of CISI and the Incident & Injury Free Executive Forum. Additional support comes from the Alliance Partners, many of which are non-profit associations.
